Hillary O’Dell of Nettie has received her Bachelor of Arts in Science (5-12, Bio) degree from Western Governors University (WGU). The university held its 31st semi-annual commencement ceremony in Salt Lake City on July 16 and celebrated the graduation of more than 8,000 graduates.
At its commencement, the university awarded 4,944 undergraduate and 3,103 graduate degrees in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education, and healthcare professions, including nursing. Graduates reside in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, as well as Armed Forces personnel stationed overseas. Dell Loy Hansen, founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Wasatch Group, delivered the commencement address. Students who were not able to attend the ceremony in person were able to watch the event via live video stream on the WGU website.
Designed to meet the needs of busy working adults, WGU’s competency-based model makes it possible for students to set their own study schedules and move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. While WGU’s online degree programs are rigorous and challenging, adult learners are still able to earn their degrees without sacrificing work, family, and financial obligations. As a result, many students are able to accelerate their studies, finishing faster and saving money-the average time to complete a bachelor’s degree is about two and 1/2 years.
