Higher Education is a Family Affair at UA Wayne College

Adults attending college is becoming a new higher education tradition

Anyone starting college at age 36 is likely to feel a little intimidated. For Nonya Stalnaker, that was certainly the case, but she did have one advantage over many so called "non-traditional" students. She knew another adult student already attending UA Wayne College who was willing to show her the ropes: her mom.

At one point in 2010, three generations of the Stalnaker family were taking classes at either UA Wayne College or UA’s main campus in Akron. Stalnaker’s mom, Connie Hutson, was commuting to Akron to complete her bachelor’s degree in social work, Stalnaker's daughter, Lauren, was a new freshman at UA Wayne College, and Stalnaker herself was halfway through her associate degree program, also at UA Wayne in Orrville.

This family all taking classes together is a perfect example of the changing face of higher education. Adults entering or re-entering college has become so common that they are no longer considered non-traditional students. The stereotype of the “traditional” 18-22 year-old full-time undergraduate student living on campus now accounts for only about 16 percent of the higher education population in the United States – fewer than three million of the more than 17 million students enrolled today. Those who are over age 25 now make up 47 percent of the new and returning student population on many of today’s college campuses. At UA Wayne College, over 30% of the student body is in the 25 and over group.

Economics are a strong factor in the age shift: many want to change careers or update professional credentials, and with good reason. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that, by 2014, 90 percent of the fastest-growing careers will require some postsecondary education. A college degree not only increases the opportunity for employment by nearly 50 percent, it also increases an individual’s earning power. Studies show that workers with a four-year college degree add as much as a million dollars to their earning potential over the course of their career.

Another significant portion of the adult student population is made up of single parents like Stalnaker, who want to build a better life for their families. The Department of Education recently reported that 13 percent of students now enrolled in college are single parents, up from 7.6 percent in 1993.

According to Stalnaker, “I worked a lot of low paying industrial and food service jobs as a single mom. I knew the only way I was ever going to be a truly productive member of society and a self-sufficient parent was if I got an education.”

Stalnaker says attending college with her mother and daughter was a blessing that improved their relationships. “The process of seeing my mother succeed in college was inspirational,” Stalnaker said. “It made me respect her even more and realize there was another life waiting for me.” Her relationship with her daughter was strengthened as well. Commuting to campus and eating lunches together gave the mother and daughter a chance to connect as never before.

“An amazing thing happened when Lauren followed me and my mother to Wayne College,” Stalnaker said. “In between classes, this formerly distant teenager would come looking for me just to hang out or to ask me questions about school. If not for Wayne College I would not have had the opportunity to improve my relationship with her.”

Stalnaker now has her associate degree in medical office management and is three classes away from her bachelor’s degree in organizational supervision. Her mother is a state licensed social worker employed full-time in her field, and her daughter is a student worker at Wayne College following in her grandmother’s footsteps as she moves towards her social work degree. Reflecting on her time at UA Wayne as she nears graduation, Stalnaker said, “I am forever grateful for the gifts Wayne College has given me. College has been a life-changing experience and I hope other adults considering college are inspired to start the next phase of their lives like I did.”