Washburn Resident Earns Degre from WGU
December 16, 2020
Tara Lang-Jackson, a resident of Washburn, recently graduated from WGU Missouri with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Lang-Jackson participated in the nonprofit, fully online university’s commencement ceremony in November, where she and hundreds of other graduates were recognized and celebrated for their achievements.
Lang-Jackson spent over a decade homeschooling her four children before she decided to go back to school and finish her degree. She originally was interested in becoming a wildlife biologist or zoologist, but she soon realized she was meant to be a teacher. She completed her associate degree in psychology-autism in May 2019 and enrolled in WGU Missouri's teacher college that August.
“I set a goal to finish my entire bachelor’s degree in one year,” she said. “I worked very hard and made it happen.”
Thanks, in part, to WGU Missouri’s competency-based model – which allows students to go through coursework at their own pace and on their own schedule, moving quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn – Lang-Jackson graduated in just one year with her bachelor’s degree in elementary education (K-6). Her goal is to become a middle school English Language Arts teacher, and she also plans on going back to school to earn her graduate degree.
“I want to slow down for a bit to enjoy my family and get used to the routine of being a classroom teacher, but I intend to enroll in school again in the near future to obtain a master’s degree in English and writing,” Lang-Jackson added.
Since March 1, 2020, 32,377 individuals have earned degrees from WGU, most of them while working full-time jobs and raising families. In its 23-year history, WGU has awarded more than 206,000 degrees and has celebrated with ceremonies held multiple times per year, usually in cities across the country. The November commencement ceremony was held virtually in place of a previously planned in-person celebration.
For more information about the university or its programs, visit missouri.wgu.edu.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
Lang-Jackson spent over a decade homeschooling her four children before she decided to go back to school and finish her degree. She originally was interested in becoming a wildlife biologist or zoologist, but she soon realized she was meant to be a teacher. She completed her associate degree in psychology-autism in May 2019 and enrolled in WGU Missouri's teacher college that August.
“I set a goal to finish my entire bachelor’s degree in one year,” she said. “I worked very hard and made it happen.”
Thanks, in part, to WGU Missouri’s competency-based model – which allows students to go through coursework at their own pace and on their own schedule, moving quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn – Lang-Jackson graduated in just one year with her bachelor’s degree in elementary education (K-6). Her goal is to become a middle school English Language Arts teacher, and she also plans on going back to school to earn her graduate degree.
“I want to slow down for a bit to enjoy my family and get used to the routine of being a classroom teacher, but I intend to enroll in school again in the near future to obtain a master’s degree in English and writing,” Lang-Jackson added.
Since March 1, 2020, 32,377 individuals have earned degrees from WGU, most of them while working full-time jobs and raising families. In its 23-year history, WGU has awarded more than 206,000 degrees and has celebrated with ceremonies held multiple times per year, usually in cities across the country. The November commencement ceremony was held virtually in place of a previously planned in-person celebration.
For more information about the university or its programs, visit missouri.wgu.edu.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,000 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).