The College of Professional Studies is celebrating Non-Traditional Students’ Week Nov. 3-7.
The week will celebrate the successes and efforts of “adult learners who have competing educational and life obligations,” according to Laurie Galeski, a Student Navigator in the Graduate School and College of Professional Studies.
Throughout the week, nontraditional students will be able to reflect on their time at Creighton, receive a free T-shirt on T-shirt Tuesday as well as wassail and other fall treats on Wassail Wednesday. On Friday, there will be an end-of-the-week social event, in which nontraditional students are invited to bring a guest.
“We are also asking our non- traditional students to bring a friend that may be interested in completing [his or her] undergraduate degree, for our experience shows that those students [who] have a strong support system meet the greatest success,” Galeski said.
The week will also include an induction ceremony of members into Alpha Sigma Lambda, the oldest and largest national honor society for nontraditional students.
Creighton was recently approved to have a chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda on campus; it is the chapter of Nu Tau Epsilon.
“This summer…we determined that it would be important to establish an honor society to celebrate our top achieving nontraditional undergraduate students,” Galeski said.
The chapter will welcome 25 College of Professional School students, as well as 20 honorary members, including alumni, administrators and faculty in honor of their support of nontraditional students.
Nontraditional students are also represented on campus through the Non- Traditional Student Union. The organization is committed to providing nontraditional students with service activities, according to Galeski.
Service, or to be “men and women for and with others,” is a main value of Creighton, one of the many Galeski believes nontraditional students embody.
“My experience has been that our adult learners are highly motivated, embrace Creighton’s values and add a wonderful dimension to our student body,” Galeski said.
Nontraditional students face challenges that many traditional students do not face.
“Nontraditional students are often juggling the demands of managing work and family life, as well as going to school,” Gail Jensen, the Dean of the Graduate School and College of Professional Studies, said.
Despite these challenges, nontraditional students can be positive influences on traditional students and the university as a whole.
“The presence of nontraditional learners is beneficial to the university in many ways,” Galeski said. “These students bring their breadth and depth of life experiences to the educational setting which benefits all students. Due to their many life experiences, they are able to bring different perspectives to discussions and other learning activities.”
Non-Traditional Students’ Week is in place to recognize that adult learners are an asset to the Creighton community.
“Although Creighton University has welcomed nontraditional students for more than 30 years, the majority of our undergraduate population at Creighton is composed of traditional students,” Galeski said. “Therefore, many at Creighton are not aware of our non- traditional students’ commitment to Creighton’s values and scholastic achievement.”
Jensen agrees and believes this week aligns with Creighton’s values.
“Recognizing and respecting what the adult learner brings to our Creighton community is consistent with our Jesuit, Catholic mission,” she said.
Galeski and Amy Gillaspie, both Student Navigators in the Graduate School and College of Professional Studies, and Kelly McColley- Anderson, the Administrative Assistant of the Graduate School and College of Professional Studies, planned the week.