More than $3 million awarded in scholarships to Tennesseans since 2013
NASHVILLE – WGU Tennessee, the state-endorsed nonprofit online university, is awarding $10,000 scholarships to up to 10 Tennesseans looking to pursue a degree as part of its annual Tenn-K Scholarship.
“WGU Tennessee’s mission has always been to expand access to higher education for working Tennesseans by creating opportunities to pursue their dream career,” said Dr. Kimberly K. Estep, chancellor of WGU Tennessee. “This year has brought many challenges, one being how students afford to begin or continue pursuing a degree. The Tenn-K Scholarship eliminates a major financial hurdle for going back to school.”
WGU Tennessee has helped to alleviate the financial burden for its students by awarding more than $3 million in scholarships to Tennesseans since 2013, $225,000 of that total coming from Tenn-K awards and more than $67,500 in emergency aid scholarships. With WGU’s already-low tuition of about $3,500 per six-month term for most programs, the Tenn-K Scholarship covers approximately 70 percent of a recipient’s tuition costs, on average.
Fifth grade math teacher Victoria Abbott decided to take the leap and pursue a master’s degree in curriculum instruction from WGU Tennessee to become an instructional supervisor in the Jackson-Madison County School System. As a single mom, she applied for the 2020 Tenn-K Scholarship in hopes of starting a flexible master’s program without breaking the bank. By receiving the scholarship, Abbott continued to teach her students full time while working through her degree program.
“I knew receiving the scholarship was a really big blessing, but I didn’t know how big a blessing it was until I looked at the numbers,” said Abbott after receiving her Tenn-K Scholarship. “I try to show students the human side of teachers as much as I can. I hope I inspire them to see that it’s possible. Good things come to those who put in the work.”
Those interested in applying have until March 31, 2021, to submit their application. Tenn-K Scholarships are awarded based on the applicants’ academic records, readiness for online study and demonstrated financial need, as well as other considerations. Recipients are awarded four installments of $2,500 per six-month term, disbursed over their first four terms.
To learn more about the Tenn-K Scholarship, visit https://www.wgu.edu/financial-aid-tuition/scholarships/tennessee/tenn-k.html.
WGU Tennessee is an online, nonprofit, competency-based university established to expand Tennesseans’ access to higher education throughout the state. Formed through a partnership between the state of Tennessee and nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Tennessee is open to all qualified Tennessee residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand career fields of business, K–12 teacher education, information technology and health professions, including nursing.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). 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).*
In addition to WGU Tennessee, there are seven other WGU state-based, state-endorsed universities: WGU Indiana, established in June 2010; WGU Washington, established in April 2011; WGU Texas, established in August 2011; WGU Missouri, established in February 2013; WGU Nevada, established in June 2015; WGU North Carolina, established in October 2017; and WGU Ohio, established in February 2018.
For more information, visit the WGU Tennessee website, tennessee.wgu.edu, or call 855-948-8495.
