WVU Online helps telecommunications professional working in hurricane zone ‘finally’ earn his degree
Jason Cooley, a Mountain State native, Verizon executive and Florida resident, was able to work through WVU Online and earn his bachelor’s degree from the University, a goal he’s had since graduating from high school. (Submitted Photo)
Soon-to-be West Virginia University graduate Jason Cooley’s journey to a bachelor’s degree wasn’t a straight line and he credits a social media ad with helping set his course.
Growing up in southern West Virginia, Cooley said he wasn’t ready for college after high school.
“My parents and the guidance counselor laughed when I said I wanted to go to WVU,” Cooley said.
The U.S. Navy proved a better option for him at the time, and he spent four years working on electronics, radar and navigational systems for aircraft. Those four years and the experience he gained sparked an interest that would shape his career.
After the Navy, Cooley landed a job with Verizon and eventually moved to Florida for work. It was there that he started chipping away at college courses. But progress was slow, hampered by the demands of work and raising a young family.
Soon-to-be WVU graduate Jason Cooley joined the Navy after graduating from high school, but always had his sights set on earning a degree from WVU. (Submitted Photo)
He rose through the ranks at Verizon, managing a team responsible for fiber optics and even working on hurricane recovery efforts which, he said, continues to be one of the most demanding parts of the job.
Despite his success at work, Cooley still felt the pull of a degree. He eventually earned an associate’s degree from Seminole State College and took classes at the University of Central Florida, but life kept getting in the way.
Then, one day, a Facebook ad changed everything.
“Social media presented WVU Online to me. It slid right across my Facebook feed,” Cooley said. “I thought, ‘Huh, I should probably check into that.’”
Though he’d left West Virginia, he always held the Mountain State close to his heart.
“‘If I finish my degree at WVU,’ I thought, ‘I will be a Mountaineer forever, no matter where I am.’”
He contacted the WVU Office of the University Registrar and was impressed by its support, particularly for Veterans.
Jason Cooley, pictured here with his wife and three daughters, will cross the Commencement stage in May 2025 after years of working toward his degree. (Submitted Photo)
“They took excellent care of me,” Cooley said. He also found the University’s tuition rates surprisingly affordable, even compared to in-state tuition at Florida schools.
What truly sealed the deal was the flexibility of the WVU Online program that allowed him to keep working in Florida, and through a few challenging hurricane seasons, while always moving closer to his goal.
“This Regents Bachelor of Arts program really helped me pull everything I’ve already done together. It has built-in flexibility and allows you to kind of shape this to what your career field demands and to create a degree pathway tailored to your unique background,” Cooley said.
“And the people at WVU really care. I lived and worked through hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton in 2024. I was an active student working my way toward finishing my degree and I was so moved by the thoughtfulness of the WVU community at that time. A couple of deans even reached out to everyone impacted just to check in.”
Cooley said professors also worked with him on classes and assignments.
“These disasters are all-consuming — 16 to 18 hour days every day until we’re done. It’s the hardest of jobs. We’re involved in some real humanitarian crises which are also really emotionally difficult to process sometimes,” Cooley said. “On the flip side, it is also the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done and I’m grateful that WVU helped me find a way to keep doing it while working on my degree.”
With his degree, Cooley will continue leading emergency operations for Verizon in northern Florida.
“It’s actually a pretty amazing feeling to be here, preparing to walk across the Commencement stage,” Cooley said.
“I’m about to turn 50 and I have this whole feeling of finally being finished with a goal I’ve had for a very long time. My career and my life will take me all over the world. By finishing this degree at WVU, it means a little bit of my heart always stays in West Virginia.”
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