Issue date: 11/3/09 Section: News

Marla Lynn Yourell, a senior elementary education major, stops by the snack table that was put together by the School of Continuing Education for National Nontraditional Student Week in Klehm Hall Monday evening.(Audrey Sawyer/The Daily Eastern News)

Monday night "light snacks" were handed out to nontraditional students in the entryway of Klehm Hall in celebration of National Nontraditional Student Week.

Kim Redfern, adviser within the general studies degree, said a nontraditional student is anyone who does not fit the mold of an 18- or 19-year-old student coming to college without financial responsibilities.

"For most of our students, (school) is kind of a second or third priority even though they would like it to be their first priority," Redfern said.

Many of the nontraditional students have full-time jobs, do not live on campus and take online classes instead of coming to campus, she said.

"We wanted to honor these students because they are in a very different setting than what they are used to, and we wanted to make the campus sees them too," Redfern said.

Monday morning was the Sunrise Breakfast and throughout the rest of the week other events will be hosted by the Organization for Adult Student, Informal and Supportive.

OASIS will hold another light snack night today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Physical Science Building.

The group will also host a pizza party for nontraditional students at noon Wednesday on the third floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union in the adult/commuter lounge.

Thursday will conclude the week's events with a reception.

"We are handing out awards for our essay contest and to a faculty member and to a department on campus nominated by the students for who they thought served nontraditional students the best," Redfern said.

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-7942 or kzyskowski@eiu.edu.

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