WGU Tennessee student Dustan Laxton calls Oneida, Tenn., home. Dustan knew that he wanted to become a teacher to give back to his community. But he knew growing up in a rural area, 60 miles northwest of Knoxville, wasn’t conducive to attending a traditional university. He decided instead to enroll at WGU Tennessee to get his Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. 

“Having the option to go to WGU in a rural area like Scott County means people are going to realize that their dreams can come true,” said Dustan when talking about the importance of WGU Tennessee’s efforts to expand access to higher education in rural counties.

(Hear more from Dustan in the video below.)

Dustan has experienced firsthand how WGU Tennessee has helped students in rural areas earn their degrees in a way that works for them. WGU Tennessee recently announced a new campaign, Everywhere, TN, focused on supporting students in rural counties of Tennessee. Several $3,000 scholarships will be awarded to students seeking higher-education degrees with WGU Tennessee in one Tennessee’s 15 distressed or 24 at-risk counties. 

For more information and testimonials from real WGU Tennessee students in rural counties, visit tennessee.wgu.edu/everywhere to learn more.