There’s always time to earn a degree…online By J.K. Devine Photos by Peggy Cozart and J.K. Devine
For three years, Whitney Hicks had a routine, including raising her son, working full-time and taking online courses toward a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice at the University of North Georgia. Her days were filled with tending to her son in the morning and at night, accomplishing her tasks at work and at home and carving out study time during lunch and after her son’s bedtime. “He was usually asleep by 8:30-9 p.m. and I worked on additional reading assignments until about 11:30 p.m. or midnight,” Hicks said. “Then I repeated this process.”
On weekends, a similar routine followed with Hicks scheduling time for her son and her assignments. “It was a hectic process and required a great deal of dedication,” she said. “I was committed to providing the best life possible for him.” Hicks’ story is not unique. In the digital age, millions of students are logging on for educational advancement. According to Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Education Statistics, of the nearly 2.94 million graduate students, 26.1 percent were enrolled exclusively in online courses in fall 2015. One year later, it increased
Whitney Hicks spends a Saturday afternoon playing with her son. The Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia, resident works full-time and takes online courses to earn a Master of Science in Criminal Justice at UNG.
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UNIVERSITY OF NORTH GEORGIA MAGAZINE | |FALL/WINTER FALL/WINTER 2018 2018
