Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education
Back to School Edition 2010
A Quarterly Newsletter
Welcome Back to Campus! From the President’s Desk Welcome back to campus to all our student members! To our academic professionals who never left campus – it was a short summer wasn’t it?! A lot of us are anxious to get the fall semester underway and have it start off on the right foot! I thought I would share some great things going on at ANTSHE and let you know about some exciting changes to get our semester off on the right foot! One of the most exciting changes is the launch of http://www.myantshe.org Thanks to direct financial sponsorship from Pinnacle Honor Society we launched this exclusive member only site. This new ANTSHE membership site provides great opportunities for all our members. This online membership platform not only allows new people to join ANTSHE, it provides for several exclusive „member only „ areas for premium content. Using MYANTSHE.ORG you can customize your personal profile to include pictures and hyperlinks to your nontrad clubs and organizations. There is also a collaborative blog and journal options for active members to share with others from around the country. We are excited about MYANTSHE.ORG and would like to thank Pinnacle Honor Society for making it a reality! ANTSHE will be represented again this year at NACADA and we look forward to continuing our close ties with their Adult Learners Commission. This group of academic professionals deal with nontraditional students as part of their profession and can be a great resource for our membership. We are hosting an informational table at their conference and it will give us the opportunity to bring even more resources and representation to our membership. You can see we have a lot of opportunities to represent you in the larger academic community via various methods. This important and deliberate effort also allows us to bring forward issues that are important to all nontrads. Many nontrad programs are on the „chopping block‟ as a cost saving measure on many state campuses across the country. We continue to fight for the recognition nontrads deserve considering we can make up to 54% of campus student populations. If you know of a program that is in jeopardy please let us know so we may lobby on your behalf. I look forward to serving you in my final year as President. It has been my privilege to serve in various capacities for almost 7 years now! I hope to continue to provide leadership to your excellent volunteers of the ANTSHE Board of Directors. We are always looking for those who have the capacity to serve, the passion to provide support to nontrads, and the willingness to sacrifice and volunteer. It is my privilege to work with a great group of volunteers as we move forward towards next year‟s annual conference! Stay in touch - stay connected;
Jeffrey Bunnell ANTSHE President
www.facebook.com/antshe
http://nontrads.blogspot.com/
Membership Information You Can Use Sandy McLelland
Are you a non- traditional student? Were you once a non-traditional student? Are you an advocate for Non-traditional students?
We want you. Join Today! Non- traditional students are a growing population at college campuses. The Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) is an international partnership of students, academic professionals, institutions, and organizations whose mission is to encourage and coordinate support, education, and advocacy for the adult learner. As students and professionals, ANTSHE membership provides you with: Quarterly newsletter Ability to network with other non-traditional students and advocates Annual National Conference (participation available for students and professionals) Opportunity to support or apply for scholarships
Visit the ANTSHE website www.antshe.org for more information. Getting involved is easy! ANTSHE has several membership options and benefits from which to choose. Student - $20.00 - Any student currently enrolled at a higher education institution Alumnus - $50.00 - Anyone who has been a member of ANTSHE while either being enrolled, or working at a higher education institution that has left that institution. Academic Professional - $50.00 - Staff or faculty members at a higher education institution Friend - $50.00 - People outside of higher education who would like to be involved with improving educational opportunities for non-traditional students Organizational - $200.00 - Business, community, or student organizations with full member benefits and website acknowledgement Institutional - $250.00 - This includes three professional memberships, unlimited student memberships (students must be members of a recognized non-traditional student organization), full member benefits, and website acknowledgement.
Pick the option that is best for you and complete an application online at http://www.myantshe.org/ join or e-mail our Membership Officer at membershipofficer@antshe.org today!
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Membership Corner ANTSHE is proud to announce the launch of MYANTHE.ORG. This membership management platform offers a great bundle of options for all our members and can provide for exclusive content to active members. Thanks to the support of Pinnacle Honor Society we have moved our membership efforts to myantshe.org. This new online platform has some great features for all active members to include:
Member Only Content
Archive Nontrad Journals
Collaborative Blogs and Online Journals
Scholarship Information (pending)
Member Profile pages
Member Search to find ANTSHE Friends
We are excited about the possibilities that these pages offer our membership and will work hard over the coming months to fill the pages with information, resources, and fun stuff, for all of us to share! When logging in for the first time click on the link “forgot password” in the upper right hand corner- use the email address you have registered with us- and the system will send you a „reset password‟ email. Please be aware, some email systems will treat the email as junk mail, so be sure to check your junk mail folder . If you are an active member of ANTSHE and cannot log in to myantshe.org please contact webmaster@antshe.org for help navigating the new site.
