Oregon State University’s online learners do what many say can’t be done: form genuine connections in the digital classroom. Ecampus alumni from the Class of 2018 shared how their interactions with peers and instructors went far beyond the computer screen, providing the opportunity to polish their communication skills and collaborate with others in their fields.
Janine Romero didn’t settle until she found the perfect degree online: a military-friendly university that offered a rigorous and well-rounded education to fulfill her interest in both the humanities and the sciences.
New textbooks, classmates from all over the world, the cover of the forest, calls from birds unseen, the fresh smell of soil (and sometimes fish). These are all the well-known staples of a college classroom. At least, that’s what Jordan Levi came to expect of her learning environments while enrolled online in the Oregon State University Ecampus fisheries and wildlife sciences bachelor’s degree program.
Twenty years into her career as an accountant, Lisa Frasieur felt like she was a peg below her peers. Truth be told, she was. “The first time I sat with our auditors, they asked me where I went to school,” she says now. “I didn’t have a degree, and it was embarrassing.”
No obstacle could stand in the way as Maria Carpenter pursued her agricultural sciences degree – not her additional responsibilities as a parent and employee, nor a breast cancer diagnosis that came shortly after beginning her degree program.
Accepting comfort was not enough of a challenge for Gustavo Ramos Nuñez, whose decision to enroll in the Spanish bachelor’s degree program online through Oregon State Ecampus arose from honoring his Peruvian roots and a desire for self-improvement.
Chris Holt was well-settled into a career that was stable and provided for his family, but when the long hours kept him away from home too often and his passion for plants pulled him in a new direction, he chose to follow the call. The hands-on experience he gained in the horticulture program led him outdoors to conduct field work for his courses, into his dream job as a middle school agriculture teacher – and most importantly, back home, where he can spend more valuable time with his family.
The corporate ladder quickly runs out of rungs for many people like Patric Papabathini who haven’t graduated from college. His lack of a degree prevented him from applying for management jobs that he was confident – after four years of working at Microsoft – he could thrive in if only given the chance. The message, however, was loud and clear. “Without a degree, I had no chance,” he says.
The map arrived in Lindsay Caplan’s mailbox, having traversed nearly 3,000 miles from Oregon State University to her home in Maryland. It was part of a wilderness excursion for a class in Oregon State’s fisheries and wildlife sciences online degree program – a hands-on learning activity that helped Caplan develop a strong connection to the university despite living on the opposite side of the country. Now, several years later and without ever setting foot on campus, she’s among a record-setting 1,065 students who will graduate Saturday, June 16, after completing degree requirements online through OSU Ecampus.
Whether they’re at home, commuting to work or crossing the globe, Oregon State Ecampus students are able to pick up their classroom and carry it with them to the next adventure. So when Adrianna Gordon received an email from her academic advisor about a faculty-led study abroad trip to Vancouver, Canada, she was ready to pack her bags.
