Joel Longanecker Graduates from Clayton-based WGU Missouri

Joel Longanecker, who resides in the Princeton Heights neighborhood in St. Louis City, was one of the 512 graduates who were recognized at WGU Missouri’s commencement ceremony, held June 24 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis. Longanecker received his Master of Science in Management and Leadership.

Longanecker, who had been employed with BJC HealthCare in Brentwood for several years, decided to return to school to pursue a Master of Science in Management and Leadership. With significant experience in his field and little time on his hands to attend classes, WGU Missouri became the perfect fit. The online, nonprofit university is competency-based, which allowed Longanecker to learn at the pace he wanted, while also taking his work experience into account.

His employer recently took notice of his hard work and dedication and promoted Longanecker to his current position as a Performance Improvement Consultant in May. In his new role, he works with departments from all 15 hospitals in the BJC Healthcare System to improve efficiencies and help BJC continue to deliver the world’s best medicine. Longanecker believes earning his degree helped prepare him for this role.

“There was a time that I felt I would never be done with school, but now that I am done, I’m very proud of the time I spent at WGU Missouri,” he said. “Earning my degree has a made a huge impact on my life. I truly believe that I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without my degree and the skills and experience I gained from WGU Missouri.”

Longanecker was one of approximately 140 other WGU graduates who participated in the ceremony on June 24. Bill Donius, the author of “Thought Revolution: How to Unlock Your Inner Genius” and 2014 TED Talk speaker presented the keynote address to a crowd of over 800. He was joined by four graduating students who spoke about their educational journeys at WGU Missouri.

WGU Missouri Commencement by the Numbers:

• WGU Missouri graduates represent nearly 160 cities across the state and more than 70 counties.
• 303 undergraduate and 209 graduate degrees were conferred.
• The average age of the graduates is 39; the youngest grad is 20; the oldest is 69.
• 91 percent of the graduates are over the age of 27.
• 43 percent of the graduates represent the first generation in their families to complete college.
• Degree distribution by college:
  • College of Business – 158
  • College of Health Professions and Nursing – 179
  • College of Information Technology – 55

WGU Missouri’s online, competency-based model allows students to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. As a result, many students are able to accelerate their studies, finishing faster and saving money. Tuition is charged at a flat rate of $2,890 per six-month term for most programs, regardless of the number of courses completed. On average, students are able to complete a bachelor’s degree in less than three years, many while holding a full-time job and raising a family. The online model also enables students to enroll and study from anywhere across the state, and complete coursework at a schedule that works best for them. For more information, visit missouri.wgu.edu.