Western Governors University (WGU), a nonprofit, online university serving many working adults, hosted an Impact Dinner at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) on Thursday, April 23, ahead of its upcoming New York commencement at UBS arena, convening local leaders focused on expanding access to education and workforce opportunity.

 

Organizers of the event said it brought together partners from across New York City’s education, nonprofit, and workforce sectors to spotlight how they said cross-sector collaboration is helping more New Yorkers, particularly adult learners and underserved communities, connect to high-demand career pathways.

 

They said the speakers underscored what they described as “the persistent barriers facing many learners in The Bronx, particularly working adults and first-generation students, who are balancing jobs, financial pressure and family responsibilities, while trying to access education and career mobility.”

They went on to say that partners emphasized that closing local workforce gaps, especially in high-demand fields like tech and education, requires more flexible, skills-based pathways paired with wraparound supports.

 

The said the evening also was an occasion to recognize organizations which they said advance this work on the ground. In this regard, The New York State Department of Education was honored with the Partner Excellence Award, NPower was honored with the Elevating Impact Award and Reboot Representation was honored with the Philanthropy Award.