Surviving Back to School Kay Mitchell
Back to school…… it‟s a familiar book in the American life titled the August/September chapter. Perhaps instead of January 1 being the beginning of a new year, this should be the real beginning of the new year as everything here is measures in semesters and quarters. In between shopping for clothes, getting new shoes, backpacks and school supplies your time can get a little more than hectic. Not to mention school schedules and starting back with a bedtime routine. And we are just talking about your children. If you are also an adult learner going to college then your free time during the summer has essentially come to a screeching halt. If you are juggling family and school then have no fear, you are not alone. More than 10 million non traditional students are also experiencing the same amount of apprehension and stress as you. The end of summer is what you could call your first subject. It is a study in trade offs. Book time trades with vacation time. Loungewear trades with school wear, and school schedules trades with free time. So in order for you to make the A grade in this category you will need to start off the school year with a chapter in organizing, communicating and planning for, not only your child return to the classroom, but for yours as well. Good Nutrition A balanced diet requires work but will benefit you and your child(ren) in the short and long run. One of the best things you can do to help yourself and your children to become successful at learning and to have a strong immune system is to plan out and prepare healthy meals.
Does your institution have an adult mentoring program you can participate in? Adult Mentoring Program for Students (AMPS) The Adult Mentoring Program for Students (AMPS), sponsored by the Office of Adult Students and Evening Services at UNC Charlotte, teams experienced adult student volunteers with new adult students to make the transition to college as seamless as possible. The purpose of AMPS is to:
make available a support system for new and returning nontraditional students.
network with other nontraditional students.
share and learn about social and educational opportunities on campus and in the community.
Find out how your college can start an Adult Mentoring Program in the next edition of the Non-trad Journal!
See a wide range of ANTSHE logo products on our new online store! Buy logo shirts for your Nontrad club, coffee mugs, and other ANTSHE material shipped directly to you. A portion of each sale goes to support the ANTSHE Scholarship Fund! SHOP TODAY! Page 5
College Tips for Nontraditional Students Balancing school and family as an adult student can be tough. You‟ve decided to continue your formal education. But how can you make college a success while still meeting work and family obligations? Check out these expert tips to help you during that all-important first term: Begin with classes that you feel confident about. Sure, it‟s good to get requirements out of the way. But don‟t feel you must tackle the most challenging subjects first. “Students should begin by taking something they enjoy,” says Hilary Ward Schnadt, associate dean for curricular affairs at Mundelein College. “That way they can acclimate themselves to the college environment before they undertake more challenging areas of study.” Get wired. Make sure you have access to e-mail and the Internet when you begin taking classes. This will give you easy access to many library databases and allow you to do online research. You‟ll also be able to communicate quickly with professors and other students. Some professors may allow you to submit assignments via e-mail if you can‟t attend class. Try online courses. Taking all or a part of your coursework online will give you a more flexible schedule and save you a commute. Online courses allow you to study around your work and family obligations. Everything from GEDs to doctoral degrees is offered online. This option is becoming increasingly popular. Online enrollment increased by 18.2 percent from 2003 to 2004 with an estimated 2.35 million students taking courses online, according to a 2005 study by the Sloane Consortium. Resources like MonsterLearning help students search for online programs. Schedule a campus resources tour. These tours help orient new students to facilities and services available both on and off campus. What you learn can save you time later, when you have class projects to complete. Take time to prepare for unfamiliar fields. Need to take differential calculus but haven‟t had math in years? “If students want to refresh their knowledge of certain subject areas, they should consider taking appropriate introductory courses at a local community college,” Schnadt says. “That keeps costs down and helps them become more fluent in the basic knowledge they‟ll need when they tackle more advanced courses.” Know your time frame. Map out your schedule for completing the degree to help yourself set realistic goals and budget your time efficiently. A typical bachelor‟s program may require that you complete 120 semester hours, between 30 and 40 courses. For a full-time student, that works out to about four years. Part-time students face a different schedule – if you take an average of five classes per year it‟ll take about eight years to finish the degree. Make sure your work schedule can accommodate your class schedule. This is especially important if you receive tuition assistance from your workplace. Since the assistance is usually tied to your grades, a single “minus” can cost you thousands of dollars in tuition. If you miss class because you have to work late, discuss your situation with your professor and employer. Chances are, you can negotiate a compromise that won‟t affect your grades. Know your drop deadlines and book return policies. It pays – literally – to be aware of your school‟s drop deadlines. Many schools will not refund your tuition, or will refund only a percentage, if you drop a course more than one or two weeks into the term. And many bookstores will not accept returns after a certain date. Consider taking summer classes – but schedule carefully. Most summer terms are compressed, so it‟s wise to take fewer classes than you would in a standard term. And don‟t forget to save some time for vacation. Check out alumni networking services. Don‟t wait until you graduate! These degreed professionals can give you the advice you need to smooth your path to graduation. The key to college success is to give yourself time to get comfortable in the new environment. Schnadt says, “Our office has a motto: „Festina lente,‟ „Make haste slowly.‟ Don‟t overburden yourself by trying to do too much too quickly. The most satisfied students are those who take time to enjoy their work in college.” By Kathleen Carmichael, Ph.D. (reprinted with permission- 8/10/2010)
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Am I too Old to Go Back to College?
