Photo: Lt. Col. Melanie Presuto, Air University’s commandant for the Community College of the Air Force, Spencer Stewart, WGU’s VP of Partnerships and Dr. Hank Dasinger, Dean of the Community College of the Air Force, present the signed partnership between CCAF and Western Governor’s University, at CCAF, on June 17th, 2021.
Release:
Nonprofit, online university Western Governors University (WGU) and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF), a federally chartered academic institution that serves the United States Air and Space forces’ enlisted total, recently announced a partnership.
“We are delighted to partner with WGU to provide another pathway for military members to build on their associates degree from CCAF by pursuing their bachelor’s degree and beyond,” said Dr. Hank Dasinger, Dean of CCAF. “We are thankful to be joining forces to build this pathway for our military forces.”
With an increasing focus of serving those who serve across the full military lifecycle, WGU partnered with the CCAF as an increasingly prominent transfer partner to the roughly 22,000 service members who graduate each year with an associate degree. Graduates from the CCAF are eligible to apply for the WGU Community College Partner Scholarship in the amount of $2,500, which is disbursed to recipients in increments of $625 per semester for up to four terms based on satisfactory academic performance.
“This partnership with the Community College of the Air Force is an important step forward in becoming an even more military-focused University,” said Jeff Harley, Director of Military Engagement at WGU. “It is a great opportunity for WGU to serve traditionally underserved Air Force students.”
“A core aspect of CCAF’s mission is to elevate careers through degrees and credentials to best support recruiting, retention, and career transition efforts, which deeply aligns with WGU’s mission,” said Dr. Kim Estep, WGU’s Southeast regional vice president. “We are honored to enter into this partnership with CCAF and to be assisting those serving our country with pursuing a degree in higher education.”
WGU has been named as a Military Friendly® School for 11 consecutive years, with over 17,200 students currently affiliated with the military. CCAF partners with 111 affiliated Air Force and Space Force schools worldwide to serve approximately 270,000 active, guard, and reserve enlisted personnel. CCAF is the world’s largest community college system, awarding over 22,000 associate degrees annually across 71 degree programs.
About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 130,000 students nationwide and has nearly than 250,000 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 just 24 years, the university has become a leading influence in the development of innovative workforce-focused approaches to education. 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 www.wgu.edu.
About CCAF
The Community College of the Air Force is a federally-chartered academic institution that serves the United States Air and Space Force’s enlisted total force. We partner with 111 affiliated Air and Space Force schools and 300 Education Service Offices located worldwide to serve approximately 270,000 active, guard, and reserve enlisted personnel, making CCAF the world’s largest community college system. The college annually awards over 22,000 associate in applied science degrees from 71 degree programs. For more information, visit www.airuniversity.af.edu/.
