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

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STRIVING FOR When Cindy Day returned to school in 1984 after a seven-year layoff, she knew exactly what she wanted to achieve in school. This attitude was opposite of her first try as a K-State student. When Day, junior in business, began her career, she was uncertain about her goals. She had considered the idea of going into politics and being the first honest politician or becoming the greatest lawy er ever. But as time passed, she came to realize there were few good politicians and found moral objections with the nature of being a lawyer. After two years in school, Day discovered she was not the student she had hoped to be. She spent her share of time in Aggieville and didn ' t go to class regularly. Day fell in love, got married and quit school... As an 18-year-old kid coming out of high school, Larry Parish decided he was going to join the service and be a Marine. It was not the most popular decision a high school senior could have made in 1967, but he was determined to serve his country. By the time he was 20, he had pulled two tours of duty in Vietnam and was a squad leader. His responsibilities included ensuring that his men woke up alive in the morning or getting them to the hospital if they were wounded in a firefight. After 14 years in the Marines, Parish, junior in natural resource management, decided he wanted a job that was more than living or dying for his country. Parish came back to school. Brad Blaker ran his own small business for 18 years. He oversaw 14 employees and did nearly $750,000 worth of business annually. It was a solid business, and he was proud to be the boss. But Blaker, senior in information systems, decided it was not what he wanted to do, and he returned to school to pursue a new career. It was a decision that took three or four years to make, but he was doing what he wanted... Day, Parish and Blaker are examples of students who decided to return to school after being in the real world. They were part of an increasing number of people over 25 who pursued studies to help change their lives. Returning to school was often a difficult for older students, but they were compelled to come back because they wanted more from themselves — and this time they knew exactly where they were going. I was retired and I got bored, said Linda Manns, senior in psychology. I figured the best way to go back into the job market and be functional was to come back and receive my education. According to some estimates, one in three college students will be older students — those who are 25 or older — by 1990, said Ruth Hoeflin, director of K-State ' s FENIX program, a support system designed for students over 25 who are re-entering school. In the fall 1985 semester, K-State enrolled 1,537 older students in undergraduate programs, Hoeflin noted. Older students returned to school for retraining and had a goal set they knew was crucial to their future. We have an aim, a goal, and we are going (continued on page 32) Like many older students, Brad Blaker returned to school to pursue a new career. K-State enrolled over 1,500 older students — those over 25 years old — In the fall 1985 semester. (Photo by Andy Nelson) Because she was bored, Linda Manns came out of to return to school. (Photo by Andy Nelson) Older Student:

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Homecoming 29

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SUCCESS Older students aim for greater achievement despite obstacles Older Students 31