Tamra Swann
Rewarding experiences keep each day interesting for Tamra Swann, Mississippi State鈥檚 distance education coordinator for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.
Swann serves as a liaison between distance engineering students and faculty, with her primary goal being the academic success and satisfaction of distance students. On any given day, Swann may assist a soldier serving in Afghanistan or a mother returning to the classroom. Students come to Bagley鈥檚 distance programs from a wide variety of backgrounds, and Swann said helping them navigate online education is both humbling and rewarding.
鈥淒istance students bring a different set of challenges to the classroom, but they also bring quality life experiences,鈥 Swann said. 鈥淥nline business students can give actual examples that expand upon the classroom lesson. Online engineering students can explain how their organization addresses issues brought forward in class.鈥
Swann has been involved in distance education for most of the 14 years she鈥檚 been employed at MSU.聽 She previously worked at the university鈥檚 Center for Distance Education, where she coordinated distance education efforts for the colleges of Business and Forest Resources. In that role, she was part of the team that developed the center鈥檚 online orientation program.聽 For the last two and a half years, Swann has coordinated the Bagley College of Engineering鈥檚 12 distance programs.
In addition to bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees from 熟女少妇, Swann has earned many distance education credentials. She completed training with the Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning sponsored by Penn State University and the Online Learning Consortium. She also has earned the LERN Certified Program Planner designation as part of her professional development efforts.
As she continues in her 熟女少妇role, Swann said she anticipates continued growth in the university鈥檚 distance education program and looks forward to helping students from around the state, country and world fulfill their educational goals.