2010 Ecampus Graduates

Barbara Eggers

B.S. Natural Resources- Magna Cum Laude
Bowie, Maryland

What does completing your degree mean to you? How do you feel it will improve your life and career? Completing my degree means that I am finishing something that I started 18 years ago when I first went to college and earned my Associates Degree. Even then I was a non-traditional student with a son in college and a daughter in high school. Career and family commitments took precedence over obtaining my degree. The magnitude of completing my degree means that I have succeeded in achieving one of the biggest accomplishments of my life, a lifelong goal. Completing my degree also fulfills my commitment to my career and natural resource management. This degree will open doors and improve my advancement potential at work. Having my degree in Natural Resources will enable me to move into professional natural resource positions that have been a goal of mine throughout my career.

Why did you choose to complete your degree online through OSU Extended Campus? What did you like about this method of education?  Once I made the commitment to return to college in order to complete my Bachelor's degree, I first began visiting local campuses. It didn't take long for me to realize that maintaining a full time career was not compatible with taking on the role of a traditional college student. I turned to researching universities that offered online degrees in Natural Resources. I was looking for a total online curriculum in which I could take all the courses needed to complete my degree while continuing my career during the day. The OSU Extended Campus curriculum surpassed all the rest by offering a diverse selection of courses in a nontraditional setting. I especially liked the convenience of the online learning experience and the collaborative learning experience. The courses are structured to provide students the flexibility to complete assignments anywhere and at anytime. This worked perfect for me because my job required me to do a lot of traveling. OSU Extended Campus was a blessing for me. I would not have been able to complete my Bachelor's degree without the advanced learning techniques of OSU Extended Campus.This method of education is wonderful for people with full-time jobs who want to get an education without sacrificing their job. I liked that I had the freedom to learn when and where I wanted. I could work on assignments on the weekends, at work, and even in my free time. Flexibility was very important to me, and that was exactly what OSU Ecampus offered.

Did you have an instructor or advisor who was influential in helping you succeed as a distance student? The entire OSU Extended Campus cadre of instructors that I was exposed to were great. A few of the instructors that were especially inspiring to me are; Bob Ehrhart, Dr. Sanborn, Daniel McGarvey, Dawn Anzinger, and Phillip Jackson. The courses were delivered in a way that encouraged dialog and collaboration. I was continually challenged to think outside of the box and expand my comfort zone. These instructors also made my learning experience enjoyable and very rewarding. They are a true asset to their profession. I do not know if I would have made it through these past four years without Marge to guide me. She was always there when I had questions about plotting my path. There were times that my long, stressful work hours caused me to doubt my ability to fulfill my commitment to my coursework, but Marge was always there to motivate me to continue. She has a gift in knowing the right words to say in order to put me back on the right track. I was very fortunate to have Marge as my advisor.

What will your Ecampus degree allow you to do that you were unable to do before? I had reached the point in my career that I would not be able to advance without the completion of my Bachelor's degree. My degree in Natural Resources will allow me advance and move into a leadership and/or management role in my agency. I will also be eligible to qualify for other job series in the field of Natural Resources and expand my realm of experience. The attainment of my degree in Natural Resources will also allow me to be marketable to other agencies.

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