Providing advocacy and support for students on a non-traditional path, a new resource center has found a home at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
The Non-Traditional Student Center (NTSC) has opened its doors in the Dreyfus University Center (DUC). Non-traditional students are commonly defined as those older than 24 years old, with children or dependents, re-entry students and veterans. The center is a space where these students can find community, supported by a professional staff member that is open throughout the entirety of the DUC’s operating hours.
Advocated for by students, this project is several years in the making. Before the development of the center, the Alliance of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS) organization was offering many of the services it now provides. The organization, which has been operating for more than 50 years, had an office entirely staffed by students with limited hours, equipped with computers and free printing services.
In the new center, all the resources previously provided by ANTS still exist, with the responsibility of providing those off the plates of fellow students. After partnering with UWSP’s Student Government Association (SGA), the center received funding for a full-time support professional and was allocated a physical space in the DUC.
“ANTS was functioning as more of a service for our non-traditional students, so they really advocated for having a professionally staffed program with SGA,” said NTSC Coordinator Emily Fabry. “SGA approved the funding to help start the center on a three-year trial, and we have seen great benefits for our students. With the introduction of the NTSC, we want to take the burden off students to offer support services and allow ANTS to be able to focus on providing social events.”
Fabry started as the first in the coordinator role in 2024. She previously worked in higher education through housing, supporting traditional college students. Although the needs of those utilizing the center may be different, she says that the skills and level of support she offers as center coordinator are similar to her past roles.
“I relate a lot of what I do now to my housing experience and try to be there in the moments when an advisor or professor might not be available. That could mean working on a homework assignment, working through a Degree Progress Report or even navigating life outside of school,” said Fabry. “I really focus on a holistic approach and try to have my door open, so students know I’m here to help with whatever they may need.”
Fabry’s office is connected to the center, which celebrated its grand opening on Sept. 10, welcoming students with refreshments and allowing them to enjoy the space.
For students like ANTS President Kevin Wald, it is important to have a place to socialize and connect with campus and community resources. Wald, of Wausau, is 37 and came to UWSP after a traumatic brain injury sustained in a skiing crash led him to pursue a new career path. Entering a higher education setting later in life can be challenging, but he says having a center with a professional staff member like Fabry makes the experience less daunting.
“We don’t know what we don’t know,” said Wald. “There isn’t a handbook when you enroll in classes, and there is institutional knowledge that you may not have as a non-traditional student. Having a place where we can bounce ideas off each other, ask questions and have a staff member like Emily who might know those answers is imperative.”
Although the services ANTS provides have shifted, one of Wald’s goals as president is to re-assure students that support for non-traditional students still exists while transitioning ANTS to a socially focused organization.
“I realized ANTS needed to find a new direction, and one of the things that was lacking for me as a non-trad was a social experience,” he said. “My hope for this semester is to have social events centered around free food, which relieves the stress of students having to cook or shop for a meal.”
In addition to serving as ANTS president, Wald is involved in several other student organizations, including National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) on Campus, Neuroscience Club and Psychology Club. He also holds paid positions as a GroupEx yoga instructor at DAWG Fitness and a staff member at the Tropical Conservatory. One of the things he encourages fellow non-traditional students to do is get involved.
“You pay tuition just like every other traditional student, and part of that tuition comes with all the student organizations and activities on campus. There are so many opportunities to explore, and you will find your people.”
As the center enters its first year and continues to grow, Fabry hopes for growth of physical space, and establishment of a stronger relationship with veteran students.
“We are working on a collaborative Veterans Day event with Veteran Services that highlights and honors the work of our students,” said Fabry. “Outside of that, my focus is on student retention and tracking data. Finding ways to support learning new technology and translating life experience to the classroom is important. We also want to track the number of students utilizing our services and space, to build a historical context for our growth.”
The Non-Traditional Student Center is located in DUC 065 and is open during all DUC operating hours. Students of any background are welcome to visit the center. ANTS will be hosting community events and meals throughout the semester, and more information can be found on their SPIN page. To learn more about the Non-Traditional Student Center at UWSP visit www.uwsp.edu/office-for-culture-and-student-development/non-traditional-center/.
