Student Recognitions

FSU Honors Student from Marianna Paves Way for Online LearnersJuly 10, 2006

Florida State University student Aaron Shumaker, 24, of Marianna will be the first student to graduate with honors from FSU's campus in Panama City, Fla., in more than 15 years. And he achieved this elite status while taking all of his classes online.

Shumaker has been participating in FSU's online learning program for almost three years. He defended his computer science honors thesis June 29.

"The last honors thesis completed on the Panama City campus dates back to 1990," said physics professor and former director of FSU's Honors Program Paul Cottle. "Aaron's thesis demonstrates that highly talented and motivated students in Panama City have the opportunity to achieve at the same high level as their Tallahassee counterparts."

The Panama City campus is a branch of Florida State University, which offers undergraduate upper-level courses and graduate programs, including online degree programs. Many students attend part-time or in the evening.

Shumaker decided to take his computer science classes online so he could accept a full-time position as a data analyst without interrupting his education. FSU currently offers three bachelor’s degrees and 17 master’s degrees entirely online.

While taking classes over the Internet is an option for students who are self-motivated, adding the demands of FSU's Honors Program makes shumaker's record unique.

Honors students must complete a thesis project in their field of study, a process modeled after graduate school work, and perform their own research. Although Shumaker took his classes online, he met regularly with his thesis director face-to-face in Panama City.

"An undergraduate honors thesis is equivalent to work at the graduate level," said Cottle. "These students are driven to want to be world-class."