Nontrad groups and pages March 08

Here are some fun pages to explore from different colleges this week.

Nontraditional Student
Information Pages March 08

Georgia - Reinhardt College in Waleska, Georgia has a nice web page that welcomes nontraditional students. These kinds of pages are becoming the norm, even in schools that don't have a Nontraditional Student Group yet. Reinhardt's Resource Guide describes a Commuter Lounge and educational workshops, among other links.

Minnesota - Ridgewater College (2 campuses - in Willmar and Hutchinson) has a page that features a "connections" program. This program features networking, seminars, events, and activities for non-traditional students. There are two people listed that students can contact. You can also watch a movie called Nontraditional Careers for women on the page. Links here include Child Care, Housing, and more.

Non-Traditional Student
Groups for March 08

Texas - Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas has a Nontraditional Student Group called the NTSO. They have a great website featuring photos,
events, a Facebook Group, and links to local resources. They are an active group this yeaer.

Missouri - Missouri Western University in Sts. Joseph, Missouri has a Non-traditional student group that is active and meets monthly. It is called the NTSA Club. The web page features photos of members at the left side that moves around like a slide show.

The University has a lounge area for the group on campus complete with computers and printers, a refrigerator and microwave nearby, and a sofa and chairs. The students have five officers plus an advisor.
The Moon and the Willow Tree
The University also has a great information page for Nontraditional students on the site.

Wyoming - The University of Wyoming at Laramie has a page for its Non-Traditional Student Council. This description is from their website:

NTSC is a volunteer student organization that works to insure non-traditional students achieve success at the University of Wyoming.

The group meets weekly, and also helps each other during finals. They also have formed interest groups for veterans, a dinner group, people who like theater, and more. What a great idea!

Do you know of a great help page for nontraditional students?

Are you starting or in a nontraditional student group you'd like to get on this blog or on the Non-traditional Student web page? Just contact me. Thanks!

Michigan Non-trad help pages

Non-Traditional Student websites and Groups
February, 2008 – MICHIGAN

I am putting some student groups and help pages from colleges and universities on this blog in order to put more of them on the Nontraditional Student website. These will be listed on the Michigan Page on the Non-Traditional website.

You can also add your group or make changes to your listing on the Nontraditional Student website anytime, too. Just fill out a form that sends it to me, and I’ll make changes or additions for you.
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The Michigan Tech Nontraditional Student pages were made by an intern. They give the definition of a non-traditional student as:

"Nontraditional students meet one or more of the following criteria:

• 25 years old or older
• married and/or divorced
• has children
• a veteran
• returning back to school after a year or more"

Here is the welcome page, that links to others:
http://www.edopp.mtu.edu/nontraditional/index.htm

The welcome page features a message board that requires a password. It’s a great idea for people at the school. Another page shows non-traditional sites around the country, and they also have links to child care in the area. They post a survey on the site showing interesting facts about non-traditional students at Michigan State.

Michigan Technological University is located in Houghton, Michigan.
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Northern Michigan University has a web page for Non-traditional students and commuter students. They are working on updating all their pages, so they may have more information later this year. Here is their link:
http://dso.nmu.edu/students.html. This page also links to childcare links of interest.
They also have a pdf tips page here for download:
http://dso.nmu.edu/links_interest.html.
They are located in Marquette, Michigan.
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Michigan State University in Lansing, Michigan has a web page just for non-traditional students too. Tops at this University is a Child Care Center for young children, the Spartan Child Development Center at http://www.scdc.msu.edu/aboutlinks.html. Students may apply for a Child Care scholarship. The center is close to campus, but has a waiting list. I didn’t find a non-traditional student group here, but there may be – because there are over 500 different student groups here. I was impressed with that!
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Please send me your Michigan non-traditional student news, groups, and websites - so I can put groups and more Non-traditional student pages here. Thanks!

10 New Year's Questions Just for Non-Traditional Students

Photo by siilur@morguefile.com

If you are like me, you will make a list of things you want to accomplish in 2008. In order to make that list, you have to ask yourself some important questions.

TEN (10) IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS FOR THE NEW YEAR

Here are 10 questions you can ask yourself in order to find out if you have your priorities in order for the new year - - 2008.

1. Are you taking courses that will point you towards a job or career that you will like, or even love? If you are not sure about what you want to do, you can take a Tickle test online.

2. Are you taking time out once in awhile for your family and for yourself while you are in school?
3. Have you pre-registered for classes? This can often be done online now. Make sure to pre-register at the earliest date possible, so you can get your required classes.

4. Have you contacted the loan department at your school? Sometimes they must get your OK'd student loan notice via email before you can register online.

5. Are you organized? Have you bought all the books, notebooks, and supplies you will need for next semester? It's always better to buy these early. You will also want to print out all the syllabi for each class.

