O'Neill Online Week builds experience, connections for Online MPA students

Alicia Pellegrino, the conservation director of the Shirley Heinze Land Trust based in northwest Indiana, attended Online Week last year as well, and she’s still connected with that group.

“We are making a lot of connections that I definitely will be able to reach out to in the future,” Pellegrino said. “We can be resources for each other. Last year, I got to know some people and was able to reach out to them if I saw something happening in their state or lean on them for context for something that I was working on in my job.”

The connections built in the online environment were strengthened by working shoulder-to-shoulder on the projects. Julia Lemp, policy manager at Feeding America in Washington, D.C., has already enjoyed the fruits of the online connections in her career, and she was excited to meet her cohort in person.

“Online Week is so special,” Lemp said. “A huge benefit of the online program is that I am interacting with people who bring such a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is so different than my own. Then, to come together, to meet your peers and professors and engage in this interesting and unique client-based project is a special opportunity.”

The flexibility of O’Neill’s Online MPA is important to students, who are often working professionals looking to expand their skillsets. Héctor Reyes-Erazo, senior vice president of Blaylock Van, an investment bank in Oakland, has three children in high school and a demanding job, leaving his time at a premium.

“My family needs my time and attention,” Reyes-Erazo said. “I also travel for work. On top of that and the workload of a traditional academic program, I would have to spend time and energy physically getting to a classroom. My energy should be on reading, completing assignments, and working with other people in the class. The online program solves those issues.”

The flexibility of the Online MPA was also key for Lemp.

“I work full time, and so I knew that I didn't necessarily want to be tied to sitting in a classroom for four hours after a full workday,” Lemp said. “O’Neill’s Online MPA program offers me the flexibility to take my courses at my own time, at my own pace, yet still engage with professors. The professors care a lot about their online students and want to make sure that the experiences are just as they would be if you were able to interact with them in the classroom every day.”

The opportunity to make an impact in the state of Indiana, despite living around the country, was attractive as well.

“IU has done a great job of making sure that the online students are understanding and engaged in the local community project that we're working on,” Lemp said. I live in D.C., and I'm working on a project in rural Indiana. My professors and my peers have done a great job making sure that I understand the impact this week has on our client. Even when I go back to D.C., I know that IU and the O’Neill School are going to continue this relationship with our client and make sure that there is a long-lasting impact.”

Learn more about how O’Neill’s nationally-ranked Online MPA helps professionals connect, grow, and lead—without putting their lives on hold. Visit the Online MPA program’s website for details.