Student Success
Amy Hopper
Little Rock, AR
Executive MBA
"I launched a company, Horizon Health Solutions, through UA’s New Venture Development program, and we are going through the business plan competition circuit. It’s been an incredible experience.”
Twenty-five students studying online at the University of Arkansas received the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. Below is an interview in question-and-answer format with one of the winners of the scholarship that describes the daily life of a student studying online, as well as providing information on how to be successful. This interview is one of a series focusing on knowledge you can use to advance your education and your career, too.
Q: Please give us some background information: where you live, your occupation and primary job duties, family.
A: I live in Little Rock and work as a program manager at the Arkansas Research Alliance, a nonprofit organization that supports innovative research in our state. I am getting married to my fiancé, Josh, in April!
Q: How do you feel about receiving the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship Award? How will receiving it help you achieve your educational and professional goals?
A: The COVID-19 pandemic caused me to lose the financial support my past employer had committed toward my degree. Having already accepted a position in the class of 2022, I didn’t want to postpone getting my education. This scholarship eased some of that unexpected financial stress.
Q: What is your degree and when will it be awarded?
A: I am in the Executive Master of Business Administration class of 2022.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a graduate degree?
A: I looked forward to going through the Entrepreneurial Track and the New Venture Development Program.
Q: What made you decide to choose an online rather than in-person degree program?
A: I chose to pursue the EMBA program rather than a full-time program because I love the fulfilling work I do at the Arkansas Research Alliance and didn’t want to give it up.
Q: How does studying online work with your professional life and family needs?
A: The flexibility of online work allows me to complete my degree on my own time and at the right pace for me.
Q: What strategies and tools do you use to stay in touch with your professors and classmates? Do you use any non-university tools to communicate with your peers like social media or apps?
A: Our class uses the GroupMe app to communicate with each other. Additionally, we have used Blackboard’s discussion groups to chat about important issues pertinent to our classes.
Q: Did you complete a project, portfolio, thesis or dissertation? How would you describe the experience to prospective students? What do you wish you had known about it before you started it?
A: I launched a company, Horizon Health Solutions, through UA’s New Venture Development program, and we are going through the business plan competition circuit. It’s been an incredible experience.
Q: Would you recommend this degree program?
A: Yes!
Q: What advice would you give to someone who might be considering studying online?
A: You can still get a challenging, engaging education online as long as you put in what you’d like to get out of it.
