Woman of Distinction, Casey Clarke, Accepts Distance Learning Student Scholarship Award

The Distance Learning Student Scholarship Award was presented to Katherine (Casey) Clarke, who is enrolled in the online MS in Print Media program. Clarke, who accepted her award via a taped video conference, had plenty of positive comments about her experiences as an RIT online learner. Her instructors also had plenty of good things to say about her.

Clarke was also recently recognized for her 2006 OutputLinks Women of Distinction Award that recognizes individuals who have contributed to the development of the high volume transaction output (HTVO) industry. At a recent conference in relation to this distinction, Clarke mentioned RIT and the online program as “great supporters” of her continued education.

Clarke, who is a National Account Manager for the U.S. Government Printing Office, explained that “everything I do at work, I bring to the classroom, and everything I learn in the classroom blossoms through my work.”

RIT School of Print Media Professor Michael Kleper, who accepted the actual award on her behalf, added that Clarke “successfully combined her professional activities with her graduate course content, bringing her expertise into the classroom and applying what she learned to her day-to-day responsibilities.”

Clarke also said that the interactions she experienced in her online courses, through such activities as group assignments, teleconferences, live chats and e-mail correspondences, kept all the students on task and helped to build a substantial community of learners.

Professor Linda Underhill noted that Clarke consistently seized upon the online medium to engage in questioning that promoted interaction and allowed others to actively engage as well. Clarke “is comfortable in the online learning environment and her interactions are well thought out and challenging,” said Underhill.

There were 21 student candidates for the Distance Learning Student Scholarship Award. All candidates had to be currently matriculated in a distance learning degree or certificate program, have had to have completed at least three distance learning courses since September 2003, and needed to be carrying at least a 3.3 grade point average. Candidates also had to provide at least two letters of support from RIT distance learning faculty. Clarke was given a $2,500 cash award by RIT’s Online Learning.

“Reprinted from OutputLinks.com, the information resource of the high volume transaction output (HVTO) industry.”