By Courtney Wicker
Elm Staff Writer
Entering college for the first time is a challenging adjustment, especially for someone starting a few years behind everyone his or her age, transferring from another school, or entering after military duty.
College students under such circumstances are known as non-traditional students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a non-traditional student is anyone who has delayed the start of college by a year or more, works full-time, or has dependents other than a spouse.
Maria Hynson of Washington College, who is both a student and Executive Secretary to the Provost and Dean, is working to establish a non-traditional student union on the campus.
“It’s been on my mind for awhile. I have been a student here since the spring of 2004, so I’ve been a student for a long time and very rarely do I run into some else like me,” Hynson said.
As of Sept. 15, WC’s Institutional Research and Assessment office reports having 42 part-time students out of 1,473 full-time. Out of those 42, seven are degree seeking.
The IRA also reports that there are 35 part-time and non-degree candidates ranging from 16 to 75 years of age, with an average age of 23.
Other schools have created unions dedicated to the needs of non-traditional students.
Hynson said it is hard to relate to peers when one has such a different approach to the experience than the majority, or it can feel that way without an outlet in which one can bond with others who share in those experiences.
“The union might be a good kick-start to a program in the beginning of a school year—something similar to Peer Mentors. I would have liked a to-go-to person for all of my questions and concerns regarding my non-traditional status,” said junior Ji Kim, who transferred to WC last year.
The union at WC will address the students who identify as non-traditional.
“Every school has a different definition. Some schools include veterans, some include married students, and some even do it by age,” Hynson said.
The union will hopefully increase awareness of non-traditional students on campus, help students in the group branch out and feel more connected with the campus, and increase the group’s size.
Hynson said that organizing the group has been a challenge.
“It’s really hard to get a good meeting time down, since several of the members have been busy with classes and getting home to their other obligations,” Hynson said.
Hynson has been trying to set up a starter meeting, but so far, student interest has not been great enough.
Non-traditional students are not as prevalent on WC’s small campus as they would be at a much larger school, so finding the numbers can be quite hard.
Hynson said she hopes to hear from more interested students soon.
“It can be so lonely when you get to school and feel as though you don’t belong. Talk about an unrepresented group on campus,” she said. “There’s so few of us, and we don’t have an organization.”