Tina Hancock
I am 38 years old! How can I possibly be thinking of going back to school this late in life? Will I be able to keep up with the younger generations? Will I stick out like a sore thumb? I have asked myself these same questions over and over again. I keep coming up with the same answers; I love school! I will be able to keep up with my fellow students because I am smart, and I know what I want to be when I grow up. I will go to college online where it is not an issue how old I am, or how I may look sitting in a classroom filled with recent high school graduates. I deserve this chance to improve my earning potential, and provide myself with financial stability. I am ready to conquer this dream! I made the decision to return to school just over a year ago. The first school I attended was filled with disappointments. The professors were not active in the classrooms, and the students were not serious about their educations. I knew it was time to move on when my writing professor quit two weeks into the semester without telling anyone. All of the students were in need of help and guidance, but no one was there to answer our emails. I decided then that this was not the school where I would be able to capture my dreams. I was feeling as if I had made the wrong decision to return to school. After all, maybe this was a sign that I was wrong. I was feeling disappointed and discouraged for about three or four days when I received an email from an enrollment advisor at Kaplan University. His name was Johnny, and he was sent to help me I felt. He was warm and caring and actually seemed madder than I was over the experience with the other school. That showed me that he was passionate about helping students. I started the enrollment process that day and started Kaplan a few weeks later. This has been one of the best decisions that I have made in my adult life. I feel empowered to change my destiny. My original plan was to achieve a certificate in Medical Billing and Coding, but Johnny wasnâ€&#x;t having that. He called me one day and asked how I felt about earning a degree. I was taken by surprise with his suggestion, because I had not given any thought to earning a degree. He explained to me that with a degree in Medical Office Management, I would still be able to work as a biller & coder, but I could move up to a higher position if I wanted to. If I wanted to; what kind of a question was that? Of course I jumped right on this train and it has been a wonderful journey so far! I will be graduating in June of 2011, but will continue on in my educational journey until I receive my masters in Human Services. It is my ultimate goal to work with at risk kids who are displaced from their family due to abuse or neglect. I have always had a strong passion to help children. So, if you think you cannot or should not return to school, think again! It could be the best decision of your life. I know it has been for me. Tina Hancock Kaplan University
Non-Traditional Honor Societies Pinnacle issues charters to accredited colleges and universities which, in turn, select outstanding adult and other non-traditional seniors and "rising seniors" for recognition at the local and national level. Pinnacle is proud of its large and diverse institutional membership list. Over 140 chartered institutions, teaching classes at over 175 sites from coast to coast, represent the full spectrum of American higher education. Some chartered institutions have recognized over 500 deserving students
JOIN TODAY @ www.pinnaclespire.org/pinnacle Page 7
The WHAT and WHY of Academic Advising! As an Academic Advisor at The University of Utah for nearly 20 years I can tell you that advising can make a difference in a student‟s life. When I returned to school as a non-traditional student I remember taking a math class that I later realized I did not need for my curriculum. I did not do well in that class either! Did I visit with an academic advisor...NO. I don‟t even remember if I knew what an academic advisor was. I have always been amazed that I made that my profession. The University of Utah has now implemented mandatory advising so our students will receive the advising they need. It has been shown that retention rates improve when students see their academic advisor at certain times through their academic career. The concept of academic advising as defined by The National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) www.nacada.ksu.edu is as follows. Academic advising is integral to fulfilling the teaching and learning mission of higher education. Through academic advising, students learn to become members of their higher education community, to think critically about their roles and responsibilities as students, and to prepare to be educated citizens of a democratic society and a global community. Academic advising engages students beyond their own world views, while acknowledging their individual characteristics, values, and motivations as they enter, move through, and exit the institution. Regardless of the diversity of our institutions, our students, our advisors, and our organizational structures, academic advising has three components: