Olympic hopeful and Veterinary Assistant Taysia Radoslav is moving through her General Chemistry I class quickly and successfully – all the while traveling around and participating in track meets in order to get her qualifying time for the Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles. And with one of the top times in Canada, she is pretty sure to make it! Here she talks about how she has been impacted by COVID, and how she manages her training, professional life, and school work.

Army veteran Sean Murray is the epitome of hard work and dedication. His plan is to go to veterinary school, and he is taking courses at UNE to fulfill his science prerequisites. In this spotlight, he talks about how he chose UNE, which aspects of the program were most helpful, and his advice for fellow students.

“I work 20 hours a week on top of going to school, and my wife is also in school getting her doctorate, so we are busy. The flexible scheduling of this course is helpful with that so I can work over the weekend, or at lunch, or whenever I can fit it in… The format of the class also worked for me because I don’t always do really well with lectures. In an in-person environment, I tend to get distracted and lose focus. With the online lectures I can follow along with my book, and I can also get in touch with the instructor if I have questions.”

Tola Ilegbusi is a student in the Science Prerequisites for Health Professions (SPHP) program taking online science prerequisites to prepare for his application to medical school. In his spotlight, he talks about what encouraged him to choose UNE, what he intends to get out of his online courses, what keeps him focused, and what he plans for the future.

“I have a wife and three young kids and I work full time, so flexible scheduling has been very important to me… Know that these science prerequisite courses are challenging, but they are also a necessary stepping stone to what you want to accomplish. This is your opportunity to take things to the next level. Being goal-oriented has helped me to keep perspective as I move forward. Sixteen weeks seems like a lot, but it goes by quickly.”

Meg Cotton is an active duty service member, single mom, Registered Nurse, and an aspiring Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). As a deployed soldier, she has chosen to take UNE’s SPHP classes for the flexibility of schedule and ease of access. Here she talks about being a student while on deployment, her experience with the coursework, and her goals for the future.

“I was pleasantly surprised to find that all of the concepts are geared toward health-related topics. Every assignment and learning objective is tied in some way to something clinical. On average, I have been watching three lectures a week – and at the end of each was some type of clinical connection where the lecturer ties the topic back to human medicine. They link the abstract concepts back to what I want to do – for example, how biochemistry fits in with physiology, or how it fits in with the human anatomy and impacts patient care… I am using these courses to gain a deeper understanding of the human body and how the different systems interact.”

Ever since he can remember, Justin has always wanted to be a doctor–but his exceptional musical talent pulled him in a different direction after high school. Justin accepted a scholarship to study classical music at Vanderbilt University, where he graduated in 2014 with a BA in Classical Music.

“As a music major in undergrad, I did not take the science courses that are required for medical school, so I had a lot of work to do… Unfortunately, I learned that attending classes at a traditional brick and mortar institution would not be possible if I continued working for the Cincinnati Fire Department… When I saw that [with UNE] I would be able to complete the coursework, and even the labs from home and around my schedule, I was sold! The self-paced format definitely requires dedication and focus. Review the syllabus prior to your start date and set a timeline. With every course that I took, I would set a goal to finish well in advance of the 16-week deadline. Overall the entire experience has been wonderful.”