Oregon State Ecampus puts graduates in charge of their future

migration — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 21:25:26 +0000

Stuart Broadway is stationed in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States Coast Guard – some 2,600 miles from Oregon State University in Corvallis. He enrolled as an online student with Oregon State Ecampus in 2012 with little knowledge of the school.

His metaphorical leap of faith was rewarded nicely: When Stuart visited the OSU campus for the first time in June 2016, he picked up a keepsake – his college diploma.

“Graduating was one of my proudest moments as an adult,” Stuart said. “And enrolling with OSU Ecampus was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

Oregon State is ranked one of the nation’s best providers of online education because its offerings meet the needs of students like Stuart all around the world. With more than 45 degree programs and more than 1,000 classes delivered online, OSU Ecampus gives military service members, veterans and their dependents access to a first-rate education wherever and whenever they need to learn.

With that flexibility comes ample respect and prestige. Oregon State is regionally accredited and regarded by several publications as a military friendly school.

And for the second straight year, Ecampus is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s 10 best institutions for military service members and veterans to earn a degree online.

“I wanted a program that had the backing of a highly respected institution such as Oregon State,” said Stuart, who holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences. “The online classes were not watered down. They were the same ones offered on campus and taught by professors who also teach on campus. It was a great experience.”

Ecampus programs have proven to be a viable learning option – and a path to career advancement – for veterans and active duty members alike.

Alyssa Halstead is an intelligence analyst in the Air National Guard, stationed in Warner Robins, Georgia. She began looking at opportunities to continue her education in a flexible format that fit the demands of the military lifestyle.

She found Oregon State and, in spite of a series of deployments, managed to succeed as a distance student and earn her anthropology degree online. She traveled to the OSU campus in June to accept her diploma in person – just one week after returning from a deployment.

“Knowing that my degree is no different than an on-campus degree makes me feel like I’m part of the entire Oregon State community,” Alyssa said. “The commitment, understanding and support that I felt while enrolled is what really separated OSU from other any other institution that I researched.”

Alyssa has a number of years of service remaining in the Air National Guard, after which she plans to pursue a civilian career. But that hasn’t stopped her from already putting her education to good use.

“I have been able to apply the knowledge I learned at Oregon State to my profession as a military member and enhance my abilities at work,” she said. “I know that my degree has set me up for success in the future and I hope to utilize it to become a teacher and influence younger minds.”

Calling the shots

migration — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 21:30:15 +0000

Rhonda Wise served in the United States Navy for 13 years, working as an electronics maintenance technician. She was proud to serve her country and perform her duties well.

But the tech work was always missing something.

“It was a field that was chosen for me by the recruiting station personnel,” says Rhonda, who transitioned out of the Navy in order to home-school her children.

As her kids grew older, she was able to focus intently on her career – and for the first time, she was calling all the shots.

Her first step: Find a university that met her needs in terms of academics and lifestyle flexibility. After doing extensive research, she enrolled as a natural resources student online with Oregon State University Ecampus.

“Once I saw the wide array of degrees and classes offered within my field of interest, I ended my search,” Rhonda says. “I knew Oregon State was the place for me.”

OSU Ecampus is regarded as one of America’s best providers of online education, having been ranked in the top 10 two years in a row by U.S. News & World Report. Ecampus delivers more than 45 degree and certificate programs online to students in all 50 states and more than 40 countries.

Rhonda thrived in the online learning environment despite being some 1,700 miles away in San Antonio, Texas. She eagerly engaged with classmates and faculty members who shared her passion for natural resources management.

One instructor in particular, Dave Stemper, fostered Rhonda’s desire to pursue a career in environmental interpretation due to his enthusiasm and willingness to share knowledge.

“Even though we never met face-to-face, he is the one person who had the most influence on my academic journey, as well as my future employment in interpretation,” Rhonda says.As it turns out, she was correct. Shortly after earning a B.S. in Natural Resources online from Oregon State, Rhonda accepted a position as a seasonal interpretive park ranger at the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park in Texas. For good measure, she also decided to enroll in the Ecampus online graduate certificate program in wildlife management. Now her career plan is filled with ambitious goals that will take considerable effort to achieve.

And that’s exactly how she drew it up.

“Completing my degree opened up a new direction for my life, a direction consciously and deliberately chosen by me,” she says. “It’s exciting to think of all of the possibilities and the opportunities available for my choosing.”

Oregon State University Archives - Military Times

Oregon State Ecampus puts graduates in charge of their future

Calling the shots