From data to design: Pennsylvanians shape new futures through online learning

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By Mike Dawson

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A former restaurant manager is reinventing her career in design. A doctor studied artificial intelligence to bring AI to the front lines of health care. A corporate growth strategy manager is able to explain the story behind data and has landed a major role in a project at her company.

This fall, more than 500 Pennsylvania residents graduated with degrees they completed online through Penn State World Campus. In 2025 alone, more than 1,500 Pennsylvanians earned a Penn State degree online, strengthening the state's workforce and helping fuel its economic growth. Their journeys show how the University's online degree programs empower learners without having to leave their careers, communities and families behind to relocate for school, according to Karen Pollack, interim vice provost for Online Education at Penn State.

"Pennsylvanians shouldn't have to choose between advancing their careers and staying rooted in their communities," Pollack said. "Online education makes it possible to do both. We're seeing graduates gain future-ready skills while continuing to work, raise families, and contribute to the state's economy. That's what this is about - creating opportunity that prepares them for the future and strengthens Pennsylvania."

The online-learner graduates from fall 2025 represent diverse fields, from health care and data analytics to design and criminal justice. They have roots across the commonwealth, spanning the cities and suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, the Lehigh Valley and capital region, and communities throughout Central, Northeastern and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Aja Cramer: Creativity meets career growth

Aja Cramer, of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, is using her skills in design to strengthen Pennsylvania's hospitality industry.

Cramer just graduated with a bachelor's degree in digital multimedia design and is the membership manager for the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board in Montgomery County. She always had a passion for design, she said, and when she decided to go back to school for her bachelor's degree, she knew she needed the flexibility that online learning provided without uprooting her life.

As the membership manager, she helps local businesses like hotels, restaurants and attractions thrive and strengthen the local economy.

"With the training in design, digital communication and user experience that I've gained, I'm better prepared to help elevate the marketing tools, digital resources and storytelling that support the industry's marketing efforts," Cramer said. "My hope is that I can use these skills to help local businesses thrive, strengthen community connections, and contribute to the continued growth of the county and the state."

Jaisauna Houser: Preparing for a data-driven future

Jaisauna Houser has already secured a major role in a project for her company based in downtown Pittsburgh. She studied in the master's degree in data analytics program, with a focus of the business analytics option, which she completed while working full time as a corporate strategy and growth manager.

Houser said she decided to pursue a master's degree because she wanted to expand her skills and expertise by processing data to understanding and communicating the "why" or the "so what" behind the numbers.

"Being able to go from seeking a safe career in accounting to taking my career to the next level and becoming a digital adoption platform professional has been a blessing to do all while staying very close to home with my family," Houser said. "I had all the support I could dream of."

Houser said she feels she is well-positioned in an AI-driven future.

"Companies will be looking for individuals that can help them provide data-driven insights and, most importantly, make decisions that improve the business," Houser said. "Data alone is not impactful, but with the help of someone with my expertise, it can become a powerful tool."

Armand Gjeka: Advancing health care leadership

Armand Gjeka, of Havertown, Pennsylvania, gained advanced skills in project management, organizational strategy and collaboration through his master's in health administration.

Gjeka went back to school to pursue a master's degree so that he could move into leadership roles in operations and systems support with Siemens Healthineers. He said he needed to balance his job as a remote service engineer with his family, and relocating was not an option.

"Being fully online and in a flexible format allowed me to balance my education with family commitments and my work in the community. I didn't have to choose between my studies and being there for my kids or supporting my parents," he said.

"Plus, I could continue serving customers across Pennsylvania and beyond," he added. "Every week, I eagerly applied my new knowledge to real challenges at work, enriching both my learning experience and my professional contributions."

Khalid Nawab: Bringing AI to the front lines of medicine

Khalid Nawab, a practicing physician, is bridging the fields of health care and technology thanks to the master's in artificial intelligence program he just finished.

Nawab is a hospitalist at Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. He said he was fascinated by the intersection of the fields and decided to take the next step.

"I was able to continue working full time," Nawab said. "It enabled me to think of ideas where AI can be applied in my daily clinical work. I also became more involved in discussions with the informatics team and sort of became the default person for anything related to AI thanks to my online education."

Nawab has already published research on AI in health care during his studies and plans to continue innovating in the field, he said.

"As the gap between health care and technology is closing, we will need people who understand both sides, and I want to be one of them," Nawab said. "I feel I am better equipped to take on such a role."

Krystal Lutz: Penn State proud

Krystal Lutz, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, grew up dreaming of graduating from Penn State, setting that goal when she was 8, she said. After a series of life changes, she thought it might never happen, but she proved it was possible by going back to school online.

Working full-time as head of security at an Amazon site, Lutz said she needed a program that fit her demanding schedule and her learning style.

"I learn best at my own pace, and Penn State World Campus gave me that flexibility," she said. "It let me balance a full-time job with being a full-time student."

Lutz enrolled in the criminal justice bachelor's degree program with a minor in forensic psychology, a passion she said was sparked when she was younger, reading about high-profile criminal cases.

"This is the biggest achievement of my life, short of raising my children," Lutz said. "It took discipline and sacrifice, but it was worth every moment."

Leonard Tooks: Never too late

At age 75, Leonard Tooks, a longtime Pennsylvania resident, achieved the goal he had for himself for so many years: his bachelor's degree.

Tooks grew up in Pittsburgh and built a career in the state working for the utility company Bell Atlantic, a predecessor of Verizon. He advanced from entry-level work into technical and management roles, and while living and working in Altoona, he completed two associate degrees through Penn State.

After retiring from the utility company, Tooks began a role as a circuit minister traveling across the country, eventually leading him to Virginia, where he now resides. He retired from the role during the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, and said he felt it was finally time to go back to school to finish his bachelor's.

He was able to use his previous associate degree in accounting toward a bachelor's in accounting and enrolled online, taking courses part-time.

In his last semester, he completed an internship with a local college and is exploring part-time work opportunities to use his degree.

Joana Taka: Building a bridge to health care

Joana Taka, of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, finished a bachelor's degree in health policy and administration online through Penn State World Campus. Working full-time in finance, Taka said she needed a program that allowed her to stay in her community while finishing her degree.

"Penn State has a great reputation, and I was so grateful they offered World Campus because it made graduating on time possible," she said. "The flexibility let me work full-time and still complete school."

Taka said she hopes her degree will help her transition into health care and contribute to Pennsylvania's workforce.

"I feel confident talking about my Penn State degree to future employers," she said. Her advice to others: "Everything is possible! Never give up, and have a positive mindset."

A Penn State education online

For more than 25 years, Penn State World Campus has offered a Penn State degree online, empowering learners to build new skills, advance their careers, and finish what they started all while balancing their education without leaving home.

Visit the Penn State World Campus website to find out more about learning online.

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