We are excited to share today’s NOVA Online spotlight written by a current NOVA Online student. If you are interested in sharing your story on the NOVA Online blog, contact elistulife@nvcc.edu!

I am a 46 year old wife, mother of three children (ages 6 years, 8 years, and 26 years old that have special needs), an ordained minister, and I have my own  business.  I wanted to go back to school to earn my associates degree and it seemed like I  couldn’t find the time.  But I did not want to give up on my goals and dreams.

Going back to school was exciting and scary for me.  It was exciting because it meant that I would have an opportunity to move my business out of the house and my dreams would become a reality.  I’ve always wanted to operate my own business but in order to move to the next level, I needed a degree.  It was scary because I haven’t been in a college setting for at least 12 years and I was sure a lot had changed. I wasn’t sure how I would do academically since I am much older than the average college student. At least that is what I thought.

I have chosen to take NOVA Online classes because my schedule is so hectic with my obligations to my church and my job.  I work over 60 hours a week and I  attend church at least three times a week. Going back to school seemed impossible. I researched the type of degree I wanted and looked at the courses offered through the NOVA Online program. There were only a few courses I needed that are not offered through NOVA Online.  I immediately signed up and began my journey.

The classes are at your own pace but within the given schedule of the course.  For example, I had a week to complete an assignment and I could work on it at my own pace within that week. I signed up for two 3-credit courses and one 1-credit course. My first experience was a wonderful one. The Orientation webinar was a big help to assist me with how to use the blackboard and  understand the course.  It showed me the programs I  needed on my computer to ensure they were compatible.  I made sure to complete this process before the  my classes started so I would become  familiar with the system.

Even though I wasn’t in a classroom  setting the communication between the other students and the  instructor was awesome.  The assignments were designed to help me think and also share my thoughts and ideas with others. One of the classes was the (SDV100) College Success Skills course. I learned lots of skills to help me with my classes.  Even though I know what career I am interested in, the class gave information to help towards my goals and useful study habits. If you want to go back to school and don’t have the time to go to a campus, then you should defiantly consider the NOVA Online program.  All the classes for your major may not be offered through the program but they have a large variety to choose from.  Even though this is my first semester I am excited to know that my goals and dreams are attainable.

(Pictured above: (Left) Alexandra Willey, (Center) Amanda Morley, NOVA Online Student Life Specialist, (Right) Amber Mooney) 

On Thursday, March 27, 2014, NOVA hosted its 42^nd annual Student Awards banquet. This banquet hosted by Student Life recognizes the many student leaders on NOVA’s campuses and their contributions in leadership. These students were recognized with a NOVA SEAL award. The SEAL award honors the many talents and contributions of our diverse community of scholars. Students are recognized who best exemplify the qualities of Service, Engagement, Academics, and Leadership. This includes community service involvement, college club or organizational participation, outstanding academic achievement and campus or community leadership.

This year, two of our NOVA Online students, Alexandra Willey and Amber Mooney were recipients of this award. Both students have shown outstanding leadership through their online engagement outside the classroom and in their community. We congratulate them for their outstanding involvement.

If you want to learn more about getting involved with Student Life at NOVA and NOVA Online, contact elistulife@nvcc.edu.

NOVA is hosting their first Take Back The Night event on the Loudoun Campus on April Tuesday, 22^nd @ 6pm.  Below is some history about this event.

“The Take Back The Night Foundation serves to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives. They seek to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence.

One of the first “Take Back the Night” marches was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in October 1975, after the murder of a microbiologist, Susan Alexander Speeth, who was stabbed to death while walking home alone.“Take Back the Night” was used as the title of a 1977 memorial read by Anne Pride at an anti-violence rally in Pittsburgh.

Since the 1970s in the United States, Take Back The Night has focused on eliminating sexual violence, in all forms, and thousands of colleges, universities, women’s centers, and rape crisis centers have sponsored events all over the country.”

For more information on this event, contact Negar Ehsani, Sexual Assault Services (SAS) Coordinator at nova.sas@nvcc.edu or           703-338-0834

Check out our spotlight blog post below from NOVA Online student, Angelique about her experience taking online courses!

There were so many things keeping me from enrolling in college. My time with my family was a big one. I never really considered taking online classes until my sister took a few over the summer before she transferred to George Mason. I decided that if my little sister could keep up her social life, nannying, and tutoring, I could manage a few classes as well. I went through the enrollment process and decided that NOVA Online Student life was for me.

My drive to succeed has really helped me with this new process. Even my coworkers are considering taking a few classes at NOVA, as they can see how this experience has truly enriched me and already helped me better myself in the workplace. My e-mail communications are more clear and concise, my interactions with peers and employees are more fulfilling, and my written reviews are better quality. All these changes are from just a few short weeks.

While online learning has presented some difficulties, such as online textbooks that are more difficult to read than a paper textbook and even scheduling time for exams on campus, I have really enjoyed the flexibility that online courses give me. I can complete assignments when I have time, usually sporadically throughout the week, rather than have to commit to a set class schedule. In between nap time, snack time, and other meal times, I am finally on a path to completing my higher education. I am proud of my accomplishments and I think that shows all those around me that they can do the same.

If you would like to submit a guest blogpost on our NOVA Online blog, feel free to send an email to elistulife@nvcc.edu.