6. Have you taken a Learning Styles test? If not, you can take one here.

7. Did you arrange to pay for school next semester? You can check out your options at the official FAFSA site, and you can also check out the Scholarship Page at the Non-Traditional Students site.

8. Have you joined a local Non-traditional students group? You can search for groups on the Non-Trads site, or you can start a group yourself, and list it when you are done.

9. Is all your paperwork in order at your school? If you are not sure, you need to contact your school advisor to check this out. That way, you don't miss a class or prerequisite you might need.

10. Does your alarm clock have new batteries? Also, do you own a backup alarm? This may help you if you have face-to-face classes next semester.

11. You can add your own questions and hints for non-traditional students by adding comments below this post. Thanks - and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ANTSHE and Non-Trad news

Greetings again, all non-traditional students.

Today I want to remind people about ANTSHE, the best Non-traditional Student group out there. Some of you already are members of this group.

ANTSHE has a new look and a newsletter you can download from their site at http://www.antshe.com. ANTSHE is a Non-Traditional student organization that has conferences, a store, and their own scholarship.

I like their website because it is continually updated and current, plus the articles and information there show that they really care about non-traditional students.

ANTSHE is getting ready for their 11th Annual Conference, which is to be held Feb. 29 - March 2 at Middle TN State University, and has a page about Non-Traditional Student Recognition Week, which is coming up soon (November 4-10).

You can join ANTSHE as part of a campus group, or you can join as an individual - - it's all up to you.

The photo above is from the morguefile site. You can find many photos there to use in reports, teaching, or school projects.

Here are some more Non-trad groups

Here are some more non-traditional student groups.

I like looking at them because they pages show me, in their pictures and postings, just how great a non-trad group can be.

Plus, looking at these groups and putting them in a file on my desktop is one step closer to putting them on the Non-traditional student site, which I hope to do this Fall.

This group at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas might have the type going into itself on its site page, but what’s more important is how active this group is. They have lots of interesting activities listed - - including financial aid seminars - - and even a scholarship for their group.

See this page at:
http://www.mclennan.edu/students/stuact/page9.htm

The University of Wisconsin – Sheboygan has a Non-Traditional Student group page here:
http://www.sheboygan.uwc.edu/studentlife/studentlifeNontraditionalStudents.htm
I especially like the fact that the University offers “monetary help for child care” and has a group called “Zoomers” for their adult students. They answer many questions on their friendly web pages.

I also like this site at CWU (Central Washington University)
http://www.cwu.edu/~nontrads/index.html

Their non-traditional student organization is called “PROWL.” The page features a photo gallery, community information, an events calendar, links, and more. The website feels very friendly, warm, and welcoming. I really like the photos, too.

The only problem is, I wonder if this group is still active. The date on the page for the “next meeting” is from 2005. Maybe they just haven’t updated the page for awhile.

Michigan State University has a group called O.W.L.S.
http://www.law.msu.edu/students/student_orgs.php

“# O.W.L.S. (Older and/or Wiser Law Students)
We are here to support and serve students who consider themselves “non-traditional”-students older than 24, married students, part-time students, etc.”

Missouri Western has a Non-Traditional Student Association page here:
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/Orgs/NonTrad/

Augh! I couldn't find it! Then - Augh! I couldn't post it!

Augh! I had this whole blog done and the site said it could not have so many characters on the blog, so I had to start all over.

What I had said (to make it VERY short this time...) was that I tried to find a file about non-traditional student groups across the country today but couldn't find it.

So... I looked on the internet and made a new list. I planned to share the entire list tonight, but no luck. Hopefully soon on here or on another site that allows more writing at one time I can put the whole list on.

I will put the first one on here today:

Penn State – Fayette – The Eberly Campus
has a non-traditional student club.

(to be continued...)

Finding non-traditional websites today

Augh!!!!!!

Today I tried to do the impossible. I tried to find one file among thousands.

I looked on every CD I had from when I was a non-traditional student today. On one of those disks has to be a list of websites I looked up about 2 years ago. I just knew it was somewhere!

The websites were from colleges and universities across the country who had clubs or websites for nontraditional students.

Well, I couldn't find it.

Somebody contacted me for help on an article and I thought I could lay my hands on those links, but no luck. So... I looked some up today. I think I'll share them here, and put them on the Non-Trads Website later on this fall.

I think it's fun to look at sites from other schools because they show how great a program can be. The best have photos of actual students, and some even offer scholarships and activities like workshops and picnics.

Here are some of the sites I found today:

Penn State – Fayette – The Eberly Campus
has a non-traditional student club and a web page.

Next, this group at McLennan Community College in Waco, Texas might have the type going into itself on its site page, but what’s more important is how active this group is. They have lots of interesting activities listed - - including financial aid seminars - - and even a scholarship for their group.

The University of Wisconsin – Sheboygan has a Non-Traditional Student group page, too.

I especially like the fact that the University offers “monetary help for child care” and has a group called “Zoomers” for their adult students. They answer many questions on their friendly web pages.

