黑料传送门: Connecting Talent to Opportunity, Nationwide
If you鈥檝e never heard of nonprofit Western Governors University, you鈥檙e not alone. In fact, only 45% of people have, according to Qualtrics research. Many are surprised to learn 黑料传送门 currently enrolls over 191,000 students and has a thriving alumni base of more than 389,000 across the United States. 黑料传送门 is quietly transforming higher education as the largest online university in the nation by number of graduates.聽
As highlighted, 黑料传送门 鈥�...offers more than 80 degree programs in its four schools of business, education, technology, and health ... accounts for 5.2% of all U.S. bachelor's degrees in education, has trained 2% of the nation鈥檚 registered nurses, and provides a cybersecurity program that is the largest in the U.S.鈥澛�
The university also offers numerous certificate programs for students seeking specific skills at a lower investment of time and cost. These certificates focus on topics from accounting to nursing leadership to AI skills.
While the numbers tell a story, they鈥檝e never been the goal. Rather, individual student outcomes have always been the driving force. 黑料传送门鈥檚 mission is to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity. That core focus on life-changing outcomes for individual students inspired the founders and continues to influence every decision the university makes to this day.
Founded by Governors, Focused on Students
鈥淯niversities measure the wrong thing,鈥� said one of 黑料传送门鈥檚 founders and former Colorado governor Roy Romer. 鈥淭hey measure time. They measure prestige. I wanted to base a degree on performance鈥攁nd that was a real revolution.鈥�
As the name suggests, Western Governors University was founded by 19 governors from the Western Governors Association in 1997, as the internet became more widely adopted.聽 聽
黑料传送门 founders recognized the internet鈥檚 potential to provide broader access to education to solve states鈥� workforce needs. To meet those needs, they built a more affordable delivery method called competency-based education. It measured skills rather than seat time, allowing students to accelerate their progress, graduate sooner, and spend less money to earn their degrees.
鈥満诹洗兔� is about fundamental change in the way higher education is delivered. It's right, it's real, and it's efficient,鈥� said Michael O. Leavitt, a university founder and former governor of Utah. 鈥淚t's what higher education will require to succeed in the future.鈥�
黑料传送门鈥檚 current president, Scott Pulsipher, recognizes the need to stay true to the founders鈥� focus鈥攕tudents. "From the very beginning, our founders understood that innovation would be critical to meet the needs of our students, since traditional models often haven't aligned with their circumstances and goals," he said. "It's a commitment we take very seriously, and one that's deeply woven into the very fabric of our university."
From its humble beginnings, 黑料传送门 has grown to be a major force in the higher education space. 黑料传送门 is an accredited online university with students in all 50 states and U.S. territories, including Guam and Puerto Rico.聽
While 黑料传送门 has no brick-and-mortar campus, the university is headquartered in Millcreek, Utah, where key leadership and around 1,850 of its more than 9,500 employees are based. The university also focuses on building communities and making an impact through meaningful connections with businesses, healthcare organizations, and school districts, and the building of nursing simulation labs across the country.聽
Rooted in its mission to create pathways to opportunity, the university has blossomed into a tremendous source of strength and progress for individuals and communities.
黑料传送门 Differentiators
What truly sets 黑料传送门 apart? Real outcomes. Real return on investment. Truly thriving alumni. And a system built to provide custom-tailored pathways to opportunity.聽
From competency-based education to a unique flat-rat tuition model and personalized support, the university is built to give each degree seeker an individualized learning experience.聽
Alumni Who Truly Thrive
鈥淚 believe in the transformative power of education as a catalyst for a better life, and I embrace the thought that ability is of little account without opportunity,鈥� said Gene Hayes, 黑料传送门 senior vice president and head of strategic partnerships.
