WGU and Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance Sign Partnership
Members can apply for scholarships to pursue further education
NASHVILLE, NOVEMBER 18,2024 – Western Governors University (WGU), the nonprofit online university operating in Tennessee for more than a decade, has signed a partnership agreement with the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA).
The partnership encourages TECA members to pursue higher-education opportunities with WGU’s flexible, online degree programs and provide scholarships TECA members can use to attend WGU.
“At WGU, we’re committed to furthering the educational opportunities and pathways for all Tennesseans, and TECA is an important partner in achieving that mission,” said Kimberly K. Estep, WGU Tennessee chancellor and Southeast regional vice president. “Their work connecting, mentoring, and championing educators across the state is vital to our children’s future. With our state facing another school year with a teacher shortage, we must find ways to nurture and support our educators, and this partnership is one way we’re doing our part.”
TECA’s mission is to provide high-quality programming and networking opportunities to support and retain educators of color across the state of Tennessee. They engage and convene educators of color with opportunities to explore fellowship, develop layers of mentorship, and pursue leadership opportunities. TECA has more than 4,000 members and staff across the state.
“We’re honored to partner with WGU in our shared mission to support educators of color in Tennessee,” said Diarese George, chief executive officer for TECA. “By working together, we can cultivate a steady pipeline of diverse teaching talent and provide the resources and opportunities for our members to become better educators, mentors, and leaders.”
In the last 20 years, WGU’s Teachers College has conferred degrees to more than 91,000 graduates across all 50 states, with nearly 3,300 of those in Tennessee. The Teachers College has partnered with more than 2,600 school districts and more than 500 community colleges nationwide, including more than 20 in Tennessee. WGU’s Teachers College is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
WGU’s online model 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.
To learn more about TECA, go to TNECA.org.
To learn more about WGU’s Teachers College and its academic programs, go to WGU.edu.
About Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA): A statewide nonprofit founded in 2016 that envisions a future where the diversity of Tennessee educators reflects the diversity of students across the state. Its mission is to provide high-quality programming and networking opportunities to support and retain educators of color across the state of Tennessee. Organizationally, TECA provides leadership development, professional learning opportunities, intentional mentorship, civic engagement and advocacy training, and strategic partnership centered on racial equity in recruitment and retention. Since its inception in 2016, the organization has attracted and supported a network of over 4000 educators of color, allies, advocates, and community stakeholders across the state. More information is available at www.tneca.org.
