Kaitlin Starke-Podmore '19

For many students, the idea of completing a college degree online can be daunting. The American Women’s College (TAWC), the first online school for women, was designed to help bring college to women, instead of women having to figure out how to, physically, bring themselves to a college campus. With almost a quarter of TAWC students transferring from a community college where they had studied on ground, the idea of moving from a classroom desk to a computer desktop can be overwhelming. But many TAWC students find that completing their studies online enables them to complete their degree in a way that allows more room for the rest of their life, too.

Kaitlin Starke-Podmore, a 2019 TAWC graduate who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology after transferring from Springfield Technical Community College, knows first-hand the benefit of overcoming that fear of studying online. Originally choosing to participate in Bay Path’s One Day Program, where students spend five-to-ten hours in class every Saturday in accelerated classes, Kaitlin appreciated the chance to complete so much of her school work in one day. With the long weekend days, however, she found she was really missing out on spending time with those who were important to her. “I didn’t think I was disciplined enough to take classes online,” she shared. “It turned out I was wrong. Taking classes online meant I could complete my coursework around my own schedule and could still participate in all of the important moments that made me feel connected.”

The ease attending school online brought to her schedule extended into her learning environment, too. “TAWC makes going to school online so easy – all of your discussions and assignments are due on the same two days every week. There is no guesswork involved. You have access to all the same resources as you would on campus, which help you to succeed no matter where you are while working toward your degree.”

Transferring into The American Women’s College also proved to be much easier than expected. Kaitlin completed her application, and upon acceptance, her Admissions Counselor helped her with everything from making sure her transcripts were in the right place, to enrolling in her first classes, to accessing all of the tools and information needed to dive right into class.

The support Kaitlin experienced didn’t end there. “The TAWC community has been nothing short of amazing,” she shared. “There is something truly empowering about working toward your goals surrounded by so many other inspiring women. As women, we all understand how chaotic life can get while trying to take care of families, homes, work, and go to school. Every woman is supportive of your daily struggle, understands where you are coming from, and cheers you on.” In particular, she appreciated the way her classmates came together around their final WELL (Women as Empowered Learners and Leaders) projects. “We were able to create positive change in our communities, and so many women came together to help support each other’s projects,” she shared. “The feeling that we were such a powerful force to help so many people was overwhelmingly joyful.”

Kaitlin is now a graduate student at American International College, pursuing her Master’s Degree in School Counseling. She and her wife, Stacey, love carrying on family traditions, spending quality time with family, friends, and their dog Mulan and their cat Zoe.