Date Approved

2026

Degree Type

Open Access Senior Honors Thesis

Department or School

Social Work

First Advisor

Cassandra Barragan, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Christina Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Jennifer Avery, Ph.D.

Abstract

Nontraditional students comprise 25% of students at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and include students who work full-time, are over 25, are parents, and are first-generation. It can be difficult for students to focus on their careers, families, and school, as focusing on one can result in a worse performance in the other. The needs and experiences of this population have historically been understudied in the literature. During the Winter 2025 semester, nontraditional students at EMU were surveyed. This survey included questions about their experiences, their needs, and their perceived levels of support from the university. The results of this project will provide a better understanding of the current needs of nontraditional students at EMU post- COVID. Our results indicate that there is a significant relationship between the type of nontraditional student and their perception of resources provided by EMU to help them balance their academic and personal lives, the synchronous class time that they find most convenient, the class structure that they find the most convenient, and the class structure that they find most beneficial to their learning.

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