Online student joins campus group for London Study Abroad

Students participating are Charlotte Carlson of Falcon, Colo., Cierra Herrmann of Scottsbluff, Neb., Jamie Henry of Torrington, Wyo., Josh Keating of Romeoville, Ill., Michaela Linders of Rushville, Neb., Mary Miller of Saratoga, Wyo., Jessica Orose of Rapid City, S.D., Jordan Staman of Crawford, Chloe Titus of Lander, Wyo., and Nick Yardley of Gordon, Neb.

One interesting twist this year is that Titus, 26, will be the first fully online justice studies student to partake in the trip.

She is a transfer student who earned her associate degree in criminal justice from Casper College in 2008. She works at Fremont County School District #1 Gannett Peak Elementary as a paraprofessional with special education first graders.

Titus became aware of the trip through an email from Nobiling and a conversation several years ago with Art Washut, her academic advisor at Casper College.

Nobiling said, “We used a system that allowed Chloe to link into one of the Miller classrooms and participate in the classes. She could both see and interact with the students here and vice versa. She was able to use an iPad to see the Power Point presentations and other course documents from the school where she works over her lunch hour. One class period she was travelling back to Lander from DIA and joined our class from a hotel room.”

Additionally, Nobiling was able to coordinate a class period with both Titus and one of the London hosts, Constable Richard Watson, joining the class at the same time and everyone being able to see and communicate with each other.

“Technology has assisted in the planning of the trip as well. The use of email, videoconferencing and social media has helped. No more early morning phone calls just to catch someone in London who is seven hours ahead in their work day. Technology has made the recruitment of students into study abroad programs and the communication with them easier too,” Nobiling said.

Blogs by the students and Nobiling can be read on the Justice Studies department web page: csc.edu/justicestudies.

Nobiling said, “The blogs allow students to share their experience instantaneously with friends, family, and CSC alumni.  Reflecting on a day’s activities helps the students pause and give thought to what the experience means to them, to their academic career, and ultimately to their professional careers, all while staying connected to friends and family. “

Although Titus participated in a video conference every Tuesday and she’s become friends on Facebook with the women who will be her roommates, she is looking forward to meeting the group face-to-face for the first time. She is not looking forward to the nine hour flight. Her only other international travel was to Mexico with her family.

“My family is supportive. Plenty of people know that I'm going. I’m happy to have this opportunity and thankful to my brother for encouraging me to go back to school,” she said.

Titus’ future plans in law enforcement may include working with juvenile delinquents, utilizing her five years of experience in the Lander schools, but she is also considering law school.