Western Governors University Announces Investment in WGU Indiana

Online university allocates part of grant from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
to help expand the reach of competency-based higher education in the state

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — WGU Indiana,
indiana.wgu.edu, is one of three state subsidiaries that will be supported by a
$4.5 million grant to Western Governors University from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. The overall grant is aimed at leveraging WGU’s state subsidiaries in
Indiana, Washington, and Texas to expand the reach of affordable,
competency-based higher education. The investment in Indiana will help support
development and outreach for WGU’s first subsidiary, WGU Indiana.

WGU Indiana was established by the state in early 2010 as an all-online
competency-based university. Created to expand access to higher education for
Indiana residents, nonprofit WGU Indiana offers busy working adults an
affordable, flexible option for earning an accredited college degree. The
university’s four colleges – Business, Information Technology, Teachers College,
and Health Professions (including Nursing) – offer more than 50 accredited
bachelor’s and master’s degrees, many with industry-specific certifications.
Established through a partnership with Western Governors University, WGU Indiana
is open to all qualified Indiana residents.

Designed to meet the needs of working adults, WGU Indiana uses a
competency-based learning model, which allows students to advance by
demonstrating their knowledge and abilities, rather than accumulating credit
hours. Students can take advantage of prior education and experience to move
quickly through course material they already know, allowing them to focus on new
learning. In addition, students may enroll at the beginning of any month and
terms are six months long with no limit on the number of courses a student may
complete per term. Tuition is affordable, less than $6,000 per year for most
programs. For more information, go to indiana.wgu.edu.

“College students have changed, and it’s time higher education made some changes
to keep up with them,” said Hilary Pennington, director of Postsecondary Success
at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “The foundation is pleased to support
Western Governors University because they have a strong track record of
providing a high-quality, affordable, and flexible college experience that meets
the needs of today’s students. In these tough economic times, it is more
important than ever to support students who are juggling jobs and families while
trying to make a better life for themselves.”

About WGU Indiana

WGU Indiana has been established by the state of Indiana as an online,
competency-based university to expand access to higher education for Indiana
residents. Formed through a partnership with Western Governors University, WGU
Indiana is open to all qualified Indiana residents. The university offers 50
undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Education, Information
Technology, and Healthcare Professions, including Nursing.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University,
which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and
Universities (NWCCU) and nationally accredited through the Distance Education
and Training Commission (DETC). Teachers College programs are accredited by the
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Nursing
programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
(CCNE).

WGU Indiana is an approved education provider for Indiana state grants and
scholarships offered through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana
(SSACI). In addition, the university has partnered with Ivy Tech to offer
graduates who have completed their associate’s degrees a seamless transfer to
complete their bachelor’s degrees at WGU Indiana, including application fee
waivers and tuition discounts.

For more information, visit the WGU Indiana website indiana.wgu.edu or call
1-877-214-7014.

Follow WGU Indiana:

http://www.facebook.com/WGUIndiana

http://www.linkedin.com/companies/western-governors-university

http://twitter.com/WGUIndiana

http://www.youtube.com/wguindiana

Contact for enrollment information:
877-214-7014
indiana.wgu.edu

Contact for media inquiries:
Chad Mertz – WGU Indiana
317-631-6400
304-550-8883 cell
chad.mertz@borshoff.biz

SOURCE WGU Indiana