NC State Online and Distance Education<\/span><\/a> has a proven history of providing high-quality online and distance education to meet the needs of our students, North Carolina, and beyond. Our strength stems from distinguished faculty who prepare students with skills to transform their careers and make a difference in their communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And our spring 2020 online and distance education graduates are doing just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We caught up with graduates from a variety of degree and certificate programs to learn more about their journeys up until this point and where the future may take them. Many students are nontraditional and worked long evenings and weekends in the pursuit of earning their degrees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The graduates provided some advice for other working professionals who may be thinking about continuing their education or launching a new career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out the stories below organized by college. Congratulations to #NCState20 and our Online Pack!<\/span><\/p>\n

Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

\n
• Emily Ragland: <\/span>Graduate\u2019s Strong Desire to Help Parents and Families Leads to Launching Her Own Business<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
• Ashley Gernat: <\/span>Online Graduate Certificate Leads Student Closer to Her Master in Poultry Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  Humanities and Social Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

  \n
  • Jessica Del Toro: <\/span>Inspiration and Goals Led Graduate to Complete Her Bachelor\u2019s Degree Online<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  • Ryan Ryals: <\/span>LPS Online Degree Completion Graduate Ready to Lead<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Education<\/span><\/h2>\n

    \n
    • Fatimah Patterson and Taylor Hansen: <\/span>NC State Online Program Impacts Graduates from Military Families<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
    • Andrea Sutton Thomas: <\/span>Hardworking Graduate Earned Her Doctorate at a Distance<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
    • Allison Faulkenberry, Kimberly Ideus, Jacob Henshaw, Elvia Rodriguez Mejia, Lindsey Hensler Sachs: <\/span>NC State Online Education Graduates Reflect on Teaching and Learning<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Engineering<\/span><\/h2>\n

      \n
      • Daniel Colwell and Michael Crawford: <\/span>Site-Based Engineering Program Benefits Eastern North Carolina Workforce and Beyond<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Natural Resources<\/span><\/h2>\n

        \n
        • Heather Wells: <\/span>Online Graduate Explores the Environment and Human Health<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
        • Ashley Spradlin: <\/span>Online Graduate Broadens Her Horizons with Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
        • Julia McClung: <\/span>Graduate Explores New Interests in Her Online Master\u2019s Program<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Poole College of Management\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

          \n
          • Leigh Schmidt: <\/span>Online Master of Accounting Provides Flexibility for Career Advancement<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
          • Jean Bigoney: <\/span>Jenkins Professional Online MBA Graduate Jean Bigoney Applies New Skills to Career<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
          • Jason Brodsgaard: <\/span>Jenkins Professional Online MBA Grad\u2019s Story of Valuable Lessons and a Promotion\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

            \n
            • Saki Handa: <\/span>Online Climate Adaptation Certificate Prepares Graduate for the Future<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Learn more about NC State Online and Distance Education by visiting our website<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n

              NC State Online and Distance Education<\/span><\/a> has a proven history of providing high-quality online and distance education to meet the needs of our students, North Carolina, and beyond. Our strength stems from distinguished faculty who prepare students with skills to transform their careers and make a difference in their communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              And our spring 2020 online and distance education graduates are doing just that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              We caught up with graduates from a variety of degree and certificate programs to learn more about their journeys up until this point and where the future may take them. Many students are nontraditional and worked long evenings and weekends in the pursuit of earning their degrees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              The graduates provided some advice for other working professionals who may be thinking about continuing their education or launching a new career.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

              Check out the stories below organized by college. Congratulations to #NCState20 and our Online Pack!<\/span><\/p>\n

              Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

              \n
              • Emily Ragland: <\/span>Graduate\u2019s Strong Desire to Help Parents and Families Leads to Launching Her Own Business<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
              • Ashley Gernat: <\/span>Online Graduate Certificate Leads Student Closer to Her Master in Poultry Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                Humanities and Social Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

                \n
                • Jessica Del Toro: <\/span>Inspiration and Goals Led Graduate to Complete Her Bachelor\u2019s Degree Online<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                • Ryan Ryals: <\/span>LPS Online Degree Completion Graduate Ready to Lead<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  Education<\/span><\/h2>\n

                  \n
                  • Fatimah Patterson and Taylor Hansen: <\/span>NC State Online Program Impacts Graduates from Military Families<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                  • Andrea Sutton Thomas: <\/span>Hardworking Graduate Earned Her Doctorate at a Distance<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                  • Allison Faulkenberry, Kimberly Ideus, Jacob Henshaw, Elvia Rodriguez Mejia, Lindsey Hensler Sachs: <\/span>NC State Online Education Graduates Reflect on Teaching and Learning<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Engineering<\/span><\/h2>\n

                    \n
                    • Daniel Colwell and Michael Crawford: <\/span>Site-Based Engineering Program Benefits Eastern North Carolina Workforce and Beyond<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                      Natural Resources<\/span><\/h2>\n

                      \n
                      • Heather Wells: <\/span>Online Graduate Explores the Environment and Human Health<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                      • Ashley Spradlin: <\/span>Online Graduate Broadens Her Horizons with Master of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                      • Julia McClung: <\/span>Graduate Explores New Interests in Her Online Master\u2019s Program<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                        Poole College of Management\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

                        \n
                        • Leigh Schmidt: <\/span>Online Master of Accounting Provides Flexibility for Career Advancement<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                        • Jean Bigoney: <\/span>Jenkins Professional Online MBA Graduate Jean Bigoney Applies New Skills to Career<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
                        • Jason Brodsgaard: <\/span>Jenkins Professional Online MBA Grad\u2019s Story of Valuable Lessons and a Promotion\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                          Sciences<\/span><\/h2>\n

                          \n
                          • Saki Handa: <\/span>Online Climate Adaptation Certificate Prepares Graduate for the Future<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                            Learn more about NC State Online and Distance Education by visiting our website<\/a>.<\/p>"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                            We caught up with spring 2020 online and distance education graduates from a variety of degree and certificate programs to learn more about their journeys up until this point and where the future may take them. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":107026,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"source":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"caption\":\"The NC State Belltower at dusk and night. Photo by Marc Hall.\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2381,2439,2606,2483],"tags":[2609,2574,2610,2495,2497],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107020"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/100"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107020"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":660058,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107020\/revisions\/660058"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107026"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www-test.online.ncsu.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}