The Patriot

Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Heather Cosson ANTS President Rhoda Ellison, second clockwise from the top, introduces herself to members during a meeting in The Grille.

Since its founding, the Association of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS), an organization tailored for students who differ from the typical college student, has gained more interest on campus.

Rhoda Ellison, ANTS president and founder, said she wanted students similar to her to feel more comfortable in a traditional college setting.

"We have to struggle with going to school and paying bills, and sometimes we don't have anyone to talk to," Ellison said. "Someone 18 or 19 (years old) may not understand this situation, but we could support one another."

She said the program exists to let nontraditional students know that "someone is in (their) corner."

The group is advised by Assistant Professor of English Dr. Nancy Zaice.

Zaice said she can relate to those in the group because, similar to them, she once fit the profile of a nontraditional student. She said that has helped her support the group.

"I can identify with many of these issues because I was a nontraditional student myself when I returned to school at 37 pursuing a career change," Zaice said.

Among the issues nontraditional students face are discomfort in classes, where many of their classmates are younger than them, and difficulty finding events to attend that meet their interests.

Such problems, Zaice said, might leave these students feeling socially and emotionally isolated.

For those students, ANTS has begun sponsoring its own activities to give them a chance to take part in more inclusive environments.

This month, the organization participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Walk for a Cure on campus.

One ANTS member has a daughter with the disease, so the group got involved with the cause in order to support her.

Kaniya Geathers, junior, has contemplated joining the group and thinks she could gain real-world knowledge from those involved.

"I would join because it's different people on campus," Geathers said. "I would learn more from older students because they have more experience."

The 20-year-old mother of a toddler son said she also likes that the group is made up of people who vary in age and circumstance.

Though they aren't always older, nontraditional students generally are financially independent from their parents, have their own place to live or are married.

Traditional college students typically are classified as those between 18 and 22 years old, and although some have various personal responsibilities, most don't rely solely on their own income and aren't married.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools