Bridging the Gap: Helping Faculty Better Support Non-traditional Students

On April 18, four Social Work students from Lewis-Clark State College presented their proposal for an agency designed to supports non-traditional students to President Swayne and other officials at NIC in Lee Kildow Hall. At the end of the meeting, they took questions and dates were discussed to put their plan into action.

“Addressing the unique challenges faced by non-traditional students and bridging gaps in existing services isn’t just about access- it’s about creating a campus of well-informed staff and faculty that can create a holistic and relationship-rich environment for all students. When institutions actively work to remove barriers, they create a campus culture where all students, regardless of background, can thrive,” said Terri Simmons.

The project called for a seminar among faculty to educate them on the needs specific to the more non-traditional students.  Their vision is that a more informed faculty will be able to help address obstacles students may have and refer them to the appropriate resources for their needs to secure academic success. 

All four students have an association to both LCSC and NIC and are familiar with the struggles of non-traditional students.  Brittany Selle and Tricia Busson know firsthand as single mothers working to obtain their BA in Social Work the difficulty of juggling school and parenthood. NIC Yoga Instructor Terri Simmons also has personal experience; she obtained her AA in Social Work from NIC before moving on to LSC.  Mia Birmingham is also pursuing her BA in social work, but has a contrasting experience as a traditional student, enabling the group pinpoint where the needs really differ. Each of the four students took turns sharing their journeys and what was or could have been helpful to them.

They presented their research into student retention and success of traditional vs. non-traditional at NIC and across the nation in the past decade. Non-traditional retention is higher since 2020, specifically of females.  The group speculated this could be due the resources made available through NIC’s Center for New Directions (CND) headed by Louisa Rogers. This program is for single parents but has attracted a majority of mothers who are working through school.

The proposal included their shared stories, a slideshow presentation and even mock-up agenda plans for a one-day workshop. They fitted the needs into eight categories called “The Eight Domains of Wellness” and included: financial, emotional, physical, intellectual, occupational, environmental, social, and spiritual. 

*This article has been edited to include a quote illustrating the purpose of the proposal.