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Show COLLEGE OF SOCIAL & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING THE MOTIVATIONS AND CHALLENGES OF RETURNING STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH Bret Wayman (Julie Stewart, Rebecca Utz) Department of Sociology University of Utah A college degree is necessary to compete in the workforce; as a result, more students that are non-traditional are entering school to meet that requirement. Previous studies on non-traditional students indicate that increasing economic prospects is a high priority for returning students, and that social isolation and a lack of academic preparedness are major challenges facing non-traditional students. This study examines what motivates non-traditional students at the University of Utah to complete a college degree and the challenges those returning students face in that process in order to identify ways to better serve these student's needs in order to enhance their college experience, and to increase their connection to their college or university. The data for the study comes from 66 essays written by students about their perceptions of the challenges and motivations facing non-traditional students, and from interviews with 13 non-traditional students to see h o w the perceptions about non-traditional students match up with the experiences of non-traditional students. Self-improvement was a primary motivation suggested by the student essays, and confirmed in the interviews as a reason to earn a degree. The essays also suggested that non-traditional students were a way towards a more fulfilling career, and the interviews corroborated the perception. Many of the challenges facing non-traditional students suspected in the student essays such as family responsibilities, and constraints on time matched the interview data as well, but the essays also suggested that the need to start over might be a challenge for non-traditional students, but many of the interview subjects say starting over as an advantage instead. Likewise, the interviews contrasted the idea that social isolation was a major challenge for non-traditional students. The subjects of the interviews generally regarded the traditional students and professors as resources that improve their educational experience and overall did not feel like their non-traditional status affected relationships with faculty and other students in a negative way, and felt accepted and appreciated. Other important resources that the essays and interviews recommended to increase successful graduation rates for non-traditional students included strong family support, scholarships, and student clubs. Bret Wayman Rebecca Utz |
