The sun rises on the Rose State College campus as Léa Grand’Maison walks through campus wearing a gray cap and gown to line up among her fellow graduates for the Spring 2025 Commencement Ceremony.
Léa had only been on campus for two days, as she and her family had just flown in from Canada. Léa completed her entire associate degree online from home.
Léa’s mother, Caroline, met Rose State College President Dr. Jeanie Webb a couple of years ago at the Tinker and the Primes event held at Tinker Air Force Base, where they discussed RSC’s programs and the opportunities a degree would open.
Caroline returned to Canada and told her daughter about the college in Oklahoma. Léa was no stranger to online education, as she had completed online courses at other schools before attending Rose State. However, something didn’t quite feel right – there was a notable lack of community in the online classroom at her other schools. That’s one of the things she says sets RSC apart. She loved the community she built with her classmates via Zoom and texting.
“Even though you’re online, you can still talk to each other via Zoom,” Léa said. “You don’t feel alone!”
With a strong creative background, Léa chose RSC to continue her artistic journey in graphic design and digital media.
Léa attended classes online, watched lectures via Zoom, and attended the Italy-Croatia trip. RSC offers this trip as one of many group tours open to all students and alumni.
“Even though you’re an online student, you can still enroll in study abroad trips,” Léa said. “I enrolled in the Italy-Croatia trip. I booked the trip through Rose State and was able to meet other students and alumni.”
A staff member greeted Léa and her family on campus and escorted them to RSC President Dr. Jeanie Webb’s office. Dr. Webb had heard great things about Léa and wanted to meet her. Léa admitted to being nervous about walking around campus for the first time. She wasn’t sure if the sense of community she felt online would translate to the real world.
Greeting Léa and her family with a smile and an enormous hug, Dr. Webb insisted they sit down. They talked like old friends, and she knew the sense of community was very much present on the campus.
Dr. Kirby Harzman, Vice President for Student Affairs, soon joined the family in the President’s Office to tell them more about student activities on campus.
“Léa’s experience demonstrates the meaningful impact of Rose State College,” said Dr. Harzman. “Despite the distance, she felt a connection to the campus community—and her decision to travel from Canada to participate in commencement speaks to the lasting impact that connection can have. It was wonderful to finally have her on campus.”
Next, they walked over to the Jeanie Webb Student Union to get Léa’s graduation cap and gown. After the bookstore staff gave her the cap and gown, Léa beamed and said it finally felt real that she really would graduate the next day.
From the bookstore, the group made their way to the Office of Student Engagement, where they met with their tour guides, Austin and Anna Grace, who showed them all around campus. They visited The Village, the Learning Resources Center, and many of Léa’s professors across campus.
Léa personally thanked her professors for helping her complete her online educational journey at RSC. “You can tell that the professors at Rose State College are passionate about what they teach,” Léa said.
RSC Marketing and Communications interviewed Léa at the end of the day and asked her to offer incoming students advice on achieving success in college. With a smile on her face, she stated, “Go for it. You won’t regret it. The staff is so kind at Rose State, and the vibe is good. They’ll go out of their way to help you succeed.”
To learn more about online degree programs, visit Rose State College.