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The Digital Connection highlights students from various educational institutions and alumni. The opportunity to participate is optional and open to the public. Email support@scpandgsg.org for more information.
Aiken Technical College
April 12, 2024
Porsche Jenkins
Thank you for taking the time to participate in our digital article series, The Digital Connection. Your willingness to share your journey helps bring greater visibility to the experiences of online students and highlights the growing need for inclusive opportunities, like fraternity and sorority involvement, within virtual learning environments.
Before we start, we like to highlight business owners as part of our commitment to supporting small businesses. If you are a business owner, we invite you to share your business name, website, or any relevant details, so we can help amplify your work alongside your personal story.
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What inspired you to pursue an online college education, and how did you get started?
I've been a certified medical assistant for the past 9 years and I've always wanted to go back to school to pursue nursing but couldn't due to my busy work schedule my children. I went back to school in 2018 but dropped out because I had a full load of classes and just couldn't focus due to having to help my children and getting home late. In April 2022, I told my husband that I was going to go back to school and stick to it. This time I had the motivation and determination to stick to it. I got accepted into Aiken Technical College and have maintained a 4.0 since I've been attending there.
What challenges have you faced while pursuing your degree online, and how have you overcome them?
My toughest challenge was my statistics class. I consider myself to be pretty good in math as long as I can break it down to get the answer. Statistics was a new area of math for me and I would get so frustrated when I didn't understand certain problems. My husband seen how frustrated and mad I would get and told me to look the material up on YouTube. Needless to say, I overcame this challenge by following his advice and passed statistics with an A.
How have you balanced your online coursework with other responsibilities, such as work or family?
I've balanced my online work, motherhood, and working by having a great support system and time-management. I'm very grateful my husband because his schedule allows him to get off early so by the time I get off and make it home; the kids have already completed their schoolwork and my husband cooks dinner. I also worked on my schoolwork in between patients at work as well.
What have you found to be the benefits of pursuing a college education online, compared to traditional on-campus learning?
The benefits of pursuing college online is that you get to work at your pace and still have the ability to work your job. While pursuing education online, you still are able to make sure your household is okay and attending your children extracurricular activities as well.
How have you stayed motivated and engaged in your online classes, and what strategies have you used to ensure your success?
I've been able to stay motivated and engaged because I told myself this time around that going to school was personal. I owed it to myself and my children, so I helped onto that determination and it's kept me going. My main strategy for success is time-management and studying. I sacrificed a lot of events and made time to study because I knew the grades I needed to have to be accepted into the nursing program.
What does it signify to you when organizations like Sigma Chi Psi Sorority and Gamma Sigma Gamma Fraternity attempt to bridge the social gap for students who are pursuing their education online?
It signifies unity to me because a lot of times online students aren't able to participate in certain events or be apart of certain things that traditional education students are apart of and it leaves them feeling lonely. I believe bridging the gap is a great commitment and it gives the online students something to look forward to.
What significance does socializing, networking, and participating in events focused on networking and community service hold for you?
Socializing, networking, and participating in events focused on networking and community service signifies personal /professional growth and unselfishness. It signifies growth because it's an opportunity to build professional relationships and open doors to new opportunities. It signifies unselfishness because it shows that I'm willing to put others before myself and make a positive impact on the world.
Thank you again for being part of The Digital Connection. Your voice adds depth and meaning to this series, and we’re honored to share your perspective. We look forward to amplifying your story and continuing to build a platform that reflects the diverse journeys of online learners everywhere.