USU creates drop-in program for nontraditional students
April 17, 2012
While the number of scholarships for mothers and grants for parents continue to increase, it's still difficult for moms to find the time to seek a postsecondary education. In between maintaining their households and taking care of their children, these busy women can hardly find time for themselves.
However, more adults are seeking a postsecondary education in order to support their families. By earning a degree, individuals can improve their chances of finding a high-salary job.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2011, people who held a bachelor's degree took home an average of $1,053 weekly. This is a notable increase when compared to the $638 that individuals made on average every week while working with only a high school diploma.
As more moms strive to achieve their goal of obtaining a degree while fulfilling their obligations to their children, colleges are taking notice and doing their part to help.
Recently, Utah State University (USU) announced that it is now holding drop-in sessions for nontraditional students who are passing through, but want to take advantage of their brief spare time to get a higher education, according to The Statesman.
The USU Access and Diversity Center's new Rapid Learning Drop-In program was created to help busy parents find the time to pursue a college education in between taking care of their familial obligations.
"These students just don't have a lot of time," Rachel Brighton, nontraditional student coordinator, told the news source. "They need something where they can just come and drop in, so the idea of this was, 'Well, what if we had a section of time where they could just drop in, have something to eat, get something real quick in 15 minutes and then go out?'"
Perhaps the biggest benefit of the drop-in program is that nontraditional students can bring their kids. There is a portion of the room that is dedicated to giving children their own space to play with provided toys while their parents brush up on their college education.
Mentors and local teachers help fuel the program, which has seen success since opening its doors. Although USU is unique in its efforts to provide a learn-and-go program to individuals, this program offers hope to nontraditional students who one day intend to earn a college degree.
