Hybrid learning – part in the classroom and part remote – is a fact of life in today’s world of higher education. Carlow University is no exception. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which re-ordered so much about the location and procedure of learning at all levels, Carlow academic programs have been in a continual process of adaptation. It has always been Carlow’s aim to meet students where they are. Now technology is allowing that policy to become more literal than ever, resulting in more flexibility for students around jobs, family, and other responsibilities without sacrificing academic rigor.
The following is part of a series profiling hybrid students at Carlow.
For Marion Ward, nursing wasn’t her first career—it was a calling that emerged later in life. After working for several years in exercise science and wellness, Marion’s path took a turn when her father fell ill. “I saw firsthand how important nurses were,” she recalls. “Once the doctor left, the nurse was the hands-on caregiver. So I started with an associate’s. Then I went for my bachelor’s, and I craved more, so I went back to become a nurse practitioner.”
Marion chose Carlow University’s hybrid nurse practitioner program for several reasons, including the flexibility it offered students juggling work, family, and school. “Many of my peers were trying to work, raise a family, and go back to school. Having the hybrid option allowed us to do our coursework at home while still meeting biweekly. It’s been great for me because I’ve formed new friendships. It becomes like a second family because you’re all in the same boat.”
The hybrid format provided Marion with a balance between online flexibility and valuable in-person interactions. “It’s a lot of hours and hard work, but those connections make it manageable,” she adds. In addition to the hybrid format, Marion was drawn to Carlow’s reputation for providing clinical placement support, which is essential for nursing students. “Dr. Bernadette Sherman helps each and every one of us make sure that we have clinicals. Carlow is one of the few programs that ensures we have fulfilling clinical hours, so we feel prepared when we graduate.”
Carlow’s mission and values also resonated with Marion. “Carlow is faith-based, and I’m able to express a biblical worldview in my papers and the classroom,” she explains. Carlow’s commitment to serving underserved communities stood out to her. “Carlow is one of the few universities that offers HRSA [the federal Health Resources and Services Administration] grants… It was the first time I went to a college where they were concerned with the underserved, the overlooked, delivering compassionate care to people… They are a leader in this because the institution is based in faith.”
Marion also appreciated the academic support Carlow offers its students. “The Center for Academic Achievement helped [me] write APA papers and helped with [my] resume. And every Carlow graduate can access that [resource] for the rest of their life… So that was just incredibly valuable for us as students.”
For Marion, Carlow’s hybrid nursing program has provided the perfect blend of academic rigor, support, and flexibility—giving her the confidence to step into her future as a nurse practitioner, ready to make a difference.