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Biographical Information

Having served in progressively elevating roles in K12 and higher education, Angie Besendorfer currently serves as Chief Impact Officer at AstrumU.  Prior to that she was Executive Vice President of KC Scholars where she created a workforce development program that generated a $50M grant to support low income individuals in accessing training.  Most of her career, Angie served in education instituitons as teacher, principal, special services director, superintendent, as well as chancellor and regional vice president for Western Governors University.  Dr.  Besendorfer served during critical times including as assistant superintendent for Joplin Schools in Joplin, Missouri when an EF-5 tornado impacted 10 schools and one-third of the community. She also led the WGU Teachers College on an interim basis having influenced programs for the largest college of education in the country. At the time of her award, Besendorfer was a teacher at the Nevada R-5 Storefront School, an elementary alternative school serving at-risk fourth graders. Angie has been honored as a John C. Maxwell Leadership Award Top 100, recipient of the Governor's Leadership Coin, and named one of 50 Missourians you should know.

Personal Message

As an educator, I have had the honor of seeing how a community can rally to help our children. The experience of leading after the Joplin tornado was humbling because we literally held hands with the world to bring quality education to children in tragedy. As chancellor, I am working for a bigger change. I have always served in high poverty areas hoping and working so that 12 years of education could make a difference for a child's future. At WGU Missouri, I am able to impact a family in 3 years. With an average time to a bachelor's degree of 3 years and an annual flat rate tuition of $6,000, the online university can help to break poverty cycles. My work is now about building stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger state through education.