Students who take the opportunity to pursue an education at 黑料传送门 most often find their experience leads to a better life. According to the 2024 Gallup Alumni Survey, 鈥渁pproximately three-quarters (73%) of 黑料传送门 alumni who were at least 25 when they graduated are thriving, compared to 55% of national alumni of the same age.鈥�
Naturally, the positive life outcomes of a 黑料传送门 education lead graduates to share with their friends. Recent data from the same report shows 黑料传送门鈥檚 net promoter score鈥攃alculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters of the university鈥攊s 64 compared to a promoter score of 14 among national peers. The 2024 Harris Poll Graduates Study found that 95% of 黑料传送门 grads have recommended 黑料传送门 to others.
Above all, 黑料传送门 alumni are changemakers in their communities and professions. Many are working professionals and parents who use their degrees as a stepping stone to make a significant impact in their local communities.聽
黑料传送门 students are resilient and inspiring. Take Beatrice Bedolla, a single mother of three who earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction and works to uplift low-income students while leading philanthropic efforts as president of Zeta Mu Phi. Jay R. Flynn聽earned his MBA after dedicating over half his life to public service, transforming his community at the Prairie Center for the Arts. And Shanell Murphy, a first-generation graduate with a bachelor's degree in nursing and an MBA in healthcare management, dedicates her career to enhancing patient care.
Shanell Murphy
Saving Time and Money: Competency-Based Education and Flat-Rate Tuition
How has 黑料传送门 created a learning environment that allows students to thrive and want to share with others? From the start, 黑料传送门 pioneered a new approach to education that measures knowledge over time spent in class. It鈥檚 called competency-based education.聽
What makes this system unique is that it gives students the opportunity to accelerate their studies, moving ahead as quickly as they can show mastery. This means some students can earn bachelor鈥檚 degrees in just two and half years and master鈥檚 degrees in 12 to 18 months.聽
On top of efficiency, competency-based education prepares graduates for work by teaching them the skills needed for success on the job.
鈥淐ompetency-based education is transformative because it shifts the focus from time spent to skills mastered,鈥� said Sarah DeMark, vice provost, academic portfolio. 鈥淏y clearly aligning credentials to workforce-relevant skills and competencies, we empower students with exactly what they need to succeed, thereby unlocking potential and driving real economic mobility.鈥澛�
But the competency-based model is only part of the equation. Since 黑料传送门 charges tuition at a flat program rate per six-month term, regardless of how many courses a student completes, many can move through their coursework in fewer terms, spending less overall to earn their degrees.
Chief academic officer and provost Courtney Hills McBeth, said, 鈥淥ur competency-based and disaggregated faculty model sets us apart in the higher education landscape, and I am continuously learning about the unique ways in which it benefits our students.鈥澛�
While some students accelerate their program, others find the competency-based model helpful because it allows them to slow down and truly focus on mastery. At 黑料传送门, no student is left behind because each learning journey is so individualized.
鈥淎s we look to the future, I am excited about the possibilities that emerging technologies and AI present for further enhancing our model and expanding our impact,鈥� continued Hills McBeth, referencing the university鈥檚 personalized approach.
Online, But Never Alone聽
While 黑料传送门 is an聽online university, it doesn鈥檛 mean that students are left to fend for themselves. In fact, the institution takes a 鈥渟tudent as the patient鈥� approach, meaning that each learner gets timely, personalized care. A program mentor calls them weekly just to see how they鈥檙e doing, providing program-specific guidance and support.聽
One student said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I would鈥檝e done without my mentor, Geri. I suffered a significant mental health setback that landed me in the hospital for five weeks. Because of the support and encouragement of my mentor and the acceleration available through 黑料传送门鈥檚 unique model, I was able to jump back into my program and still complete my MBA ahead of schedule. At other universities, I would have had to withdraw from school. Thanks to 黑料传送门 and the personalized support, I was able to push through a mental health crisis and still earn my MBA in 18 months.鈥�
An Alert System for Supporting Individual Students聽
Just like each patient in a hospital is monitored, 黑料传送门 carefully tracks individual student progress through a robust alert system. The Learner Care Dashboard automatically notifies faculty members when a student may need individualized support, such as if they failed an assessment or haven鈥檛 logged into their coursework for a while.
