Stepping into the Digital Landscape: Brittney Deo, BA IS&ES '24 (Online)
iSCHOOL STUDENT PROFILE
Britnney Deo, BA in Information Science & Arts '24
Brittney Deo returned to school as an Information Science and eSociety major, and she’s ready for her next career move.
University of Arizona BA in Information Science and eSociety online student Brittney Deo returned to college after a successful TV production career. In the BA IS&ES, she's found a degree that allows her to focus on digital content development in her pursuit of a dynamic career. What has she learned as an online student, and what drives her passion? Learn more in this video and accompanying text profile.
Future Focused
Brittney Deo wants to create digital content that she is proud of, that challenges her, allows her to grow and pushes her creatively. She’s working toward that as a University of Arizona Online student majoring in Information Science and eSociety at the School of Information.
In 2005, Brittney started out as an on-campus Arizona student focused on becoming a communication major. But the got a job as a television producer and decided to travel and move up the ladder, and never finished her degree.
Brittney did well in television production but wanted to move her career online for personal reasons.
“I got married and had a couple of kids, and television production schedules are just grueling. I'm in the suburbs, and traveled into the city, and it was just no longer feasible. However, it was difficult to pivot from the small community that is the television production field into the digital workforce without a degree. So, I decided to go back to complete my degree.“
At 37, Brittney says she felt a little out of touch with the digital landscape, especially since she didn’t grow up with the technology as Gen Z students have. Brittney knew how to tell great stories and edit videos but felt that aspects of her previous education weren’t relevant anymore.
Brittney met with an advisor at UArizona and described her goals. The advisor suggested the BA IS&ES. It turned out to be exactly what Brittney was looking for. She imagined using data and analytics to write great stories that audiences would relate to and engage with.
“I felt like going back to school and learning from the iSchool would help me be more competitive with my peers. And it has done that. It's the perfect mix of communication, technical skills, computer-driven technology, business savvy and computer analytics. You learn all about the information world in one major.”
In 2022, Brittney re-enrolled as a University of Arizona Online student.
Brittney Deo and her husband at a school gala.
Online Learning
Brittney lives in Valparaiso, a small town in Northwest Indiana, where she grew up and plans to raise her kids. Moving isn’t an option, but Valparaiso doesn’t offer many career opportunities in Brittney’s field of interest. Getting an online education has helped her gain experience working remotely with other people.
She currently holds a student worker position as a digital content intern lead in the iSchool’s advising office. She says that communicating with peers and her boss strictly online and through Zoom has been a valuable learning experience.
As for finding time to study, Brittney says she does her work at night, early in the morning, and during her kids’ naps.
“Being able to fit that work in those small periods of time that I have throughout my days is crucial to my success.”
Brittney loves collaborating with her peers and working in teams. “I think reaching out is always a good idea, and most of the time, I end up forming valuable relationships with my peers. We create something better than we ever could solo.”
Brittney Deo at a Peleton meet and greet. Watch the video to learn more about her passions for physical fitness.
Advice To Online Students
Brittney suggests always taking advantage of resources. She notes that UArizona has some amazing resources she never used when she first enrolled on campus. As an online student, they have helped her succeed.
For example, when Brittney’s program’s language requirement caused her anxiety, she feared it would stop her from finishing her degree. “I approached my advisor about it, and she connected me with the Disability Resource Center.”
The center was able to help Brittney replace those credits with other courses that she says were still informative and rewarding.
“I didn’t know that was something I could do, so I can't say enough about utilizing your advisor. I think students sometimes think their advisor is there to tell them what they're doing wrong, but your advisor is there to help you reach your goals.”
Post-Traditional Student
Brittney says she’s in a different stage of life than more traditional students, so her needs are different as well. “I have young children, and they take up a lot of time during the day. And so, if it weren't for an online program, I would never be able to do this.”
Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Information Science and eSociety, offered on campus or online, or learn about ways to support School of Information students through scholarships.