Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Discover more about WVU Online. New podcasts debut every other Monday from February 21 - May 2, 2022. Podcast topics will cover the importance of resumes and graduate school recommendation requests, to support services and financial aid. Listen in for some valuable tips! Let’s go!
The Online Road Map podcast is sponsored by WVU Online and produced by WVU Student Media.
[00:00:00] So again, thank you for taking the time to talk with me about your student experience in a WVU online academic program. As you know, WVU Online has a long standing tradition as part of the West Virginia University community, and the programs have been in existence long before the recent COVID 19 pandemic.
Our students and alumni are doing incredible. So it is exciting to hear more about your student experience, and I know it'll resonate well with other current and prospective student. Please share what academic program you are in or completed with WVU online. And what were some important program qualities that you are looking for in an online program?
All righty, so I have completed two WVU online programs, and I'm in the process of completing a third. The one that I'm currently in is the Masters of Arts in Multi Categorial special educat. And the [00:01:00] two that I completed prior to this degree were my bachelor's in child Development and family studies and a master's in higher ed administration.
And when I was looking for an online program, what really, what I really wanted was flexibility, but also something that followed that semester by semester schedule that you would get on an on campus site. That's awesome. I wasn't aware you did three programs or you're finishing up your there. That's really amazing.
Well, thank you. You definitely have enjoyed the, the online experience then. Yeah, I have and, and also I probably would've done an online program anyways with the degrees I've gotten since my bachelor's. , but it says something when you stay with the same institution again and again and again. That's awesome.
I'm glad that probably the, you know, the education programs are very happy to have you, and it's nice to kind of have that consistency, like you said. How would you [00:02:00] describe like your student experience in regards to having access to your faculty members and your advisors and really being able to connect with classmates through the program?
Hmm. Well, my professors and classmates, you know, the connections were, I think just the same as I would've probably gotten if I had went on campus. My professors were always available, my classmates, some of them have become even closer friends than the friends I had in my hometown or in my high school, or at the community college.
I did attend before Southern. And so yeah, the connections were probably just the same as if, as if I was on campus, really. So is there anything that surprised you about the online student experience at all? The one thing that did surprise me was, Just the connections. Again, I thought being online and especially being, you know, four and five hours away from Morgantown and sometimes states away from my classmates, I didn't [00:03:00] think there would be that much connection, but there has been.
When I was doing my student teaching for my bachelor's, my professor called me every week just like she was with the local students that were Morgantown based. So, By, by having that connection, that really shocked me. And yeah, it's just been, and also where I am an online student, we've had guest speakers with some of our Zoom sessions and some of our Zoom lectures, and some of these guest speakers have included a higher ups, you know, in the administrative field at WVU and other colleges and.
One thing that surprised me was just how much they took that time to talk with us and yeah, just, just to talk with us and take our questions seriously. And many of my questions were like, how can we make this better for online students? How can we make this environment better? How can we make this organization better for online students?
That's great. Yeah, those [00:04:00] connections are crucial and to be able to have a very similar experience to what you would have as though you were in an in-person class on campus, I think speaks volumes and it's awesome to hear that you were able to have guest speakers come in and talk with you and really learn from experts that are in the field and kind of leading big organizations.
Were there other services or resources that WVU offers that you were able to utilize or are currently utilizing that are available to online students? There's, you know, like the libraries, career services, tutoring or, or anything else. I haven't really done any of those services outside of the library to, to.
Articles and stuff for research papers, but I have been made aware of those. I just haven't used them because I've never really needed them. I never needed tutoring, I never needed, you know, career guidance. But I have been made aware of those services and I think those are excellent. [00:05:00] to have for students that are online but are unsure of what career to go with or, you know, if they need a little bit of help in math or English or whatever subject, they can have that resource readily available.
Right. That's good. Well at you use the library and it is good. Just, you know, it's always there if you need it, but if you don't, then that's great too. Having gone through two programs, finishing up your third, how would you say you've grown perfect, personally and professionally as a result? The academic programs that you've done through WVU online?
Hmm. I've done, let's see, I've done, professionally wise, I've grown as an individual because of WVU Online, I was a member of the Higher Education Student Association, which is for higher ed majors, and I also got to chance to do a remote internship. Because of that internship and because of that membership and that association, and a few other things I've done [00:06:00] outside of WVU U.
