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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.
University of Maryland Global Campus
February 24, 2025
Giselle Barreca
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?
As silly as it sounds, I was inspired to go back to school after watching the show, Will Tent. Like this fictional character, I am also dyslexic and was made to feel that I was not smart enough to really go after anything in life. But after watching this show, I realized that there are ways to get around my learning disability. So, I decided to go to college and get a degree in Social Science. The goal is to after my master's once I have my bachelors. I want to join the 4% of African Americans in the therapy field.
What challenges have you faced while pursuing your degree online, and how have you overcome them?
As I mentioned before, I am dyslexic. As a result, school can be challenging for me. I have gained an amazing support system through my friends and some family. They assist me with free tutoring and review all my work before I submit.
How have you balanced your online coursework with other responsibilities, such as work or family?
I have an amazing husband who keeps supporting me with school. He assists me with helping take care of our beautiful and helps me maintain my schedule. I work on school during my lunch breaks and afterwork.
What have you found to be the benefits of pursuing a college education online, compared to traditional on-campus learning?
The benefits of working with an online school is that it just fits my schedule. I can work on everything when I have time, verses needing to make sure I can drive through traffic and try to make a class on time.
How have you stayed motivated and engaged in your online classes, and what strategies have you used to ensure your success?
The strategies I have in place to stay motivated is to remember the future I am building for my family. That is honestly the only thing I need to stay focus. Working dead end jobs is not a solution for me. As far as staying engaged in my classes, I picked a field that I know that I am going to love, so staying engaged feels natural.
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 and community. It shows that there are sororities out there that value academics and not only caring if you go to school at a physical location.
What significance does socializing, networking, and participating in events focused on networking and community service hold for you?
This is a perfect way to spread positivity and also helping out someone in need. I have learned with networking, you never know who you will meet and what doors can open for you.
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.