Nebraska partners with online university to provide opportunities for adult learners
President Joe Biden has said many Americans will be able to get up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt if they earn less than $125,000 a year. People who went to college on Pell grants can be awarded up to $20,000. One of the people who will benefit is Lynn Hunt from Bend, Oregon, who paid between $45,000 and $50,000 for her degree.
LINCOLN — In the latest phase of Gov. Pete Ricketts’ efforts to improve Nebraska’s “talent pipeline,” the state is partnering with a private, nonprofit online university to expand access to affordable higher education.
On Tuesday, Ricketts signed an agreement with Western Governors University (WGU) that will connect the university with local community colleges and make WGU students eligible for the Nebraska Opportunity Grant, a need-based grant program funded by funds of lottery. As a result of the agreement, WGU President Scott Pulsipher said the university will also open $200,000 in scholarships for Nebraska students.
During Ricketts’ tenure, the state invested millions in improving what he described as the “talent pipeline” from students to workers, in an effort to address labor shortages in the Nebraska. However, Ricketts said one demographic that hasn’t received as much attention is “non-traditional” adult learners.
People also read…
Ricketts said more than 70% of jobs now require a post-secondary degree, but only about half of adults in Nebraska have such a degree. Additionally, Pulsipher said about 300,000 Nebraskans have some college experience but no degree in what he described as “untapped talent.”
The average age of a WGU student is 34, Ricketts said, making him a prime candidate for the partnership. Not only is the university’s online format appealing to adult learners, but it also offers flexible scheduling and “skills-based education,” which allows students to test course requirements. Pulsipher said the average WGU student graduates in about two years and four months.
Nebraska is the 12th state to partner with WGU to provide financial aid opportunities, Pulsipher said.
“We were created by states for states,” he said.
Part of the partnership will also connect WGU with community colleges in Nebraska to provide students with a “seamless transition” from pursuing a two-year degree to a four-year degree if they choose, Pulsipher said.
One of the partner community colleges is Southeast Community College in Lincoln. President Paul Illich said the agreement will help the college provide more education options for its students.
“We don’t own learning,” Illich said. “Learning happens everywhere.”
The Last 10 Governors of Nebraska
Briefly: Ricketts, whose billionaire family owns the Chicago Cubs, won two terms as governor. He focused on taxes, regulation and government efficiency.
Briefly: Heineman became Nebraska’s longest-serving governor after stepping down as lieutenant governor. A fervent conservative, he oversaw two major tax reduction programs.
Briefly: Johanns put thousands of miles on his car campaigning for governor. A former mayor of Lincoln, he became US Secretary of Agriculture and served a term in the US Senate.
Briefly: Nelson served two terms as governor and two in the US Senate. As governor, he merged five state agencies and saved Nebraska from being the site of a low-level radioactive waste dump.
Briefly: Orr was the first woman elected governor of Nebraska. She oversaw the creation of corporate tax incentives and an effort to increase university research. It has re-emerged as a political force in recent years.
Briefly: Kerrey is a decorated Vietnam War veteran who led the state through a major agricultural crisis. He then served two terms in the United States Senate. While serving as governor, he dated actress Debra Winger.
Briefly: Thone, better known as “Charley,” spent eight years in Congress before being elected governor. He focused on education and economic development.
Briefly: Exon, a two-term governor and three-term U.S. senator, became the state’s Democratic Party patriarch. As governor, he was a fiscal conservative and an early proponent of ethanol.
Briefly: Tiemann, a reformer, took office amid a state fiscal crisis. His solution—creating the state sales and income tax system—cost him a second term.
Briefly: Morrison, who served three 2-year terms as governor, was known as a tireless Nebraska promoter. He pushed for tourism and criminal justice reform.
[email protected] Twitter @ErinBamer
Comments are closed.