curriculum (what advising deals with), pedagogy (how advising does what it does), and student learn ing outcomes (the result of academic advising). Academic advising is defined at The University of Utah as: Undergraduate academic advising at the University of Utah is a cross-campus, educational process that empowers students to define and attain their academic goals. Advising professionals utilize various forms of communication in safe environments culminating in students understanding the value of higher education and their roles as citizens within local and global communities. A few years ago I was encouraged to develop my academic advising syllabus. It was not the easiest task that I have undertaken. I am glad though that I did develop this tool. Let me share a portion of my syllabus. My Advising Philosophy: Academic advising is an essential part of the college experience. Advising is a shared responsibility between advisor and student. I take my role as an academic advisor very serious. I am here to assist students as they maneuver their academic path toward graduation. I embrace the concept of comprehensive advising. I work to provide the latest and most accurate information. I am a great listener. I strive to teach students how to use the information available to them and make appropriate choices. I desire students will feel comfortable to come back with comments, questions and experiences to share. My Responsibilities as an academic advisor: Listen attentively to your questions and concerns. Respect your unique interests, abilities and circumstances. Help you to explore academic and extra-curricular options that support your personal and career interests. Explain degree requirements if you have questions about them. Clarify information about university regulations, policies and procedures as appropriate. Assist you in developing an appropriate class schedule. T H E N O N - TR AD J O U RN AL — BA C K T O S C H O O L
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Refer you to appropriate campus resources. Help you learn how to search out answers for yourself. Assist you in gaining decision making skills and in assuming responsibility for your education. As a student your responsibilities are: Be prepared for advising sessions by bringing appropriate documents (DARS, test scores, transcripts, etc.), making a list of questions and concerns, and planning a tentative class schedule. Take responsibility for learning and complying with university requirements, policies and procedures. Honestly communicate your unique interests, values, abilities and circumstances with me. Take responsibility for achieving your success and accept the consequences of your academic and personal choices. Keep up with your academic progress and maintain your own advising file. Bring your file to each advising session, and keep all documents until you graduate. Meet with me regularly, and whenever you have a question or concern. With a new academic year beginning soon at our colleges and universities I encourage students to visit with their academic advisor. As an advisor if you do not use an advising syllabus I encourage you to develop one. If you need further information please feel free to contact me at smclelland@uc.utah.edu. Sandy McLelland Academic Coordinator The University of Utah ANTSHE Conference Officer
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ANTSHE MEMBERSHIP MANAGEMENT PROGRAM We invite you to participate in our new Membership Management Website. Please login to http://www.myantshe.org to manage your ANTSHE membership. You can update your profile page, upload pictures of yourself or your organization, and update your contact information. If you hold an institutional membership you can easily mange your active members list and update records. In the coming months we will be developing more exclusive member only content. Please check back often and become a regular visitor to your ANTSHE site! If you have any problems or question please contact webmaster@antshe.org or call 360.545.3593
Do you know a nontrad who just „gets it done?” Is there one person in your club or organization that always seems to have great ideas? We are seeking those kinds of people to join us in our work in support of ANTSHE. The ANTSHE 2011 election process will begin in September, with elections in Feb. 2011. Nominate that special person today at www.antshe.org/elections! 2010-2011 Board of Directors Contact List: President Jeffrey Bunnell…………………………………....president@antshe.org Vice President Donna Minkley ………………………....vicepresident@antshe.org Communications Officer Cricket Bonnetaud………...communications@antshe.org Secretary Kay Mitchell………………………………………secretary@antshe.org Membership Officer……………………………………. membership@antshe.org Conference Officer Sandy McLelland……………...conferenceofficer@antshe.org Scholarship Officer Stephanie Sirovatka-Marshall...scholarshipofficer@anthse.org Student Coordintor….…………………………………....studentcoord@antshe.org Student Member Kristian Alton………………………...…studentrep2@antshe.org Student Member Sherry Rochester-Murray…………….... studentrep3@antshe.org Student Member Jessica Vickson…………………... studentrep4@antshe.org