This story is published in the University of Minnesota, Crookston's Alumni Torch magazine - Fall 2007.

For 2007 graduate Tony Decembrini walking across the campus where he received his degree is something he can only imagine. That's because he earned his Bachelor of Manufacturing Management degree while living and working in both Oregon and California - some 2,000 miles from the University of Minnesota, Crookston campus.

Decembrini is a graduate of one of the three online degree programs offered on campus. Seeking your degree online is a challenge, and as Decembrini says, "takes dedication and discipline." However, it also allos for flexibility, something he needed.

Born in Ogden, Utah, Decembrini moved to California as an infant but grew up in Newport, Ore. After high school, he attended a couple of community colleges, went for a year and a half to Oregon State but never found the right fit. Eventually he went back to Newport to work in the commerical fishing industry. "I always wanted to go back to school," Decembrini said, "but it never seemed to work out."

Decembrini's mother went through a series of serious medical problems so he decided to make helping his father with her care a priority rather than returning to school. Working on shipbuilding, maintenance and repair meant he was gone a lot, so in order to be closer to home, he switched to working in the construction field.

"I took a few classes here and there," Decembrini explains, "and I kept my dream of going back to school alive."

Meanwhile, Decembrini's mother was put on a heart transplant list and spent almost two months in a specialty hospital to see if she would be a candidate for a heart transplant. Unfortunately, a couple of other existing issues prevented her from being able to receive the heart transplant she needed. Eventually, Decembrini and his father took her home to care for her until she passed away several months later. He deeply admires his father's care of his mother during her illness and refers to him as "a man among men."

If he was going to return to school, Decembrini knew he needed to find a program that was the right fit. Of course, he used the Internet for his search eventually finding the University of Minnesota, Crookston's Bachelor of Manufacturing Management program. Working with Program Associate Jennifer Severinson, '04, in the Center for Adult Learning and Manufacturing Management Instructor Christo Robberts made the whole experience one that Decembrini describes as the "best ever."

"My online degree turned out to be just what I was looking for," Decembrini says. "I was able to learn applied engineering as well as skills in management. I had access to my classmates through online forums and through classes that met at distance which was great, and the faculty I worked with made my experience really rewarding."

When he started the program in spring 2006, he knew it was a good fit right away. Decembrini would recommend anyone interested in online learning to research all aspects. "It takes time, and you have to be dedicated and motivated, but it is very exciting as you get closer to your degree."

Right now, Decembrini is looking at career options. "The best thing about my degree is that it gave me a big dose of confidence, and I believe it is going to help me get a job in the field I want - a job that without a degree I could not have even applied for because I would not have been qualified. Now, I am."

Would he recommend the online program? "Absolutely," he says. "I give a 100% recommendation to this program; it has been a great experience."