Nuclear plant, Westminster form education partnership

Westminster College and Ameren Missouri's Callaway Energy Center have formed a partnership that brings Westminster's new Bachelor of Arts in Leadership degree to Ameren Missouri employees at the Callaway Energy Center site, enabling employees to complete their undergraduate degrees with Westminster's specific focus on leadership.

The collaboration supports Ameren Missouri's goal of developing and retaining its workforce through personal and professional development.

"Westminster brings us a unique opportunity for our employees to both build knowledge and skills in leadership areas, while completing a degree milestone by leveraging previous college credits and work experience," said Fadi Diya, senior vice president and chief nuclear officer (CNO) for Ameren Missouri's Callaway Energy Center.

With classes tailored to meet the specific needs of the workforce at the Callaway Energy Center, the partnership enables Ameren Missouri to advance the knowledge and leadership skills of its employees through a Westminster education, nationally recognized for its value and excellence by Forbes, Money Magazine, U.S. News & World Report and more.

"We are pleased to partner with Ameren Missouri, an organization well-known for its dedication to investing in its employees' career development," said Westminster College President Dr. Benjamin Ola Akande. "Ameren Missouri knows the value that education brings - not only to its individual employees, but to the organization as a whole. When employees learn effective leadership and management skills, the effects are multiplied throughout an organization."

Throughout the course of their studies, Ameren Missouri-Westminster students will have the option to take classes on-site at the nuclear plant outside Fulton, as well as online and at Westminster's Fulton campus. Class times are scheduled to fit students' schedules.

"This unique opportunity is allowing me to obtain my bachelor's degree while balancing work and family," said Kara Rhoades, supervisor of administration at Callaway Energy Center.

The Westminster BA in Leadership program acknowledges earned credit for both previous college credits and work experience as a requirement to completion of the degree. The first Ameren-Westminster cohort started classes on Jan. 28.

"The students benefit from being taught by the same highly regarded faculty from Westminster College," Akande said. "The difference here is that Westminster has extended its footprint to a corporate partner that recognizes the importance of education as a professional development necessity to recruit, retain, and invigorate their talented workforce."

Westminster's BA in Leadership is designed to meet the needs of working adults with the goal to support their employees' professional development and education. Ameren Missouri employees in the program will learn the fundamentals of organizational management and advance their knowledge in data analysis, decision making, problem solving, strategic planning, sustaining a productive work environment, strategies for leading diverse groups and inclusive excellence.

Westminster College was recently recognized in the top 5 percent of colleges and universities in the U.S. by College Factual, which is in partnership with USA Today, for its successful graduation and retention rates and graduate earnings.

Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 127,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, please visit AmerenMissouri.com or follow Ameren Missouri on Facebook or Twitter.