Royal Purple

Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Lifestyle

Louden

Kelly

Among the fresh out-of high school 20-something-year-old students who swarm the campus are parents, full-time employees and students with other obligations outside of college.

According to ERIC Digest, a nontraditional student is someone who is older than 25 and maintains responsibilities other than school such as employment, family.

The National Center of Education Statistics states that 39 percent of all college students were 25 years or older. It also states that 73 percent of all undergraduates were in some way nontraditional.

Before she came to UW-Whitewater, Effenheim attended UW-River Falls for three years, majoring in Business. Ultimately, she didn't finish because she didn't like what she was doing.

For Jonathon Kelley, a biology major and realtor from Lodi, online and night classes really help him to work around his work schedule. Like most other students, Kelley is no stranger to school and other commitments.

"Paying bills and balancing a work schedule is quite difficult," Kelley said. "And adding a full-time school schedule really doesn't leave me any free time."

Kelley went straight on to working after graduating high school without even thinking he could go to college. He was able to save up enough money to attend UW-Oshkosh in 2005, and he transferred to UW-Whitewater in 2007. Because of that experience and others, Kelley knows he is a better person and student.

"You find out quickly that it is almost impossible to live comfortable without some sort of degree," Kelley said. "I want to broaden my horizons and leave as many options open to me while not living paycheck to paycheck for the rest of my life."

Kelley's plans after his December graduation include going to graduate school so he can become a professor someday.

Much like Effenheim and Kelley, Kris Louden, a 38-year-old women studies major, struggles with her family and attending college.

"I have two sons, a 15- and a 13-year-old," Louden said. "I can't do my homework at home very easily because my son tries to help me. Finding time to spend with them is difficult; we are really close."

Louden attended UW-Waukesha for two years right after graduating high school but didn't finish because she didn't know what she wanted to do. Her mom, among other people, influenced her to go back to school.

"I wanted something better," Louden said. "I was tired of dead-end retail jobs. I love learning; it's really invigorating. My mom and roommate are really supportive. I have also made some really great friends."

Louden plans to graduate next December but is not sure exactly what she wants to do with her degree in women studies and minor in multimedia.

"I would like to find something along the lines of a women's center where I design the Web page," Louden said. "A way that I can combine my two areas."

One thing that Louden wishes UW-Whitewater had to help out nontraditional students like herself is a program like TRIO, an academic support program for students.

According to Tisa Mason, dean of student life, UW-Whitewater has an Involvement Center in the University Center. The Involvement Center has four centers within it to help connect students; two of those centers are the Adult Resource Center and the Women's Center.

"With the UC returning, we have the Adult Resource Center and Women's Center that have all kinds of programs to help students," Mason said. "We are excited to re-engage the student population again with the re-opening of the UC and the re-creating of the centers."

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