Date of Award

Spring 2016

Degree Type

Capstone - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

First Advisor

Susan Marine

Abstract

Close to 40% of students currently enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities are adult undergraduate learners, many of whom attend school on a part-time basis (Day et.al., 2011). The rate of college enrollment by adult students, age 25 and older, can be expected to rise even further due to the current economic recession, as adults find themselves in need of new skills and knowledge to pursue continued employment (Day et. al., 2011). This capstone project was conducted through a transformative paradigm with the intention of making a positive change for the adult population at Northern Stark University. I conducted eight interviews with adult learners from Northern Stark University, a public university located in the northeast, asking questions related to their reason for starting or returning to college, their student and work status (part-time or full-time), their experiences as adult students and what changes they would like to see implemented at NSU to benefit all adult learners. Following data analysis, I created recommendations for NSU adult students which included improved advising, an updated advising web-page, a comprehensive center for adult students, adult student orientation, class improvements, and new student services and a coordinator position to assist the adult students at NSU.

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