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Clemson University BSEE Student Story

If there's one thing Greg Cizin has no shortage of, it's drive - and a goal to go with it. Greg knows the importance of discipline and commitment. These are qualities he mastered during the 10 years he served in the U.S. Navy before entering the commercial nuclear power industry as a civilian.

While serving in the Navy, Greg earned a degree in oceanography from the U.S. Naval Academy, after which he became a naval officer. While serving on a Navy submarine, he also earned a graduate degree in engineering management at Old Dominion University.

But this wasn't the end of Greg's education.

After completing his naval service, Greg joined Constellation Energy Nuclear Group's (CENG) R.E. Ginna nuclear power plant. As he explored ways to continue learning, he discovered an industry partnership called the Energy Providers Coalition for Education (EPCE). The EPCE Coalition is a group of energy industry representatives that develops, sponsors, and promotes quality online learning programs specifically built for the industry, by the industry, and in total alignment with the knowledge and skill sets most relevant to the industry's current and future workforce. The EPCE-sponsored, ABET accredited, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Clemson University offered the engineering courses online and presented him with the professional and career development opportunity he'd been looking for.

The Clemson University program is the first EPCE-sponsored offering targeted toward employees with existing degrees and/or advanced technical training and education who want to take their career to the next level, in a format that fits into the unique and demanding lifestyle of today's energy worker. In the event that a prospective student must complete prerequisite courses before entering the program, EPCE has made arrangements with Colorado Community Colleges Online and the Community College of Denver to offer the required prerequisites in an online format as well.

Always Learning and Working

It doesn't surprise those who know him that Greg is now pursuing a BSEE, even as he juggles the responsibilities of a full-time employee and the roles of husband and father to three young children.

He refers to the shark - how once it stops swimming, it dies. "I'm looking for learning opportunities," said Greg. "I don't want my brain to die, so I go in search of new learning."

"My time in the Navy got my brain going," he said matter-of-factly, "and once my time in the Navy was over, I wanted more."

Not long after Greg started working at Ginna Nuclear Power Plant, he went in search of his next challenge. Browsing through the company's website, he came across an advertisement for the Clemson University program. The online feature caught his attention. He'd already spent several months looking for degree programs that would help him meet his professional goals; however, most of the programs required him to spend some time on a traditional college campus, which wasn't an option for Greg at this point in his busy life. The online delivery of Clemson's BSEE courses sounded like the perfect solution.

Greg contacted CENG's workforce development staff to inquire about the EPCE sponsored BSEE and to see if he met the program prerequisites. They arranged for him to have his prior coursework evaluated. Greg subsequently enrolled at Colorado Community College for the one prerequisite course he still needed. Invalidating the myth that online education is impersonal, Greg worked with the Clemson liaison, Professor John Gowdy, who personally assisted Greg throughout the application and registration process and continues to follow-up with him to make sure his coursework is on-track.

The Clemson Online Experience

The Clemson online BSEE program is relatively new, and Greg is among the first students to enroll. "It has been a very positive experience," he said. "You can apply online, get accepted online, and start registering for classes."

The faculty has been very hands-on, ready and willing to assist the students through the process. "Professor Gowdy has been extremely helpful, and everything has moved quickly - they've bent over backwards to help. It was probably two and a half months from the time I inquired about the program to when I started classes," says Greg.

Asked why he chose this degree program, Greg explained that he wants to become a licensed professional engineer and the BSEE is probably the best degree to earn in order to get there. The fact that it was offered online from an institution of the caliber of Clemson University clinched the deal for him.

Making Online Work - So how does one study online successfully?

According to Greg, it's about support systems and accessibility. There will be challenges, but a supportive partner and dedicated instructors who watch out for him make all the difference. Greg's wife, Bethany, has also taken online courses, so she understands what he's going through. His plan is to take two courses per semester, including summers, and he expects to finish his degree in four to six years, depending on how many credits he eventually can transfer.

Greg is doing all this on his own time, not company time. "I usually put in two to three hours per day during the week, and if I can't get that in I may do four hours on the weekends, usually when the kids are asleep or when they're doing something else."

The Online Lab Experience

One of the biggest concerns in setting up online engineering degrees is the lab. EPCE didn't want students to have to go to campus to do the labs, so they worked closely with Clemson University to identify other avenues for completing the required labs online. National Instruments has designed a virtual lab, the Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS), which includes all the necessary hardware to run the required labs. After careful consideration, Clemson adopted this model, and students are required to do their lab work with it. Some companies have purchased the virtual lab and placed it onsite, and their employees are able to use it as needed.

Greg opted to purchase his own ELVIS lab to use at home, realizing that he can use it even after he finishes his courses. This is an out-of-pocket expense not covered by his company's tuition benefit, but he believes it will pay off in the long run.

Greg's lab instructor sends him lab guides, and he has flexibility in doing the write-ups. He sends his labs back to the instructor who then compares his notes with Greg's. His instructor has an ELVIS system too and sometimes they'll discuss their respective circuits over the phone.

"I set my lab up in the basement, and once the system was set up, the labs and reports were no different than labs on campus," Greg said. "My basement labs let me grapple with concepts that I would've otherwise had to rely on the instructor for."

The Challenge and the Advantage

As an online student, Greg doesn't have face-to-face interaction with the instructor or his classmates, but he's quick to point out that there are ways of interacting meaningfully with both the instructors and the students. Many teachers incorporate chat rooms and threaded discussions into their online instruction and will include that participation as part of the grade.

One of online learning's biggest advantages for Greg is that he's able to access his instructor's lectures at all hours of the day. And because he takes the courses on his own time and anywhere he has internet access, Greg can spend as much time as he needs on a lecture or assignment. When his child was born a year ago, Greg's schedule got off track, but doing his coursework online gave him the flexibility to work on it as he had time.

Even taking exams in online classes hasn't been a problem for Greg. When he enrolled in his first class at Clemson, his professor had him sign an agreement that someone at Greg's worksite would administer the exam in a secure setting in order to maintain the integrity of the test and the program. CENG's employees, like all nuclear employees, are tested regularly on the job, so there's a training department at the company with certified test proctors readily available. Greg's exams are sent to one of CENG's test proctors who then administer the exam.

Putting It to Work on the Job

Greg 's job as a trainer for the Operations Department doesn't require that he have an electrical engineering degree, but because a nuclear plant exists to generate electricity, he thought it would be valuable to have that fundamental knowledge. And electrical engineering provides just that - an understanding of how energy is created.

Greg often finds himself talking to other employees in the plant and asking questions directly related to what he's studying at the moment. They may not know he's a student, but he's putting his learning to work on the job right away.

What's Ahead for Greg and the Nuclear Industry?

For Greg the prognosis for the nuclear industry is clear: there's an aging workforce and the majority will retire in the next five to ten years.

"The industry is hurting for technical expertise," said Greg, "for engineers to step in to fill those soon-to–be empty positions."

Greg saw the writing on the wall. He's motivated to be part of the solution and contribute his expertise to the industry. "The demand is huge," he said soberly, "and I want increased flexibility with my career. This is a great opportunity for me to work on my degree. Sure, it's a lot of work and requires some sacrifice - and I have to manage that, but it is worth it."

Greg has advice for others thinking about an online certificate or degree. "It takes discipline, but it's enjoyable after a while. Give it a year to show yourself you can do it."