Recruiting students from across the U.S., Campus is the new alternative to online community college. Our online associate degree in business program consists of 100% live, online classes taught by professors who also teach at top-ranked colleges and universities. Read on to learn more about our talented teaching team.
Dr. Miriam Wiglesworth is always on the go and loves a good challenge. She is an adjunct professor at Loyola University Maryland, an associate professor at Harford Community College, and also teaches in the Campus online associate degree in business program.
Under her belt, Dr. Wiglesworth has a BBA in Accounting and Management, an MBA in Marketing, and a DBA from Wilmington University. On top of her busy work life, she has shared with Campus that she’s always there at her kids' softball games and track meets, cheering them on. It's clear she cares deeply about both her family and her job as an educator.
Before Dr. Wiglesworth grew a deep love for teaching at the university level, she started her work life at Deloitte & Touche, LLP, and then moved to another company, MBNA America. There, she was able to try numerous jobs, including recruiting. Now, in the world of higher education, she's all about making a big impact in the classroom.
What Led Dr. Wiglesworth to Campus?
Dr. Miriam Wiglesworth is more than an educator; she embodies passion and dedication in every class. Having spent a significant portion of her career teaching in a community college environment, Dr. Wiglesworth brings a wealth of hands-on experience and unique insights to her students at Campus.
“I have been at a community college for about 13 years and enjoy working with that population of students,” Dr. Wiglesworth told Campus.
“You get the non-traditional age, working full-time with families, trying to get their degree. And then you have those that are right out of high school and still trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. It's a nice mix. You get a variety and a group who's willing to work hard towards obtaining that degree.”
As Dr. Wiglesworth navigated the evolving landscape of academics, she has gained knowledge in not only teaching a range of students but also boasts a wealth of experience teaching students online. Navigating the online educational space has given Dr. Wiglesworth a strong perspective on both its intricacies and benefits.
She recalled, "As long as I've been at the community college, I've always taught classes online. I didn't teach as many synchronous classes. I've taught a lot of asynchronous. It’s interesting, trying to get students engaged and learning using the chat feature, using polling software, and raising their hands."
Dr. Wiglesworth mentioned that she's accustomed to teaching asynchronous courses, where students can listen to their lectures on their own time. However, she's eager to provide her students at Campus with a top-notch synchronous learning experience, allowing them to interact with her and their classmates live in real time.
She also went on to mention how she believes that exposure to online learning can open the doors for students while giving them the flexibility they need outside of the classroom.
“I think that online learning is a great tool,” Dr. Wiglesworth said. “Some students thrive off online courses, and some students need that. It offers flexibility and you can't do that with on-campus classes.”
With her experience as a community college professor and her passion for online learning, Dr. Wiglesworth is an invaluable addition to the Campus faculty, but why did she choose to support our mission for increasing accessibility to college education?
“I like interacting with the students,” Dr. Wiglesworth answered. “I like feeling like I'm being a part of something bigger. And for me, if my way of giving back is sharing what I learned, what I've learned over the course of my academic and non-academic career, then I'm happy to do so.”
Professor Fun Fact: Dr. Wiglesworth’s all-time favorite food is peanut butter! When we asked her why it would be her sole food of choice if she were stranded on an island, she joked with us and said, “I don't know. I guess because it would give me energy. It's a little bit of sweetness, a little bit of protein. And I could put it on leaves outside and the leaves would still taste good.”
From Accounting to Education
Everyone's journey to finding their passion is different. For Dr. Wiglesworth, taking a particular class with a friend sparked her enthusiasm. What began as just another class soon became a deep-rooted interest, guiding her toward a dedicated career in accounting.
“When I was in my undergraduate program, ironically at Loyola where I'm currently teaching, one of my dear friends and I had to take accounting together,” Dr. Wiglesworth reflected. “She loved it and she kept talking about all the benefits of majoring in accounting. I thought, ‘Oh, that sounds like a good idea,’ and eventually the light bulb went off and I was like, 'I'll do that.’”
After finding her passion, Dr. Wiglesworth embarked on a dynamic career path, working at prestigious firms including Deloitte & Touche, LLP, among others.
Most recently, she held a position at MBNA America.“I was in banking,” Dr. Wiglesworth explained to us. “My last role was as a personnel generalist and I liked that. I liked working in HR. I was still working with people, but from a different perspective because I was doing training for the company.”
Training employees gave Dr. Wiglesworth a taste of the joy of imparting knowledge, igniting her interest in education.
She went on to explain, “After working in accounting, I realized I enjoyed teaching. I was asked to be an adjunct and teach accounting classes. It was one of those things that over time where [accounting and education] both sort of blended together.”
Dr. Wiglesworth on How Dual Enrollment Courses Can Break Down Barriers to College
Before stepping into the realm of higher education as a professor, Dr. Wiglesworth spent time as a high school teacher. It was here that she developed a deep appreciation for dual enrollment, recognizing its potential in bridging the gap between high school and college education.
This passion for dual enrollment became the central theme of her research during her doctoral program, shaping her dissertation and academic focus.
“I just finished my doctorate last year and my entire dissertation was on dual enrollment,” Dr. Wiglesworth told Campus.
“All my research was with the state of Maryland looking at dual enrollment, how we can get high school students who are first-generation college students, how they can try it out and see that they can do it, and get them to enroll in a community college and start the process.”
Dr. Wiglesworth also emphasized the importance of ensuring that dual enrollment doesn't feel intimidating to high school students.
"We need to not make it so scary for them because they're taking it in high school and just getting a couple of credits," she shared.
Dual enrollment gives students a head start by letting them earn college credits early, all while boosting their confidence about diving into college later on. Dr. Wiglesworth is a big fan of this approach and warmly reminded us that you don't have to be "perfect" to shine in these programs. Looking back, she even shared she wishes she could've jumped into dual enrollment during her own high school days.
“I tell all my students, I was not an honor student,” Dr. Wiglesworth noted. “I was not an AP student. I graduated with like a 3.3 from high school, so I did OK. My focus was on my social life. But if I had had the opportunity to take a dual enrollment class, I would have done it, but I never had that opportunity.”
Dr. Wiglesworth is excited to give more students a chance to dive into dual enrollment, whether it's in business or any other subject.
She warmly shared, "Why not give it a shot? Just because you aren't in an English AP doesn't mean you can't rock something you're passionate about.”
Beyond being a vocal advocate, she's actively involved in the cause, spearheading presentations for her college and collaborating with Maryland organizations focused on research for both secondary and post-secondary education. Her commitment is clear: she's deeply invested in making dual enrollment opportunities accessible and beneficial for all.
The Smart Way to Launch Your College Career
The Campus online associate degree in business program helps students knock out the first two years of college and supports them as they prepare for life after graduation.
Want to attend classes led by mission-driven educators like Dr. Miriam Wiglesworth? Apply now to be part of the next trailblazing cohort of the Campus program today.
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