2007 Ecampus Graduates

Amber Harrison-Transcontinental Degree

B.S. in Liberal Studies

Amber Harrison with Mark Merickel

Amber Harrison poses with Ecampus Associate Dean Mark Merickel.

OSU Extended Campus Liberal Studies graduate Amber Harrison started her college career on the OSU campus like most high school graduates. But a job opportunity in New York made her wonder if she could do both. Her discovery of Ecampus and online degree programs allowed her to not only complete an OSU degree, but made it possible for her to move cross-country a second time when a job opportunity arose in California.

Now Amber looks to her future, where she sees a career in education.

"Having this degree will help me so much in my future," Amber says. "I want to help children and teach them as much as I can. I want to show them that they can do anything they set their mind to, even if others don't think they can."

Amber knows there would have been many more obstacles in obtaining her degree without Ecampus.

"Taking courses online was an advantage for me because it allowed me to move throughout the country," she said. "I was able to go to class whenever I wanted, and I was also able to have a job. Online courses are great because they will fit into your schedule, no matter how busy you are."

Amber also credits her mother for encouraging her to complete her education. "I'm from a single-parent home, and many children raised by single parents are not given this opportunity," she says. "My mother pushed my sister and I to have a good education, because she knew it would be a better life for us."

On July 17, Amber joined the rest of the OSU class of 2007 to celebrate their graduation on the Corvallis campus. For Amber, her success is something so much more than a diploma.

"Completing my degree is one of the biggest accomplishments in my life," Amber says. "I was the first person from my family to graduate from high school and have the opportunity to attend college, which also means I'm the first person in my family to graduate from college. This degree will change my entire life. I know there are so many windows and opportunities out there, and even more open when you have an education. To me, education is key."

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