2012 OSU Ecampus graduates

Holley DuMond – A college graduate driven by a global purpose

B.S. in Environmental Sciences
Grand Rapids, Mich.

What does earning your OSU degree mean to you?
Earning my OSU degree is a dream come true! It means having knowledge to pair with my passion to make the world a better place.

Why did you choose to complete your degree online through OSU Ecampus? What did you enjoy about this method of education?
I did not go to college right out of high school because I did not know what I wanted to study and focus my energy on. When I realized that I am passionate about water resources, I had one child at the time (now two) and lived in Northern Ontario, where most everyday resources were at least two hours away, including universities. This led me to start working with OSU. Working online with OSU has offered me the flexibility to be a mom by day and a student by night. I enjoyed the flexibility of the program; I enjoyed the great teachers, the rigor of the program, a great advisor, and knowing that I have obtained a great education in the process.

Did you have an instructor or advisor who was influential in helping you succeed as a distance student?
Dr. Todd Jarvis was influential in my success. He is passionate about his students learning, and having learning engage with the issues of today. He opened up doors of opportunity for me that otherwise wouldn't have been there. As an Ecampus student I have traveled to Portland and British Columbia to participate in international symposiums on the Columbia River Treaty. What an honor, and what a learning experience. Dr. Jarvis provided me real-world application opportunities that gave me the momentum to finish the rest of my classes.

Dawn-Marie Gaid is my advisor, and she is top-notch. She has offered my great advice on which classes to take, and it is great to know that I can email/call and that I can trust her direction.

What will your Ecampus degree allow you to do that you were unable to do before?
My degree will allow me to work knowledgeably in water resource management. I believe that it already has, and will continue to open up doors for contributing to protecting water both nationally and internationally. Having a degree also allows me to be able to fiscally contribute to my family in a meaningful way. I will be forever grateful to Ecampus for providing me with the opportunity to get a B.S., and thankful for the rigor of the program and great faculty at OSU.

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