PVCC offers a wealth of support and guidance for the mature student

By Julie Rhodes Mataway, December 2011
Feature Editor

Photo by Julie Mataway

The AWARE Club meets every Monday at 3 p.m. during the semester. Shown here after the Nov. 7 meeting are Donna Mosher, counselor and club adviser; Francine Rubin, treasurer; Donna Taylor, president; and Debra Hughes, former club president. Officers not pictured are Ken Marks, vice-president and Victoria Terrazas, secretary.

Picture this: You are about to enroll as a new student at a new school. It is college. It may be an education you abandoned years ago. It may be a step above any education you have ever attempted before. You are nervous; you have apprehension. The little voice in the back of your head is urging you to run; there’s always next semester.

But that’s what you did last semester. Let’s face it; you aren’t getting any younger. In fact, one of the biggest reasons for your trepidation is the thought of facing a classroom full of youths while your 40, 50 or 60-something-year-old face sticks out like a sore thumb. Where can you find the courage to take those daunting first steps toward furthering your education?

Courage, strength, support and guidance are right at your fingertips. You just need to know where to look.

Adult students re-entering the academic arena have a vast arsenal of tools at their disposal at Paradise Valley Community College. Once these tools are in hand, anxiety, discomfort and fear will be blasted away.

At the heart of this unique support system is Donna Mosher, M.C., coordinator of PVCC’s Adult Re-entry Services. As a counselor and an instructor of courses specifically geared toward the needs and interests of women, Mosher has a wealth of experience and resources to share.

Rosalie Capri, journalism student at PVCC, recalls the angst and fear she felt when she made the decision to return to college after more than a 20-year absence.

“Fortunately, when I called and explained I had been away from college for so long, they put me right through to Donna and I made an appointment with her, ” she said.

Capri’s anxiety began to melt away as Mosher guided her through the maze of admissions, class selection and financial aid.
“She literally walked me to the admissions counter,” Capri recalled. “She not only helped me navigate financial aid, but she helped me make sure everything went through. When I left her that first day, I was so excited. I thought, ‘I’m going back to college!’”

Getting to the counseling department can be a hurdle for returning students. The information desk naturally directs them toward academic advisement.

“This is one of the reasons we have a sign over the information desk that says, ‘Adult Re-entry,’” says Mosher. “We hope the new students see it, and we hope that the people who man the information desk would pick up on someone that is highly anxious and direct them our way.”

 These students need to see a counselor, Mosher explains, not academic advisement which is really designed for students who already know what they want to do.

Adult re-entry services are available for returning students over 25 .

Donna Taylor, 66, was out of the educational arena for more than 40 years when she started college at PVCC nearly three years ago.
“That (previous educational experience) was high school,” Taylor explains. “I never went to college before I came here.”

Taylor graduated last May and now serves as president of the AWARE club on campus. It was this club (whose title is an acronym for “Adults Who Are Returning to Education”) that provided a rich resource for her to overcome her fears and tackle the challenge of going to college. She says she now feels privileged to be able to provide such support in kind.

“AWARE is a great place to meet other returning students,” she says. “It is a great (resource) for help and support.”
Taylor is grateful for the improved computer literacy this fellowship has provided her. Her math skills have far exceeded her expectations as well due to the activities and support she has received within the club.

Debra Hughes’ experience with enrollment echoes a sentiment familiar to the returning student .

“When I first came here, I went to academic advisement and told them I needed a basic computer course,” she recalls. “They put me in a class which was not the right fit. No one ever said to me, ‘Debbie, you’re 54 years old, and you’ve never been to college in your life; do you even know what a mouse is?’”

Her experience helped AWARE reach for the goal of making computer class enrollment more user-friendly. The club invited that department head to come talk with them, and they were able to get the registration guide changed to better help re-entry students know which computer courses they need. They are also in the process of enlisting the financial aid department to help new students navigate that maze as well.

Hughes praises the AWARE Club not only for its academic assistance, but for supplying much needed emotional support to its members.
“If you’re crying because you can’t do math,” she says, “we recognize you need a shoulder to cry on. One of the best things about AWARE is that we’re so supportive of each other.”

That connection was a lifeline for Francine Rubin, 56, who serves as club treasurer. She had been away from college since 1977 before enrolling at PVCC in 2007.

“I have trouble making friends,” she says. “The club has provided the friendship I was seeking.”

In addition to the academic and emotional support offered by AWARE, the club members pride themselves o n giving via community service and fund raising.

“We are one of the most active clubs on campus,” Hughes says proudly. “We like to help out on our own home turf.”

While clubs can adopt families referred to them by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, AWARE makes it a point to adopt families right from PVCC’s own community. This year they have adopted a family that includes a full-time student who is also a grandmother with a lot of child care responsibilities. They are also active in “Relay for Life,” a breast cancer benefit.

“Lots of us here on campus either are breast cancer survivors or have family members that are,” said Rubin.

Mosher, who acts as club adviser, lauds AWARE as a real benefit to mature, returning students.

“Often these students feel kind of isolated,” she said. “When they join the club, they benefit from being around seasoned, successful, adult students who can relate to their anxieties and fears. This helps them realize ‘it’s not just me’ having this angst about coming back to school.”

With mentoring from the experienced adult students, the newer students can be connected with the right instructors and classes.
“This helps build their confidence and makes them feel like they truly belong here,” explains Mosher.

“The students in AWARE really reach out to one another,” says Mosher. “They call one another and help one another through difficult times.”

Mosher teaches a class called “Women in Transition.” It is designed to help students not only make needed adjustments with reduced anxiety, but also to increase personal power and enhance emotional growth.

“Donna's class prepares you not just for college and all its demands,” says Capri, “but her strong spirit and professionalism make you feel that your life's possibilities are endless and your dreams are obtainable.”

That’s pretty powerful stuff for someone who may have been riddled with fear just enrolling in college.
In addition, Mosher advises re-entry students to take a career exploration class.

“It really gives you direction,” says Mosher. “It helps you to know why you are here. It’s OK for a semester to not know, but after that, if you’re going to stay and increase your chances of graduating, you want to have your plan in place. Career Exploration really helps you do that.”

Of special merit is the class “Career Exploration for the Creative Mind” taught by Marianne Roccaforte, Ph.D. In this class, young and mature alike explore not only their academic strengths but their true creative ability.

Mosher explains, “Your life force comes from your creativity. It’s sort of like growing into your true self and discovering who you really are. It’s pretty exciting when people make that leap.”

For returning students who may have anxiety about how their instructors may view them, Mosher has genuine words of encouragement.

“Instructors are very appreciative of having more mature adults in the classroom because they bring so much richness to discussions,” she says. “They have life experience that makes topics come alive. They are pure, earnest students. They really want an education and bring a different level of seriousness that instructors really appreciate and relish. They are such dedicated students. They’re prepared; they’re respectful.”

She feels that having just one or two mature students can change the whole dynamic of a classroom.

For those seasoned individuals who may be frightened at the prospect of coming back to college or coming to college for the first time, set those fears aside. Baby step your way to the KSC Building’s information desk and look for the “Adult Re-entry” sign overhead. Pick up a booklet. Make an appointment with Mosher or a fellow counselor. You will be on your way to the next phase of your life.