When Laverne Wells decided to get her degree later in life, something completely unprecedented was waiting. She was among the first batch of students to take a virtual reality business co-op, dealing with bosses, co-workers and clients, all powered through artificial intelligence.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Featuring: Laverne Wells and Dr. Richard Dixon, academic coordinator at Athabasca University’s faculty of business

Dr. Stefanie Ruel was a mission manager for the Canadian Space Agency. She wanted to get her master's degree to further her career. But when she started to see some of the barriers women face in her industry, she turned down a new path, researching the experiences of women in STEM.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Featuring: Dr. Stefanie Ruel, Assistant Professor of Management at Concordia University

Rakesh David wants to make a change in Canadian politics. But medical conditions have made it difficult for him to attend a physical University. So he turned to online education, determined to get a seat at the table.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Featuring: Rakesh David, and Carrie Anton, coordinator of Accessibility Services at Athabasca University.

Two-time Olympic skier Emily Nishikawa talks about how she balanced a grueling training schedule with an education, and how the conversation around life after athletic careers is shifting.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Featuring: Emily Nishikawa, two-time Olympic cross country skier.

Dr. Djenana Jalovcic came to Canada as a refugee. She spent years working in international development, before she turned to distance education to improve the lives of people with disabilities.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Also featuring: Dr. Mohamed Ally, professor and program Director for Athabasca University's doctoral program in Distance Education

After embracing her Métis identity late in life, Shelley Wiart started to learn about some of the health problems Indigenous women deal with. She realized the usual way doctors talk about health was missing a big part of the picture, and set out to find a better way.

A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.

Also featuring: Dr Janelle Baker, assistant professor of anthropology at Athabasca University

Learn more about Shelley's Women Warriors project here (hyperlink: https://www.womenwarriors.club)

When education is accessible, our world changes for the better. Go The Distance shares stories of students whose lives have been transformed by online education, from Olympic athletes to working parents. A podcast from Athabasca University and CBC Tandem.