After years of working in the business sector, Yvette Gibson earned a natural resources degree online through Oregon State Ecampus and now is an instructor in OSU’s Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences.
They say you can’t have your cake and eat it too, but Yvette Gibson has ignored that expression for years.
She’s simultaneously “loquacious and a complete introvert.” She has a steady job but is not bound by time or place. And she also has the unique ability to give advice on how to thrive as an Oregon State Ecampus student and an Ecampus instructor.
Yvette earned a bachelor’s degree in natural resources online with Oregon State in June 2012. Within a few months, she was teaching Ecampus classes (and some of her former online classmates) as part of OSU’s programs in rangeland sciences.
We caught up with Gibson to chat about her experiences with Oregon State.
How did your experience as an Ecampus student enhance your strategies as an Ecampus instructor?
“Two interrelated experiences in my life shaped my strategies as an Ecampus instructor. I spent 10 years working for one of the top product design firms in the world, Smart Design. The entire premise of their award-winning design philosophy is user-centered design.
“With that philosophy ingrained in my psyche, it’s second nature to leverage my experience as an online student to guide and shape my strategies as an online instructor. I know exactly what its like to trudge through readings, be excited and passionate about my coursework, yet wish it were more engaging.”
After earning you bachelor’s online with Ecampus, you went to grad school in order to teach online for Oregon State. Why was that such a clear calling for you?
Ecampus instructor Yvette Gibson with her horse, Oliver, on the ranch she’s involved with in Colorado.
“I wanted to do everything but teach when I was growing up, yet everyone said I should be a teacher and mentor. I ignored all of them and went about my business, but in my tenure at Smart Design, I supervised and mentored quite a few folks. Turns out I loved the process and the interactions of teaching and mentoring.
“As I was finishing up my bachelor’s, I wanted to go forward with a career that would allow me to 1) contribute to increasing environmental awareness and social change around environmental issues; 2) run my own small ranch, yet have a steady stream of income; 3) be geographically free and not work 9-5.
“I recognized that OSU has one of the top online education programs in the world and that I could achieve all of my career goals through teaching online, so I shaped my master’s program with the sole intent of teaching when I finished.”
What do you like most about teaching online?
“I teach online and on campus for OSU, and what I love about both is engaging and interacting with students, those one-off conversations that facilitate getting to know students. What are they seeking, what are their interests, their dreams, and how can I support them along their path?
“Believe it or not, I can do this more often with online students because the conversations are one-on-one, not part of larger group conversation. Plus online students are seeking connection, so they are as eager to engage as I am.”
Why rangeland sciences — what do you love about it?
“Most people don’t understand that rangeland is the largest terrestrial biome on earth. It encompasses grasslands, deserts, shrublands and woodlands. Sure, these are areas where livestock graze, but they are also wildlife habitat and critical to a plethora of ecosystem goods and services. Rangeland ecosystems exist on every continent.
“It is the depth of interdisciplinary critical and creative thinking that excites me. I work with folks from across the three main federal agencies — the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, and U.S. Forest Service — on an array of issues. I love the collaboration and challenge of trying to find ways to mitigate, and in some cases, rehabilitate land degradation. I also teach grazing and ecology courses to agency employees.”
What have you been up to recently?
“I’ve spent time teaching range ecology and management to land stewards through the National Grazing Land Coalition and the Native American Rangeland Training Initiative. I use these experiences to expand my knowledge of ecosystems and on-the-ground management approaches.
“I’ve also spent the last few years teaching rangeland ecology and management to wildland firefighters. Many of these folks have very little educational background, but they sure show up to learn and realize rangeland ecology and management knowledge is a critical missing component to many of their jobs.”
“I work with folks from across the three main federal agencies — the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service — on an array of issues. I love the collaboration and challenge of trying to find ways to mitigate, and some cases rehabilitate land degradation.”
How do your students benefit from these agency relationships?
“Between collaborations and teaching, I can often connect students to internship and job opportunities. All three agencies that I work with have been and continue to be unable to fulfill rangeland management specialist positions — simply because there are not enough recent graduates that meet their educational requirements.
“I am excited that OSU is one of the few universities that offers these required courses, and that they can be taken 100% online.”
What have been some recent highlights of your experience as an instructor?
“In the past few years, I have developed and led several hybrid special topic field courses so that all students can benefit from field experiences. Among these were Land Stewardship Tour of the Southwest and Examining the Wild Horse and Burro Issue. There are more of these hybrid courses to come . My classes consist of at least 50% Ecampus students, who are always thrilled to experience faculty-led field learning and actually meet faculty. Hybrid courses are not required for the degree, but range experiences through online coursework has enhanced the learning of many Ecampus students.
“I have spent about five years as the OSU Range Club advisor. I have taken students to attend conferences all over the United States, including the annual meeting of the Society of Range Management. Every time I lead students to a conference, I make sure we get a full day outside in the field seeing the sites and learning about the local ecology.
“I do all of this and much more because I want students who take Ecampus range courses to have the best learning experiences possible and to not feel at any disadvantage. It can be challenging for online learners to get their boots on the ground while working on their education. I also want them to be well-prepared for the many range jobs that are out there with federal and state agencies, non-profits, soil and water conservation districts, the UN, and the like.”
What’s the best advice you can give to Ecampus students?
- “Engage with your instructor, even if they seem they don’t want to. Ask them questions and share your ideas. You will have a richer learning experience.”
- “Work toward balance the best you can. I know what it’s like to be a student, a parent and an employee all at the same time, but find time management methods that you can make work for you.”
- “Get out there! Just because you are a distance student, and possibly nontraditional, it doesn’t mean you can’t get internships and research experience. It may take some doing, but search and figure out how to work it into your life, even if it’s just a two-week internship.”
