Wichita State adds new scholarships for working professionals to take badge courses

Wichita State University has established the Aetna Better Health Endowed Workforce Badge Program Fund, thanks to a generous gift from Aetna Better Health. This fund will provide scholarships to participants enrolling in select behavioral health badge courses, enhancing the skills and knowledge of the Kansas workforce in critical areas of health and wellness.

The Aetna Better Health Workforce Badge Scholarship will fully cover the costs for participants who register for one of the following badge courses:

  • Direct Support Professional Series: Badges 1-8
  • NADD Specialty Clinical Certification: Psychotherapy
  • NADD Specialty Clinical Certification: Positive Behavior Supports & Effective Environments
  • NADD Specialty Clinical Certification: Clinical Assessment
  • Achieving Cultural Competency through Narratives of Intersectionality
  • Creative Interventions: Trauma-Informed Care

Already this year, 15 scholarships have been awarded at WSU, with funding for 14 more by the end of the year and plans to offer 10-20 scholarships annually in the years to come.

Aetna Better Health is a leading health care benefits company and part of the CVS Health family, taking a holistic approach to health and wellness. Their commitment to supporting and strengthening the Kansas workforce is demonstrated through this initiative.

This strategic partnership aligns with Wichita State’s and Aetna Better Health’s shared goals of building a healthier world by increasing knowledge for better care, serving the most vulnerable populations and positively impacting the community. It’s also another example of how Wichita State prioritizes access and affordability for students.

Badges at Wichita State are academic short courses of one credit hour or less, specifically designed for working professionals. These courses stand out from other online non-degree courses because they are tied to credit hours and adhere to Higher Learning Commission regional accreditation standards. Offered online and self-paced, badges also provide opportunities for licensed professionals the opportunity to earn contact hours toward relicensure. Courses are taught by experienced faculty who are experts in their fields.

For more information about the Aetna Better Health Workforce Badge Program Fund and how to apply for a scholarship, please visit wichita.edu/badges or email workforce@wichita.edu.


About Wichita State University

Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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