{"id":461,"date":"2017-04-24T08:41:30","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T15:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/?p=461"},"modified":"2024-04-02T15:18:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-02T22:18:04","slug":"christiania-jefferies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/christiania-jefferies\/","title":{"rendered":"Caring for others"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ecampus psychology student works to create safe spaces for children with special needs to thrive<\/h2>\n
\"Oregon

When psychology student Christiania Jefferies’ son Greenley was diagnosed with autism at age 2, Christiania gained a new purpose in life: Learn about how people develop and why some develop differently. So she enrolled in Oregon State Ecampus where she’s applying what she learns in class to her life at home and at work.<\/p><\/div>\n

By Heather Doherty<\/a><\/em> \u00a0
\n<\/em><\/a>April 24,\u00a02017<\/em><\/p>\n

A perfect day for Christiania Jefferies involves her toes dug in the sand, her 5-year-old son, Greenley, building a sandcastle by her side and sunshine peeking through the clouds and embracing her.<\/p>\n

This is an ideal scenario for anyone, but there\u2019s a reason it\u2019s particularly important to Christiania, and it\u2019s often invisible to others.<\/p>\n

It’s a situation in which her son can be himself: He can play without any worries, let go of any preconceptions or anxiety and enjoy quality time with his mom.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe beach is one of his favorite places, and while we\u2019re there, we can pretend that autism isn\u2019t a part of our lives for a while,\u201d she says. \u201cTo see him so free on the beach and so happy, it fills my heart as a mom. I can\u2019t think of anything more rewarding.\u201d
\n<\/p>\n

\n
\"Christiania\"Play\"<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

Watch this video to hear Christiania discuss how earning a psychology degree online helped her teach her son and other children like him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

But while quality beach time in Christiania\u2019s hometown of Tillamook, Oregon, is a must, so is facing the reality, she says. When Greenley was diagnosed with autism at age 2, Christiania gained a new purpose: Learn about how people develop and why some develop differently.<\/p>\n

Over the years, Greenley has developed into an adventurous, happy boy who, despite the absence of advanced verbal communication skills, you wouldn\u2019t even know is on the autism spectrum.<\/p>\n

Early intervention efforts played a key role in Greenley\u2019s lifetime successes, and his first in-home teacher noticed a natural ability in Christiania.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe would see me practicing these techniques and told me, \u2018You should teach. You\u2019re really good at this.\u2019 She saw a strength in me that I didn\u2019t even know I had,\u201d Christiania says.<\/p>\n

And now Christiania wants to do the same for others, and Oregon State Ecampus is making it possible.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy ultimate goal is to be able to teach kids with autism and also to provide that support to other families and kids that have gone through similar things we have,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

“<\/span>My ultimate goal is to be able to teach kids with autism and also to provide that support to other families and kids that have gone through similar things we have.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In order to provide that level of care, Christiania knew she needed an education. But leaving her small town full of community support was not an option.<\/p>\n

So she enrolled in Tillamook Community College where she found out about Oregon State University\u2019s Degree Partnership Program<\/a>, an efficient and affordable pathway that allows students to take classes at both their local community college and Oregon State.<\/p>\n

She then enrolled in the psychology bachelor\u2019s degree program<\/a>, delivered online through OSU Ecampus, and quickly realized taking classes online is the perfect solution for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order to stay here in this community where both my son and I are thriving and really happy, online learning was the way to go for me,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\"Christiania,

Christiania says earning a degree wouldn\u2019t be possible without all of the support she’s received. \u201cMy dad helps me with my son when I need to study or go to class. He\u2019s been really supportive and I couldn\u2019t imagine doing it without him,\u201d she says.<\/p><\/div>\n

An active community member, Christiania volunteers at her father\u2019s church community garden and food pantry and works full time as a special education assistant at a local elementary school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in the classroom supporting kids with their academics, as well as with behavior issues,\u201d she says. \u201cThe fact that we offer so much for these kids to succeed is so inspiring for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

There, she applies the techniques she\u2019s learning in the Ecampus virtual classroom to her in-person classroom.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy human development course was really eye-opening to what the normal development is, and then I was able to compare that to what I\u2019ve observed for my son,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd it applies to my classroom teachings as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis degree is going to help me be able to support my son and my family the way I want to and to see him grow and to be able to help him, as well as other children in our community and their families,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd I really look forward to the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the meantime \u2013 and always \u2013 she\u2019ll continue enjoying building sandcastles with Greenley at their beach getaway.<\/p>\n

\n

Learn more about the Oregon State Ecampus online psychology bachelor’s degree program.<\/em><\/p>\n

Request information<\/a><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

<\/span> 4<\/span> minute read<\/span><\/span>Psychology student Christiania Jefferies realized she needed a college education to provide the best care for her son with autism. So she enrolled in Ecampus and wants to help others in need too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":466,"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":[673],"tags":[26,25,24,96],"class_list":["post-461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-distance-education","tag-online-education","tag-online-learning","tag-psychology"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Christiania-Main.jpg?fit=638%2C410&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7BNSE-7r","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":600,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/dpp\/","url_meta":{"origin":461,"position":0},"title":"Join the OSU community. 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A bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology could not be a more fitting education for a coach, and I am so appreciative that the OSU Ecampus program was available for me to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Oregon State University Ecampus psychology student Tracey Campion sits next to her dog, Poppy.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tracey-Campion-2019-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tracey-Campion-2019-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tracey-Campion-2019-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/Tracey-Campion-2019-744x478.jpg?fit=744%2C478&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1716,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/best-online-psychology-degree\/","url_meta":{"origin":461,"position":2},"title":"Oregon State online psychology bachelor\u2019s degree ranked #1 in the U.S.","author":"Ecampus News","date":"January 27, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Oregon State University\u2019s expertise in delivering a liberal arts education online is well-documented, and now that reputation has been bolstered even further \u2014 thanks to U.S. News & World Report ranking OSU No. 2 on its list of Best Online Bachelor\u2019s in Psychology Programs for the second straight year.","rel":"","context":"In "All Stories"","block_context":{"text":"All Stories","link":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/category\/all\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Woman taking notes on clipboard while talking to a young child.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ug-psychology-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ug-psychology-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ug-psychology-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/assets\/ug-psychology-800x450-1.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":222,"url":"https:\/\/ecampus.oregonstate.edu\/news\/samantha-diaz\/","url_meta":{"origin":461,"position":3},"title":"Bringing out the best in others","author":"Heather Doherty","date":"August 29, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"When Samantha Diaz enrolled online with Oregon State Ecampus, she was a new mom with a job and a husband in the military. 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