Student Profile: Sheryl Holliday
UT Pan American Student
Master’s in Kinesiology Online
Job: Police Officer, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
UTTC: You’re living and working in Saskatchewan, Canada and attending university in Edinburg, Texas. You’re a full-time police officer, a dance instructor and a graduate student. That’s quite a contrast. Why did you choose to learn online via the UT TeleCampus?
Sheryl: When I started looking online for master’s degrees options, I found the UT TeleCampus and UTPA’s Kinesiology degree. I live in Saskatoon, which is one of the largest cities in Saskatchewan, and there are master’s degrees programs here, but not completely online. In my work as a police officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police I do shift work in a remote area. I wanted the online program with a thesis option due to the fact I knew there was a possibility of a transfer before I completed the degree, and I didn’t know if my next placement would be near a university.
Where are you stationed now?
I’m stationed in Delisle, which has a population of about 1,000 people but I cover an area of 2,500 square miles in my work. A typical shift can include general duty calls like Break and Enters, traffic violations, motor vehicle collisions, thefts and domestic disputes. There’s a great deal of paperwork involved in policing and that takes up a lot of time. The area is mostly small farming communities and highways.
What’s the connection between kinesiology and law enforcement for you?
I have three years of service as a police officer. Prior to that, I worked as a civilian fitness instructor at the RCMP Training Academy for five and a half years. I also teach dance and baton twirling, and have for years. It was a difficult transition for me to go from fitness training cadets to becoming a police officer. I enjoy my work but one day I hope to return to the Academy to become involved in the development of training programs in the Training Program and Support Unit. A master’s degree, in addition to being bilingual (English/French) will be a big asset in reaching that goal.
Was your undergraduate degree in Kinesiology?
My undergraduate degree was in Human Kinetics at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. I graduated in April 1998, so I was out about seven years before starting the master’s. I was very excited about going back to school. I enjoy the online education even more than the undergraduate on campus education. It’s a big challenge to manage working full time and school, but I find if I stay on top of the assignments it’s not bad.
Why do you like online education?
What I enjoy the most is the flexibility to learn at my own pace. Between working full time, shift work, teaching dance and baton, spending time with my fiancé and friends, running and working out, walking my dog and bow hunting, I need to be able to schedule my school life into my life at times that work for me! These frequently are not traditional day time hours. A very close second reason I like online education would be meeting the faculty and students with the same interests and encountering familiar names from previous courses as I progress through the coursework. The interaction between classmates has been extremely rewarding, and helps me realize I’m not alone in the struggle to juggle my home life, my work life and my school.
You’re about half way through with 18 of the 36-hour degree completed and an expected graduation date of April 2008. Congratulations. Have there been assignments or projects that you can apply now, prior to graduating, to your professional life?
Yes. I get to bring my specific areas of interest to the discussion boards, papers and projects, so I learn what interests me and is most pertinent to me. The critical thinking, research skills, and self-examination have helped me develop both personally and professionally. Each and every class has had some type of assignment that I could use for personal or professional development. These classes are really helping guide me in my future career choices.
What would say to other people considering online education?
I think the biggest misconception about online learning is thinking you are on your own. I was very happy to realize that there are so many people out there to help me along the way. The other students in the class, who come from all different backgrounds and experiences, have been a great source of support and knowledge. And then there’s always help from my advisor, my professors and the UT TeleCampus staff. My advice is “Just Do It!” It took me a year to get up the nerve to apply and get started, but once I bit the bullet, I never looked back. If you are interested in the subject matter and a motivated individual, you’ll have no problem.
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