Making a Lasting Impact in Seattle
To enhance the higher education experience for aspiring and seasoned business leaders alike, Western Governors University School of Business leaders are visiting key cities across the country in 2024 where they are discussing the fast-paced and ever-evolving business world and what it means to learn at the speed of business with employers, industry partners, distinguished alumni and other stakeholders.
As part of a commitment for school programs to remain aligned with industry and educational needs, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean Mitsu Frazier, Vice President Margaret Simonis and Vice President Casey Clark were joined by WGU Northwest Regional Vice President Tonya Drake in Seattle – home to the largest number WGU School of Business students and WGU’s second largest market for School of Business graduates.
“The goal is to gain further industry input to help shape future programs and curriculum within the WGU School of Business, which will eventually contribute to local workforce needs,” Frazier said.
In Seattle, School of Business leaders enjoyed a discussion with the Seattle Metro Chamber, where they discussed local workforce needs and an Equity Reception, where Seattle business leaders and WGU leaders and graduates met for thought-provoking discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion within the business world and higher education, including locally in Seattle.
School of Business leaders also recognized partners Amazon Career Choice, T-Mobile and the Boeing Employees Credit Union with Elevate Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations committed to high-quality educational and professional development opportunities for others.
In 2022, WGU was selected as an education partner for the Amazon Career Choice program. WGU provides Amazon’s hourly employees full tuition to learn new skills for career success. In less than two years, nearly 6,000 Amazon employees have come to WGU through the Career Choice program – and 84 have already graduated.
Since 2020, T-Mobile has been a vital supporter of the WGU Online Access Scholarship. That scholarship provides select students with the equipment and/or services they need to pursue degrees from WGU. If they are in need, students may receive laptops, hotspots with internet access, and/or a webcam to help them during their studies. To date, nearly 3,400 WGU students have enhanced their educational journeys by that scholarship.
