WGU Texas Announces Over $55,000 in College Scholarships

TYLER — Officials from online, nonprofit university WGU Texas announced Monday that in addition to its well-known Finish to Go Further program, the university is launching a brand new Pursuit of Excellence Transfer Scholarship. During a news conference at Tyler Junior College, officials said the move aims to encourage emerging leaders in East Texas to continue their education at WGU Texas. �We�re all working together to increase post-secondary completion rates in East Texas and across the state,� Dr. Bill Holda, President of Kilgore College. �Through WGU Texas� Pursuit of Excellence Transfer Scholarship, we will be able to recognize the truly outstanding students who graduate from our local community colleges and provide them a high quality and affordable avenue to further their education and future career.�

According to a news release, WGU Texas will award nine scholarships, each valued at up to $6,250, to an outstanding graduate from each of the following nine East Texas-area community colleges, to help them pursue an online bachelor or master�s degree program at the university.

� Angelina College
� Kilgore College
� Northeast Texas Community College
� Panola College
� Paris Junior College
� Texarkana College
� Texas State Technical College Marshall
� Trinity Valley Community College
� Tyler Junior College

Each scholarship comes to $1,250 per term for up to five terms.

WGU Texas was recently awarded a $500,000 grant (over the next three years) by Greater Texas Foundation to create guaranteed transfer pathways and serve the adult population in rural Texas with some college credit and no degree. Officials say WGU Texas leverages an innovative approach to learning called competency-based education that measures student learning rather than time spent in class. According to the news release, WGU Texas was created for adults who need a flexible, affordable way to return to college to complete a bachelor or master�s degree program. The application deadline is June 30, 2014. For more information about the WGU Texas Pursuit of Excellence Transfer Scholarship, visit http://texas.wgu.edu/excellence or call 1-877-214-7011.