WGU Missouri Announces New Scholarship for Essential Workers

The non-profit, fully online university will be awarding scholarships to essential workers who

are planning to go back to school

WGU Missouri has announced a new scholarship

specifically designed for essential workers. Valued at up to $3,000 each, the Essential Workers

Scholarship was launched to show appreciation for first responders, grocery store employees,

postal workers, sanitation workers, delivery drivers, transit employees and countless other

essential workers who have shown unwavering perseverance and commitment in serving area

communities throughout the pandemic.

The Essential Workers Scholarship is open to new students whose jobs have been

considered to be essential throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and are interested in pursuing an

undergraduate or graduate degree in any of the more than 60 degree programs offered at WGU

Missouri – in the areas of business, IT, education and health professions, including nursing. Each

$3,000 scholarship will be applied to WGU’s already-low, flat-rate tuition and will be credited at

the rate of $750 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. The deadline to apply is

June 30, 2021, and the application can be found at wgu.edu/essential.

“During these unprecedented times, our essential workers have been working tirelessly to

help meet our needs and bring a sense of normalcy to our lives that we all craved,” said Dr.

Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri. “Through this scholarship offering, we aim to

demonstrate our appreciation for everything they have done and continue to do, while providing

an affordable and accessible path to those essential workers who are interested in furthering their

education and advancing their careers.”

The Essential Workers Scholarship is one of many offered by WGU to help create an

affordable and accessible pathway to higher education for busy adults. Through the generosity of

numerous corporations and foundations, plus special federal government appropriations, WGU

maintains a robust program of scholarships made available to qualified students. For more

information about WGU, the Essential Workers Scholarship or other available scholarships, visit

wgu.edu.

About WGU Missouri

WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for

Missouri residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in

the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including

nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering

guidance, support, and individualized instruction.

Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University,

WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining

on flat-rate tuition of about $7,000 per year for most programs.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited

through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs

are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics

program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information

Management Education (CAHIIM).

More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.