Representatives with Western Governors University (WGU) said they are pleased to announce that their students can now apply for the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship, a loan-scholarship designed to assist aspiring teachers and combat the state’s teacher shortage.
The scholarship program, which began in 2023, was expanded this year to include WGU with the passage of HB2180 and SB2659 in the most recent legislative session.
With the scholarship, juniors and seniors who attend a Tennessee-approved education preparation program (EPP) provider institution, such as WGU Teachers College, can receive financial assistance if they agree to either work in a high-need public school in the state or teach a subject with a critical shortage of educators. Both options involve a four-year commitment.
“Now more than ever, Tennessee schools can use all the support they can get,” said Kimberly Estep, WGU Tennessee chancellor and Southeast regional vice president. “We are thrilled that students attending WGU or planning to attend WGU have the opportunity to receive additional financial support to achieve their dreams and, in turn, address crucial educational needs in our state.”
The program comes as Tennessee battles an ongoing teacher shortage. According to the Tennessee Department of Education, the state needs more than 1,200 more teachers to fill current vacancies, especially in high-need areas. In addition, TN.gov lists 35 counties as distressed or at risk. WGU hopes to play a role in changing that.
Among those listed as “at-risk” are Jackson, Fentress, Macon and Pickett. Clay County is considered “distressed,” with its poverty rate at 24 percent and a three-year average unemployment rate of 6.3 percent.
In the last 20 years, WGU’s Teachers College has conferred degrees to more than 91,000 graduates across all 50 states, with nearly 3,300 of those in Tennessee. The Teachers College has partnered with more than 2,600 school districts and more than 500 community colleges nationwide, including more than 20 in Tennessee. With the Tennessee Future Teacher Scholarship, the university has yet another way to serve its students and the state.
WGU’s online model provides a broad portfolio of dozens of degree pathways in a student-centered, competency-based model with flexible scheduling to learn where and when students want within each six-month term. This enables students to progress through their courses as soon as they demonstrate skills mastery.
The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Sept. 1. For more information, visit CollegeForTN.org. To learn more about WGU’s Teachers College and its academic programs, go to WGU.edu. One of WGU’s corporate locations is in Franklin, Tenn.
About Western Governors University (WGU): A nonprofit, online university established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU now serves more than 169,300 students nationwide and has awarded more than 350,000 degrees to nearly 315,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In less than 30 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, and CNN and in The New York Times. Learn more at wgu.eduwgu.edu and wgu.edu/impactwgu.edu/impact.