Non-Traditional Musings and book idea

This photo is of some bearded irises in my back yard. Does anyone else grow flowers?

My Mom gave me these iris bulbs, and at first they were multi-colored - that is, I had several varieties of Iris in the garden. Now only this 2-color variety is left. I like it, but I probably will add some other colors next year.

Well, back to my Non-Traditional musing for the day.

As some of you know, I went back to school to get my Teaching Certification. I had a choice between English and Allied Arts (quickest to get) and Art (I had a minor in that). I chose English and Allied Arts because it was quicker and there were actual JOBS available in that area.

I went on to complete my student teaching and even taught my own classes for one semester. Now I have a book idea that I think non-traditional students who are going back in Education will like.

This book will be an ebook, and available via download. It will include all my advice for completing college with good grades, and also my advice about how to complete student teaching and hints for a successful first teaching year.

I had SO many things happen to me my first teaching semester. I learned a lot by the mistakes I made (like how NOT to make the same mistakes!) I think this will be a great resource for new teachers. I will put a link here when I get it done. I have about 1/3 of it completed already.

A NEW YAHOO GROUP?
I have gotten several requests from Non-Traditional students to have a Non-Trad group online that includes students from across the country. I think this is a great idea.

There was a great group online (Kat's group) that recently shut down. I am not sure why, but I will try to find out. In the meantime, please feel free to join the Non-Trads group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Non-trads/

You can't peg a non-traditional student

Each non-traditional student is different. I think we all agree on that.

But some younger students can disagree.

The perception I get from some younger students is that we (older people - older students) are all alike!

Here are some things that I think younger students can believe about non-traditional students:

1. We are set in our ways (definitely NOT true)

2. We don't have a sense of humor (ditto)

3. We don't want to make friends in class (the opposite is true)

4. We don't understand them (well... this can be true sometimes...)

5. We love being a teacher's pet. (simply nonsense. Of course, we do listen to the teacher most times, which can be confusing to some other students.)

I think if younger students got to know us, they would know that we are just like them - different in every way from a stereotypical older student.

Every non-traditional student is an individual, and prides him or herself on being such, just like younger students do.

I made some very good younger friends while I was back in school. They taught me that I can't put younger students in any box either. Younger students are also individuals, and proud of it.

I think it will be awhile before attitudes (like #1-5, above) change. It will take lots and lots of new non-traditional students joining younger ones in class.

The younger students will be able to observe the older ones close up, and they will realize very soon that there is not that much difference between them and us.

I think we can learn a lot from each other, and that we bring a lot to each class we are in.

What do you all think? Do you agree with me?

What I am doing right now

Well....

I tried to download a photo tonight but the program seemed to be down.

Later, I'll add one.

Some new people have joined the WKU Yahoo Non-trads site and I'm glad about that.

I will BE a non-trad student of some kind in a year or so. Today I met a teacher who is a non-traditional student who was doing a paper for an online class on her computer. She is getting a Master's in Education, I think.

To jazz this up, maybe I'll try different colors of background and ink, since there won't be a picture for awhile.

Non-traditional connections

This photo looks like Kentucky to me. It's from the Morguefile site, by franthony@morguefile.com. In fact, it's the picture of the day or month, and is there when you get to the site. I'm sure that he would appreciate hearing what you think of it. He named it "Sunrise." I really like it.

Today I wanted to write about Non-traditional students (of course) and talk about their interests. What I've found by meeting and talking with many non-traditional students is that they have many and varied interests. You can't just classify a non-traditional student just by being older and in college. Of course, many have families, but not all. Some have full-time jobs, some part-time. I have met genealogy and history buffs, teachers, grad students, artists, and people with many other interests.

I think it would be good to add an interests page to the Non-traditional Students website. That way, non-traditional students could talk to other non-traditional students about things they liked, about their interests and hobbies. It's what other students do... but non-traditional students don't always have the option of hanging out at the dorm, or even talking to other students in class. I think I should wrap my mind around this. I know when I was in college the first time, it was fun to get together with other students and sing and play guitar.

That's just an example of what I am thinking about today. I think that non-traditional students need to find more in school than just the classes and the grades. They need to connect via their hobbies and interests, too. Let me know if you, readers, have any ideas about this. Thanks ahead of time.

Non-Traditional Students and A.N.T.S.H.E.

Non-Traditional Students - A.N.T.S.H.E.

I have found some great links for Non-traditional students. A representative from A.N.T.S.H.E. wrote on the WKU Student Yahoo Group this week. He reminds students to check out their link. They are a national group and have news from Non-traditional student groups across the country.

They are currently getting their information ready for a 2007 conference at Oklahoma State University, who have a member group and website. I went to the Oklahoma State U. website for their Non-Traditional Student Group - it's great. They feature news, events, photographs, and a lot more. It's clear they have an active membership. Good job, OK State!