When we speak or write about life on a college

campus there is a typical image that comes to mind;

even today, with all the diversity and non-conventional

viewpoints prevalent in the media. When we say “col-

lege student” we get that image of a young man or

woman between the ages of 18 and 22, wearing a con-

temporary hair style, and dressed in whatever version

of “campus casual” happens to be in vogue. Today it is

jeans or shorts, themed T-shirts or sweatshirts, and flip

flops, accessorized with a backpack, cell phone and/or

iPod as they diligently make their way from dorm room

to class to cafeteria to campus activities and back again.

Well, there is a group on nearly every college

campus with the same ideals as any college student, but

with an added assortment of obstacles to overcome .

The prevailing image of a non-traditional student is

usually one where the student is older than the stan-

dard demographic, lives off-campus, and has responsi-

bilities beyond classes, activities, and part-time jobs.

Consequently, it is likely that non-traditional students

on a college campus are usually not heard from much.

They are often only marginally involved in the day-to-

day activities on campus. So just being in the category

of “non-traditional” ensures that they often become

even more marginalized.

An Older Group Forms a New Alliance

Judy Pugh,

senior, wanted to

provide an option

to the marginaliza-

tion of nontradi-

tionals here at

Lambuth. She

worked with her

classmates to form

the Lambuth Non-

Traditional Students

Organization (the

NTSO). Inasmuch

as this group com-

prises such a broad

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• • • • •Feature Story

Dreams Deferred ...

Dreams Realized

The Non-Traditional Students of LambuthJuggling Life and Learning

by Yvonne Thompson

cross section of students, the only requirement for mem-

bership is that the student fall outside the 18 to 22-year

old demographic and defines him or herself as non-tradi-

tional. Some students outside this age demographic

might not identify as non-traditional. So these students

are not likely to seek membership in the NTSO.

The best summary of what non-traditional means

here at Lambuth is best said by Judy, herself. She says,

“The truth is that nontraditional stu-dents come in as many different varieties astraditional students. We are young and weare old. We are married, and we are widowed. We are parents of newborns andproud grandparents of newborns. We areretirees and homemakers. We strugglefinancially and sometimes physically, but wedo not struggle alone.

One thread that runs through every non-traditional student is a drive and a desirethat is beyond explanation. The same thingthat drove us to return to college pushes usto excel. We make jokes about how life hap-pens to us even in the middle of semesters.We have things occur that are not includedon any syllabus. This year alone we haveweathered heart cathetherizations, biopsiesand the “C” word, the birth of one newbaby, and the discomfort of one pending.We have suffered grief as we have lost par-ents. We have said goodbye to sons [anddaughters] who are now, or will soon be,fighting in Iraq and our hearts ache con-stantly.

Amazingly…no matter what a nontradi-tional is facing, we never entertain theoption of quitting. No, we have worked toohard to quit now. We have overcome thespecial challenges of financial aid for thereturning student, and we have maneuveredwork and school and daycare schedules. Wehave learned the language and ways of col-lege life from our traditional friends.

We feel that the opportunity to be educat-ed is a gift…not to be taken lightly. Wethank God for second chances and pray thatwe use ours for His glory. “

Students’ Stories

Nontraditional students, though, fall on a

continuum. Some don't feel they differ that much, and

indeed, they do not. Jeremy Crowe, a 2007 recipient of

the Arthur E. Evans Foreign Languages Award at this

year's Honors'

Convocation,

says, “Honestly, I

don't feel that I

differ much from

my friends here

at the

university. I do

the same things

that traditional

students do,

except I must

have my coffee

first.” In addi-

tion, Jeremy says

“I fit right in

here at Lambuth

and have been

warmly received

here from day one.”

Jeremy shared this year's Arthur E. Evans Foreign

Languages Award with another member of the NTSO,

Barbara Neisler. Barbara is the co-recipient of the

award. She is a senior graduating with the class of 2007.

