First responders play a vital role in our world today, especially with the advent of COVID-19. EMTs, police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and more put their lives on the line every day for the communities in which they serve.
October 28 is National First Responders Day. This year, Western Governors University (WGU) announced a new scholarship program to honor first responders–and their spouses–who wish to continue their education.
The “First Responder Appreciation Scholarship” is a 4-term scholarship, valued at up to $4,000, and is applicable at a rate of $1,000 per term, for up to four terms. Applicants must demonstrate selflessness and commitment in serving area communities as they carry out their duties throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scholarships are available for new students enrolled in any of WGU’s more than 60 degree programs in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. The scholarship application is available here on their website and will be open through June 30, 2022.
“First responders make countless sacrifices on a daily basis to protect our communities, uphold the law and save lives,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University. “While we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude we owe our first responders, we at WGU hope that this scholarship offering can help provide those first responders and their spouses who are considering going back to school an even more affordable path to earning their degrees.”
About Western Governors University
With a mission to expand access to affordable, high-quality higher education, 19 U.S. governors collaborated to create a fully online, nonprofit university in 1997. WGU serves more than 130,000 students across the United States and has close to 250,000 graduates across all 50 states.
Using a competency-based education approach, WGU is able to meet the needs of adult learners with busy lives. This allows for students to move through the material at their own pace, so they can move quickly through coursework that they’ve mastered while taking extra time on what needs more attention. Schedules are made to fit busy adult lives realistically, so those with full-time and/or demanding jobs can still obtain higher education.
Accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers and students alike as a successful working model of postsecondary education.
For more information, please visit their website.