Western Governors University’s Teachers College Commemorates American Education Week 2023 with Scholarships for Current and Aspiring Teachers

SALT LAKE CITY (October 23, 2023) — The Teachers College at Western Governors University’s (WGU) School of Education will mark American Education Week (Nov. 13-17, 2023) by announcing its WGU Loves Teachers and Become a Teacher scholarship programs for current and future education professionals who wish to pursue bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in the Teachers College.

“Teaching is a noble profession, and we’re proud to boost support for our nation’s educators with these scholarships,” said Stacey Ludwig Johnson, Ph.D., senior vice president of WGU and executive dean of the School of Education. “Since its founding 20 years ago, our Teachers College has invested in the development of future educators and school leaders, and we are thrilled to offer opportunities to help our students pursue their academic and professional goals.”

Each WGU Loves Teachers and Become a Teacher scholarship is valued up to $4,000 and designed to help current teachers improve their skill set in the classroom or move into administration, and support future teachers in obtaining the required credentials to start a rewarding career as an educator. The accredited, nonprofit college’s commitment to keeping costs lowered reduces the need for student borrowing, resulting in average graduate debt that is about half the national average.

According to data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), all states and the District of Columbia collectively report an unmet need of approximately 355,000 teachers for the 2023-24 school year, including elementary, secondary, and special education. As part of a solution to this teacher shortage, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, WGU’s Teachers College has graduated more than 48,300 students nationwide between Jan. 1, 2020 and Sept. 8, 2023 who have launched as licensed teachers or advanced in their school-leader roles.

In the last 20 years, the Teachers College has conferred degrees to more than 90,000 graduates across all 50 states, and has currently enrolled approximately 39,000 students. The college provides a broad portfolio of dozens of degree pathways in a student-centered, competency-based model with flexible scheduling to learn where and when students want within each six-month term. This enables students to progress through their courses as soon as they demonstrate skills mastery.

Prospective and enrolling WGU students may apply for the WGU Loves Teachers and the Become a Teacher scholarship by visiting wgu.edu/aew.

WGU’s Teachers College programs have been continuously accredited since 2006. They are currently accredited by both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a prestigious combination of accreditations. To learn more about WGU’s Teachers College and its academic programs, visit  wgu.edu/online-teaching-degrees.