---
title: Arizona College of Nursing Leader Honored by Alma Mater
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/arizona-college-of-nursing-leader-honored-by-alma-mater/"
type: post
date_published: 2023-09-19
date_modified: 2025-08-01
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 454
reading_time: 3 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/arizona-college-of-nursing-leader-honored-by-alma-mater/"
featured_image: "https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Utah-Nursing-School-Faculty-with-Student.jpg"
categories:
  - Newsroom
---

# Arizona College of Nursing Leader Honored by Alma Mater

_Dr. Andy Nydegger, Senior Director of Campus Development, is a dedicated nurse educator passionate about helping students succeed. Arizona College of Nursing congratulates Dr. Nydegger on his recognition as an advocate in the profession!_

**Salt Lake City, Utah, Aug. 12, 2023 — _[Salt Lake Chamber](https://slchamber.com/): _**
Western Governors University (WGU) has selected Dr. Andrew Nydegger among 15
recipients of the 2023 Distinguished Graduate Award. The online, nonprofit
university presents that honor to alumni across the nation who have made
remarkable contributions in their professional fields and to their communities.
Nydegger is the only recipient from Utah among this year’s winners.

“WGU has always been about changing lives for the better through quality and
accessible higher education,” said Ismar Vallecillos, Director of WGU’s
Northwest Region. “Dr. Nydegger embodies the essence of what it means to be a
WGU graduate. His accomplishments post-graduation are a testament to the
university’s mission, and we are immensely proud to have him as a part of our
community.”

![Utah Nursing School Faculty with Student](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Utah-Nursing-School-Faculty-with-Student.jpg)![Utah Nursing School Faculty with Student](https://arizonacollege.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Utah-Nursing-School-Faculty-with-Student.jpg)
Nydegger is a prominent advocate for the nursing profession in Utah and across
the nation. He is the current President of the Utah Nurses Association (UNA), as
well as the Director at Large for the Executive Leadership committee of the
American Nurses Association. Additionally, he is the Utah delegate to the
Nursing Advocate Institute and a senior administrator for the Arizona College of
Nursing. Nydegger is a veteran of the US Air Force. He earned a bachelor’s
degree in nursing from the University of Utah, two master’s from WGU, and a
doctor of nursing practice from Samford University.

“When I transitioned out of the military, my education from WGU helped me
establish a happy, meaningful career in healthcare,” said Nydegger. “I am
passionate about my work and making a difference in my community. For WGU to
recognize my efforts with the Distinguished Graduate Award is humbling and
inspiring.”

WGU is the nationally recognized online university headquartered in the Salt
Lake City area. Established in 1997, WGU has awarded nearly 350,000 bachelor’s
and master’s degrees to students in healthcare, as well as business, IT, and
teaching. Degree programs in the university’s Leavitt School of Health – named
for former Utah governor and co-founder of WGU, Mike Leavitt – are accredited by
the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. WGU has been named a 2021-2026
Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing.

For more details on the WGU Distinguished Graduate Award and its recipients,
please visit the WGU Alumni website.

**Categories:** Newsroom