Stephanie Abram studies at Western Wyoming Community College's Hay Library. Abram, a nontraditional student, started classes at the college in January.
When spring semester classes started at Western Wyoming Community College in January, a woman eager to become a registered nurse after being out of school for nearly 20 years joined the students attending classes in Rock Springs.
Rock Springs resident Stephanie Abram said she has always been interested in health care and initially received her CNA prior to graduating from Rock Springs High School in 2002. That certification allowed her to move out of her parents' house a week after graduation, able to support herself as she looked to start college.
"It gives you a sense of fulfillment," Stephanie said about the profession.
Stephanie's life took a turn from that path and after starting a family and initially moving to Florida for a few years before returning to Rock Springs, she finds herself in a position to go back to school, being guided by her aunt's advice.
"Aunt Mae told me to never give up on my dreams," she said. "She always knew I wanted to be a nurse."
Stephanie had tried for years to return to school but found the challenges of being a single mother difficult to overcome. Stephanie's path to Western's doors wasn't direct either, having initially obtained a CDL from Climb Wyoming and being placed with a local construction company for seasonal work. After being laid off and going onto unemployment when the construction season ended, Stephanie decided she was at a place in her life where she could return to healthcare and become a registered nurse.
She credits that ability to return to school to an improved family support system, consisting of her parents Robert and Loretta Abram, her fiancé Charles Foxall, and their children.
While her previous college credits didn't transfer to her current program, Stephanie admits she likely needs some refresher classes.
"I'm almost 40 years old, I think I need some refreshers," she said.
She's both excited and nervous about the prospect of returning to school. She said she's always excelled at class work and looks forward to being a student again. Ultimately, she hopes she can work for an air ambulance service once she completes the program.
Stephanie is one of many nontraditional students who have gone back to school to achieve goals they've either postponed or discovered later in life.
At the start of the Fall 2021 semester, Western's nontraditional student population, which are defined as students age 25 and older, represents 22 percent of enrolled students at the college. According to statistics from the Wyoming Community College Commission, Dustin Conover, Western's dean of students, said the percentage is consistent with other junior colleges in Wyoming. Their motivations also don't neatly skew in a single direction, such as seeking a certificate.
"Just as with our traditional age students, it is a mix of nontraditional-age students pursuing a certificate versus a degree," Conover said.
One item that has gotten a lot of attention with older students is the new Bachelor of Applied Sciences degree in business management Western offers, which Conover said has become very popular since Western started offering the degree. The degree is the first bachelor's program at the college and was initially approved by the college's board of trustees in 2020. The degree offered is in business management and can be completed online.
Conover said another program the college expects will be a draw for nontraditional students is the new Powerline Technology Program. The program will be offered starting with the Fall 2022 semester and is a program geared to give people the skills needed to work in apprentice powerline positions. According to a media release about the program, the college developed both a one-year certificate and an Associates of Applied Science degree in powerline technology. The powerline technology program in particular is an offering fitting with the college's goal to provide students with training in positions that are what college president Kim Dale refers to as "high-skill, high-pay, high-demand jobs."
According to enrollment data from the Wyoming Community College Commission, a large majority of students at Western are part time. From the 2020-2021 enrollment figures, 79.9% of the 4,317 students Western had were part time students.
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