Adults Deal With Demands Of College In 21st Century

By Sarah Ferris

It took a divorce and more than eight years, but in 1993, Lisa Peck became a college graduate. At the age of 40, Ms Peck received her bachelor’s degree from Western Connecticut State University.

“It was a long, difficult process for me,” said Ms Peck, a former Newtown resident who now lives in Danbury. “I changed my major seven times.”

As an adult undergrad at that time, Ms Peck found there were many challenges to face with virtually no support system on campus.

“It’s a different world within those college walls for adult learners,” said Ms Peck, who first enrolled in Naugatuck Valley Community College before transferring to WestConn. “Not only did I have to worry about raising my kids and working full-time, I had to worry about fitting in with the younger students in my classes.”

In Ms Peck’s first class going back to school, she sat next to the door in case she wanted to leave. She says it took a full semester to fully adjust to the many demands of college.

“After that, it was a wonderful experience,” said Ms Peck. To other adults thinking about going back to school Ms Peck advises, “Go out there and go for it. Get out there and learn.”

To help other adults achieve their academic goals, in 1998, Ms Peck founded the Older Wiser Learners at WestConn, a group for adult learners that meets to communicate and relate to each other’s experiences. Ms Peck, now a part-time professor at WestConn, is the advisor for the program, which today is “very helpful to many students on campus.”

Many universities statewide also offer support to their adult learners. At the University of Bridgeport, students aged 23 and older have had the chance to participate the Innovative Degree Excellent In Accelerated Learning Program.

“In the past year, we’ve seen unprecedented growth in our program,” said the program’s president, Eileen Sheridan.

“Because of the economy, many adults are looking into careers that require additional education or training,” she explained.

The Newtown Continuing Education Program has seen a different turn of events recently. Every season, the Newtown Continuing Education Program offers classes for all interested adults in subjects as far-ranging as Microsoft Word and ballroom dancing. This past year, notes Elissa Gellis, director of the Continuing Ed program, the most popular classes have been recreation-related.

“We were taken aback,” said Ms Gellis. “We thought we would have much more demand for technology and business classes.”

Golf, yoga, Pilates, and dancing classes were all popular this past spring.

“This may be a kind of release for people,” Ms Gillis explained. “It could also be another way for people to network.”  

Another course of continuing education was taken by Newtown High School social studies teacher Jason Edwards, who had no intention of changing careers when he went back to get his second master’s degree at Southern Connecticut State University. In spring 2008, Mr Edwards, along with two other NHS teachers, began a two-year master’s program supported by a federal education grant called Teaching American History II.

“The schedule worked out perfectly,” said Mr Edwards. “The price was good, too.”

Mr Edwards, a graduate of the University of Connecticut, decided to apply for the program because “I had heard great things, and it seemed like a great opportunity to gain new knowledge.”

Part of what makes the program great, explained Mr Edwards, is the network of colleagues. In class with Mr Edwards are teachers from high schools in Danbury, New Milford, New Fairfield, and Brookfield.

“It’s great to bounce ideas off a collegial audience,” Mr Edwards said. “It’s a unique experience for a different class audience.”

Mr Edwards said his new knowledge has far-reaching applications.

“When my students know they are learning something that I myself learned recently, they are more enthusiastic,” said Edwards.

“There are so many benefits from my classes,” Mr Edwards said, “and they will never go away.”