February 2 , 2006
NEWSAWARE program assists returning students
Adults who postponed their education and are now returning may want to inquire about Adult Women Actively Reentering Education.
AWARE is a club at MCC devoted to students seeking assistance with reentering school.
Contrary to the club’s title, AWARE is open to both men and women. The club is a nationwide service program that assists students who have been gone from an educational setting for long periods of time.
“We welcome anyone who has been out of school for sometime,” Carroll Ann Vaughan explained. Vaughan is a program advisor for AWARE.
“We try to assess the needs of students, both men and women, who are not just returning to school, but also want to improve specific skills or seek a career change among other things,” Vaughan said.
“Our members include students of all ages, including people who have been out of school from anywhere to a year or more, and students who are in middle to late life and are seeking a career change,” Vaughan added.
Students who are seeking a change in careers will also find direction in AWARE.
“Changing careers three or four times in a lifetime is common today,” Vaughan said. “People want to pursue different things at different times in their lives. AWARE is a club where we let students take the lead and grow.”
Members also include students who have postponed school due to family duties.
“There is a stereotype that it is mostly just women who are reentering school who have families, but it really is a universal club of many different people from different backgrounds,” Vaughan said.
AWARE is sponsored by the Reentry Service program and has been active at MCC for more than 30 years.
Membership is about thirty-seven students annually. Students who are pursuing a career change can find assistance with AWARE through networking, transfer advisement, and other important skills.
“AWARE can help students with services such as skill improvement and resume writing,” Vaughan said.
Vaughan added that the club has a successful retention rate.
“We see students move on to building their careers and transferring to universities,” Vaughan said. “Annually we have returning members.”
Along with offering peer support, AWARE also offers community service.
“We advocate pro-educational development,” Susan Taffer said. Taffer is the AWARE program director. Taffer said that community involvement was an important part of their agenda.
“AWARE members have actively been involved with community building. We fundraise for forums including domestic violence and children in need,” Taffer said.
From Feb. 27, to March 3, AWARE will be holding the Scholastic Book Fair at the Student Center.
“It provides service learning for our members, while at the same time AWARE gives back to the community,” Taffer said. “Through the Scholastic Book Fair, we will be able to earn books for children. We will hand them out to children in the community. We emphasize on the importance of community through the student’s reentry process,” Taffer said.
An organizational meeting will be held on Wednesday, February 15, at the Career Reentry Center at 1 p.m. Information regarding AWARE will be presented.
“Any student who is reentering college is welcome. We are about providing a dynamic learning experience and process,” Vaughan said.