Before the graduation processional, Mariah Rodriguez stood in the gym with the other class of 2023 Siena graduates. Her Siena professors came over to congratulate her. One asked how she felt now that she was finished and another straightened her stole.
“Each knew me and something about my story,” Mariah, MBA ’23, recalled. She felt celebrated by people who understood what it had taken to reach that day.
If you’re considering graduate school, that kind of connection may matter as much to you as the courses themselves. And if you need an online or hybrid program, you may be wondering whether it’s possible to build it without seeing your professors on campus every week.
What connection can look like online
As a full-time teacher, Olivia Grecco, MAT TESOL ’26, needed a graduate program she could complete on her own schedule. She also wanted the chance to learn alongside others. She found both in Siena’s asynchronous MAT TESOL program.
“One unique feature of this program is the way it lends itself to a strong sense of community, despite the fact that the entire program is asynchronous. As a full-time teacher, an asynchronous program was truly one of my only pathways, but I am collaborative in nature and value interacting with others, especially in professional and educational settings. It can be hard to achieve that while fully online. Through consistent group and class discussions, occasional zoom meetings for important program updates, and the way that each course begins with an engaging ‘About Me’ assignment, the MAT TESOL Program fostered and maintained an authentic community that I feel proud to belong to, and can truly say made a difference in my rich learning experiences here at Siena.”
For Olivia, the flexibility of an asynchronous program still came with opportunities to share ideas, get to know her classmates, and feel part of the Siena community.
The conversations students remember
Emily Elder, MBA ’22, remembers being able to talk with professors about her future, not just the material on the next exam. “I was able to have in-depth conversations with my professors about my future, gaining insights and advice for the next stage of my life,” she said.
For Dean Maloney, MBA ’24, the value came through in class. His professors used their private-sector experience to make topics like predictive analytical models relevant to everyday business challenges. He credits their knowledge and teaching style with helping him succeed in the program.
Those are different kinds of relationships, but both begin with a professor learning what matters to a student: the question they’re trying to answer, the work they want to do, or the next step they’re considering.
Sometimes that influence lasts well beyond graduation. Gina Pepe, MAT ’24, still carries her professors’ encouragement and teaching mottos into her own classroom. “My professors gave me something to emulate in my future teaching,” she said.
Picture yourself in the program
As you compare graduate programs, look past the labels online, hybrid, and in-person. Ask how a course runs, how students and professors exchange ideas, and whether you can have an individual conversation when you need one. Olivia’s “About Me” assignments and class discussions made a difference to her. The things that help you feel connected may be different.
Mariah’s graduation story didn’t start in that gym. It grew out of many smaller moments when her professors learned who she was and what she was working toward. That’s the experience worth looking for as you choose your next program.
