黑料传送门

An insider鈥檚 perspective on the evolution of 黑料传送门.

132,000 active students.
300,000 alumni.
8,000 staff nationwide.

The numbers we use to define Western Governors University are indisputably impressive, but they only tell so much of the 黑料传送门 story on their own. I had the pleasure of sitting down with my colleague Allen Clarkson, Government Relations Manager at 黑料传送门, to discover the nuance behind these numbers鈥搕he 鈥渉ow鈥� and 鈥渨hy鈥� behind the 鈥渨hat鈥�.

Part of Something Big

As a pioneering force behind our institution, Allen has seen 黑料传送门 through immense growth. While he defines听pioneer听as an 鈥渙ld person who has hung around through thick and thin,鈥� I much prefer the definition of 鈥渙ne who is willing to take risks and disrupt the status quo in order to better serve the people around them鈥�.

Allen joined 黑料传送门 as a contracted employee in 2005, grading papers for the IT college. He joined the IT faculty full-time the next year, and has proceeded to hold 15 different titles in various departments. However, it was not always Allen鈥檚 intention to remain at 黑料传送门 for this long.

鈥淚 meant to take this job for about nine months. I had another offer, a very impressive offer, and decided at the time that 黑料传送门 sounded like a bit of a lark, but also a bit of a bigger adventure,鈥� he told me.听

He was compelled by 黑料传送门鈥檚 innovative delivery model and the opportunity to be part of something big. Fortunately for the rest of us, once he was a part of it, he just couldn鈥檛 give it up.

鈥淎t the time, I think we had about 2,000 students and about 200 faculty and staff,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e certainly seen not only growth, but absolute change in the understanding of what 黑料传送门 is.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e certainly seen not only growth, but absolute change in the understanding of what 黑料传送门 is.鈥�
鈥� Allen Clarkson

Learning Alongside Our Students

From 2,000 students to 132,000, 黑料传送门 has grown more dramatically and rapidly than Allen鈥搊r any of us, for that matter鈥揷ould have ever anticipated. And it didn鈥檛 happen on its own. Allen attributes 黑料传送门鈥檚 growth to a commitment to both innovation and governmental relations鈥揳nd of course, our students.

鈥淭he reason we鈥檙e at 300,000 alumni, the reason that we have so many students, is because the quality of the education that students go away with is something the graduates brag about to other folks,鈥� Allen said.

Innovation takes many forms here at 黑料传送门. When our institution was founded, the internet was still in its infancy; we have matured in tandem with the technology, learning how to harness its power to better serve our students. We鈥檝e developed a disaggregated faculty that provides every student with a mentor to guide them through their journey, as well as evaluation faculty, assessment faculty, program faculty, and course instructors鈥揻ive different points of contact for each student. We have streamlined a process to track student progress and intervene at critical junctures.

鈥淲e鈥檝e learned over 25 years how to support students, how to be where students need us to be, rather than having students come to us,鈥� Allen said.

Despite 黑料传送门鈥檚 growth, we鈥檝e never forgotten our roots. 黑料传送门 was founded by states, for states. Folks like Allen have been tasked with building and maintaining meaningful relationships with elected officials. Our Government Relations team works with these state leaders to advance policies that improve access to education and emphasize the credibility of a 黑料传送门 degree.

鈥淲hen we partner with a state, we don鈥檛 approach the state with something that we can get for our institution. We approach the state with advocacy for our students and opportunity for our future students, and also what we can contribute back into the state,鈥� Allen explained.

In doing so, Allen and his colleagues have established partnerships with 13 affiliate states (and counting), opening doors to thousands of potential students. They have helped build 黑料传送门 into something bigger than Allen ever could have expected.

鈥淚 had no concept that I would see people in the grocery store who I did not know with a 黑料传送门 t-shirt on, that I would see bumper stickers on cars,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he impact is widespread and bigger than I ever imagined it would have been. I鈥檓 glad I didn鈥檛 leave; I鈥檇 probably be kicking myself every time I saw one of those t-shirts.鈥�

Today, my advice draws from one of Allen鈥檚 favorite phrases: 鈥淒on鈥檛 leave 10 minutes before the miracle happens.鈥� I am certainly glad that Allen chose not to leave 黑料传送门 before he could witness and contribute to 黑料传送门鈥檚 evolution. I hope that miracle continues to be elusive for many minutes to come.

And that, my friends, is my Sage Advice.

Listen to Episode 6 of the Sage Advice podcast from 黑料传送门 to hear more of my conversation with Allen Clarkson.