2011 OSU Ecampus graduates

Carol McKiel – A beacon of success for younger students

Ph.D., Emphasis in Community College Leadership
Eugene, Ore.

What does completing your degree mean to you? How do you feel it will improve your life and career?
My three years of coursework with the reading and writing assignments helped me develop a level of confidence I didn't know I could obtain. The reading for my classes exposed me to ideas and helped me form a discipline of thinking that has improved my work performance. I now find myself contributing meaningfully to the academic work of my institution.

Why did you choose to complete your degree online through OSU Extended Campus? What did you like about this method of education?
I wasn't sure I would be able to get a Ph.D. Traveling back and forth to a campus to attend two years of classes would have been more than I could juggle with a full-time job. The OSU Extended Campus provided a high-quality, rigorous learning experience that improved my academic skills without requiring me to spend my life on the road traveling back and forth to school. The cohort program provided the human support that kept me motivated to complete the coursework.

Did you have an instructor or advisor who was influential in helping you succeed as a distance student?
Chris Ward had great faith in me. Whenever I talked with her, she kept telling me that I had the talent to finish my program.

What will your Ecampus degree allow you to do that you were unable to do before?
My degree helped me get a job in student support services at a community college. Now when I work with students and tell them that I just finished my Ph.D., they get excited about my success. I think my accomplishment helps the students I work with see their own success in college, and for some, open up the idea of going to graduate school.

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