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Volume 41, Issue 7
December 2, 2003
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December 2, 2003
Adult women desiring education have support
Steve Emmick
Mesa Legend
"I feel
now, more than ever, that it's time for me to go back to school
just to see what I'm made of and to see what I can accomplish."
Barbara Dorey
MCC Student |
There are many programs offered at MCC to help students survive and
succeed during the often-difficult college years.
Over the years, MCC has developed a number of different programs and clubs
specifically tailored to suit the needs of every student in order to ensure
a successful tenure.
Internet sites, tutoring programs (personal and online) and even a day
care for parents are readily available.
The Adult Women’s Active Return to Education, or AWARE, is a national
student organization for women who have decided to continue their education.
AWARE is a national student organization.
Women in the club gather once a month to offer each other support as they
sometimes find it difficult to return to the harsh reality of buying expensive
books, making it to class on time, pulling all-nighters for tests and
getting homework in on time.
Many women involved in the district-wide club share common interests and
goals. For many, the reason for the postponement of school was to start
a family.
Mothers are encouraged to join because of the difficulties encountered
when attending school while trying to nurture a well-rounded child.
Laurie Hamel, mother of five children and nursing student at MCC, said
it is not easy raising her children and attending school at the same time.
Hamel’s youngest daughter, Macy, attends the day care facility offered
at MCC while she goes to class.
“It’s not easy, but I feel now is the time to do it, to go
back to school,” said Hamel as she playfully attended to her newly
adopted daughter from China. “With one in day care and four in grade
school, it is really tough and it’s good to have some support.”
AWARE is not limited to mothers; it is for all women who have made the
decision to go back to school and continue their education.
Because the club is a nationally recognized organization, most colleges
and universities have some sort of affiliation with AWARE and a minimal
membership fee of five dollars per semester is required.
Susan Taffer, the adviser for the club, has spent two years with AWARE
at MCC, and described the club as a place where women take on leadership
roles and get involved with workshops designed to further assist students.
Members also gain direct access to a number of campus resources.
“The best way to describe this particular student club is as a place
not only where women lend each other their support; but also a place of
shared vision, common goals, communication, networking, and most importantly,
peer support,” Taffer explained.
Last semester the women of AWARE organized the “Women of Courage”
workshop. Sheryl Watkins, executive director and founder of Students Assistance
Training International, was the keynote speaker for the event.
“Last semester’s turnout was not what we hoped it would be,
but this semester is rebuilding time and by next semester we hope to have
up to 20 members,” said Taffer.
Barbara Dorey, mother of two, holds a full-time job and said she plans
to attend MCC next semester.
She recently learned about the benefits of joining AWARE from the information
posted on MCC’s website.
“I’m excited to go back to school,” 38-year-old Dorey
said. “I sometimes wish I would have waited to have children, but
that’s life. I feel now, more than ever, that it’s time for
me to go back to school just to see what I’m made of and to see
what I can accomplish.”
“It’s very scary for me though because I haven’t been
in school for about 17 years, I’ll need all the support I can get,”
Dorey added.
That is what AWARE hopes to provide for its students: support.
Students interested in AWARE can receive information by logging onto MCC’s
website.
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