{"id":1305,"date":"2019-12-13T09:00:43","date_gmt":"2019-12-13T17:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=1305"},"modified":"2024-07-23T11:15:34","modified_gmt":"2024-07-23T18:15:34","slug":"religious-studies-online-lanier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/religious-studies-online-lanier\/","title":{"rendered":"Oregon State Everywhere: Grateful after a 20-year battle"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Headshot

A brain hemorrhage derailed Monique Lanier’s plans to attend nursing school. Now she’s back in the academic world with OSU Ecampus and finding the support she needs to succeed after two decades away.<\/p><\/div>\n

After a stroke derailed her life,\u00a0religious studies student finds the connection she’d been longing for<\/h2>\n

I was 32 years old when I had a stroke.<\/p>\n

I was lying in bed, half awake, half asleep, and it happened.<\/p>\n

Big pop!<\/p>\n

I felt it. I heard it. And there was huge flash of light. No pain, so I just laid there and wondered if I dreamt it.<\/p>\n

\n

Tell us your story<\/h3>\n

Write your own OSU Everywhere story by sharing the triumphs and challenges you faced as an OSU Ecampus student.<\/p>\n

Share story<\/a><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

I even remarked out loud, \u201cOK, where\u2019s the revelation, guys?\u201d I mean, with the flash of light I expected some sort of visitation and a nice little nugget of wisdom.<\/p>\n

No visitation. No wisdom.<\/p>\n

I soon found out I have a little, non-cancerous mass in my brain that often oozes blood and rarely hemorrhages. That morning it hemorrhaged.<\/p>\n

At the time of the stroke, I was enrolled in the local community college, just about to graduate and start nursing school. I was working incredibly hard. I was a single mother to a medically fragile child. I had every intention of providing for us and getting my graduate degree. I even considered becoming a doctor.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>I had been isolated and at the mercy of a physical condition I couldn’t master. Online education has been a connection to an intellectual world that was unavailable to me and a world I deeply wanted to be a part of.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As I started to recover, I found out none of my plans were possible. Among other things, I had lost the ability to comprehend written words.<\/p>\n

It has been almost 20 years since then. I have tried a couple times to return to school but couldn\u2019t. It was devastating. I\u2019ve tried many jobs. I keep trying. I have a magnet on my fridge that says \u201dNever, never, never give up!\u201d and while I forget plenty of things, I remember this.<\/p>\n

I currently live with chronic migraines, and that is why I chose to learn online with Oregon State University Ecampus. It isn\u2019t possible for me to attend a physical campus with a set schedule, but I can do my school work around my disability with online classes.<\/p>\n

I am connected with OSU\u2019s Disability Access Services<\/a>, and they facilitate extra accommodations if and when I need them. It\u2019s the perfect solution.<\/p>\n

When I decided to return to school, I researched which university had the best reviews, and OSU was in the top 10 in the nation for online education. Plus, they had a religious studies bachelor\u2019s degree<\/a>. The study of religion is beyond fascinating to me. I find the combination of history, philosophy and mythic tradition an endless source of inspiration and surprise.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>I\u2019ve been fully supported in this new platform \u2013 I had no idea what online classes were going to be like \u2013 and it\u2019s been a decision that’s brought my self-esteem and confidence back.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019ve been fully supported in this new platform \u2013 I had no idea what online classes were going to be like \u2013 and it\u2019s been a decision that’s brought my self-esteem and confidence back.<\/p>\n

I had been isolated and at the mercy of a physical condition I couldn’t master. Online education has been a connection to an intellectual world that was unavailable to me and a world I deeply wanted to be a part of.<\/p>\n

It took 20 years to get here, and I don\u2019t mind a bit. I\u2019m just grateful for the chance and the people here at OSU who are making it possible.<\/p>\n

There are many roadblocks to one\u2019s aspirations. Mine was, and often is, physical. If my story can encourage someone who feels it is too late for them, I hope they now see their future much differently.<\/p>\n

\n

Editor’s note:<\/strong> Monique completed her religious studies bachelor’s degree requirements online and graduated from Oregon State in the spring of 2021. She later earned a master’s degree<\/a> from Harvard University.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 3<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>“At the time of the stroke, I was enrolled in the local community college, just about to graduate and start nursing school. I even considered becoming a doctor. As I started to recover, I found out none of my plans were possible. Among other things, I had lost the ability to comprehend written words. … It took 20 years to get here, and I don\u2019t mind a bit. I\u2019m just grateful for the chance and the people at Oregon State who are making it possible.” \u2013 Monique Lanier, religious studies student<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":1306,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6,3,677,8],"tags":[554,641,544,451],"class_list":["post-1305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-features","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-disability-access-services","tag-languages-and-liberal-arts","tag-osu-everywhere","tag-religious-studies"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/monique-lanier-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-l3","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1241,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/liberal-studies-student-story\/","url_meta":{"origin":1305,"position":0},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: ‘I longed for a new chapter in my vocation’","author":"Diana M. Hulet","date":"August 14, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"\"After searching for Buddhist and Hindu scholars across colleges in Oregon, I came across Oregon State University Ecampus and a class on Gandhi and non-violence, a topic not only captivating, but relevant to our times. 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With the online education, I\u2019ve been able to work toward my goals as a sustainability ambassador.\" \u2014 Hope Sims, OSU economics major","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Photo of Hope Sims, Oregon State Ecampus online economics student","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Hope-Sims-ECON-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Hope-Sims-ECON-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Hope-Sims-ECON-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Hope-Sims-ECON-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1581,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/public-health-masters-erin-devlin\/","url_meta":{"origin":1305,"position":2},"title":"Oregon State Everywhere: ‘I am so grateful to have taken this path’","author":"Erin Devlin","date":"November 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"\"If it weren't for the online program at Oregon State Ecampus, I would not have had the chance to get the Master of Public Health. 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