Contact: Maridith Geuder
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Michael Parkhill admits his knowledge of Mississippi is defined by occasional drives from the Lone Star State to Pensacola, Fla.
Yet, even without setting foot on the Mississippi State campus, the Lindsay, Texas, resident has no doubt he's getting a specialized education to further his career goals.
Enrolled in a graduate-level program through one of the university's growing distance education programs, Parkhill is studying geology this semester. It's part of a strategy to enhance his chances of becoming an astronaut with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The course he currently is taking will apply toward a master's degree in geosciences. "I love geology, but knew I was a little deficient in the area, given NASA's plan to return to the moon and on to Mars," explained the 13-year science education teacher and school administrator.
Parkhill, also a Civil Air Patrol captain, has considerable experience in higher education. He holds degrees in history and biology, as well as an earlier master's in both education administration and computer education/cognitive systems. If everything goes as planned, his next big step will be to outer space, he said.
Increasingly, Mississippi State is attracting top students like Parkhill who are working professionals seeking non-traditional ways to further career and educational goals, said Mark Binkley, head of MSU's Division of Academic Outreach and Continuing Education. The academic unit now offers 27 distance learning programs, including 11 certificate programs, four undergraduate programs and 12 graduate programs, he added.
This year alone, MSU has offered close to 300 unique courses through distance learning. In all, some 1,500 students have enrolled.
"All were accredited academic courses taught by more than 200 qualified faculty members," Binkley said.
Contributing to the university's record fall enrollment of 17,039, distance education courses account for an increase of some 148 students from the previous year. Looking forward, the division has a goal of increasing enrollment by 15-20 percent each year.
"We're reaching students who otherwise wouldn't have access to Mississippi State," Binkley said.
Another one of those is Mark J. Babuin of Scarsdale, N.Y., a retired New York City crime scene investigator now teaching forensic science at area schools. Asked also to teach earth sciences, he began to research collegiate programs that could provide the coursework.
"That's where I heard about Mississippi State," said Baubin, who, after teaching five years, now is enrolled in an MSU master's curriculum for K-12 teachers of geosciences.
"Not only will it benefit me, but it will benefit my students as well," Babuin said. "In fact, I find myself doing more work with distance learning than with a traditional classroom."
Finally, there's Jenni Rust of Nesbit, who will complete an online master's in business administration degree in December. The 35-year-old married mother of a 6-year-old said MSU's program has allowed her to land a full-time position with Memphis-based FedEx that pays some 40 percent more than she made two years earlier.
"The online MBA program at MSU has been rewarding in many ways, including the classmates, the classes, the instructors, and the staff," Rust said. "Now, it also has been rewarding in a monetary way."
She said there also is the thrill of continuing a family tradition as an MSU graduate. "I can't wait to get that sheepskin in my office; my dad will be so proud."
Binkley said that approximately 70 percent of those taking distance courses are from outside of Mississippi. "The certificate and degree programs in science, engineering, business, and education are helping MSU extend its borders and create a national and international appeal for the university. Students represent all 50 states and many international countries," he said.
For more on MSU distance learning, visit http://www.aoce.msstate.edu/.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.