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Luhui Whitebear has been closely connected to Oregon State University’s Native American Longhouse Eena Haws in different ways during her academic career. While pursuing an anthropology bachelor’s degree online with Oregon State Ecampus, she would drop in whenever she came to campus to pick up books. Now, as assistant director of the Eena Haws, she is paying forward the guidance, nurturing and sense of belonging she received as a student.
Inside a classroom in the remote countryside of Central Asia in 2013, Joshua Chan Burgos was jolted into a new and ambitious sense of what he needed to do. Volunteering for a nonprofit, he was surrounded by orphans and saw young faces filled with excitement. He saw children determined to get educated so they could give back to their small communities. Something clicked. Chan Burgos knew his next step was to find a place where he could prepare to put into practice his belief that learning and community-building can occur anywhere on the planet. That place was Oregon State.
A Grand Ronde tribal member, Native American anthropologist and educator, David Lewis is committed to shining a light on our nation’s forgotten and suppressed tribal histories, and sharing what he learns with the next generation of thinkers brings that work full circle.
Oregon State University students are eager for an education that moves their ideas from concept to action. Online learners are no exception, and through interactive learning opportunities across Oregon State Ecampus degree programs, they’re able to apply their learning right where they live and study.
“I love finding practical ways to make students’ goals a reality.” Ecampus anthropology advisor and instructor Brenda Kellar has been a leader in the anthropology program since Oregon State first began offering the degree online, but as a three-time OSU alumna, her roots go even deeper.
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.
After she dropped out of high school to meet the demands of parenthood, Rachel Hensley’s passions for community and cultural engagement led her to rediscover her educational path through Oregon State University Ecampus’ anthropology program. After an Oregon State faculty-led study abroad trip to Guatemala, Rachel’s set her sights on pursuing a law degree that will allow her to work toward international human rights.
Ecampus anthropology/WGSS student Victoria Keenan is investing time and travel into her education, pursuing internship opportunities on the Oregon State campus, despite the distance.
Oregon State is the best university in the nation when it comes to delivering a high-quality liberal arts education online, according to a new ranking released last month. Oregon State’s College of Liberal Arts offers 11 bachelor’s degrees and two master’s programs online through OSU Ecampus, the university’s distance education division.
“I like to think of myself as a facilitator of learning in both the classroom and beyond. In addition to guiding students through particular topics, I try to hold up a mirror with which they can also examine their own experiences, perspectives and culture,” Sarah says.
