Pictured from left: WGU Chancellor Dr. Kimberly Estep; Chattanooga State employee and WGU alumni Libby Cecchetti, Engineering and Information Technologies secretary; Chattanooga State President Dr. Flora Tydings; and Chattanooga State employee Lisa Jackson, TCAT Coordinator of Student Services.
Dr. Kimberly Estep, WGU Tennessee chancellor, and Dr. Flora Tydings, Chattanooga State president, celebrated and re-signed an articulation agreement Friday that has allowed more than 70 Chattanooga State Community College faculty, staff, and graduates to further their education.
“Chattanooga State students and employees need to have options,” said Dr. Tydings. “And this partnership provides another pathway for our graduates and employees to achieve the career of their dreams.”
“Chattanooga State was the first community college to sign an agreement with us and we are delighted to work alongside President Tydings to provide accessible, affordable education to their graduates and staff,” said Dr. Estep. “We look forward to the continued growth of our partnership as Tennessee Promise students prepare to graduate from Chattanooga State in the coming years.”
Officials said, "The articulation agreement offers all Chattanooga State graduates and staff discounted tuition at WGU Tennessee, which is already only $6,000 per year and includes learning materials.
"Graduates of Chattanooga State or other Tennessee community colleges who choose to enroll in WGU Tennessee will benefit from 24/7 access to coursework, one-on-one support from an assigned mentor, and a competency-based approach to learning, which allows students to focus on what they need to learn and leverage what they have mastered on the job."
All of this gives students – such as Stacy Vick, who earned nursing degrees from both Chattanooga State and WGU Tennessee – the flexibility they need to balance education, employment and family.
“It sounded like it was perfect for a nurse’s crazy schedule,” Ms. Vick said. “I’m excited to continue building my family and my career. Thanks to WGU Tennessee, I’m one step closer to my goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.”
"The relationship between WGU Tennessee and Chattanooga State fosters the kind of cooperation necessary to achieve Haslam’s Drive to 55 goals. Additionally, all Chattanooga area residents are eligible for WGU Tennessee’s Tenn-K Scholarship, which awards $10,000 to select applicants. With the Tennessee Promise initiative and Chattanooga State’s partnership with WGU Tennessee, potential students have the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree at a fraction of the average cost," officials said.