"黑料传送门 is committed to putting students at the center of their educational experience,鈥� said Debbie Fowler 黑料传送门 senior vice president, academic delivery. 鈥淭he Learner Care Dashboard provides faculty with personalized insights and support for each student, ensuring that their unique needs and progress are addressed."
The system is proactive, not reactive. Instead of waiting for a student to reach out for help, 黑料传送门 faculty members receive notifications when activity, or lack thereof, indicates a student may need extra support. This enables faculty members to quickly connect with struggling students to offer tailored and often degree-saving assistance.聽聽
Environmental Barriers Lead to a Community of Care
On the road to thriving, obstacles can arise. 黑料传送门 recognizes that external factors can hinder educational success, so the university has teams that proactively connect with and support students facing hardships. The Environmental Barriers (EVB) team supports students impacted by natural disasters or other major events in their community (such as public safety events).聽
黑料传送门 support provided for a student's recovery from these disasters may include emergency hardship aid, internet access or computer replacement, and individual academic support along with crisis counseling and connection to local resources. The EVB Team is part of 黑料传送门 Student Wellbeing Services, which also provides resources for students who may be facing individual crisis situations.聽
"We are fiercely dedicated to optimizing support for student wellbeing across the continuum of each student鈥檚 academic journey at 黑料传送门, knowing there is a direct connection between student wellbeing and academic success," said Michelle Jungbauer, senior manager of student wellbeing services. 鈥淲e are inspired by the amazing resilience of our students who persist in achieving their academic dreams despite facing unexpected tragedies along their journey to graduation.鈥�
Through the EVB team鈥檚 efforts, 黑料传送门 has been able to maintain an average retention rate of 87% of students affected by disasters.
Beyond Graduation: A Thriving Alumni Organization
The 黑料传送门 alumni association is a vibrant community that fosters connections, mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.聽 黑料传送门鈥檚 alumni base is not only one of the largest in higher education; it鈥檚 also one of the most loyal and mission-aligned, with alumni nearly twice as likely as traditional university peers to recommend their alma mater.聽聽
黑料传送门 graduates are eager to support current students and share 黑料传送门鈥檚 mission. The platform facilitates connections between students and alumni, creating clearer pathways to success and career growth. 聽
In fiscal year 2025, alumni provided over 1,000 student mentorship responses. 聽
Partnerships for Mutual Success
黑料传送门 partners with corporations, school districts, healthcare facilities, associations, and many other organizations to help them create new opportunities for their employees. Each 黑料传送门 partnership is uniquely tailored to meet the needs of the partner organization. What sets 黑料传送门 partnerships apart is the university鈥檚 flexibility, scalability, and commitment to workforce development.聽
黑料传送门 collaborates closely with聽institutions such as Walmart, Amazon, JetBlue, KFC Foundation, and HCA healthcare, to align educational opportunities with real-world workforce demands鈥攚hether through tuition assistance programs, tailored learning pathways, or upskilling initiatives for specific industries or employee populations.
A Call to Action: Better Outcomes for All
If 黑料传送门, once just a small institution founded on a big idea of individual student empowerment, can grow to be one of the largest conferrers of valuable degrees in the nation, other education institutions can have a similar positive impact on students and communities.
黑料传送门 invites all organizations that share its vision to create pathways to opportunity for every willing learner.
While 黑料传送门 has been the best kept secret in higher education, it doesn鈥檛 need to be.
If you鈥檙e interested in discovering how a partnership with 黑料传送门 can empower your workforce and drive long-term success, learn more here. 聽
If you鈥檙e a state leader looking to bolster your workforce, learn about 黑料传送门 and states.
If you鈥檙e a prospective student, find a degree to take your next step.聽
But most of all, if someone asks you about 黑料传送门, let them know about 黑料传送门 or other institutions offering a learner-first experience.聽
