Danielle Fargas, ‘09
AAS, Human Services
When she began taking classes through the Internet Academy, Danielle Fargas, Utica had very little confidence in her ability to be successful online. Fargas said “I had a very negative attitude toward online, and thought it could not be possible, but I was completely proven wrong. I had the best experience.” A working mother of three children ages 12, 7 and 2, Fargas graduated with honors in May. “If it wasn’t for online, I could not have been as successful. It is difficult to maintain a household and a job, so the flexibility, doing your work when it’s convenient for you, is what I liked best,” she said “The Internet Academy enabled me to learn more than in a classroom. It was the perfect opportunity.” Fargas is currently working full-time as a residence counselor at Upstate Cerebral Palsy and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree online starting in the fall.
Joshua Kampe, ‘09
AAS, Criminal Justice
Joshua Kampe, Plymouth, NY, has been on the HCCC campus only twice-once to pick up his cap and gown for graduation and a second time to accept his degree at the 2009 Commencement. Kampe said he found the Internet Academy to be amazing. After a tragic auto accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury, Kampe enrolled in and painstakingly completed his college degree one class at a time. Taking classes online was not only a convenience for Kampe, as he found it easier to sleep during the day and work on his schoolwork at night, but it was also a necessity given his schedule of medical appointments and inability to travel to campus. Despite the many obstacles that Kampe endured, he enjoyed the program, particularly the opportunities to share experiences and ideas with others. “I really enjoyed it, and got so much more out of it than listening to lectures in a classroom,” said Kampe. Support services including tutoring (particularly for English papers, he admits) helped Kampe be successful. He is particularly proud to have been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2004 semester. Kampe plans to continue his higher education online through Franklin University. My advice to other is to take your time. Slow and steady wins the race,” said Kampe.
