At Eastern’s first of three graduation ceremonies, the theme was one of empowerment. Students celebrated in this ceremony were graduates of the online asynchronous programs Eastern offers, nontraditional undergraduate students and students of Esperanza college. Esperanza is a campus of Eastern located in Hunting Park, Philadelphia, and offers associate degree programs to inner city, largely Hispanic residents. Due to the flexibility and affordability of all these programs, individuals who may not previously have been able to receive further education secured diplomas on Friday. Parents with children, full-time workers with less time, middle-aged people looking for a career change and individuals without the funds to afford traditional, pricey further education were just a few of the people who took advantage of these programs. Students taking online classes from Colorado, Florida, North Carolina and more traveled to make this special day.
Mario Gonzalez, graduating through the online master’s in data science, was able to get a promotion at his full-time job because of the degree and the skills he learned through the program. “They’ve helped us engage with communications and knowing how to set yourself apart in interviews…they helped us network with other people in the Pennsylvania community and branch out,” Gonzalez said.
Jonathan Williams was able to graduate from the online master’s in data science program because of its flexibility and affordability, a consistent theme in individual interviews. “I chose Eastern mainly for the flexibility it provided, the affordability it provided, and the values that it instills in its students, as well as its faculty as a whole.”
Boaz Parker graduated with his associate’s degree in early childhood studies through Eastern’s Online Undergraduate LifeFlex program. He says Eastern empowered him to expand his mind. “My grandmother would always challenge me, ‘just think, just think,’ and [Eastern] encouraged me to think.”
Alexy Maratellos came from North Carolina to take part in the graduation ceremony and meet up with classmates she met through the online master’s in social work program. Due to the program’s work-based internship system, she was able to keep doing her full-time job at an organization that supports homeless families while getting higher education. “I think that was the only thing that kept me able to have a work-school life balance and graduate and do well; Eastern was very flexible.”
Although the program was online, Maratellos was able to build strong relationships with her professors and classmates. “I really value the relationships that I made with my professors. I had no idea that my professors would know me at all doing an online program. I thought that I was going to miss out on having a relationship with my peers, but in our program, we had one cohort and took every single class together…we talked probably every day; we’re all texting right now to meet up,” she said.
“I feel like a better human, a better social worker and a better friend because of values that my professors modeled to me and what I learned through my courses. I truly feel very indebted to Eastern; I’m very thankful. I feel very connected to the Eastern community and [I’m] very sad to leave,” Maratellos said. Due to a TA position she got through Eastern, Maratellos will not have to fully leave after all.
Jay Perera is a financial consultant who graduated with a master’s in data analytics through the online asynchronous program. He credits the program with helping him to keep up as his workplace transitions to AI. “Eastern University helped me to grow in my career. In my workplace, it’s time that we transition from the old…I think Eastern University helped me to make that transition and it helped me to automate certain things in my workplace. That Eastern University degree has helped me out a lot over the past two to three years. Hopefully it’s gonna help me grow to something bigger in my future,” Perera said.
Nick Parisi drove up from Florida to celebrate his graduation with a master’s in data science. For him, the affordability of the program is what got him in the door, but the program was empowering beyond just reducing barriers to entry. “It definitely helped me be more independent because I came from FSU where a lot of my classes were in person. Moving to online, even though there were still instructions if I needed it, it taught me to be more independent, which is helpful for the real world.” This feeling of empowerment was echoed by Verlene King, a nontraditional undergraduate graduate in youth ministry, who split time online and in-person to earn her degree. “It has empowered me to make me aware that I can do anything,” she said.
Support from professors is a consistent strength of the online program at Eastern. “[The professors] were very helpful…They seem to be very caring and [ask] how you’re doing throughout the program, and it made me think about how I should be as I go forward with my career,” said Joel, a graduate of the master’s in data science program.
Kendra Davis said she chose Eastern’s online Data Science program for accessibility, flexibility and quality. “Accessibility, because I believe there shouldn’t be a cost barrier to education. From a cost perspective, it made sense. Flexibility, because I’m a mom, I have a full-time job, I’m a wife and all the other things, so being able to do a program at my own pace and at my speed when I had the time mattered a great deal to me. And then quality, because I’ve learned so much that I’m applying to my job today.”
Other mothers with jobs also graduated at the ceremony. Khadaija Hicks, a mother of three, graduated with her associate’s in liberal arts. Thanks to Eastern, she says she has grown in her confidence and is returning to get her bachelor’s in psychology, which will help her in her full-time job as a behavioral technician.
Cherice Wallace is a nontraditional graduate, earning her bachelor’s in arts from the College of Business and Leadership. She says Eastern’s education, rooted in Christian values, has helped her to become a more well-rounded individual. “If I decide to go a step further with my master’s, Eastern would be my choice,” she said.
Shaquila Brown is a master’s in data science graduate who is now able to transition careers because of the affordable and convenient education Eastern provides. She says she was able to complete the degree because of its asynchronous style that worked with her while she was working full-time. Although she has worked in healthcare her whole career, she is transitioning to data science because of the degree. “Eastern has empowered me to own my career and transition my field…it’s exciting that I’m able to do that; I wasn’t able to do that before. It’s definitely given me new opportunities,” she said.
As Eastern continues to attempt to embody its slogan of faith, reason and justice, it has increasingly shifted its focus towards programs such as these. Offering low-cost, flexible options is a crucial aspect of Eastern living out its values, as it increases the scope of those who gain access to education. As the real stories of graduates from Friday’s graduation demonstrate, education can be justice.
Hannah Gerber 
Hannah Bonanducci