Ballwin Resident Receives Master’s Degree from WGU Missouri

Gaurav Arora, a resident of Ballwin, has graduated from WGU Missouri with a Master of Science in Information Technology Management. Arora participated in the nonprofit, fully online university’s commencement ceremony on Oct. 22 in St. Louis, where he and hundreds of other graduates were recognized and celebrated for their achievements.

Arora, who works in information technology, moved to the U.S. from India 10 years ago with his family. He earned his undergraduate degree in computer science 16 years ago while still living in India and wanted to pursue his master’s degree but felt he never had the time or flexibility. Then, after realizing he wasn’t advancing in his career like he wanted to, Arora decided to go back to school and complete his master’s degree. He found WGU Missouri’s fully online competency-based model – which allows students to use their prior knowledge and experience to move through courses at their own pace to graduate faster – to be a perfect fit for him.

“One of the main factors in choosing WGU was being able to complete my degree online, where I can manage my routine, timetable and assessments on my own,” said Arora. “I was able to work full time and yet complete my master’s in a record time of five months. The other factor was competency-based learning, where I was able to use my experience and certifications towards my credits and was able to accelerate.”

Arora says earning his master’s degree has helped him grow in his role within the organization as he was recently promoted to a higher managerial role. He also credits his wife and children for being supportive and encouraging him to complete this degree.

There were 301 undergraduate and 356 graduate degree recipients from 40 U.S. states who participated in the commencement ceremony, which was held at the Dome at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis. Approximately 73% of the graduates come from at least one of the following historically underserved populations: first-generation college students, students of color, rural residents and/or low-income earners. Graduates earned degrees in business, K–12 education, information technology and health professions, including nursing.

About WGU Missouri

WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.

Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,600 per year for most programs.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). More information is available at missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.

*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).