You know, I was able to land some interviews with, you know, universities and community colleges down in my area. . But yeah, it was really meaningful and where it was online, it allowed me to, it allowed me to pursue opportunities in my hometown, whereas with, because whereas with on-campus students, you know, they don't have that chance to go to their hometown and serve as much, whereas, mm-hmm.
where I'm online, I can do that right now with my studies as well. Right. So you kind of have the best of both world. You can still be in your community and give back, but you're still able to get that West Virginia University experience and degree and yes, take part of all of that too. That's awesome.
Yeah. And the personal aspect, . Like I said, I made connections with classmates that were really meaningful. They were really helpful. I still have classmates that text me to this day that I have not [00:07:00] spoken with since my bachelor's. Like I haven't had a class with them since my bachelor's, which was like five years ago.
So, you know, to have that connection is really, is really meaningful. That's really great. I'm so glad. So after your third program, are you thinking about a fourth? Honestly, with my Master's right now, that's the master's I'm getting right now is for my teaching certification. Mm-hmm. . So I'll probably back off a little bit on the degrees because I've pursued these degrees back to back, so it'll be nice to have a little bit of a break, but.
Would I eventually like to get my doctorate? Absolutely. You know, Dr. Holly Hill sounds very great to me for some reason, but I'm go, just gonna see where life takes me. Eventually. I'd like to get my principal certification. I'd eventually like to get some more certifications in other subjects. So it just really depends on where life takes me.
I'm very flexible when it comes to the future. You know, life has dealt [00:08:00] cards that I were very grateful that they. That life dealt those cards to me. But there's been some cards that I was like, oh, why did this happen? But I'm very flexible with the future and future plans. So could there be a fourth degree?
Who's to say? But eventually I would like to pursue further education in other areas. It just depends on what it'll be. It may not be a degree, it may be just a certificate, but we will see where the future takes. That's awesome. It's good to hear you're always looking to continue growing, you know, whether it's in a classroom or just professionally and learning.
Kinda on a fun side, what's been your favorite memory or thing about your experience with WVU online? Well, so I've, my favorite experience, goodness gracious. I've always enjoyed the Zoom sessions in my Master of Higher ed program. Dr. [00:09:00] Hugs, Dr. McKendry. So Soer and Dr. Soer, the instructors I had for that program, they always tried to bring in guest speakers that were relevant to that field.
And some of those guest speaking sessions really changed my life. I, I could see a person that started out the way I did and then. here they were 20 or 40 years later and they're in a administrative position and they love it. With my Masters of Special Ed, one thing I really liked about that has been Dr.
Richard's classes. Every time I have a class with her, whether it's SPED 500 or you know, just recently, mathematics for Special Ed, she tries to really make it about real life. She trained you not only. Pedagogy of education, but she makes it to where she knows, she's teaching actual teachers in the field right now.
So when she teaches, [00:10:00] it's not just to a student, but she's teaching an adult, she's teaching a teacher. So she knows we have experiences that maybe she didn't have. So she's always open and upfront and she gets straight to. And those are my favorite memories, Dr. Richard's classes and the guest speakers in my higher ed program.
I love that. That's great. It's nice to hear, you know, stories like that and who has really made an impact on your experience, and those are people and moments that you'll never forget, I'm sure. Mm-hmm. . So my last question is just what advice would you give to students who are considering furthering their education in an online program, and specifically with WVU online?
Yeah, always speak your mind. Don't be afraid to ask questions because that's the way you find out information. Don't be afraid to look for those opportunities, and if those opportunities don't exist, research who is behind the [00:11:00] scenes and talk with those people. Don't be afraid to talk with them because chances are they will listen.
So always, always. You know, speak your mind and make those connections to make things happen. That's perfect. I think that's an excellent advice. And you know, you have people to support you along your journey and along your experience and your whole program, but you also have to be an active participant in that experience too, and advocate for yourself.
Exactly. And so I think, you know, instead of just being given or expecting, I think having that voice and bringing it to the table is, is super important. So I appreciate you sharing that. You're very. Yeah, well, I know I love working in an online education and getting to work with the WVU online students who are not just in West Virginia or Ohio or Pennsylvania, but truly across the whole country and we're around the world, and I'm really grateful [00:12:00] for the opportunity to talk with you today, and I'm really glad you're part of the WVU online family too.
Thank you and it was a joy to talk with you all as well.