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When Barbara was asked how long it had taken her to

reach her goal while managing all her other obligations,

she replied, “I have only been at Lambuth for 2 years,

but the whole process of getting my degree took place

over 30 years. In fact, when I came here I still saw grad-

uation as a long-term goal way in the future. But the

next thing I knew it was here, and I thought 'where did

the time go?' “

Barbara's experience is a demonstration of the

remarkable tenacity displayed by many of the members

of the NTSO. They refuse to give up on their goal to

complete their degree. Obstacles slow them down,

sometimes, but nothing stops them. Loreen Griffis, a

1993 alumna now attending Lambuth to take classes for

a special certification, described her experience, saying

“There is a 13-year gap since I first came to Lambuth as a

non-traditional student and my attending today.” The

difference she noted about Lambuth then and now is

that “the school has made huge strides in its support

and recognition of non-traditional students.” Her class-

mates agree. Barbara Fitzhugh, junior, says one of the

best things about Lambuth is “Dr. Zuker is very

approachable and truly concerned about the welfare of

non-traditional students.” Judy Pugh supports Barbara

in her comments about Dr. Zuker. “I agree. Every few

days or so, he will stop me in the hallway [in Varnell-

Jones Hall] and ask how things are going.”

Being tenacious and determined, as a group, seems

to have enhanced the already high self-esteem of the

NTSO. Each of them appears to be dedicated,

motivated, and all show superior leadership qualities.

Collectively, the group is big on diversity, actually

embracing and encouraging differences.

As these students have little time for fraternities,

sororities and other on-campus activities, having the

NTSO provides that bonding and support that is so

important when you are engaged in any endeavor that

requires continual commitment. NTSO vice president,

Tina Gant, sophomore, sums it up by saying, “NTSO is

like having roommates. We are a referral source for each

other.”

Tina's day is jam packed from 6:00 a.m. until late

evening. She has to run errands, clean house, study,

transport her young son to and from pre-kindergarten,

cook dinner, and help her daughter with homework

Far Left: Loreen Griffis

Left: Barbara Fitzhugh

Above: Luciana Shaw and daughter Andrea

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and/or take her to ball practice. Only after all this and

the kids are tucked into bed, does she get time for more

study and some “mommy time”. Then she says, “The

next day, we do it all over again.”

Luciana Shaw, a junior transfer student from

Dyersburg State, has days as full as Tina's, if not more so.

Even as a mother of two elementary age children and

one in middle school, she still finds time to participate

in Lambuth's Student Government Association (SGA)

along with the NTSO. Her days usually start at 5:15

a.m., but she says, “I have one day that I can 'sleep in'

until 6 o'clock.” Her first class is at 8 a.m., and she com-

mutes from Dyersburg every day (about a 45-minute

drive). After her school day ends, her mommy day

begins. Between dinner preparation and homework,

there are church activities most days. “I also have to ref-

eree fights between the kids,” she said with a laugh.

This comment shows NTSO members are not always

serious as they go about their days. Sometimes they see

the humor in what they are doing. Barbara Fitzhugh,

came back to school after almost 30 years. She chuckled

as she related her experience upon first attending

Lambuth. “I had to learn to study, take notes, good

notes, and sit through class lectures without nodding off

to sleep.” She also credits her family and God as being

key ingredients in her success as a student. “Oh yes, my

adventure in higher education has definitely been a fam-

ily affair. And I thank God for every moment, because

He didn't have to give me a second chance, but He did.”

Gina’s Story Says it All

Every nontraditional student has a captivating story

to tell, but Gina Aldridge, Lexington, TN told a story

with a special “Wow” factor. This Lambuth senior got

here by way of Jackson State Community College and

UT Martin. She has two sisters that are Lambuth alums,

so it is not surprising that she would end up here.

Gina’s sisters Lori McAlexander and Dana (McAlexander)

Bercham are 2000 and 1995 Lambuth grads, respectively.

Gina’s young son, who came into the world in

February 2007, was practically born on campus. His

mom attended classes all the way up until delivery day.

She called her professor on the way to the delivery room

to say she would not be in class that day. She was back

in class one week later!

Gina was fortunate to be able to leave her son with

her mother while she attends class. But she was inti-

mately connected with him during the day. Between

classes Gina “prepared” and delivered mother’s milk to

her son. This young woman did not miss a beat!

Special Circumstances for

Special Education Teacher

The Lambuth NTSO is a high functioning, effica-

cious group with many active members. However, there

are some notable nontraditional students on campus

that are not members of the NTSO, but should not be

overlooked. One such student is Renette Coleman, a

special education teacher. Renette recently moved to

Jackson from Florida with her husband and 3-year-old

daughter when her father-in-law become ill. Her hus-

band was called to take over his father’s ministry.

Renette loves teaching and missed it, but did not

5

think she would have an immediate opportunity here as

her Florida license was not transferrable.

Members of her church knew she was a dedicated

teacher, so referred her to the Lambuth teacher certifica-

tion program offered by the Education Department.

