Nearly 1 in 4 graduates in the Class of 2022 learned online through OSU Ecampus
June 9, 2022
CORVALLIS, Ore. — When he was a wrestler for Oregon State University, Zak Evans needed flexibility during the season to stay on track to graduate in 2019. He found it by supplementing his on-campus studies with some online classes.
The experience planted a seed. By the time he decided to pursue a master’s degree, he knew Oregon State Ecampus not only offered flexibility as he started his career but also a high-quality education online that would make him more appealing to employers.
Evans’ academic journey will come full circle Saturday when he returns to Corvallis as one of a record-breaking 1,680 Oregon State students in the Class of 2022 who earned their degrees online. He’ll take part in OSU’s 53rd commencement ceremony riding the wave of his new MBA and a recent career jump to management in the roofing supply industry.
“Earning this degree is huge to me,” said Evans, a California resident. “I never imagined I’d earn a graduate degree considering I’m a first-generation graduate. I got this degree not only for myself and my career, but for my family as well.”
Zak Evans earned his MBA in Business Analytics online with Oregon State.
A total of 7,318 Oregon State students will graduate this weekend, the highest total in university history. Nearly one in four (23.0%) of this year’s graduates completed their degree requirements online through Ecampus.
That percentage is representative of the growing population of distance learners that Oregon State serves. The Ecampus Class of 2022 spans five continents, with graduates in countries such as Ecuador, Australia, Singapore, Canada and Finland.
An Ecampus student from Germany (Michelle Orr, B.A. in German) and another from the U.S. Virgin Islands (Velda Hendricks, B.S. in Agricultural Sciences) are traveling overseas to participate in commencement Saturday.
“The benefit of providing people everywhere with access to an Oregon State education online is that they gain the skills they need to positively impact their communities,” said Ecampus Associate Provost Lisa L. Templeton. “We’re proud to support distance learners on their journey to graduation and help them advance their careers.”
Evans is evidence of that upward career mobility. While pursuing his MBA in Business Analytics online, he worked full time at a job he landed at an Oregon State career fair. He earned two promotions during his master’s program including one to regional management a month before completing degree requirements.
The knowledge he gained online with Ecampus played a role in those promotions. Evans envisioned that professional growth when he enrolled in the MBA program. But he wasn’t expecting some of the program’s other benefits.
“The amount of camaraderie I had with my fellow students despite never seeing them in person was what surprised me the most,” Evans said. “Oregon State has given me lifelong friends from undergraduate through graduate degrees, and that makes me more proud to be a Beaver than anything.”
Here’s a more detailed look at this year’s Ecampus graduates.
Oregon State Ecampus Class of 2022 by the numbers
States with the most graduates
518 — Oregon
318 — California
186 — Washington
69 — Texas
45 — New York
Online programs with the most graduates
555 — Computer science (postbaccalaureate)
115 — Psychology (B.A./B.S.)
103 — Business administration (B.A./B.S.)
78 — Fisheries and wildlife sciences (B.S.)
66 — Natural resources (B.S.)
