By Layna Delgado
Springfield College’s diverse student body includes international students, transfer students and recent high school graduates – as well as individuals like me who are returning to higher education after taking time away.
The additional responsibilities that many non-traditional students have can make it difficult for us to engage fully in campus life. Unlike most traditional students, many of us don’t have the luxury of spending entire afternoons on campus or joining various clubs. We have jobs and personal duties outside of school that demand our time and energy.
A Day in the Life of a Non-Traditional Student
Dylan Richter, a Healthcare Management and Marketing major, from Springfield, Mass., and I both work in the healthcare field. I am a Mental Health Counselor at a local hospital, while he is a Certified Nursing Assistant for a nursing home. We understand both the pressures and the rewards of working in this demanding industry.
I’m a junior in the Communications and Sports Journalism program. A typical 48 hours look like this: On Tuesday at 7 a.m., I wake up and prepare for my 8 a.m. Journalism class, which lasts until noon. After that, I attend the newspaper club meeting and head home around 1:30 p.m. to walk to my chocolate lab, KG, before starting my 12-hour shift at the hospital at 3 p.m. I work until 3 a.m. on Wednesday. During my shift at the hospital I help de-escalate patients who are combative, assist nurses with getting the patient ready to see the crisis clinician and complete all transfer paperwork before a patient leaves the Emergency Department to go to another facility. After that I head home to get some sleep. By 8 a.m., I’m on the road to my internship at NBC10 News in Providence, Rhode Island, where I shadow a reporter or news anchor. I do stand ups for my demo reel and learn how to put together stories until 6 p.m. After that, I drive home, complete my assignments, and prepare for my Thursday classes. Balancing work and school is tough, and some days are more challenging than others.
Richter has an equally demanding schedule. He works an overnight shift from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., then goes home to sleep before attending his 10 a.m. Healthcare Finance class. After class, he catches up on rest before his 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Business Communications class. Once he’s done, he eats dinner and then heads to work from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. After his shift, he heads straight to campus for Macroeconomics class.
“I knew if I didn’t do it now, I never would,” Richter said. Although he initially aspired to attend nursing school, he later realized he preferred working behind the scenes in healthcare operations rather than in direct patient care.
Returning to School
I always knew I wanted to study sports journalism at Springfield College. But after graduating from Chicopee Comprehensive High in 2010, I took a break from school because college didn’t feel like the right fit for me at the time. I wanted to enjoy life, so I learned how to bartend, worked in various bars, and traveled with the money I earned. For two years, I lived in Colorado Springs, Colo., where I discovered my passion for sports and began freelance writing. This opportunity led to an invitation to the ESPY Awards, which inspired me to move to Atlanta, Georgia, which is a huge place of opportunity in the sports media world. However, when COVID-19 hit and everything shut down, I realized it was time to return home and pursue my degree.
Richter was homeschooled and graduated in 2014, and then attended Holyoke Community College from 2015 to 2019, earning an associate degree in Health Science. He then decided to take a break from school to focus on work. “I love Springfield College, but coming back after six years was nerve-wracking,” he said. “Professors should recognize they’re teaching students of all ages, not just those fresh out of high school. What a 19-year-old learns today is very different from what a 29-year-old learned a decade ago.”
The Challenges Non-Traditional Students Face
One of the biggest challenges for non-traditional students is finding a sense of community on campus. Many of our classmates are significantly younger than we are. “People are nice, but it’s sometimes hard to find things in common,” Richter said.
At times, balancing work, school, and friendships can be mentally exhausting. However, we know that what we’re doing now is setting us up for a more secure future.
The Value of Perseverance
Despite the challenges, both Richter and I remain dedicated to our education. Our experiences highlight our determination and perseverance. Returning to school has been challenging but the success we know we can achieve is extremely rewarding.
Fitting into an environment where non-traditional students are the minority is tough. Many students have already established themselves within their majors and social groups, making it difficult for newcomers like us to integrate. However, the hardest part—deciding to return to school—is already behind us.
Advocating for More Support
We hope our story raises awareness of the challenges non-traditional students face. We want to see more resources, such as flexible course scheduling, stronger support networks, and greater understanding from professors.
We are proof that students come in all forms. Higher education isn’t just for those fresh out of high school—it’s for anyone who wants to pursue their dreams, no matter their age. Education has no expiration date.
As Springfield College continues to grow and diversify, we hope that recognizing and supporting non-traditional students remains a priority in fostering a more inclusive and adaptable academic environment.
Photo courtesy of BestCollege.com