The Nontraditional Student Union will host a resource fair today and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the EMU Concourse to expose students, especially nontraditional students, to services and resources available to them.
Representatives from various campus organizations, including the Women’s Center, Academic Learning Services, Academic Advising and the Spencer View Co-op Family Center, will have information tables at the fair, which is titled “The Faces of Nontraditional Students.” The event will display what NSU Director Steven Burns called “our rainbow of support” for nontraditional students.
“We get connections with people who are willing to help,” he said.
Students can get information about student services and schedule appointments with service providers. The event will also feature pictures of nontraditional students as well as some of their artwork.
Senior Frances Bonner said she will exhibit her artwork, including a bracelet, drawings and sculpture. She said the NSU has aided her journey toward graduation with services like free tutoring in math and writing. As a nontraditional student, she said she is glad she took her time in school because it allowed her to figure out what she wanted to get out of the University.
“I was able to explore and find out what I really wanted to do,” Bonner said.
Brenda Tuomi, coordinator of nontraditional student programs at the Office of Student Life, said the resource fair will allow nontraditional students to meet faculty, staff and other students, and vice versa.
“It makes their experience here on campus better,” she said.
She said nontraditional students, who are generally older than 24, have jobs, caretaker responsibilities and may be married, do not realize there are many others like them on campus. According to Burns, the NSU, located on the ground floor of the EMU, was formed about 10 years ago to respond to these needs.
If students feel they are nontraditional, they can fill out a self-identification card found in the NSU office and get connected with other students like them.