Oregon State University Ecampus students often face challenges in obtaining their degree that on-campus students may not. Residing outside the state of the university you are attending can make things even more complicated.<\/p>\n
When you live too far from campus to visit, you can\u2019t just drop in and talk face-to-face with a professor or faculty member, you don\u2019t have exactly the same learning experiences and it\u2019s more difficult to find a realistic internship through your university.<\/p>\n
But none of that should deter you from attending an out-of-state school online. There are so many ways to capitalize on the resources and support around you at your university, all designed to ensure you get the most out of your degree, no matter how far away you live.<\/p>\n
One of the most important first steps any Ecampus student can take to improve their experience is to connect with their professors.<\/p>\n
You do not have to be face-to-face to make a connection or get help. There are many ways online students communicate effectively with their instructors, from emails to virtual office hours. Every instructor is different, but they are all willing to work with you and want to see you succeed.<\/p>\n
At the start of every term, check your classes\u2019 syllabi for your professors\u2019 preferred method of communication, and reach out to introduce yourself and ask any questions you have about the class or their work (if they conduct their own research). Most professors will be eager to meet you and talk about these topics.<\/p>\n
During the past six years, which I have spent attending school online, the best experience I had was with a professor who asked every student to send him a message introducing themselves and sharing something about themselves in the first week of class. He made it a point to respond to each student individually and establish a connection, so we all felt welcomed, included and comfortable coming to him with any questions or concerns.<\/p>\n
But the professor doesn\u2019t have to initiate communication. Take charge and be the one to reach out, even if it is just to say hello.<\/p>\n
“<\/span>Find the people who will support you in your academic and career endeavors, and make that introduction, so you feel comfortable leaning on them when you need some guidance or help.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Eddie Rodriguez, Ecampus student engagement program manager, said the No. 1 way Ecampus students living out of state can improve their experience is to \u201cConnect with your faculty! Your professors are here to support your education and can oftentimes serve as great mentors and may even help get you connected to additional opportunities like research or support you with a letter of recommendation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon Rodriguez, an Ecampus student success coach, said, \u201cBe intentional about engagement. The biggest improvement I see in student experiences comes from actively connecting with instructors, like going to virtual office hours, asking questions and staying in touch when things get tough.”<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing your support systems as an Ecampus student (advising, success coaching, career services, tutoring, etc.) can make a big difference,\u201d Brandon Rodriguez said. \u201cThose tools are there, but they work best when students reach out early and often.\u201d<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t just your professors with whom you can make a strong connection that will help you succeed. Find the people who will support you in your academic and career endeavors, and make that introduction, so you feel comfortable leaning on them when you need some guidance or help.<\/p>\n
Localize your assignments when possible<\/h2>\n
Beyond interacting with your professors and faculty members, you can add to your online experience through the coursework you are given. Not every assignment is black and white, and many assignments come with wiggle room for you to choose what you are studying.<\/p>\n
If you have an assignment that allows you to choose a topic, try to choose something that is centered on your area. It could be a local business, flora or fauna native to your state or a problem specific to your community.<\/p>\n
For example, I am earning a degree in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences, and in my mammalogy class, I had to write a paper on a species of my choice. I chose the New England cottontail, a rabbit species native to and endangered in my state. This allowed me to learn about a species near me that I could potentially help conserve in a future job, instead of learning about an exotic species I will never encounter.<\/p>\n
“<\/span>Take every opportunity in class to learn about the things near you and apply what is around you to your coursework.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Allan Campbell<\/a>, an Ecampus student studying marketing, said, \u201cUsing local experiences has always helped me stay connected to my coursework as an Ecampus student. I try to bring my work experience into assignments whenever it fits, especially in classes like accounting, where concepts such as activity\u2011based overhead become much easier to understand when I can tie them to real situations I see on the job. Doing this not only makes the material more meaningful, it also strengthens my confidence and helps me contribute more effectively in class discussions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Whether you use your coursework to learn more about what is around you or use what is already around you to learn in your courses, connecting the material in your classes to your life and community can be an extremely effective learning tool that makes you feel more engaged with the material and motivates you to learn more.<\/p>\n
Take every opportunity in class to learn about the things near you and apply what is around you to your coursework. It may end up being the perfect addition to a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 that helps you land your dream internship or job.<\/p>\n
Explore local learning opportunities<\/h2>\n
Experiential learning opportunities in your community can be a highly effective addition to learning online when you are far away from your campus.<\/p>\n
In many degree programs, there are subjects focused on regional information for the area where the university exists, such as regional history, local laws, native animals, locally important crops and regionally dominant businesses. If you find yourself taking a course that seems to focus on such items and it does not feel applicable to your locale, you may be wondering how the course is really going to benefit you. But it can, even if the details are specific to an area much different than your own.<\/p>\n
For instance, if you are learning to identify plants that grow in Oregon but you live in Ohio, you can use the knowledge you gained in class to identify the plants in your own backyard to the most specific taxonomic level you can (even if it is not down to the species) and then bridge the knowledge gap with a field guide on plants in Ohio.<\/p>\n
Just because the examples used in class do not match your environment, it does not mean the processes of how to arrive at a conclusion are not useful to you. Experiencing firsthand how this knowledge can be applied in your own life helps you cement what you are learning in class.<\/p>\n
