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St. Louis Community Info, Sunday, December 23, 2007  More Older Adults Returning to College ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 23, 2007 - Nontraditional students -- men and women 25 years of age or older attending college -- have become one of the fastest-growing demographic segments in higher education. In 1970, 2.4 million students age 25 and older were enrolled in degree-granting institutions, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). By the year 2000, nontraditional students represented 6 million -- 43 percent of American undergraduates. By 2012, adult enrollment for this age group is projected to increase to more than 6.7 million, meaning more than half of the student population will be over the age of 25. "The value of a higher education is indisputable," says Martha Holler, spokesperson for Sallie Mae, the nation's leading saving and paying for college company. "Students of all ages realize the benefits of higher education, and higher education institutions are experiencing greater demand as a result." There are a myriad of reasons for the rise in nontraditional students. Some are first timers, attending college at a later-than-average stage in life; others are returning to the classroom to improve their skills set and thereby their earnings potential in the workplace. Still others are retirees, using their newfound free time to prepare for a new business venture or simply to take advantage of lifelong learning. The influx of nontraditional students presents several challenges for both schools and older adults-turned students. Adult student learners typically have unique needs that their younger counterparts do not. Many must balance school with a full-time job and family, and they are often unprepared or out of practice for the rigors of college life. To help these students, a growing number of colleges and universities have developed special programs and services tailored to meet the needs of the over-age-25 college student; examples of these efforts include online curriculums, onsite childcare, classes that are held during nights and weekends, life experience credit offerings, organized study groups, even carpooling services. Financial aid is one area that often presents a difficult hurdle for older students who make the decision to either return to college or pursue higher education for the first time. Sallie Mae provides a variety of financing options for students of any age, from federal Stafford and PLUS loans to private education loans. To help guide students down the most cost-effective path to financing a college education, Sallie Mae has pioneered a strategy called the "1-2-3 Approach to Paying for College." Nontraditional students also should look to the companies where they work. In many instances, employers of employees-turned-students who return to college will help pay the education costs. Statistics from the College Board show that more than 40 percent of nontraditional students who are attending college today are reimbursed for some or all of the tuition expenses via their place of employment. Over Half a Million Dollars in Grants to Support Missouri Firefighters ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 23, 2007 - Gov. Matt Blunt has announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded Missouri $551,394 in grants to support Missouri's fire departments and to help enhance Missourians safety. "Missouri's firefighters and first responders are Missouri heroes who put their lives on the line to ensure the safety and well being of our family and friends," Gov. Blunt said. "These grants will help ensure that Missouri's firefighters have the tools they need to effectively and efficiently perform their duties to protect lives and property." In the St. Louis area, the Crestwood Department of Fire Services, St. Louis, received $96,235 and the West Overland EMS and Fire Protection District, St. Louis, received $79,248. The grants will help pay for operations and safety. The departments will use the grants to fund training, personal protective and other equipment, wellness and fitness, and modifications to fire stations and facilities. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant program awards grants to local fire departments. The grant program provides the departments with the tools they need to enhance the safety of the public they serve and their firefighters. Additional air Monitoring Stations to be Set Up in the St. Louis Area ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), December 23, 2007 - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has been awarded a $491,842 grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 to help identify and more accurately define the impact of local hazardous air pollutants in the St. Louis region. The department will use the grant to set up additional air monitoring stations in the St. Louis area. Conducting this additional monitoring will allow the department to collect more robust data to understand the behavior and variability of air toxic metals such as arsenic. The monitoring will also help identify multiple industrial and other area source releases of arsenic compounds and other metals that have been difficult to estimate and include in emissions inventories. The project will help discern where and under what conditions the highest levels of certain metals are occurring and increase the Department of Natural Resources' ability to determine what sources may be causing them. Determining sources of toxic air emissions will assist the department in implementing control measures to protect air quality in Missouri. "Using this grant money to gather additional data on the behavior of these air pollutants will not only benefit Missouri but also other states with similar air quality issues," said Leanne Tippett Mosby, deputy director of the department's Division of Environmental Quality. "Having better information will enhance our ability to make informed choices to protect air quality and public health." Sampling will initially be conducted at the Blair Street site in St. Louis, with subsequent locations determined based on results from the first round of monitoring. Overall project planning, field measurement and data analysis will be conducted by the department. The Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $117,778 subgrant to Washington University in St. Louis to assist with the project. Washington University will perform chemical analysis, source determinations analysis and assist with the study design. The university's familiarity with lab analytical techniques pertinent to this project and an acquired expertise in source characterization will be of great benefit to the department on this project. For more information on this grant for additional air monitoring stations in the St. Louis area, contact the department's Air Pollution Control Program at (573) 751-4817 or 1-800-361-4827. Archived St. Louis Community News:  Governor Calls for Massive Increase in Needs-Based ScholarshipsPlan to Protect Missourians from Cyber Crimes May Receive Additional FundingFatherhood Initiative Program Receives Boost in St. Louis CommunityCatalog of All State Grants Is Now Available Online
The Community Information Guide is presented in conjunction with the St. Louis Front Page and Southwest Illinois News. The sites are owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2007 Moore Design Group. |
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