At first glance, Jamie Gergen and Jennifer Kasse-Wanzer have little in common. Gergen hasn’t been to a college campus in a couple of decades. Kasse-Wanzer works at one every day.
What do they share? Both are pursuing bachelor’s degrees. And neither can attend college like a traditional student.
Kasse-Wanzer has two associate’s degrees, and she works full time to help support her family. Gergen entered the workforce before earning his undergraduate degree and has a medical condition that limits his mobility.
“There are a million individuals in Virginia that have some college credit but no undergraduate degree,” said Michelle Marks, vice president forat George Mason ĢAV.
Which is why Mason, a founding member of the Online Virginia Network and a partner with Wiley Education Services in offering graduate-level online courses and programs, is expanding its online offerings.
A return to college can happen for a variety of reasons. Students might need to re-skill or up-skill or might want to complete a degree that, for whatever reason, was unfinished.
Gergen, who worked in information technology for 20 years, including at AOL, PBS Kids and as a federal consultant, said he had reached a professional standstill.
Without a bachelor’s degree, he struggled to get interviews after losing his job in 2016. He chose Mason, he said, because of the university’s location, reputation and its mission tofor all students.
Online classes were a bonus.
“I have a genetic heart condition that limits my ability to move around,” said Gergen, an major and senior. “[Online classes] allow me to earn my degree from the comfort of my home office where I have everything set up.”
Gergen said he also enjoys the “learn-at-your-own-pace” structure of online learning. The flexibility allows Gergen to attend class at any time and set his own schedule if he’s out of town or has an appointment.
That flexibility is also helpful for Kasse-Wanzer, a mother of two children who is an administrative assistant at Mason.
Her secretsto success?
Lots of coffee, wise timemanagement and online classes, she said.
“Taking online classes has really helped me push forward,”themajorand seniorsaid. “The best thing about taking classes online is that I can do it on my own time; I cantakemy son to swimming lessons,and,while he’s taking the classes, I canwork on myhomework on my phone or on my tablet.”
BothGergenandKasse-Wanzersaid they feel supportedevenwithout the traditional classroom.
“Every [online professor] I’ve hadisvery responsive—almost immediately,”Gergensaid.
Mason provides an extensive catalogofonlineundergraduate and graduate classesand plans to expand to 15 online graduate programs over the next few yearsin partnership with Wiley.
With new technology hitting the scene,studentexperiences will continue to advance, Marks said.
“Online educational tools are learning how to build in mentoring experiences, learning how to bring in virtual internships[and] learning to build community in the online space,”she said.“What’s available now is helping us create an authentic, web-based experience for online learners.”
Gergentakes in-person and online classes and is grateful for both opportunities.
“I was very nervous when I went back to the classroom,”hesaid,because he didn’t fit the traditional college-student mold.“Oneof the things online classes allowedme to dois still get the college experience of knowing there were other people in the same class as me, but also, I eased into going back to school.”
“Online classes open so many doors that someone with my condition wouldn’t have opened 10or15 years ago,”Gergenadded.
Online learning is alsoa gamechangerforKasse-Wanzer,whopreviously worked at HBO Latin America and Telemundonetworksas abehind-the-scenes productionassistant, but believes a bachelor’s degreewillopen more doors for her in a highly competitive job market. She also wants to show her children that they can achieve their goals with patience and hard work.
ForlearnerslikeKasse-WanzerandGergen,achievingtheir career aspirationsrequires“flexibility, accessible pathwaysand providing education on their time in a way that makes sense for them,” Markssaid.“Online education is the solution.”