5 Ways Online Graduate Students Can Connect and Build Community

There is nothing remote about pursuing an online graduate degree thanks to SHU’s virtual academic and social resources.

Online learning has become an effective way for busy professionals to complete their coursework and work toward their graduate degrees. The flexibility and convenience of an online degree program can make all the difference in balancing your educational aspirations with your personal and professional responsibilities.

Yet, for all the benefits, students in online programs sometimes feel disconnected from their learning community. At SHU, a network of services and resources helps students stay engaged in their academic and social communities and build connections with their peers, professors and advisers.

“Whether they are in an online, in-person, full-time or part-time program, we make sure we serve every graduate student,” said Erica Sharp, SHU’s assistant director of graduate student life. “We also work with students in the program to create a sense of community for the group.”

If you are pursuing an online graduate degree at SHU, here are five ways you can become more engaged, stay connected and benefit from academic resources that will help you to succeed.

1. Use On-Campus Resources, Virtually

The Center for Career & Professional Development, the Center for Teaching & Learning and SHU’s Ryan Matura Library all offer virtual resources. Among other services, students can meet with a career coach, attend skill-building workshops, connect with an academic adviser and access databases and other resources while off campus.

“We continuously conduct virtual graduate student orientations to go over the services and resources that are available to all graduate students,” Sharp said.

The Center for Career & Professional Development offers multiple remote resources, such as career guides, resume/CV tips and networking opportunities, including Pioneers Connect, a global network that links SHU alumni with current students. Meanwhile, the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) offers services and resources that help graduate students build the skills they need, such as its Online Writing Lab (OWL) and 1:1 tutoring, which is available 24/7. The CTL also recently launched a workshop series, in collaboration with SHU’s College of Health Professions, that helps graduate students navigate potential challenges, such as working in project groups, managing personal life and coursework and presenting their work.

“The graduate population at SHU is very diverse,” said Lisa Henderson, assistant director of tutoring & writing support at CTL. “Some are working. Some are raising families. We work to coordinate support services that are accessible to them, as well as work with their schedules and interests.”

2. Build Social Connections

Engaging in a class remotely can create a sense of disconnect. But even if it’s unlikely you’ll visit campus, online graduate students at SHU have opportunities to connect with classmates, participate in social events and connect with professors. Programs such as virtual trivia and bingo events bring the community together outside of the classroom, so to speak, and students are encouraged to build community with their peers.

Lilibeth Tapia, who is pursuing a master’s degree in higher education & student affairs, works to create community with her online classmates by organizing small virtual meetups and bringing them together though chat apps. This helps with social connections and provides opportunities to discuss questions about coursework, as well as share the challenges of juggling a professional and personal life with the pursuit of a graduate degree.

“It’s been helpful for us all to check in, touch base with each other and learn about our lives and why we are in the program,” Tapia said. “Having already had an undergraduate experience during which I lived on campus, I know it is important to build community and foster engagement. SHU’s Graduate & International Student Life does a great job of providing information on events and access to professional development, as well as information on wellness and other programs, to its online students.”

3. Get Involved

The SHU Graduate Student Advisory Committee comprises graduate students, including those in online programs, who foster support and interaction among fellow students, faculty, the University and the community. The committee sponsors events, get-togethers, speakers and trips. It provides opportunities to network and connect with peers and colleagues from the various graduate programs at SHU.

Tapia also urged those who can visit campus, even if only occasionally, to participate in on-campus events for graduate students, attend performances or athletic contests or meet up with classmates, which will make virtual connections richer. Elizabeth Luoma, CTL executive director, also encouraged graduate students in asynchronous programs to explore synchronous opportunities that allow them to meet with their professors and fellow students in real time. “Whenever possible, take advantage of those in-person or synchronous opportunities,” she said.

4. Seek Support

Juggling work with a demanding academic schedule can be stressful. All full-time SHU graduate students, whether pursuing on-campus or online degree programs, can use Uwill, an online therapy resource that is provided by licensed mental health professionals. Expert counselors connect through one-on-one free sessions via video, phone, chat or message-based support.

The counselors in the program have direct clinical experience and use a solutions-oriented approach to address the specific issues students are facing.

Programs such as the CTL tutoring services also help to create connections. “Your experience at a college or university is all about connections and the individual relationships that you form,” Luoma said. “If an online graduate student reaches out and has a one-on-one session with a tutor, they have just built a connection. Building that connection to another person who is affiliated with SHU creates a network—a a network of support.”

5. Connect with Faculty

Tapia said even though she is remotely learning, her professors are always accessible to her through videoconferencing, phone calls and email. She values the way SHU faculty members accommodate students’ schedules, as well as their diligence about connecting with their students. “You can always hop on a Zoom call or email them, and they are great at answering any questions,” she said.

Want to learn more about SHU’s online graduate programs?

Visit SHU’s online graduate admissions webpage to learn about our more than 20 online graduate programs.

Have any questions? Email gradstudies@sacredheart.edu to learn how to apply to a SHU graduate program today!