Augustana College

Date: May 09 2009
Major: Sociology (This Major's Salary over time)
I transferred to Augustana College (due to a job relocation) as a nontraditional student (at 25 years of age). I felt that my counselors didn't know what to do with me and all of my credits from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. I felt very out of touch with what is commonly referred to on campus as the "Augie Bubble," because I lived on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River rather than on campus. I did not join campus clubs or organizations because they were inconvenient to my work and study schedules, as I was working part-time throughout my duration at Augustana. One student told me, "yeah, there is a certain stigma about being older" when I responded to why she may not have seen me around campus the previous year and a half. Three other non-traditional students relayed to me that they experienced similar treatment among the faculty, staff and student body. Looking back, I would have much preferred completing my degree at a larger school, where the faculty, staff and student body would likely have been much more accepting of diversity among the student population.