Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE - Lia Porras first heard about the University of Wisconsin-Platteville's distance education program while she was attending traditional classes at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. When a planned move to Dutch Harbor, Alaska threatened to interfere with her education, Porras investigated the program and decided to complete her business administration degree at a distance through UWP.

Now that she calls the remote Aleutian Islands home, Porras is glad that she chose to pursue her bachelor's degree via online and print-based courses. "The distance learning program works great for me since the nearest university is about 800 miles away," she explains. "I don't have a phone at home, so it can be tough for people to get a hold of me. I don't have a computer at home either, so I have to plan time to go to the public library to type and send my assignments, and to participate in group projects." Despite these extra challenges, Porras says that she has enjoyed the independence associated with distance education. "Since I'm shy, group work online is a lot easier for me than it is was in traditional courses. I'm not afraid to participate! I find it easier to ask for help in distance courses than in traditional courses."

Like most distance learners, Porras has had to juggle coursework with other obligations and she's found that scheduling specific times for work, school and family has been helpful. She's let the important people in her life know that earning her degree is a top priority for her and she says she's been fortunate to have an understanding boyfriend to help her on the way to her degree. She's definitely looking forward to graduating in May and finally seeing her persistence pay off.

"Four years ago, I thought I would never be done with school," she recalls as her graduation draws near. "The list of required classes looked so long - it's unbelievable how fast it all goes by. I had a copy of the degree requirements hanging on my wall. When I completed a course, I crossed it off. Watching the list of remaining classes get smaller was excellent motivation for me to keep working toward my goal of graduation."

UWP currently offers four degrees at a distance: a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master of Science in Criminal Justice, a Master of Engineering, and a Master of Science in Project Management. For more information, visit online at http://www.uwplatt.edu/disted, call 800-362-5460 or email disted@uwplatt.edu.