The Utah Statesman

By Marie Christensen
Assitant News Editor
 

Kiersten Hewitt is a full-time student at Utah State University's Brigham City campus.
If that doesn't keep her busy enough, she is also ASUSU's continuing education appointed chair, a single mother of four children, employed full-time and the coordinator of a "students with children" program.
 

"I just have to learn to prioritize and balance my time," she said.
As a 33-year-old student, she has a lot more to worry about than just homework.
"I have to be careful so that one area of my life doesn't fall completely apart because of another area," Hewitt said. "Now that I'm a single mother, that's even more important."
But Hewitt is not the only one. Each year, there are many people like her who decide to come back to school. They're called non-traditional students. Depending on the institution, non-traditional students are defined in different ways. At USU, a non-traditional student is anyone who is 25 years old or older, has a three-year gap in their education and is independent of parental support, Hewitt said.
 

Although their numbers may seem small, they make up a significant minority of students throughout the nation, said Frank Julian, executive director of Pinnacle, a national honor society that recognizes non-traditional students.
 

Taking that first step to come back to school can be a giant leap for some and many of these students face a number of challenges that may go unnoticed among students and administration at USU and other universities and colleges, Julian said.
"These students ... feel like round pegs trying to fit in square holes," he said. "The problem ... still exists on the majority of campuses."

Intimidation factor Janet Osborne, director of the Reentry Student Center, said the biggest challenge for many students is taking the first step and enrolling as a student. Many are unsure of the steps they need to take to register.
 

"The decision is probably the most difficult hurdle," she said. "That's the most scary part."
Gabe De Gabriele, a consultant for the Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) said many people have difficulties finding the right program.
"The challenge of going back to school is daunting," he said. "One of the challenges is finding an institution that meets the individual's needs."
 

In addition, many non-traditional students are intimidated by working with other students sometimes half their age. "It's sometimes uncomfortable and intimidating to come back to school with students who just got out of high school," Hewitt said. "But once they get going, they realize they have a lot to give one another."
Sandi Burger, a student at the Brigham City campus, decided to come back to school after her husband died of cancer in 2004.

"The hardest part was trying to be a student when most people close to my age are looking towards retirement," she said. "It is intimidating enough to return to college when you are 45, let alone with a bunch of 20-year-olds."
On campus, the Reentry Student Center is a place where non-traditional students can go to talk to other non-traditional student facilitators to help them feel more comfortable with the decision they made to go back to school. Currently there are between 25 and 30 facilitators at the center, Osborne said.

Balancing act

More than half of non-traditional students in the U.S. are divorced and/or have families, Julian said. Because of this, the majority of them have to work and take care of their children while going to school.
"They have so many other responsibilities, it's just unbelievable that they somehow manage,"
Julian said.
Alex Jackson, a USU student at the Tooele Campus said this continuing education site has made it possible for his wife to stay at home with their two children while he goes to school.
"The flexibility of the classes and proximity to my home has allowed me to work full-time and attend school full-time in pursuit of an undergraduate degree," he said.
"Without the extension
campus, I would not have been able to effectively meet my personal and educational goals."
As for Shauna Leavitt, a non-traditional student graduating in May, although difficult at times, she learned to prioritize her time and not be a perfectionist.
"I thought I had to read every chapter and memorize every word the professor said," she said.
"Then I settled down and realized you need to learn what's most important and then do your best."

Behind the times
Another challenge for non-traditional students is becoming up-to-speed with today's technology of computers and the Internet. Many do not have access to an in-home computer.
Hewitt said she hopes USU will make more services such as a 24-hour help line if a computer crashes and access to library services for distance students available.
"From 9:30 p.m. until 3 a.m., that's my study time. If I have a computer problem, nobody is there to help me," Hewitt said. "I don't think [central administration] really recognizes what it takes for these students to come to school."

Financial burdens
Many non-traditional students are forced to return to school after a major life-changing event such as a divorce or loss of a job. This requires them to acquire additional skills to earn more money, Julian said.
"Most of them qualify for financial aid; it's not that they can't afford it, it's more often they have so many other responsibilities," he said.
On a local level, many of these students make large sacrifices financially to go back to school.
"Financial concerns are the biggest restrain," Osborne said. "It's a challenge as a single parent.
Some must continue to work and adjust their lifestyle."
Megan Funk, a student at the Price campus would not have been able to attend USU if it wasn't for continuing education sites.
"At that time, [my husband and I] could have relocated to Logan but the expense of doing so would have been too overwhelming," Funk said.
Overall, most non-traditional students are satisfied with their experience at USU. Julie Workman, a student at the Tooele campus said she would recommend anyone thinking about going back to school to do it.
"Since restarting college, almost a year ago, I have experience an increase in self esteem and a difference in how I view the world and how I function in it," she said.
De Gabriele said non-traditional students can bring a different dynamic to institutions of higher education. Once they are in their program, they become very low-maintenance.
"They bring a balance to the classroom that traditional students wouldn't normally see," he said.
For more information about the Reentry Student Center on campus contact Osborne at 797-1729.





----- End forwarded message -----