Student Spotlight: Courtney Elliott Thrasher
Courtney Elliott Thrasher was not your typical student waiting to find out if she got into college. At 37, Courtney worried her neighbors might think she was crazy when the large envelope from The University of Alabama arrived and she broke down crying in her driveway. “Congratulations! You’ve been accepted,” it read. “Alabama has always...
Faculty Feature: Dr. Millie Dawson-Hardy
After many years teaching and counseling in Georgia, Dr. Millie Dawson-Hardy looked to The University of Alabama for the next step in her career. The Alabama native returned to her home state to serve as the Clinical Assistant Professor for the fully online EdS in Counselor Education program through the College of Education. Dawson-Hardy received...
Alumni Special: Chris Poarch
In 2009, while Nick Saban was leading the Alabama Crimson Tide to their first National Championship since 1992 and a perfect no-loss season, Chris Poarch was charting his own path to victory as he enrolled in his first college course – online. Poarch began his education through UA Online after serving for nearly 16 years...
Alumni Special: Dr. Lauren O’Hanlan
Mother of two small children and a pediatric primary care nurse practitioner in New Jersey, Lauren O’Hanlan has long been a fierce contender, setting challenging goals and rising above any obstacle that gets in her way. UA Online is proud to have helped her achieve her most recent feat — graduating with her Doctor of...
Alumni Special: Paul Jarnagin
How does a gamer and camera repairman become the Director of Information Technology at the Office of Teaching Innovation and Digital Education at The University of Alabama? Paul Jarnagin’s story is an inspirational tale that begins in Colorado, where he had moved to work on a bachelor’s degree that never panned out. It’s fitting that...
Alumni Feature: Laurence Holmes
Laurence Holmes wears many hats. And this past weekend he donned a new one to walk across the commencement stage in Tuscaloosa along with over 5,000 other spring graduates. Laurence Holmes has a TV spot (NBC Chicago Sports) and a midday radio show (670 The Score) — he was just promoted from evenings, by the...
Triple Feature: Alumni Special
Faculty from the EdD in Higher Education Administration Executive Cohort gush about their students, and we couldn’t pick just one! We caught up with three different recent graduates whose roles across the spectrum of higher ed showcase the diversity of the program. Sherry Chance Job Title: Associate Vice President for Global Operations at LeTourneau University...
Faculty Feature: Michelle Cheshire, EdD, RN
UAO Program: RN to BSN, RN to BSN/MSN Role: Program Coordinator Education: BS in Nursing from Auburn, MS in Nursing from UAB and EdD in Instructional Leadership (Nurse Education) from The University of Alabama Fun Fact: Michelle has been married to her college sweetheart for 29 years. The RN to BSN and RN to BSN/MSN...
Student Spotlight: Morgan Stidham
Name: Morgan Stidham Undergrad Education: BS in Community Medical Dietetics from Viterbo University in Wisconsin Current UA Online Program: MS in Human Nutrition City: Hazard, Kentucky Job: Clinical Dietitian for Appalachian Regional Healthcare Fun Fact: I’m a self-proclaimed “old lady at heart” who enjoys jigsaw puzzles, cats and vintage Pyrex. Morgan Stidham was recently named...
Faculty Feature: Dr. Miguel Mantero
UAO Program: MA in Secondary Education (English for Speakers of Other Languages P-12 Certification) Role: Professor of Educational Linguistics and coordinator of the ESOL program Education: BA in Anthropology and MA in Foreign Language Education from University of Georgia; PhD in Multilingual and Multicultural Education from Florida State University Fun Fact: Dr. Mantero has an...