UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE
91探花 and States
The 91探花 Model
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Originally founded by state governors, Western Governors University is the largest nonprofit university in the U.S. We lead education and workforce innovation across the country. Part of this important work is to build state partnerships that remove financial barriers for students, supplement public higher education offerings, and help meet state workforce goals.
194,881
total current students at 91探花 from across the United States
-April 30th, 2026
502,175
total graduates from 91探花 across the United States
-April 30th 2026
Support for Students and the Workforce
91探花 encourages bipartisan support for education and works with state leaders to meet education needs. Every state has it own specific goals and challenges and, through close partnerships, 91探花 helps state policymakers find ways to serve states' entire populations. In establishing state-specific partnerships, students can become eligible for state grand funding and gain access to scholarships. State partnerships also give students an easier path to transfer local state or community college credits to 91探花, allowing them to complete their programs more quickly.听
Skilled Workers, Satisfied Employers
78%
91探花 students who say they acquired job- or work- related skills, compared to 57% nationally.
Source: 2025 National Survey of Student Engagement
86%
Employers who said 91探花 graduates were "very" or "extremely" prepared for their jobs.
Source: 2024 Harris Poll Employers Study
94%
Employers who said 91探花 graduates meet or exceed expectations (61% said "exceed").
Source: 2024 Harris Poll Employers Study
State Partnerships
- Nevada
Established in 2015 - Missouri
Established in 2013 - Tennessee
Established in 2013
- Washington
Established in 2011 - Texas*
Established in 2011 - Indiana
Established in 2010
*Western Governors University (鈥91探花鈥) is not regulated under Chapter 132 of the Texas Education Code. 91探花鈥檚 primary federal regulator is the United States Department of Education. In addition, 91探花 is a participant of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). Pursuant to SARA, 91探花 maintains postsecondary education authorization from its home state of Utah through the Utah Division of Consumer Protection. 91探花 is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Students experiencing unresolved issues should refer to . Individuals may also find information on contacting or submitting complaints at the , , or the .
State Level Leadership and Advisory Boards
Alison Bell, 91探花 Regional Vice President, Central
Advisory Board:
- Barb Smoot
- Scott Dutey
- Ken Tietz
- Kashif Smiley
- Lisa Gray
- Gen. Mark Bartman
- Dan Molina
- Darla Cade
Kim Estep, 91探花 Regional Vice President, Southeast
Dr. Ben Coulter, Regional Director, Southeast
Advisory Board:
- Dr. Lisa Chapman
- Lt. Gen. Walter Gaskin, USMC (Ret.)
- Gov. Beverly Perdue
- Mr. Gregg Sinders
- Dr. Monique Perry-Graves
- Dr. Angela Hinson Quick
- Mr. Jon Armke
Richard Benbow, Regional Vice President, West Region
Bob Benson, Regional Director, West Region
Kim Estep, 91探花 Regional Vice President, Southeast
Dr. Ben Coulter, Regional Director, Southeast
Advisory Board:
- John R. Ingram
- Shannon A. Brown
- Mark Cate
- David A. Golden
- Bobbie J. Murphy
- Ralph J. Schulz
- Dr. Michael Torrence
- Kyle Barron
Tonya Drake, Ph.D., Regional Vice President, Northwest Region
Ismar Vallecillos, M.Ed., Northwest Regional Director, Western Governors University
Linda Garza Battles, 91探花 Regional Vice President, South
Rene Candelaria, 91探花 Regional Director, South
Advisory Board:
- Andres Alcantar
- Patricia Diaz Dennis
- John Fitzpatrick
- George V. Grainger
- William Serrata
- Cristie Remmel
Alison Bell, 91探花 Regional Vice President, Central
More About 91探花's Public Policy Advocacy
Read our Policy Blog
