South Dakota tech colleges, WGU celebrate new partnership

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Officials from South Dakota’s technical colleges and Western Governors University celebrated a new partnership Wednesday.

The partnership allows students from the state’s technical colleges to continue their education through WGU’s online programs.

Officials signed an articulation agreement that will provide graduates with an affordable pathway to earning their degrees Under the terms of the agreement, graduates and staff of state technical colleges will be able to seamlessly transfer their credits to WGU and enroll in any of the fully online programs.

“One of the things we know about people who go to a technical school is they have learned credible skills that give them jobs, and that is incredibly important, but sometimes later in life, they have next steps. WGU can be the next step for them, and so now, state-wide, people know that WGU is an option you don’t have to quit your job for and you can still earn a degree,” says Dr. Angie Besendorfer, regional vice president at WGU.

New WGU students will also be able to take advantage of scholarships.