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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.
Walden University
July 24, 2023
Stephanie Giles-Merrick
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.
Solutions Always Simple Training Institute LLC.LLC (
What inspired you to pursue an online college education, and how did you get started?
I am a first-generation college student and a fifth-generation
female on the Matriarch side of the family. My grandmother
who passed when my granddaughter was six months old, did
not finish high school and my mother did not finish college.
As such, I felt compelled to make a legacy in our family to
be the first person to attend school and receive a doctoral
degree. I wanted to show my daughter that if I could do it,
she could do it. I am so proud of her. She has her master’s
degree and her education journey is not over.
What challenges have you faced while pursuing your degree online, and how have you overcome them?
During my 4th year as a doctoral student, I faced a couple of challenges, both my parents got ill at the same time. My mother lived in Alabama and my father lived in Florida. This was the most stressful time of my academic career. I am the oldest and daughter and my two siblings depended on me to take care of our parents. In the midst of traveling back and forth to different states, I was doing my research.
I was able to overcome the stress by asking for help from other family members. When my closest family members helped with my parents, I was able to focus and complete the research part and my parents got better. When I started the program I made sure to have not only myself dedicated to finishing my degree but involved my close relatives to dedicate with understanding and patience.
How have you balanced your online coursework with other responsibilities, such as work or family?
The way I balanced coursework and family is to have dedication, determination, and be Different. I first got the buy-in from my family and job that the journey to obtaining my Ph.D. will become a priority and sometimes family gatherings and vacations I will not be able to attend to stay focused. My manager was flexible with my hours at work.
What have you found to be the benefits of pursuing a college education online, compared to traditional on-campus learning?
The benefit of pursuing a college education online is the format you have online. You have online and as a cohort classes, and you have flexible schedules for courses. You can study and work online anywhere as long as there is Internet and Wi-Fi.
How have you stayed motivated and engaged in your online classes, and what strategies have you used to ensure your success?
I stayed motivated and engaged with the classes by connecting and building friendships along the way to help keep me accountable and to have study partners. The strategies that I used to stay focused and ensure success is staying focused on using time wisely and keeping a schedule for family and school. Additionally, I did give myself grace and time to have self-care.
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?
Organizations like Sigma Chi Psi Sorority signify that there's space to connect virtually and meet and have the same goals as a traditional student. You build a community of like-minded professionals that have dreams, goals, and a desire to impact the world and give back to society. You have a worldwide sisterhood.
What significance does socializing, networking, and participating in events focused on networking and community service hold for you?
The significance of socializing is important to me because I get to meet other people who are doing what I am professionally and meet other people who I can gain a different experience. Socializing and networking do not limit possibilities but widen global exposure and connections.
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.