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SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Western Governors University (WGU) Board of Directors recognizes the leadership and contributions of former US Secretary of Health Michael O. Leavitt to the College of Health Professions. and Human Services, former governor of Utah and founding member of WGU. The school has developed long-term plans to address national health care workforce gaps and address community-wide health crises.
Combined, these efforts will enable WGU to expand its support of workforce equity and health care in the United States.
“The transformation of America’s healthcare industry requires scalable and successful educational solutions,” said WGU President Scott Pulsifer. “The Levitt School of Health is already one of the nation’s leading nursing education institutions. Based on its tremendous success to date and ability to deliver programs with some of the highest licensing rates in the country, it is now uniquely positioned to expand access to underserved populations nationally and with local impact.
The school’s new design aims to have the same impact on nursing as it has on other areas of health care education. In 2021, 17.2% of RN to BSN graduates nationally – registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing – were educated at WGU. Over the next five years, the school plans to add new degrees and academic programs.
“Addressing the shortage of qualified health professionals, diversifying the health care workforce, and equipping new and existing health professionals to lead the field are the driving forces behind WGU’s competency-based curriculum and ability to educate students at scale. ” said Michael O. Levitt. “We meet the needs of adults and industry and create opportunities for career development and knowledge building.”
The Levitt School of Health—formerly the College of Health Professions—began in 2006, shortly after Levitt was appointed health secretary. WGU has confirmed with Teachers College that competency-based online education works with high-touch careers and contributes to critical nursing and medical workforce shortages facing the nation. Powered by its first corporate partner, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA Healthcare), the health school has seen significant growth in graduates, enrollment and partnerships with hospitals and healthcare organizations across the US.
To date, more than 98,500 degrees — including non-nursing programs such as health informatics and health information management — have been awarded to students in all 50 states. To assess its impact on nursing graduates — now more than 84,000 — and the contributions nurses have made in their communities, WGU tapped the Utah Foundation to conduct a research brief.
Among the findings, the Utah Foundation estimates that from 2009, out of 84,390 graduates, 79,181 are still active in the nursing industry, and these nurses support an additional 91,713 jobs to complete the nursing supply chain and live the lifestyle of nurses. Income in local communities. In terms of earnings, WGU nursing graduates will earn an estimated $6.7 billion in 2022, and their careers and earnings are associated with an additional $5.6 billion in supporting occupations. In total, WGU nursing graduates are associated with 170,000 jobs and $12 billion in personal income.
“WGU exists to expand avenues of opportunity, and the research brief shows what those opportunities mean for thousands of nurses and the communities they contribute to,” Pulsifer said. “In addition to our short-term workforce and economic impact, countless patients and their families benefit from the high-quality care provided by WGU-educated nurses, which is underserved in many rural and large parts of the country.”
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, WGU was founded in 1997 by a bipartisan group of 19 governors, including current governor Michael O. Leavitt. It was established to open new doors of opportunity for higher education by using the power of the Internet and allowing students to progress in their studies while demonstrating their ability. Today, WGU is the largest not-for-profit university in the country, currently serving more than 130,000 students and nearly 285,000 alumni. The Levitt School of Health currently educates over 27,000 students with over 98,500 students.
Watch Former President George W. Bush’s Congratulatory Message to Former Governor Mike Levitt over here.
Watch the tribute video of former Governor Mike Levitt over here.
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About WGU
Founded in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU, an online nonprofit, now serves more than 130,000 students nationwide and has more than 285,000 alumni in all 50 states. As the nation’s leading competency-based university driving innovation, WGU has been recognized by the White House, government leaders, employers and students as a model that works for postsecondary education. In just 25 years, the university has become a leading influence in transforming the lives of individuals and families and preparing the workforce needed in today’s fast-growing economy. WGU has been recognized by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN and The New York Times. Learn more atwgu.eduAndwgu.edu/advocate.
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