Graduate turns to online program to help her meet her career goals

Karley Webb knew she wanted to be a graphic artist, knew she wanted to earn a college degree and knew she needed an online program to reach her goals.

The Appleton, Wis., resident started taking courses in person at her local college, but it didn’t quite fit her needs. She realized she needed to enroll elsewhere but didn’t want to have to move closer to the college – and going online and earning a degree from her home was a perfect way to do so.

She looked at other colleges, but none of those seemed to work out, including one that even told her the day before the semester began that the program wasn’t 100 percent online.

She needed a 100 percent online degree, and that’s when she found out about Gateway’s Graphic Design degree program. 

“When I met with a Gateway adviser, they told me I could do it all from home. All of it,” she said. “That was such a relief to hear.”

Karley says mapping out her schedule was simple and, even though it was all online, she felt connected to her instructors and classmates. “Even though the lectures were only online, it still felt human. There were online meetings with instructors and other students, and instructors were great at emailing back and forth with me. And there was the design show. I loved it.”

Karley says she works and multitasks well on her own. She worked well enough to make the Gateway Dean’s List and graduated with her Graphics Design degree.

“I liked it. I could work on my schedule which, many times, was at night. I could listen to lectures and listen to my music at the same time. That’s how I learn best, and instructors would get back to me if I had questions. Of all of Gateway, I liked the instructors best. They were very helpful.”

Karley said she’s wanted to be a graphic artist for years because she discovered it’s a way to mix several skills to blaze a path to a career. 

“I liked video editing, I knew a little bit about graphic design and once I learned about marketing, I wanted to be a graphic artist,” says Karley. “It was a passion of mine before the degree – but the degree will help me to enter my career.”