Initiative to help University better serve working adults, increase overall access to online programs
When William Woods University (WWU) established its first online degree programs in the 1990’s, it was well ahead of the curve compared to other small, private institutions. Three decades later, the University is once again taking a bold step into the higher education future with the establishment of William Woods Global.
William Woods Global is a new initiative to significantly grow William Woods’ online offerings, expanding academic opportunities for working adults around the nation and world. Utilizing the same WWU undergraduate curriculum already in place, William Woods Global will leverage the University’s success in traditional undergraduate degree offerings into the online realm, while building on William Woods’ highly successful, already-in-place graduate degree online programs.
“William Woods has thrived throughout our 152-year history due to a tradition of innovation and a relentless focus on the future,” said Dr. Jeremy Moreland, President of William Woods University. “With the advent of William Woods Global, we now continue that tradition with a commitment to a more robust offering of our existing undergraduate online degree programs. William Woods Global will better support adult learners in our global economy, exposing them to our strong undergraduate degree options while increasing the chance that they use their knowledge to contribute to their local communities.”
Studies have shown that better educating working adults through greater access to online education benefits local economies, a key metric for states like Missouri and other Midwest states that suffer from so-called “brain drain,” or citizens who receive college degrees in one state but then move elsewhere for their professional life. According to a 2019 study by the U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee, Missouri’s brain drain is unique in that it has been a phenomenon over multiple decades: https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2019/4/losing-our-minds-brain-drain-across-the-united-states
“Our graduate online degree programs, particularly in fields like Education and Business, have produced graduates who are assets to their local communities and economies for decades,” said Dr. Aimee Sapp, Provost of William Woods University. “With William Woods Global, we are excited to combine our online expertise with our strong existing undergraduate curriculum for working adults.”
WWU’s increased offerings of its existing online programs comes only one month after the University began its Fall semester with a significant increase in its traditional, on-campus undergraduate enrollment. New student enrollment at The Woods for the 2022 Fall semester was up 40 percent over the number of new students who enrolled in 2021, making the Class of 2026 the largest incoming class at William Woods in five years.
