Where Flexibility Meets Determination: Kiera Kelly’s Path Through Online Education

Kiera Kelly is the kind of person who shows up. She shows up for her clients, her children, and her community.

As an Independent Living Specialist at the Omaha Home for Boys and a support worker at Boys Town, she helps young people build the skills and confidence to live independently. At home, she’s a devoted mom to two energetic kids and a basketball coach on the side, roles that leave little time for anything else.

For years, the demands of parenting and working full-time made it difficult to pursue a degree. She’d tried night classes at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and loved being in a college environment, but it pulled her away from the people and commitments she valued most.

Kelly's educational path hasn’t been linear. Right out of high school, she participated in the Avenue Scholars program, which gave her a unique college start. She lived on UNO’s campus but took her freshman classes at Metropolitan Community College.

However, life intervened. Kelly became pregnant and had to put her education on hold due to severe morning sickness and the demands of parenting. She always valued the on-campus experience at UNO, but with two young children at home, returning to a traditional college schedule simply wasn’t feasible.

She later went on to earn an associate’s degree and took classes at Iowa Western Community College and even enrolled in some in-person courses at UNO.

Then, in 2024, everything changed when she discovered that she was only 11 classes away from earning her bachelor's degree. With that revelation, and a new appreciation for the flexibility of online learning, Kelly decided it was time to finish what she started.

Creating Connections Beyond the Classroom

While Kelly sometimes misses the face-to-face interaction and the tangible college environment of her past campus life, she doesn’t feel her education is lessened by being online. In fact, given her circumstances, online learning is what makes her education possible at all.

“Being able to take classes online, just the accessibility of having it whenever I want to do it, just makes it so much easier in life, with everything that I have going on,” said Kelly. “UNO’s online classes feel very 2025.”

What’s made her goals feel truly within reach isn’t just the flexibility of online learning. It’s the professors behind the screen that have left a lasting impact. At UNO, instructors bring the same energy and care to their virtual classrooms as they do in person, and that commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed by Kelly.

One professor, Racquel Henderson, left a lasting impression on Kelly.

“Racquel Henderson has a similar story to mine. She was so transparent from day one. I remember in her syllabus, she had a PowerPoint that told us about herself, about how she came from a criminal background, and she had been in jail. She does all this help with reentry into society for people that were formerly incarcerated.”

The way that Henderson designed her online class changed the way Kelly viewed online learning. By incorporating interactive assignments, like having students create and share videos with each other, Henderson encouraged a deeper level of participation that made the virtual experience feel more connected and personal.

“I teach from a place of lived experience, because I know firsthand how isolating the system can feel—and how transformative education can be when it’s done with heart. My goal is always to create a space where students feel seen, heard, and empowered to believe in their own brilliance. Knowing that Kiera felt connected, valued, and inspired in my course means everything to me,” said Henderson.

“I had never really taken a class like that before, to make it feel like I was actually sitting in a classroom even though we were online,” said Kelly about her time in Henderson’s online course.

Even as a fully online student, Kelly stays connected to the university community and takes full advantage of the resources available to her. She regularly meets with academic advisors to ensure she’s staying on track and uses the campus library and UNO’s online 24-hour tutoring service to strengthen her coursework.

Adapting Education to Real Life

Whether submitting assignments through her phone or reaching out to professors via email or text, Kelly feels supported and involved.

Now just a few classes away from completing her degree, Kelly is setting her sights on becoming a juvenile probation officer. A dream rooted in her own lived experience. She hopes to bring empathy, accountability, and support to a system that often overlooks the deeper needs of young people.

With UNO’s online program, supportive professors, and her own determination, Kelly is closer than ever to turning that dream into reality. She’s proof that it’s never too late to return to school and that showing up for yourself is just as important as showing up for others.