WGU Connection Blog

Mentor Advice: Scheduling time for study

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:06:50 +0000

By Mary Alice Kothe
WGU Student Mentor, College of Health Professions

An IT Degree or Certifications: Which Do I Need to Succeed?

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:00:39 +0000

The field of information technology is a diverse one, full of promising career options covering a broad range of specialties ripe with opportunities to succeed and excel for motivated, smart leaders.

It’s also a competitive field. For those looking to break into IT, and for those already working in technology but seeking ways to get ahead, how do you best demonstrate your leadership? How do you stand out among the competition?

Three’s Company: Award-winning Teacher Not the Only Night Owl at Her School

Fri, 10 May 2013 21:08:12 +0000

The science department at Lima Central Catholic High School in Lima, Ohio, knows a lot about owls. Night Owls, in particular.

Teacher Appreciation Week: Win WGU Gear

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:01:17 +0000

Happy National Teacher Appreciation Day!

This week, we join the rest of the country in celebrating our nation’s educators as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. Our online Teachers College produces highly qualified, outstanding educators, and we’re proud of the good WGU-trained teachers do for that most-precious resource, our children.

National Nurses Week: Win WGU Nursing Swag

Mon, 06 May 2013 17:22:30 +0000

Happy National Nurses Week!

6 Innocent “Red Flags” Caught by Online Exam Proctors

Fri, 03 May 2013 21:55:03 +0000

A snoring cat. A cramping hand. An unexpected visit from the landlord.

What all these things have in common is that they’ve all caught the attention of the alert online proctors monitoring WGU students taking tests remotely.

Scholarship Helps Mom with 5 Kids, 5 Jobs Earn BSN Online

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:58:26 +0000

Five jobs and five kids couldn’t keep L’via Weisinger from accomplishing an educational goal 25 years in the making.

Yes, we said five jobs. And five kids—from age 5 to three who are in college.

Mentor Advice: Recovering from Assessment Disappointment

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:52:57 +0000

By Brett Schaefer
WGU Course Mentor, College of IT

By the Numbers: The Value of a Degree

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:01:09 +0000

Want to maximize your chances of having a great job? Want that job to pay you well?

Student Finds Way to Combine Love of Dogs, IT

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:26:04 +0000

March is Student Appreciation Month at WGU. The Night Owl community is full of amazing students, alumni, and prospective students dedicated to jobs, families, volunteer work, hobbies—and, on top of it all, furthering their education. This month, we’re sharing a few stories of spectacular Night Owls who are contributing to their communities.

Helping Kids with Cancer: A Steep Climb for Online IT Student

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:43:59 +0000

Healthcare More Than a Job for MSN Student

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 16:30:52 +0000

It’s All about the You in WGU

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:37:43 +0000

As you know, WGU’s learning model is centered entirely on students and their success. We were founded by governors whose sole goal was to give their states’ residents better access to high-quality education so they could reach their career goals.

In other words: At WGU, it’s all about you.

We hope you know that, and that you experience it in every interaction you have with the university. But just to make doubly sure, this month we’re celebrating Student Appreciation Month and letting you know just how much you, WGU’s Night Owls, mean to us.

Competency-based Education: Um, What’s That?!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:42:46 +0000

At WGU, we pride ourselves on being a competency-based university.

Students praise the way focusing on clear competencies allows them to learn what they need to know to become highly sought-after employees, without wasting time on what they already know. Alumni and employers point to competency-based education as the reason WGU graduates are so well-poised to succeed.

March On - Becoming Resilient in the Face of Challenges

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:17:37 +0000

My name is Alisa Affleck, and I am a mentor in the Secondary Science program. I have experienced WGU as a faculty member, as a student, and as the spouse of a student. WGU is a marvelous and innovative institution, and I’m grateful to be a participant in bringing about our shared mission.

WGU Mentor Uses Marine & Culinary Training to Help Business Students

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:36:52 +0000

It doesn’t matter if James Moore is cooking up a culinary masterpiece, working as an IT consultant, or guiding his WGU students toward graduation, he approaches all of his work with expertise and enthusiasm.

"I don’t do anything halfway," James said. "Life is really about what you make of it, and I do everything I can to make the most of it."

4 Steps to Visualizing Your Success at WGU

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 17:56:50 +0000

While students enrolled in brick-and-mortar institutions are hitting their mid-semester stretch, you could be anywhere in your term. But wherever you are in your education at WGU, we want to give you the tools necessary for success. Here are four tips that you can implement right now to reach your goal of graduation and enjoy continued success in your professional life.

Class on My Schedule: How to Make Self-Pacing Work for You

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:55:42 +0000

By Theresa Paterra

Theresa Paterra is a recent graduate of WGU’s online Teachers College, having earned her bachelor’s degree in Special Education in January 2013.

Why Fast Company Says WGU is One of the World’s 50 Top Innovators

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:16:14 +0000

When the cutting-edge business and media publication Fast Company released its list of the world’s 50 most-innovative companies this morning, students and alumni were proud—but not surprised—to find WGU among the ranks.

WGU’s Graduating Class of Winter 2013

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 17:19:41 +0000

Another commencement, another record smashed.

The 24th commencement ceremony at WGU—coming up this week, February 9, in Atlanta—celebrates, once again, the biggest class in our history: 4,134 graduates from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and overseas military personnel!

That’s right—this graduating class is more than 4,000-strong, far surpassing summer 2012’s record-setting 3,235.