“<\/span>[A]pplying what you learn in class to your life can help you retain the class material for longer and allow you to help your community.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Experiential learning can also help if the course material is not specific to a locale. Alexa Marroquin, a Washington-based Ecampus student studying chemical engineering, said, \u201cBack when I was a business admin major, I was able to apply personal finance material to help my local community with tips and information regarding filling out taxes and tax refunds. I also learned about educational tax credits and was able to inform some people in my community who were older and going back to school.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile I’m not a business major anymore, this class taught me incredible personal finance tips that I still use and share with those around me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marroquin\u2019s experience demonstrates that applying what you learn in class to your life can help you retain the class material for longer and allow you to help your community.<\/p>\n
Brandon Rodriguez said, \u201cConnecting classwork to your local community, taking advantage of experiential learning nearby and looking for internships where you actually want to live after graduation helps make a degree online feel useful. Those experiences also help students build local connections and career momentum while they\u2019re still in classes, which can be huge after they graduate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Choose internship locations with care<\/h2>\n
This brings me to the importance of finding an internship near where you plan to work. Finding an internship as an out-of-state online student isn\u2019t always easy. Most of the internships your university shares with you in emails or via an internship coordinator are from connections the university has made with businesses or organizations near the university. As such, those internships are not always feasible for out-of-state students unless they are willing to relocate.<\/p>\n
Eddie Rodriguez said, \u201cIf an Ecampus student is able to get connected to an internship or career-related opportunity in their area, it can be extremely valuable.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost Ecampus students are choosing to learn online because they are already connected to their community and may not be looking to move elsewhere. Staying engaged in your community likely means a lot to students and can help them toward their long-term career goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Obtaining an internship near where you plan to work after graduation allows you to establish roots there before you search for a permanent position. This means you can learn about how things are conducted and what is at your disposal while forming connections with not only the people you are interning for, but also with the other people in the same area and career sector who you are interacting with during your internship.<\/p>\n
These relationships will help you get a permanent job down the road, either via references and letters of recommendations, or because the people you are interviewing with will likely already know you or know of you and therefore are more likely to hire you over someone they do not know at all.<\/p>\n
Network in your community<\/h2>\n
The last tip I have for out-of-state Ecampus students is to join a local or regional organization centered around what you are studying. Whether you join a professional society or a community group, you will be meeting and networking with people with similar interests and career goals. These people can help you grow as you find your way in your career field and lead you to opportunities you would not have known about otherwise.<\/p>\n
The relationships you develop in these groups and organizations will help you get a job later, just as the relationships you develop in internships do. Moreover, membership in a career-oriented organization, especially a professional society, can be a huge addition to your resume and may help you land your dream job.<\/p>\n
Advice to remember<\/h2>\n
I leave you with some words from the professionals at Oregon State Ecampus.<\/p>\n
Eddie Rodriguez said, \u201cEnjoy the journey, and don’t forget to reach out for help. Don\u2019t wait until you are struggling; we are always eager to connect with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brandon Rodriguez said, \u201cDecide what you want out of your Ecampus experience and take ownership of making that happen. Being an online, out\u2011of\u2011state student is a real strength. Just lean into the flexibility and apply what you\u2019re learning directly to your own community and goals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Forge connections, take every opportunity to learn about what\u2019s around you, lean into experiential learning in your own community, push to get an internship near your post-graduation residence and join a local or regional organization focused on your field of work. If you do, you will not only be set up for a successful career, but you will also enjoy your educational journey and get the most out of your degree as an out-of-state Ecampus student.<\/p>\n
\nElla Wilcox is a student in Oregon State University\u2019s fisheries, wildlife, and conservation sciences online bachelor’s program<\/a>, offered by the College of Agricultural Sciences<\/a>. Discover how Ella and other members of the Ecampus Student Advisory Board<\/strong> impact the online student experience at Oregon State University, and read about eligibility and participation requirements.<\/em><\/p>\n
Learn about the Student Advisory Board<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
<\/span> 7<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>None of that should deter you from attending an out-of-state school online. There are so many ways to capitalize on the resources and support around you at your university, all designed to ensure you get the most out of your degree, no matter how far away you live.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":104,"featured_media":3005,"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_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1,672,677,8,674],"tags":[374,206,698],"class_list":["post-3050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-learning-experience","category-students-and-alumni","category-students","category-tips","tag-college-of-agricultural-sciences","tag-fisheries-wildlife-and-conservation-sciences","tag-student-advisory-board-blog-series"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/In-their-words-Ella-Wilcox.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-Nc","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1199,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/experiential-learning-at-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":3050,"position":0},"title":"Experiential opportunities transform learning for Oregon State\u2019s online students","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"May 30, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University Ecampus students don\u2019t just learn their course material \u2014 they live it. 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