The ‘sense of belonging’ Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber felt while earning her OSU master’s degree online is still empowering her as a lifelong learner
A lot has changed in the 14 years since graduating with a master’s in science education online from Oregon State University. I’ve moved states, become a mom, found my professional home, earned an Ed.D., and have continued to break glass ceilings.
Though I started teaching in 2007, I was able to do so because I had completed an alternative certification program. In fact, the master’s of education at OSU was the first formal, post-secondary training I completed in my journey to becoming a better educator — a journey I’m still on as a lifelong learner.
Despite being what some may consider a nontraditional student because I completed my master’s degree fully online, Oregon State had a great impact both at a personal and professional level.
‘Genuine support’ for a first-generation college student
Oregon State Ecampus really fostered a sense of belonging in all courses, in our interactions with other grad students, advisors, you name it. I had the opportunity to attend graduation in spring of 2011, and while the visit was short, when I met my advisors and other fellow graduates, there was a sense of familiarity. To this day we still talk about the picnic my advisor planned on campus for my family and me the day before graduation.
OSU acknowledged the significance of first-generation college graduates. I recall attending the ceremony where our achievements as first-gen graduates were celebrated and where I received the “Si se pudo” stole, my favorite to this date. Though this may not seem out of the ordinary, as a Hispanic, Latina, emerging English learner and first-gen graduate raised in a city ranked amongst those with the highest poverty rates in the U.S., I haven’t always experienced this level of genuine support.
‘OSU’s online learning program helped build the foundation’
The rigor of the classes and level of quality fostered my curiosity for data collection within the classroom and ongoing reflection. In fact, thanks to my advisor’s encouragement and support, I had the opportunity to present my OSU class research at the National Science Teacher Association Conference during a roundtable session. Little did I know that this would be the first of many future opportunities to present and co-present at the local, regional and national levels.
Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber and her family visited Oregon State’s Corvallis campus for commencement in 2011 after she earned her master’s degree online.
Presenting at conferences helped expand my network further, opening new doors to take active roles in committees, review proposals for future conferences, and even serve as the Region 1 Secondary Director of the Colorado Association of Science Teachers. Even though I’m well into my 19th year of teaching, as a lifelong learner, I strive to stay up to date with pedagogy and tools that promote student learning, and it all started with someone who believed that my research was worth sharing.
Contrary to some people’s opinions around online degrees, the master’s in science education program I completed online from Oregon State was rigorous. I was impressed with the level of engagement during both synchronous and asynchronous sessions, as well as with the level of feedback offered by professors. OSU’s online learning program helped build the foundation that opened the door to work on a contract basis for National Geographic as the teaching assistant for the course Teaching Climate Change in Your Classroom.
The program also taught me the skills and laid the foundation for the experience I wanted my students to have when we ended up going remote due to the pandemic. Much like the experience that I had with OSU, I wanted there to be a sense of belonging and engagement that transcended our online interactions.
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Breaking the glass ceiling on a national level
The program, along with the experiences, prepared me for successfully completing my Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership in 2018. While many master’s programs require 36 credits, OSU’s higher expectations and additional credit requirements led to credit transfers for my doctoral coursework. Earning a doctoral degree was the ultimate educational glass ceiling to break, and OSU helped build a strong foundation, skills and confidence needed for me to join the 2% of adults in the U.S. with a doctoral degree.
In January 2025, I received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching from the National Science Foundation and the White House. Career-wise, earning this award was the ultimate career glass ceiling to shatter, and it was special because my son said, “If Mami can do science, I can do science too!”
I hope that sharing my story in the classroom will help inspire other students to see their potential and empower them to pursue their academic and professional goals.
Want to impact your community through education like Yajaira? Gain the knowledge you need by earning a degree, certificate or microcredential online or in a hybrid format from Oregon State University.
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(Photo of Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber provided by Poudre School District)
