NASHVILLE — Lincoln Health System (LHS), a comprehensive health care system based in Fayetteville, Tenn., has partnered with nonprofit online university WGU Tennessee. The partnership ensures that LHS employees receive a 5 percent discount off their tuition at WGU Tennessee, and makes them eligible to apply for special scholarships.

“Our mission is to expand access to affordable, quality degree programs to working adults in Tennessee,” said Dr. Kimberly Estep, WGU Tennessee chancellor. “A big piece of that is serving rural students who need flexible programs that work with their schedules, and that flexibility is a big reason our College of Health Professions has been so popular with nurses and other health care personnel.”

Under the terms of the partnership, LHS employees are eligible to receive a 5 percent tuition discount (for up to two years) off WGU Tennessee’s affordable, flat-rate tuition of approximately $6,000 per year for most programs.

“We at LHS are so excited to partner with WGU and offer our employees this education benefit,” said Candie Starr, CEO of Lincoln Health System. “As healthcare professions become in greater need, it is important for us to promote further education to our current staff and also promote education growth for development of jobs in the community.”

“WGU Tennessee’s College of Health Professions is one of the school’s most popular programs, with more than 1,000 combined students and alumni, and our partnership with LHS will help accelerate that growth,” Estep said. “Our health care degrees emphasize mastery of the skills and knowledge that are essential for success, with programs developed by employers for the specific needs of the industry,” she said.