LEADS: Closing the distance, expanding opportunity
Editor’s note: In this month’s UND LEADS letter, graduate student Alecia Killoran, Nistler College of Business & Public Administration Director of Graduate Recruitment and MBA Coordinator Kate Oachs, and College of Education & Human Development faculty member Laura Link share their perspectives on Equity, one of the five core values of the UND LEADS Strategic Plan. Head over to UND Today to read the full selection of stories for its special issue on Equity.
Pursuing higher education means navigating more than academic demands. Geography, careers, family obligations and community commitments can all influence when and how students pursue a degree.
Online and hybrid education has changed what’s possible, particularly in a state where students may live hundreds of miles from campus.
Three members of the UND community share how these learning opportunities are making a difference, from a graduate student’s experience balancing multiple responsibilities to the ways UND colleges are reaching working professionals and preparing the next generation of educators and school leaders.
Learning without leaving home
Alecia Killoran, graduate student pursuing principal credentials at UND and K-12 dean of students at Maple Valley
As a mother, educator, bus driver, volleyball coach and current K–12 dean of students at Maple Valley, pursuing my principal credentials at UND means balancing graduate coursework with responsibilities to my family, school and community. Online learning allows me to continue growing professionally while remaining present for the people who depend on me. Living and working in rural North Dakota, UND’s online learning programs make it possible to pursue my goals.
To me, equity in online education means recognizing that students arrive with different circumstances and making sure those circumstances do not limit their opportunities to succeed. Flexible coursework is one part of that commitment. Equally valuable are connections with instructors and classmates, clear communication and student services that are accessible regardless of where a student lives. Online students need to know where to turn for guidance and feel comfortable asking for help.
My UND coursework gives me opportunities to connect what I am learning directly to my work. As I study leadership, I can reflect on situations in my school and consider how to better support students and staff. Learning alongside other educators also improves my perspective and reminds me that we share many of the same challenges.
As a school leader, I want every student to feel supported, included and capable of growth. I believe that same commitment matters in higher education. Because UND supports online learners as full members of its community, I am able to grow as a professional and bring that learning back to the schools, families and communities I serve.
Building connections beyond campus
Kate Oachs, director of Graduate Recruitment and MBA coordinator, Nistler College of Business & Public Administration
As the Nistler College of Business & Public Administration’s director of Graduate Recruitment and online MBA coordinator, I work with students both in the region and beyond. Our goal with our online programs is to help students feel a strong sense of connection to the campus community, even when they might be located thousands of miles away.
One way Nistler College engages with online students is by providing personalized advising services. Our staff advisers in the Nistler Office of Graduate Programs work with students from the time they first become interested in a program, through the application and registration process, and continue supporting them until they become proud alumni. As a result, students feel connected and supported throughout their time in the program.
Course delivery is another way students can receive an equitable learning experience. For example, some of our online graduate programs use a synchronous, live class format. This provides valuable opportunities for networking with fellow students and faculty members.
Both on-campus and online Nistler College students also have access to our Pancratz Career Center, which offers professional development services, mentoring relationships and job placement assistance.
Additionally, online students are invited to participate in speaker series, symposiums and graduation celebrations. These events allow students to connect with on-campus and online peers, as well as faculty and staff from the college.
Students who graduate with degrees from Nistler develop an affinity for not only the college but also UND. This is a testament to the services and opportunities provided in the classroom and beyond.
Bringing UND to North Dakota’s educators
Laura Link, associate professor and director of Master of Science in Teaching & Leadership
In North Dakota, equity is often measured in miles. Our graduate students come from every corner of the state, from right here in Grand Forks to small, rural districts more than 350 miles from campus. Most could never step away from their schools to earn a degree. Our online environment means they don’t have to. For them, online learning isn’t a convenience. It’s the on-ramp.
Since 2021, our programs have kept one promise: bring UND to educators instead of asking them to leave the classrooms and communities that need them. Our online Master of Science in Teaching & Leadership is “in a class all its own.” It pairs with our Mastery Learning Graduate Certificate, the only one in the nation preparing educators to assess, grade and report student learning accurately and fairly. Hybrid Grand Forks Public Schools cohorts and Burgum Rural Scholars’ cohorts across North Dakota extend that reach.
Our Aspiring Principals’ Pipeline, funded by NDDPI, shows what access makes possible: online coursework plus hundreds of dedicated hours of in-district residency. Our cohorts finish at 100%, and with our first, eight of 10 stepped into leadership roles within a year.
But equity is more than a login. We wrap every student in layers of support: residency coaches, principal mentors, content advisors and faculty who know them by name. Wherever they log in, they belong to UND.
When we invest in our own people, they stay, they lead, and North Dakota’s kids win. That isn’t a distance-learning story. It’s a UND story.
