Skip to main content

Dustin Outler - Overcoming Obstacles



I received an e-mail message yesterday from eCore that I was one of their students that is “shining brightly”. They informed me that they would like for me to share my story. It is an honor to be identified as succeeding after a long dry spot. I am currently 28 years old. My mother says I am her brightest child, but also her late bloomer. She will be pleased to hear of this recognition.
I am now a bloomer with the help of the eCore program, administration, and understanding professors.

I graduated from high school with high honors after losing the remainder of my hearing. My sister and I were both born legally deaf. Nothing has ever been easy for us. During my senior year of high school, I began to experience severe depression and was diagnosed with clinical depression. Intervention was in place. I received support through medical doctors, therapists, and my family.  I attended a large university, well actually two large universities, with full scholarships before being admitted to eCore. The problem was I was not ready for the large university, and they were not ready for me. The transition from home to the adult world of college was difficult with my now two disabilities, deafness and depression. I did okay for a few weeks and then things started to spiral down.
After packing up and closing the doors on these university experiences and continuing with therapy and medicine, I found eCore and it has truly been a blessing for my family and me. I am able to pursue my degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis on Cyber Crime fully online and on my schedule. I am nearing the end of my core program at eCore ,and I almost have my Associates Degree from Valdosta University. I am looking into the online program for my BA. The eCore experience has been challenging and has renewed my confidence in myself. I am thankful for my professors and eCore.

1. What is your occupation?   None
2. What is your college major?   Criminal Justice
3. Why eCore?   Online and flexible hours.
4. Who is the biggest inspiration for your education?   My sister. She is also deaf and has just graduated with her MED in Education
5. What is something cool you've learned this semester in eCore?   POLS has been fun. I have learned so much. We actually did collaboration work and created a Mock Election with a “made up” candidate. Government is very interesting and Professor Roger Marietta is very active in discussions. He called me one night about 10 and asked if I was a procrastinator. He wanted me to take the 1st attempt on his test so he could grade it and go to bed. It still blows me away that he cared enough to call.

Chem has been fun too. Professor Douglas Stuart has been great. The cabbage
juice experiment was a mess. My mother said that her kitchen would never be the same.
6. What three words would you use to describe one of your online instructors?   Understanding, caring, interactive
7. Where is your favorite place to visit in the USA?   Tybee Island’s beaches
8. What kind of mood are you in right now, and why?   Sleepy and tired and sore. I have a kidney stone and a gallbladder stone.
9. Your favorite study spot?   My front porch
10. What is something your online classmates don't know about you?   I’m profoundly deaf. I have a cochlear implant
11. Plans beyond eCore? eMajor, etc...?   Maybe eMajor…..Cyber Crime/Criminal Justice
12. Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself? (your town, family, goals, any "shout-outs" to anyone?)   My sister, Brittany, was recently married. I am attaching a picture of me with her at her reception.  She is my inspiration.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Good luck, Dustin!
December 3, 2012 at 7:57 PM
unkle corri chronix said…
Very inspirational! thanks eCore :)
December 7, 2012 at 10:18 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

3 Things to Consider Before Taking an Online Class While Overseas

Online Learning allows students the flexibility of continuing their educational journey from anywhere in the world. Online classes are an excellent option for students who are studying abroad for the semester, military members and families who are stationed overseas, or even those who want to take classes while traveling for pleasure. While online classes can usually be accessed from anywhere with a reliable internet connection, there are some things to consider before registering for class if you intend to complete the course while located outside of the U.S.  Availability of a Reliable Internet Connection To access most online classes, students must have a reliable internet connection. This may be a challenge in some areas of the world due to various issues such as local network instability, outages, firewalls, or restrictive local internet policies. Before registering for an online class, research the internet accessibility situation in the area in whi...
24 comments
Read more

University System of Georgia eCampus Offers Free Online Courses

Students can now take more than a dozen online non-credit college courses at no charge. While most students who take FreeCampus courses already attend USG colleges and universities, the courses are open to anyone. These self-paced courses are also asynchronous with traditional graded assessments. After successfully completing a course online, a student can receive a certificate for earning a grade of 75 percent or higher. There is no penalty for not completing a course. With a focus on courses that are sometimes a barrier to college completion, the USG FreeCampus program allows students to better prepare themselves for credit-bearing courses. For example, a dual-enrolled high school student can take an English composition course to hone his or her writing skills before taking the for-credit version at a College or University. An adult learner who is returning to college after years away can brush up on math, increasing both confidence and future academic performance. USG eCampus also ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Dual Enrollment Success Rates on the Rise in eCore Classes

2018, Vol. 1 Georgia’s dual enrollment non-need based grant has resulted in increased dual credit participation. According to University System of Georgia (USG) enrollment reports, the increase in dual enrollments over the last two years was over 50 percent, representing a 3,500 student gain across the system. These students are earning college credits face-to-face and online. Dual credit eCore students achieved ABC rates at over 90 percent!   2,100 Courses Taken, 90% Earned College Credit Research indicates that students participating in dual credit programs show an increase in college persistence, grade point average, and college graduation (An, 2015; Hoffman, Vargas & Santos, 2009: Hughes 2010). Most USG dual enrolled students attend courses face-to-face at around 88 percent for FY17. There are several reasons why a high school student may require an online option to attend a USG institution. The state of Georgia has over 100 counties that are de...
Post a Comment
Read more