Taniah Johnson didn’t think she was smart enough for college. Just the thought of applying to learn online with Oregon State University Ecampus intimidated her. But she had something to prove – to herself and everyone else. Now she’s an Oregon State graduate, active duty in the U.S. Air Force and an aspiring school counselor.
Robin Webster knew she wanted to earn a master’s degree. But she had a full-time job, is the mother of two daughters, and, as a military spouse, had to move to a new part of the country every couple of years. She found Oregon State University’s Master of Education in Adult and Higher Education (Ed.M.) online degree program.
Ask most college students and they’ll tell you their future career plans are up in the air. But for Hannah Thelen, her current career is – literally. Hannah is an airborne cryptologic linguist in the United States Air Force. By pairing the extensive skills she gains through her business administration degree with the steadfast determination of serving in the Air Force, she has big plans to work in marketing or accounting for a large Pacific Northwest company that aligns with her passion for the outdoors.
“Getting my degree was by no means ‘easy,’ as it shouldn’t be,” says fisheries and wildlife sciences alum Evan Huegel. “However, going to Oregon State made it an enjoyable and academically challenging experience. After graduating, it is safe to say I was fully prepared to take on whatever the real world had to throw at me.”
How old were you when you discovered your dream job? Many of us are still trying to figure it out. Not Jason Deger. He knew at a young age – thanks to camping trips with his dad in national parks – that he would someday be a park ranger. It wasn’t a matter of debate. It was a matter of time. And it took years. But he never wavered in his pursuit.
When Albert Diaz gets home and his kids are asleep, he’ll study alongside the only Oregon State student he has met face-to-face: his wife, Samantha, a psychology major. She was the first in the family to enroll with OSU Ecampus. They have never set foot on the Oregon State campus. They both decided to apply to OSU — and become a full-fledged Beaver Nation family — thanks to a Google search. The Diaz family is a fitting example of the benefits of the university’s wildly successful distance education efforts.
Alyssa Halstead’s moment of clarity came when she was on a deployment with the U.S. Air Force. She realized that the best way to advance her career was by continuing her education, and the flexibility provided by Oregon State Ecampus makes that possible for active duty service members like Alyssa.
Michael Magstadt, Alyssa Halstead and Matthew Baird all served in the United States Armed Forces, and all three earned their degrees online through Oregon State University. They met the challenge of pursuing an education while serving their country, and here they share words of wisdom and encouragement to fellow service members and veterans.
Following 13 years as an electronics technician in the United States Navy and many more raising and educating her children, Rhonda Wise paved a new path by earning a degree online in natural resources from Oregon State Ecampus. Now she’s in full control of her career and future. Learn how she took initiative and how it’s paying off.
There are a million reasons to not do something. Take college, for example: It’s an arduous process. It’s time-consuming. It challenges you daily. It also requires a financial investment. U.S. Navy veteran Colby Mangini saw things differently. When he enrolled in Oregon State University’s online graduate program in radiation health physics in 2006, he saw green lights everywhere telling him to go for it.
