Go the Distance podcast shares transformative impact of open, online learning
Limited podcast series features interviews with Athabasca University (AU) students and alumni who share how flexible online learning allowed them to achieve education and life goals
The world is rethinking education, and distance learning has become a major part of the conversation. At AU, open, online learning creates opportunities and transforms lives.
Go the Distance is a limited series podcast from AU that features stories from students of all backgrounds—from working parents to Olympic athletes—who have discovered the transformative effect of online learning and its ripple effect.
These students and alumni are taking the education they got at AU, and using to the transforming their lives and transform their communities. When education is accessible, our world changes for the better.
The series recently earned an Outstanding Branded Series nomination from the Canadian Podcasting Awards.
Listen to Go the Distance
Ep. 1: My Virtual Boss is a Jerk
Going back to school later in life can be daunting, even before you factor in an artificial-intelligence-powered virtual co-op, ADMN 405. But for Laverne Wells, taking on the challenge of getting a degree and navigating an innovative new course has all been worth it.
Ep. 2: Sawbonna: Finding Shared Humanity With a Murderer
When Margot Van Sluytman was a teenager, her world was shattered by the murder of her father. She used writing to cope, and through a master’s degree, created a new way to help others find peace with tragedy.
Ep. 3: An Olympian Prepares for Life After Sport
It’s not easy to fit school into the busy schedule of a professional athlete, but that’s exactly what two-time Olympian Emily Nishikawa was able to do with AU. While competing on the international cross-country skiing circuit, she was able to earn a degree, setting her up for success now that she’s looking at her next steps.
Ep. 4: A Soldier’s Path to Higher Education
Kimberley Lamarche has always had two passions: nursing and the military. That’s how she found herself studying to become a nurse practitioner while deployed to a country recovering from war. Today, Kimberley Lamarche is the inaugural dean of Cape Breton University’s School of Nursing.
Ep. 6: Analytics in the Athabasca River Basin
Lackesiha Lewis fell in love with computers early on and intended to get into the industry. But she got pregnant at the end of high school, which complicated her plans. As a single mom, she turned to distance learning to further her studies. Through her master’s program, she got to work on an innovative partnership, applying data to the natural world.
Ep. 7: Quitting Space to Help Women in STEM
She could help launch satellites into orbit, and command missions for the Canadian Space Agency, but Stefanie Ruel still struggled to break the glass ceiling. She decided to upgrade her credentials with an online Master of Business Administration from AU, and that experience helped her to realize she was being discriminated against at work.
Ep. 8: The Thrill of a Life in Business
Vickram Minhas helps run a vast family business, spanning trucking, hospitality, cannabis and more. He talks about the path that led him there, the tough lessons he learned along the way and how his MBA helped him overcome his early struggles.
Ep. 9: Creating Space B’Tween Girls
Barb Tiedemann always liked working with people, but she left the workforce to care for her children. As they got older, she started to notice concerning mental health trends among preteen girls. She wanted to do something about it, so she went back to school to gain the tools she needed to make a difference.
Ep. 10: From Refugee to PhD
Living through the siege of Sarajevo, Djenana Jalovcic saw first-hand that volunteerism can literally mean the difference between life and death. She left the city, spent time in a refugee camp, and then came to Canada. Now she’s putting her education to use, helping provide educational opportunities for people with disabilities.
Ep. 11: Building a New Approach to Indigenous Health
Raised by a settler family, it wasn’t until later in life that Shelley Wiart reconnected with her Métis roots. Learning more about the community, and the challenges Indigenous women face, inspired her to make a difference. As an undergraduate learner with AU, she was able to apply grant funding to help Indigenous women tell their own health stories, with the goal of driving positive change within the healthcare system.
You can listen to Go the Distance on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more.
