An activist who is legally blind, Jennifer Pruitt wants to become a lobbyist for people with physical disabilities. She had earned an associate degree from Southern Illinois University (SIU) but wanted to take it a step further and earn a bachelor’s degree in political science.
With her full-time job and two young boys, she knew an online degree program was her only option. She did the research and found plenty of providers, but not all were accredited. Then IU East captured her attention. It was accredited, many of its professors had graduated from Big Ten schools, and she would earn an Indiana University degree. She says, “That made IU East a good fit.”
Student loans helped pay the way. Pruitt speaks highly of her interactions with IU Online’s financial aid experts. “My advisor provided great counseling on the kinds of loans to apply for and good information on smart, manageable ways to repay the loan.”
Of her academic experience, Pruitt says, “Online coursework is challenging—definitely not easy. In my courses, we did plenty of reading, writing papers, and taking exams. In some cases, we used the same books and heard the same lectures as our on-campus counterparts. Some professors also videotaped their campus classes, so we got the benefit of their whiteboard notes and the answers to other students’ questions.”
Like many other students considering online programs, Pruitt wondered how much contact she would have with her professors. “I’m not really an online person. I thought the experience would feel anonymous. I’d read, write papers, take tests, that’s it.”
Once enrolled, however, Pruitt discovered she had many opportunities to interact with peers and professors. She explains, “My professors provided plenty of contact. They were always accessible. They guaranteed responses to email within 24 hours. In some cases, I got replies right away. I felt like my professors were right there, talking to me. Never did I feel isolated, working out there on my own.”
Pruitt also enjoyed exchanges with her classmates. “Professors assigned projects we did with other classmates,” she says, “and that collaboration brought us into closer contact with each other. Interactive posts among my peers meant we could see each other’s ideas and respond. This mimicked on-campus interaction. We could hear what everyone was thinking and saying.”
Pruitt found other benefits to studying online. “The supplemental materials were rich, creating context and putting ideas in perspective. Sometimes they included YouTube videos, including material from a Harvard professor. I sometimes felt I was sitting in a regular lecture hall.” In addition, she says, “It was easy to keep track of where I was in a course. I got notifications when assignments were due. Professors were quick to grade my work. There’s a section in Canvas (the learning management system) where I could check my grades. This view of my professor’s gradebook kept me in the know.”
As she reflects on her experience, Pruitt has only good memories to share. “The flexibility made it possible. I did my homework at night, sometimes at 2AM, sometimes on the weekend. With the credits I transferred from SIU, I earned my degree in one and a half years with a 3.96 GPA. This online program allowed me to work full time, be with my family, and earn the degree I wanted. I would certainly do another online degree.”
With her IU diploma, Pruitt got an interview at the State House and is on her way to a position as a legislative assistant. “Thanks, IU Online, for help making this possible.”