How CSU-Global Students Inspired Our Provost

Commitment, Motivation, Dedication. These words describe the traits of our students at Colorado State University-Global Campus. These higher education students have the unique challenge of balancing their online education with work, family, and community commitments. Even though the final goal may be to complete their degree, our students set many smaller goals along the way.

I am often inspired by the commitment of our students who work on their coursework in the evenings, on weekends, holidays, and on vacation. In fact, they inspire me so much that this year I set a major goal to complete the Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride. This 120 mile, day-long bike ride covers three mountain passes and over 10,560 feet of climb. It’s truly a Colorado experience.

Honestly, I’m not much of a road biker so I knew that in the three months I had to prepare, I would need to set smaller goals to be ready on the big day. For almost 12 weeks I devoted 6-8 hours each weekend to a training ride. I also committed to ride for 3 hours at least once during the week after work.

Some of these training rides were quite a feat in their own right. One in particular that really tested my strength was when I climbed Mt. Evans. Mt. Evans is the highest paved road in North America and one of Colorado’s famed fourteeners.

I often thought of our students while training. They have to complete all of their coursework, finish their general education classes, and of course, complete their final project. Each of these accomplishments contribute to the larger, long-term goal of creating a better future for themselves and their families.

Also, just like our students, I didn’t do any of this alone. I had a support group that included my family, who often didn’t see me on the weekends, and colleagues who rode with me to provide encouragement.

The more I trained for the big day, the more my journey, albeit much shorter than completing a degree, was similar to that of our students. It took commitment, dedication, and serious motivation.

Now that I’ve accomplished my goal of completing the Triple Bypass Bicycle Ride and trained for 12 weeks solid, I would like to thank our students for their encouragement. They might not have known it, but it was their commitment to complete their educational goals that drove me to complete my own goal. They inspired me every step of the way and continue to do so, on and off my bike.

I would like to thank our students for their encouragement. They might not have known it, but it was their commitment to complete their educational goals that drove me to complete my own goal.

And that’s exactly what I’ll need as I take on my next challenge. Just like our students, who continually work to create a better future for themselves, I’ve set a new goal for my future as well. At the end of September I’m going to run my first marathon!

Of course it seems daunting. I’ll have to create a new training schedule, continue to spend less time with my family on weekends, and devote myself to running (even after a hard day at work). However, I know that my daily interaction with CSU Global students and faculty will keep me motivated. If thousands of students can earn meaningful, career-relevant degrees between work and family, I can certainly accomplish my goal with them by my side.

CSU Global is an incredibly inspiring place to work. Our faculty and staff feeds off the energy of our students and that positivity and promise spreads throughout our interactive, online campus. If you’re working toward a goal, like earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree, be sure to do it where you know you’ll be inspired each and every day. It’s not an easy feat to accomplish, but with commitment, motivation, dedication, and the right support system, you’ll earn your diploma in no time.