FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Dawn Yates of Prairie Grove studied nursing online. Her daughter, Megan, studied criminal justice on campus. Both will don caps and gowns during commencement events this week, earning their bachelor’s degrees from the University of Arkansas.

“It’s a good weekend for us,” said Dawn Yates, a registered nurse who works nights in the emergency room at Washington Regional Medical Center.

Studying online made it possible for her to work full-time, earn her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the College of Education and Health Professions, and still have time for family, she said. She is not alone.

Dawn Yates is one of more than 200 candidates for graduation in May who studied online at the University of Arkansas. These students were enrolled in online bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree programs in adult and lifelong learning, agricultural and extension education, business, educational leadership, educational technology, engineering, food safety, human resource and workforce development education, information systems, nursing, physical education and special education.

The University of Arkansas showcases its online program offerings from different academic colleges and schools on the University of Arkansas ONLINE website. Some are completely online; some are primarily online.

Greg Norton, a high school drafting teacher from Rockingham, North Carolina, will travel to Fayetteville for the first time to participate in commencement Friday, May 8, after earning his master’s degree in educational technology from the College of Education and Health Professions.

 

“I have worked my butt off, but I have learned so much,” Norton said. “This program is incredible. It’s amazing the skills I’ve picked up.”

Norton enrolled in the program with the sole goal of boosting his income and retirement benefits by adding an advanced degree, he said. But what he learned in the educational technology program changed his career path. He recently was named the instructional management coordinator at his school, where he will manage a testing system and train other teachers to use educational technology.

Michael Chown of Rogers and Scott Williams of Bentonville will earn their master’s degrees from the Sam M. Walton College of Business, after studying online and attending classes on campus one day each month.

Chown, who works full-time as a customer category manager with Kraft Foods Group Inc., said he considered other programs, but chose the Executive Master of Business Administration program based on the college’s reputation and his expectation of high quality.

“I really think it is a great program,” Chown said. “I am putting to work immediately what I learn in class each week.”

Williams, who is a senior manager of data analytics at Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said he enrolled in the Professional Master of Information Systems program to strengthen his knowledge and tie together data technology and its role within the full context of business.

“It really helps to give you the full global picture,” Williams said of the program.

Gary Udouj Jr., the director of the Fort Smith Adult Education Center, hopes to advance his career by earning his doctorate in adult and lifelong learning through a primarily online program from the College of Education and Health Professions.

“I would like to look into moving into a state-level position, eventually,” Udouj said. “For me, the program tied together my previous educational experience and my work experience.  It fit my schedule perfectly.”

Marcia Turner of El Dorado said her age and the challenge of health issues has made earning her bachelor’s degree in human resource and workforce development even sweeter. Turner, 64, has Stage 4 breast cancer and works for F.A.C.T. Inc., a Head Start non-profit organization. She will attend the College of Education and Health Professions commencement.

“It’s just wonderful,” Turner said. “It’s overwhelming.”

Angela Stewart of Farmington, an acute-care nurse practitioner with Highlands Oncology Group of Fayetteville, is a graduate candidate in the inaugural cohort of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program from the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. Her goal is to further develop a face-to-face smoking cessation program for people being screened for lung cancer. The graduate nursing program helped her meld her nursing experience with research and skills in business and management.

“I think it is very beneficial,” Stewart said of the program. “More education is always better.”

Dawn Yates plans to follow Stewart’s lead. After earning her bachelor’s degree in May, she plans to continue her education by enrolling in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

“I need to further my education to open career options in management,” Yates said. “I’ve not really looked at any other (doctoral) program because I liked the (bachelor’s) program. Why mess with a good thing?”

Online and on-campus students will join together for commencement activities this weekend. All graduates can have their names engraved on Senior Walk, a network of sidewalks across campus with the names of more than 170,000 U of A graduates.

The university continues to enhance and expand its online programs and offerings to provide educational access to students who cannot make it to the Fayetteville campus every day because of work or family responsibilities.

One of the most recent additions is the launch of the online bachelor’s degree in general business by Walton College in fall 2014. Other academic units that offer degree programs completely or primarily online include the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences; the College of Education and Health Professions; the College of Engineering and the School of Law.

About the Global Campus: The Global Campus supports academic colleges and schools in the development and delivery of online programs and courses. It provides instructional design support, technology services and assistance with marketing, recruiting, compliance and strategic academic planning. It also provides conference services, workforce development and computer training opportunities through its Rogers facility.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.