WGU and Red Cross Partner to Boost Student Volunteerism, Access to Affordable Education for Employees and Volunteers

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross has entered into an agreement with Western Governors University (WGU), making the online, competency-based university a national education partner. The partnership allows WGU nursing students to fulfill clinical requirements with volunteer work through local Red Cross chapters. It also expands Red Cross employees' and volunteers' access to high-quality, affordable bachelor's and master's degree programs.

As part of the agreement, WGU will encourage its students, alumni, faculty, and staff to participate in activities across all Red Cross lines of service, including Blood Services, Disaster Cycle Services, Service to the Armed Forces, Preparedness, Health and Safety Services and International Services.

In addition, WGU will offer Red Cross employees and volunteers a 5 percent tuition discount (for up to two years) off WGU's affordable, flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 per year for most programs. The discount is available to those looking to pursue a bachelor's or master's degree in any of WGU's more than 50 programs in business, IT, teacher education, and healthcare. Red Cross staff and volunteers will also be eligible for the WGU Healthcare Partners Scholarship Program, which offers up to $2,500 for new students. Employees and volunteers must meet application requirements.

"I'm delighted to welcome members of the WGU community to serve as Red Cross volunteers," said Linda MacIntyre, chief nurse for the American Red Cross. "The agreement between WGU and the Red Cross is a great way to leverage our mutual goals and the great work of our organizations to etter serve our communities."

"This partnership will provide meaningful learning opportunities for our nursing students and more access to quality higher education to the many great volunteers and staff of the Red Cross nationwide," said Dr. Jan Jones-Schenk, chief nursing officer at WGU.

For more information about WGU and the partnership, visit www.wgu.edu/redcross.  

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross is a volunteer-led humanitarian organization dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. Through its mission, the Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or follow @RedCross on Twitter.

About WGU 
Established in 1997 by a bipartisan group of U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU has been recognized by the White House as what works in post-secondary education. The online university has more than 57,000 students and 43,000 graduates in all 50 states and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Its nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*). WGU has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. 

WGU has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations, including AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).

Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – WGU VP of Public Relations
801-428-5463
[email protected]

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wgu-and-red-cross-partner-to-boost-student-volunteerism-access-to-affordable-education-for-employees-and-volunteers-300083672.html

SOURCE Western Governors University

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