Missouri Southern State University - Crossroads Yearbook (Joplin, MO)

Page 23 text:

SAGE aids transition for older student “The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning ' says Doug Jones, a student at Southern. Changes in the economy, social ac¬ ceptance, physicial disabilities and accessibility to facilities have all played a part in the influx of older people into the academic communi¬ ty. Educational opportunity opens new doors of hope, knowledge and skill. It is indeed the beginning of a whole new world for returning students. Students Achieving Greater Education, otherwise known as SAGE, is Missouri Southern’s retur¬ ning student organization. SAGEs come in both sexes and inall colors, shapes and sizes. If the SAGE has a distingishing characteristic, it would be the appearance of maturi¬ ty, less favorably referred to as age. In the past the traditional students have come directly from high school into the college pro¬ gram. This trend is undergoing significant statisticial changes. No longer do traditional students far outnumber the nontraditional students. Here at Southern, the non¬ traditional students-ones 25 years of age and over-comprise over 50 per cent of the student body. Many nontraditional students returning to school experience stress such as coping with schedules, part- time or full-time jobs, child care dif¬ ficulties and financial crises. The nontraditional student can turn to SAGE for help in dealing with these stresses. SAGE President Jan Nichols says, “The SAGE is primarily a sup¬ port group. We represent a group with mutual needs and mutual causes. In the group we share friend¬ ship, helpful experiences and ser¬ vices to help ease the transition back into college life. We have created for ourselves a community of accep¬ tance. • - » » , . , , 4«ft c:ft l£v«4 | S Vt . it ffhu ir« ©• tugfe icfesoi fit 8 Sh % , Nrci k p 1 Vr fils : :• «! ' ' i M m4 U f ' ttmucz Wh t jt , mumij, u Ua, iti r «t UUm ft §4 i m , m til i iM Uni u vm cm, tr.« m tt«r I urn %U «• t tm 8 - »-« ’ ' - Sh. .«« !« “» K ' ' “ l:r , c: « 14 »« «• E : hhi “•• ’- ■ t ; j.e F» I If f v opm ztM f m mi %m m Uhitft i? r 4 - ,-i v. »n u at t «i ;; « it, tht p«rt tltf: rf . ' 4m bit 154 chit nr «tt !«t» tili If »d h«f day, fhi 4 . n.f Clark Swanson gets very involved with his in-class demonstrations using an overhead transparency projector to provide visual aid to get his ideas across. 19

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Moving Day The school year always begins with this familiar scene of people carrying in the things like books, clothes, stereos and televisions, and food which will make dorm life a little more like home. It ' s nice to have a friend to help make the job easier. 21