Mastering Online Tools and Resources

Explore Career Paths & Build In‑Demand Skills

Want to know what employers are looking for in your field and how to start building those skills now? The Steppingblocks Digital Career Counselor helps NIU online students explore career paths, connect majors to job titles, and see where NIU alumni are working.

➡️ Available 24/7 to all Huskies.

   Start Exploring Steppingblocks

Project management is the skill of planning, organizing, and completing tasks to reach a specific goal. Whether you’re managing a group project, deadlines across multiple courses, or a busy life outside of school, project management helps you stay organized and in control. Employers value project management skills because they show you can plan, problem‑solve,

The tool we are highlighting this month is Notion. Notion is a digital workspace that helps you organize tasks, notes, and deadlines in one place. Using tools like Notion builds digital literacy skills such as organizing information, managing projects, and planning work, which are valuable in college and future careers.                                                                                                          

Try It This Week

Use Notion to organize one class:

Spending just 10 to 15 minutes setting up Notion can help you stay organized and practice real‑world project management skills.

Sarah Knott, M.S. in Digital Marketing - 2026 MSDM Rising Star Awardee

I am a returning student looking to expand my career. For the past 4 years, I have worked in Marketing, and for the past 2 years, specialized in SEO. I was looking for somewhere where I could simultaneously expand my skills in SEO while also broadening my horizons on different topics. I loved that NIU offered the opportunity to explore different branches of Digital Marketing and build new skills, all while being able to balance my full-time work.

One highlight from my classes has been the wide variety of topics that I’ve studied. For example, my current class focuses on learning Python for Data-Driven Marketing Decisions, which is something entirely new to me. Even though I had never done it before, I can already see how these skills are going to enhance my everyday workflows and career.

My number one piece of advice for other online students would be not to isolate yourself. All your professors are there to help you, and connecting with fellow students through projects, Microsoft Teams, and even LinkedIn can help with more than just your daily coursework. It is a community of students as much as campus classes are. Try to connect with the people around you whenever possible.

Cynthia Gamboa, M.S. in Digital Marketing - 2026 MSDM Rising Star Awardee

My name is Cynthia Gamboa, and I am pursuing my Master of Science in Digital Marketing through NIU Online. NIU was my first choice, as I began my academic journey there after transferring from Waubonsee Community College over 20years ago. That sense of familiarity and trust, along with the institution's values, still resonates with me today. I chose the online format because it aligns with my dynamic schedule as the owner and CXO of CamMi Photo Booth, LLC, and a mother of three.

My experience in the program has been defined by a strong sense of support and accessibility. While synchronous learning was not my initial preference, it quickly became a highlight because it is easy to connect with professors and build meaningful rapport with classmates. The collaborative environment reflects a shared commitment among working professionals balancing school and life. Most importantly, the flexibility allows me to integrate my education seamlessly into my schedule.

My advice to anyone considering NIU Online is to trust the process and the people behind it. The level of support from enrollment through instruction is truly exceptional, and you are surrounded by professionals invested in your success every step of the way. If you are thinking about continuing your education or returning to school, know that the timing can be exactly right when you are ready. Twenty years later, I knew it was the right time for me.

Success Tip from the Office of Online Learning

Getting Started: Life as an online student can be extremely busy, especially if you’re juggling work, family, and personal hobbies. It can make getting started on a task feel overwhelming, even if you’ve already blocked off time for it. If you find yourself procrastinating that reading or struggling to commit an evening to writing a paper, don’t worry, you aren’t alone!

One trick that can help push past that initial barrier is to set a timer and commit to working on it for only 10 minutes. It’s a lot easier to stomach the idea of just reading those first few pages or starting that initial paragraph. With that hurdle crossed you’ll often find that, once your timer goes off, you’re already in a groove and are able to keep working on it without much issue! Even if you don’t keep going right away, 10 minutes is still 10 minutes more than you had before, and once that task has switched over to “in progress” in your head, you’ll feel more committed and ready to jump back in!

-Tip from Alex Hinton, online student success specialist.

🐾 If you plan on participating in the spring commencement ceremony, the deadline to RSVP to attend is April 27:RSVP, Guest Tickets and Attend Ceremony - NIU - Commencement

We look forward to seeing you at commencement 🎓🥳

For all students: 

That’s all for now! Keep an eye out for more updates, success stories, and helpful tools in future newsletters. And remember Huskies, you’ve got a whole team behind you cheering you on every step of the way.

With Huskie pride,

The Online Student Success Team

Contact Info: Office of Online Learning | online@niu.edu I 815-753-6660

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