A Life of Learning

As she sits behind her desk admiring the plaques that hang on the wall that represent her associate’s degree, two masters degrees including one that was achieved online, and her doctorate that was also accomplished online, Dr. Sandra “Sandy” Mancuso can see her achievements.

 The countless hours of staying up until the early morning hours, hard work and dedication during her online and traditional classes as a student have finally paid off. Dr. Sandra Mancuso is the director of teaching and learning online for University of the Cumberlands. She is finally where she wants to be in life.

Growing up in Penfield, N.Y., a suburb of Rochester, was a joy at times for Mancuso. “I really enjoyed it because my family was there, but at the same time the winters were pretty rough up there,” Mancuso said.

When asked about her family, her face lights up with the joy of her memories. Being raised in a single-parent home, assumptions may be made that she was very lonely but that is not the case. With the companionship of an older sister and younger brother that are close in age Mancuso had constant friendship.

Attending college right after high school seems like the most obvious choice for most people, but Mancuso did not. She began in secretarial work and advertising with Jay Advertising, located in Rochester, N.Y., in 1987. As time passed and she stayed with the company, she moved up and became responsible for distributing all the commercials that her company produced.

When she got laid off from Jay Advertising, she was happy to leave. “It was fine, I wasn’t happy with the job anyway,” Mancuso said.  With that realization, Mancuso decided that it was time to continue her education. Monroe Community College, located in Rochester, N.Y. is where she earned an associate’s degree in human services.

Directly after graduating she attended The College of Brockport in Brockport, N.Y. where she obtained her bachelor of science in social work. Continuing in her education she went directly to the University of Buffalo where she acquired her master’s degree in human services. “I went to college straight for five years,” Mancuso said.

“I got out and started working as a primary therapist, otherwise known as, a clinical social worker,” Mancuso said. After a few years of working she became burnt out. The United States Sports Academy was where she got a second master’s degree in sports science. What makes this degree different from all the rest is that it was achieved online. After that she moved directly into her doctoral degree in post-secondary adult education, at Capella University which was also online. “From my mid-20s all the way up until my mid-30s, with the exception of probably two years I was in college.”

When asked how she ended up at University of the Cumberlands she began her story by telling about her adjunct teaching days. She taught at three different universities including Monroe Community College, her alma mater. Mancuso said, “Teaching is something that is really fun.” When she decided that it was time to get a permanent job she simply began looking and ran across the University because they had an opening in the human services department.

“I only taught one full semester until I moved into the position I am in now,” Dr. Mancuso said. At the university she is responsible for the online learning program. She trains faculty on how to use programs like iLearn and Elluminate, monitoring to make sure that teachers do use it and providing ongoing faculty development. “I make sure they understand how to teach online,” Mancuso said.

The online program at the University of the Cumberlands is something that is relatively new. The push for more online class came about because the university is considering moving to a four-day class schedule.

Mancuso is very positive about the online program at the university. “I believe that we have a very solid program. We are in a much better place in terms of what we are doing online this year than we were last year. Online learning is very important because there is flexibility, convenience, and it is conducive to different learning styles,” Mancuso said.

Dr. Jeff Smoak, professor of music at the University of the Cumberlands, has taught several online classes including music appreciation. “It can be a valuable experience for students. It gives them the freedom to work at their own pace,” Smoak said.
            Students on campus also have opinions on the online classes. Candice Rogers, a senior majoring in business administration, said, “When I took an online class I felt it was more personal. It was easier to earn a grade I deserved than sitting inside an actual classroom where there are distractions. I also felt that by taking an online class a student like me can learn a lot more and take learning more seriously.”

Not all of the students on campus think that the online classes are the best way to go. David Cupp, a senior majoring in business administration, said, “With online classes a person has to have great time management skills. I’ve dropped 6 online classes. It’s hard to go from 16 years of the traditional classroom setting to something totally different.”

When asked about her future and retirement plans, Dr. Mancuso simply laughs and says, “I hope I can retire, but I will probably always work.” She plans to continuing teaching online for many years to come as she travels around the world because of the flexibly that it gives. “I love to travel. It’s my thing.”

Dr. Sandra “Sandy” Mancuso has been touched by learning throughout her life whether it is in the classroom or her real passion of online teaching and learning.

“It has made me who I am today. The education and the process of education and the respect I have for it. It’s as if I entered into the world of academia back in 1995 and I never wanted to leave,” Mancuso said.