As college degrees become increasingly essential for career success, states are searching for affordable ways to increase access to higher education for their citizens. Currently, 38% of working adults in the U.S. have associate's or bachelor's degrees, but researchers estimate that by 2018, 66% of new jobs will require an associate's degree or higher. For states to meet their higher education goals, they must offer opportunities that are accessible to working adults, not just recent college graduates.

However, current budget constraints demand that they find innovative ways to create higher education opportunities without impacting state budgets. Indiana recognized this need, what Gov. Daniels called 'the largest single remaining need in Indiana higher education,' and, in partnership with non-profit, online Western Governors University, launched WGU Indiana in June 2010.

WGU Indiana rounds out Indiana's family of higher education opportunities by offering affordable, flexible degree programs designed to meet the needs of working adults in the state. Self-sustaining on tuition, the Indiana university operates at no cost to the state. In addition, the state's newest university has hired more than 70 new faculty and staff members in Indiana since June.

For many working adults, the thought of returning to the classroom to study material they learned decades earlier is not an enticing prospect. WGU Indiana provides a welcome alternative; the university is completely online and competency-based, meaning students accelerate through courses based on knowledge, not seat time. Once students demonstrate their mastery of a particular topic or skill, they can move on, saving both time and money. As a result, the average time to complete a bachelor's degree at WGU Indiana is two and a half years.

WGU Indiana's flexibility was just what initially encouraged Dawn Hanson, one of the new university's first graduates, to enroll. Already a registered nurse working in a hospital, Ms. Hanson wanted a bachelor's degree in nursing to advance her career. However, with a full-time job and two children, attending classes in the evening away from home was out of the question. WGU Indiana allowed her to complete her B.S. in Nursing on her schedule. Speaking at WGU Indiana's first commencement ceremony on Oct. 27, she said, "I'm grateful to WGU Indiana for providing the opportunity for me, a working wife and mom, to finish my education without sacrificing precious time with my family."

According to the Lumina Foundation, only 33 percent of Indiana's working-age residents have at least a two-year college degree. WGU Indiana Chancellor Allison Barber believes that WGU Indiana is already well on its way to combating these statistics.

"Adults' success in college is a key to Indiana's future, so it's very encouraging that Hoosiers' acceptance of WGU Indiana in the last six months has exceeded even our most optimistic projections," said Barber.  "We're doing something unique in Indiana-finding a new way to offer our citizens affordable, accessible higher education without impacting state budgets. We're looking forward to continued growth in the coming months and years."

About WGU Indiana

WGU Indiana has been established by the state of Indiana as an online, competency-based university to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents. Formed through a partnership with Western Governors University, WGU Indiana is open to all qualified Indiana residents. The university offers 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Education, Information Technology, and Healthcare Professions, including Nursing.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and nationally accredited through the Distance Education and Training Commission (DETC). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

WGU Indiana is an approved education provider for Indiana state grants and scholarships offered through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI).  In addition, the university has partnered with Ivy Tech to offer graduates who have completed their associate's degrees a seamless transfer to complete their bachelor's degrees at WGU Indiana, including application fee waivers and tuition discounts.

For more information, visit the WGU Indiana website http://indiana.wgu.edu/ or call 1-877-214-7014.