Virtual learning, real success
UC Clermont provides perfect online pathway for long-awaited degree
College didn’t start the way Aly Bonawitz envisioned. As a freshman at the University of Cincinnati in 2007, the Dayton, Ohio, native didn’t find her groove and headed home without her degree.
A decade later, she found herself a single parent to a 4-year-old daughter — and a dream she just couldn’t seem to shake.
“I never went a day without thinking about graduating from UC,” Bonawitz said. “And I now knew it was my sole responsibility to make sure my daughter has an awesome life. I want her to know that just because something is hard, it doesn’t mean it’s bad.”
Aly Bonawitz. Photo/Danny Kidd
Bonawitz started researching her options at the university. She was interested in marketing and knew traditional, in-person college courses wouldn’t jive with her work and childcare schedule. She needed flexibility; the ability to complete her degree on her own terms.
Enter UC Clermont College. Through her search, Bonawitz discovered that the college’s associate degree in marketing management technology could be completed completely online. The program is one of 15 undergraduate degrees and seven certificates offered completely online through UC Clermont.
From day one, she said, being an online student was a “perfect fit.”
“UC Clermont has been awesome online,” she said. “All of my professors are amazing — you reach out to them, and they get right back to you. I’m still connecting with classmates virtually, and we help each other with questions. I’ve ‘met’ fantastic people through the program. I haven’t found a single thing I don’t like about being an online student.”
Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.
Aly Bonawitz UC Clermont online graduate
Most of Bonawitz’s classes are asynchronous, meaning she can complete the coursework when it suits her schedule. She does most of her homework after her daughter’s bedtime each night or during naptime on weekends. Bonawitz has enjoyed online learning so much that after graduating with her associate degree this month, she plans stay enrolled with the college to earn her bachelor’s degree in applied administration online as well. Her career aim is to work in marketing for a small company.
For now, Bonawitz will take a moment to celebrate completing the first step toward her goals — and to hold that UC diploma she never stopped pursuing.
“Once a Bearcat, always a Bearcat.”
Learn more about majors and programs available at UC Clermont.
About UC Clermont
UC Clermont College is in the center of Clermont County on 91 beautifully wooded acres in Batavia Township. The college is an accredited, open-access institution offering more than 60 programs and degrees. UC Clermont is part of the nationally recognized University of Cincinnati. For more information, call 513-556-5400 or visit www.ucclermont.edu.
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