{"id":2296,"date":"2023-06-02T09:02:03","date_gmt":"2023-06-02T16:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=2296"},"modified":"2024-07-24T11:45:20","modified_gmt":"2024-07-24T18:45:20","slug":"ravonne-byrd-overcoming-self-doubt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/ravonne-byrd-overcoming-self-doubt\/","title":{"rendered":"Persistence pays off as an online student, even when you don&#8217;t have a bird&#8217;s-eye view"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intrinsic-container intrinsic-container-16x9\" style=\"margin-bottom: 20px;\"><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"744\" height=\"419\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g1KmKmpZ-GU?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<h2>Oregon State alum pushes past a lack of self-confidence to earn her degree online and build a career in tech<\/h2>\n<p>There was a time when the idea of \u201cseeing the big picture\u201d was more than Ravonne Byrd could manage. She was trying to find her footing professionally, but the different career paths she tested became unappealing the further she ventured down them.<\/p>\n<p>Newly married with a baby on the way, Byrd wondered if she\u2019d missed out on her prime career opportunities. The Ivy League graduate was swimming in self-doubt, and if there was a big picture, she feared it might have swallowed her whole.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was a lot of uncertainty, and I did a lot of crying,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Emerging out from under the uncertainty began online, in Oregon State University\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/online-degrees\/undergraduate\/computer-science-postbacc\/\">postbaccalaureate computer science program<\/a>. In no time, the floodgates of success opened. Byrd found her place in the professional world while still learning online, first in a student worker position with Oregon State\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/cass.oregonstate.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Center for Applied Systems and Software (CASS)<\/a>, then in an internship with Salesforce.<\/p>\n<p>Upon graduating with her OSU computer science degree, she began working full time with Salesforce as a software engineer.<\/p>\n<p>Resuming her academic journey as an adult helped Byrd summon the confidence to keep moving forward despite lingering doubts around what it would all lead to.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think persistence is a big part of being a software engineer, because you need to keep going until you find the answers or how you can solve a problem,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing able to see that, even when I couldn\u2019t see the outcome, I kept studying when I felt hopeless. It does my heart good now that I know I have that persistence in me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The only thing more common than students dealing with self-doubt is the number of students who overcame those feelings and ultimately succeeded. Byrd is one of them. And she has some wisdom to impart.<\/p>\n<h3>You can\u2019t take on the challenge? \u201cThat\u2019s not true,\u201d Byrd says.<\/h3>\n<p>Everyone faces roadblocks as they work toward a more rewarding future. The circumstances vary from person to person, but there\u2019s a common denominator among students: They discover that they are more determined than they imagined.<\/p>\n<p>Byrd had to push past the notion and stereotype that she wouldn\u2019t be the best fit for the technology industry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA lot of people think tech is not for them. There are barriers \u2014 things to overcome \u2014 whether you\u2019re Black or white. People in their 30s and 40s might think they can\u2019t do that,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s not true.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_2300\" class=\"wp-caption wp-caption-320 alignright\" style=\"width: 320px\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2300\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ravonne-byrd-dylan.jpg?resize=320%2C213&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A woman, Ravonne Byrd, eats at a table with her young song on her lap.\" width=\"320\" height=\"213\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ravonne Byrd had the ability \u2014 and found the self-confidence \u2014 to earn her degree online while working and raising a family.<\/p><\/div>\n<h3>You <em>can<\/em> impact lives. \u201cThat\u2019s a powerful thing,\u201d Byrd says.<\/h3>\n<p>Earning your degree, certificate or microcredential online will give you a suite of skills that can help you advance or change your career. Beyond that, you\u2019ll acquire the type of knowledge and abilities that empower you to make a difference \u2014 whether that\u2019s in your community, the world at large or your household.<\/p>\n<p>Take Byrd, for instance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou can make a career switch and have an immediate effect on your children\u2019s future,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s a powerful thing, as a mother. I\u2019ve definitely cried out of happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>You\u2019ll find your passion. \u201cThat helped me feel comfortable,\u201d Byrd says.<\/h3>\n<p>Learning online with Oregon State will provide you with the life-changing opportunities to discover your calling. Oftentimes, you\u2019ll find it through coursework, in a research project, a conversation with your classmates or instructor, or in an internship.<\/p>\n<p>As an intern with OSU\u2019s CASS, Byrd honed her skills as a software engineer. And she realized that her passion lies in helping others see what they\u2019re capable of \u2014 and working to make it a reality.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to be in a position to mentor. There are really excellent mentors at CASS, and that helped me feel comfortable later in my internship with Salesforce,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to be an effective communicator, and I want to see someone else\u2019s big\u00a0picture\u00a0and help them get there.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Discover how learning online with Oregon State University can help you stand out in the job market, and learn about the unmatched support you\u2019ll receive as a student.<\/em><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"rfi-button\" class=\"button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/online-degrees\/\">Explore 100+ programs<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minute read<\/span><\/span>There was a time when the idea of \u201cseeing the big picture\u201d was more than Ravonne Byrd could manage. She was trying to find her footing professionally, but different career paths became unappealing the further she ventured down them. \u201cThere was a lot of uncertainty, and I did a lot of crying,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2301,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,6,3,677,8],"tags":[20,662,30],"class_list":["post-2296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-ecampus","category-features","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","tag-computer-science","tag-division-of-ecampus","tag-student-success"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-B2","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2017,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/computer-science-ravonne-byrd\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":0},"title":"Distance learning, remote working bring a new mom\u2019s tech dreams closer","author":"Nick Houtman","date":"May 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Ravonne was nearly 30 and had a newborn. Was it too late to start a tech career? The answer: no. Now she's in Oregon State's postbaccalaureate online computer science program, learning a suite of skills as part of a large community of students, and it's been a perfect fit.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ravonne-byrd-main.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ravonne-byrd-main.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ravonne-byrd-main.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ravonne-byrd-main.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1227,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/military-student-online-taniah-johnson\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":1},"title":"With her diploma in hand, military veteran puts self-doubt to rest","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"August 19, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Taniah Johnson didn\u2019t 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 \u2013 to herself and everyone else. Now she\u2019s an Oregon State graduate, active duty in the U.S. Air Force\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;All Stories&quot;","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Taniah Johnson, a human development family sciences graduate of Oregon State University Ecampus","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/taniah-johnson-human-development-family-sciences.jpg?fit=500%2C494&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1810,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/ecampus-virtual-career-center\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":2},"title":"Virtual career center &#8217;empowers students&#8217; with the info they need","author":"Tyler Hansen","date":"July 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State Ecampus, a national leader in online education, has launched a virtual career center for more than 10,000 current students and thousands of alumni. In collaboration with uConnect, OSU Ecampus built the Ecampus Career Hub, an online career services platform designed with Ecampus students in mind.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Advancing Your Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Advancing Your Career","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/learning-experience\/advancing-your-career\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/career-hub-a.jpg?fit=800%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/career-hub-a.jpg?fit=800%2C424&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/career-hub-a.jpg?fit=800%2C424&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/career-hub-a.jpg?fit=800%2C424&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":632,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/ecampus-success-resources\/","url_meta":{"origin":2296,"position":3},"title":"Degrees at a distance. Success at your fingertips.","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"November 13, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"At Oregon State University Ecampus, there\u2019s always a helping hand available to guide you toward your degree. From student success counseling to 24\/7 library support, online students have access to a variety of Oregon State resources from a distance. 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