Renette jumped at the chance and enrolled as soon as

she could. She says “I am so grateful for the opportuni-

ty [to work on my certification here at Lambuth]. I did

not expect to find a way, so soon, to get back into

teaching here in Tennessee.” Renette and her husband

are expecting their second child, working in the church,

and raising daughter, McKenzie, to be a well-rounded

individual. During a discussion in her Foundations of

Education class recently, Renette stated “I make sure

McKenzie is exposed to the entire spectrum. She plays

with trucks, electronic toys, whatever.” Her reasoning

is that girls and boys can be equally adept in such areas

as math, science, and computers if they are socialized in

areas traditionally only provided to male children.

View from Faculty and Staff

The faculty advisor for the Lambuth NTSO is Dr.

Cindy Wesley, Assistant Professor of Religion.

Dr. Wesley was so moved by her experiences with these

students that she wrote a very inspiring essay entitled

“Why Are You Weeping”. In it she states:

“I find myself being challenged and

moved by my relationships with the non-traditional students. After graduation lastyear I cried as my nontraditional studentswalked across the stage to receive theirdegrees; I remembered their stories.There were several students who worked3rd-shift factory jobs, went to school duringthe day, wrote their papers and studied fortests in their off hours and then went backto work. I honestly don't know when theyslept (other than a few occasions in class).One of the students was a veteran who stillworked in government service and helpedhis wife with their new babies. Some werereturning to school years, sometimesdecades, after high school. They had reallives, people depending upon them, jobs,families, a long list of responsibilities, andyet they wanted their education. They sawit as the key to their future.

Tears return to my eyes as I recall theirfaces even now. Working with those stu-dents, who bring real-life experience and asense of commitment and gratitude to theeducational experience, is one of the truejoys of working at Lambuth.

They work hard. Most of them earn goodgrades because they know the value of theireducation. All of them earn my admira-tion.”

Kimberly Smith, Lambuth Transfer Admissions

Counselor, supports Dr. Wesley’s opinion. Kimberly is

in charge of Membership and Retention for the group.

She knows from her experience with the NTSO that

they “are determined to succeed and dare anyone to

stop them from accomplishing their goals.” She went

on to say, “They serve as a constant reminder that you

can do whatever you want through perseverance, hard

work, and a strong support system, which they have

created for themselves.”

The NTSO is a new group at Lambuth that was

indeed created by the members, themselves. It was

chartered in November 2006 and has been active only

since January 2007. NTSO was the brainchild of Judy

Pugh, but the entire group is responsible for the passion

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and depth of commitment that is evident in this

“young” group. In just the short time since they have

been in existence, they have designed a group logo, as

well as designed and arranged for the acquisition of

their signature T-shirts. They are especially proud of

their efforts in working with the SGA to get two seats in

student government to be occupied by non-traditional

students.

But the Lambuth NTSO has even greater aspira-

tions. They want to have an opportunity to be recog-

nized on the national level. So, they have been working

on a charter for the Pinnacle Honor Society.

The purpose of Pinnacle is to formally and nation-

ally recognize qualifying nontraditional students for

their achievements. Activities and costs are kept to a

minimum reflecting the unique needs of nontraditional

students.

The Pinnacle Honor Society began in April 1989

with a select group of colleges and universities. Today

over 125 institutions of higher learning hold member-

ship in Pinnacle.

Membership in Pinnacle requires nontraditional

students be at least 25 years of age or be married or

divorced, have legal dependents, or be disabled or a vet-

eran. They must also be a junior or senior in good

standing, with a 3.0 GPA or higher, and involvement

(past or present) in three or more campus or communi-

ty activities (including family obligations).

Primarily, though, the Lambuth NTSO’s vision is to

provide ongoing support for all non-traditional stu-

dents, be a referral system, and give them a sense of

belonging on campus. This spring they held a picnic on

the pavilion in conjunction with the SGA Commuter

Students. The theme was “Old School Day” and includ-

ed a contest for the student with the best outfit from

the 70’s or 80’s. For next year they are exploring ideas

such as a family festival and an activity for some type of

“bring your kids to school” day.

NTSO president, Judy Pugh sums up the attitude of

the group with a version of a quote from Adlai

Stevenson in his praise of Eleanor Roosevelt,

“We are not going to curse the darkness,

instead we will light a candle”.

NOTE:Adlai Stevenson’s quote in his address to UNGeneral Assembly in 1963 was (“She would ratherlight candles than curse the darkness, and her glowhas warmed the world.”)

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