Kansas State University - Royal Purple Yearbook (Manhattan, KS)

Page 29 text:

AIMW 2, M I meant uwe've found someone younger perkierf' the downfall of the economy, m had high hopes to find a job with the :ome he desired right after graduation May 2012. I don't have 20 years to build a putationf' Tim said. I have to get a job d be very successful right out of the te. As opposed to someone who has just graduated college and can afford to make 530,000 a year, I can'tf' Ianet also hoped to follow in her husband's footsteps and return to college and earn a degree. The goal is that once he graduates, I can either go back to school full time or I can work and go back part timef' Ianet said. Financially, there's no way we can do it at the same timef, The couple was sure to pass on the idea of college to their children by encouraging them to go at a young age instead of waiting like they did. uWe knew our children needed to be pushed in the direction of college and to do better than what weave donef Ianet said. College isnit just an option anymoref' 251

Page 28 text:

!24 traditional education non tradltlonal any people in their 40s have a well-established career and a growing retirement fund. Tim Wallace, a 48-year-old sophomore in management information systems, however, was just beginning his new career. Wallace decided to begin college in Ianuary 2009 and attend the university after he spent many years of his life in and out of schooling and different jobs. I've been in the IT iinformation technologyl industry for I2 to 15 years but I never had the degreef' Tim said. 'Mfhen the market downturn started to tudent by Nicole DeBrie have tickets to the football games or any of thatf, Tim said. Wallace often brought his family along to weekend movies at the Student Union. I do enjoy the student union movies. Itys nice to be able to go someplace to see a big screen without having to pay S10 for a ticket. There were also some difficulties Tim found being older than the average student. There's been a bit of a problem with attitude. Everyone looks at me as ifl know what I am doing because I am older, Tim said. '4Suddenly you become an authoritative figure just happen, if you U I because . , I hove To get o job ond be very successful right , ,, didnthavea you re older. out of the goie, As opposed to someone who degree nobody , Howe ve r, . ,, hos just Qroduoted college ond con offorcl to . . hired you. , Tim realized W H rnoke 330,000 o yeor, I con t. a ace Tim Vlfoffoce, sophomore in monogement there are and his Wife, informotion SySf6Em5 30mg IHHCT, S6Hi0f advantages administrative assistant, both struggled for years to find and keep a stable job with the income they desired. uWe worked at two or three different places and were finding either a low income or fighting a company that would open its doors for a while then closef, Ianet said. If we clonit have that paper degree we already know the low income we're going to have and welre not going to rise above that. We'1'e not happy with just getting by.' Tim's college experience wasn't the same as a typical college student. Being a non-traditional student, he noticed differences in his priorities. 'Tm more focused on my studies. I don't as a student, having more years of life experiences under his belt and being closer to the age of the faculty. ultis a lot easier to connect with the instructorsf' Tim said. I can talk to the professor and say 'Oh yes, I remember when gas was 47 cents a gallonf There's a commonality there that younger people donlt have. Tim was not the only one in his family attending the university. Sean Wallace, Tim's son and senior in mechanical engineering, often had classes at the same time as his father. KI-Ie has a tendency to sort of avoid me, if at but heys cordialf, Tim said. uHe asks how my classes are going and I ask how his are going then we go our separate waysf' Tim was going to school full time but was still interested in any available jobs. Tim applied for multiple jobs on campus, specifically in the computer area. However. he seemed to often get turned down with the same response: uWe've found someone who is a better fitfi Tim said he assumed

Page 30 text:

1 ff ,-V. PA... nf f Mm -' '11 R M 9 NX 'af m. V 9 A -1 a Y' s. :- 0. f A I' .J O 9 c A Q 9 so -Uv it 'eil a -, Q A v, Q. ,fam F H, -wwmww Wwfgzwfhf W H mmm , , www