Katelynn Rolla
Pursuing a college degree is challenging, but for Amanda Haskell and Biruktawit Tessema, it’s just one part of their busy lives. The untraditional nature of online schooling is an impossibility to some, yet a convenient and accessible way of continuing or furthering education for others. Life is complicated, yet both students at SMSU are proving that online education offers the flexibility they need to balance work, family and personal goals.
Haskell, a 25-year-old English major from Mankato, is in her first semester at SMSU. As a single mother and entrepreneur running a house-cleaning and arts and crafts business, she needed an educational program that fit her lifestyle.
“I could never pull off in-person school with everything I have going on,” she said. “Online classes give me the flexibility to be there for my daughter, run my businesses, and still work toward my degree.”
Haskell chose SMSU after seeing a friend succeed in obtaining a degree as a young mother there. The university’s flexible admission process allowed her to enroll despite past academic struggles, thanks to her high ACT score.
Her typical day involves quite the balancing act: Online coursework in the morning while her four-year-old daughter is at school, business management in the afternoon, and family time in the evening. She also works at a local bar on weekends. Even with six classes, she finds the workload manageable, though response time from instructors can be slow. While creative writing courses are easy to navigate online, subjects like economics require more self-teaching and are a lot more complex to absorb from home.
Initially, Haskell explored different majors based on earning potential, but a Reddit thread about English degrees convinced her of its versatility. “I realized how many opportunities it could open for me,” she said. “I didn’t want to be stuck in one thing for the rest of my life.”
Her short-term goal is to work in media, preferably a job that would allow her to travel and write. Long-term, she hopes to write for the Marvel franchise.
“It’s the perfect degree to pursue online,” Amanda said. “The material is manageable and it makes sense for my lifestyle.”
Further away from the SMSU campus is Biruktawit Tessema, a 42-year-old nursing student residing in Richland, Wash., who is also in her first semester at SMSU. As a mother of two aiming to advance her career in nursing through obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she was initially hesitant about online learning but was encouraged by friends who had taken online courses in the past.
“It was a difficult decision and I was nervous at first,” she said. “But having the ability to balance school and family made it the right choice for me.”
Originally from Ethiopia, Tessema has always been passionate about healthcare. “In Ethiopia, people die young due to a lack of medical resources,” she said. “I always wanted to be in the medical field to help others.”
Tessema became a registered nurse through the Minneapolis Community and Technical College’s RN program. She chose SMSU for her BSN degree because of her familiarity with growing up through Minnesota educational institutions, recommendations from friends, and the school’s efficient enrollment process. As a full-time nurse in a surgical center, she recently transitioned to night shifts to better manage her responsibilities. Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time for activities like hiking, basketball, and tennis with her children.
Tessema enjoys online learning, appreciating the flexibility to study at her own pace and the convenience of avoiding commutes. However, she finds collaborating with classmates more difficult compared to in-person learning. “Professors encourage teamwork, but initiating contact with other students can be challenging,” she said.
Currently enrolled in Nursing 300, a transition course from Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing, she finds the coursework manageable but heavy on reading and writing. She believes online education works well for experienced nurses but might be harder for those new to nursing.
After earning her degree, Tessema hopes to advance in the healthcare field, possibly becoming a nurse practitioner. “Nursing is rewarding, even though it can be emotionally challenging,” she said. “Sometimes you bring the stress home, but it’s part of the job.”
Both Haskell and Tessema are making the most of SMSU’s online programs, proving that higher education can be accessible and possible for those juggling multiple responsibilities. As more students seek flexible education options, their experiences highlight both the challenges and opportunities of remote learning—proof that, for many, higher education is no longer confined to the classroom.