SALT LAKE CITY — Western Governors University (WGU) and Real Salt Lake (RSL) teamed up to grant scholarships worth a year’s tuition to four local students last Friday. Recipients Brian Oldroyd, Christina Hales, Braydon Eden, and Kaelee Nielsen were awarded the scholarships by WGU President Scott Pulsipher during halftime of the RSL-Portland Timbers match at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Each of the winners are currently enrolled at WGU and submitted an official entry form earlier in the year. Oldroyd is completing his bachelor’s degree in business management, Hales is finishing her bachelor’s degree in business—healthcare management, Eden is working towards his master’s degree in educational leadership, and Nielsen is earning her master’s degree in business administration.

“This scholarship will help me achieve my dreams of becoming a principal, earning a master’s degree, and providing for my family,” said Eden. “Because of this scholarship, and WGU’s affordable model, I’m saving money while also preparing for my future.”

The majority of WGU students are working adults who benefit from the online university’s flexibility and competency-based online degree programs, which allow students to complete courses on their schedule, advancing as soon as they are able to demonstrate mastery of the material. This, combined with affordable, flat-rate tuition of about $6,000 a year for most programs, is making it possible for more students to earn degrees that are helping them advance their careers. More than 5,600 Utahns are currently enrolled at WGU, part of a growing nationwide student body of more than 84,000.

Online, accredited, and nonprofit, WGU offers more than 60 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, K–12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing.