United States: Transition-to-College Program Transforms Lives
Behind the bland façade of Mill Mall in Ellsworth, near the
Down East coast of Maine, an adult education program is quietly
transforming lives. The Sumner Adult Education Transition-to-College
program in University Center, a University of Maine satellite
site, has evolved from a successful collaboration between
the university's experiment with distance education and an
adult basic education program into an exemplary transition
program model.
On a recent weekday morning, 11 students ranging in age from
28 to 45 pay rapt attention to Marty Duncan, the Sumner Transition-to-College
instructor, who is teaching a lesson on adding and subtracting
integers (positive and negative whole numbers and zero). The
curriculum includes Math for College, Reading and Writing
for College, computer literacy, and study skills. Transition
students are often motivated to succeed, but also apprehensive
of what lies ahead. "My biggest fear is being in a classroom
of 18 year-olds and not being able to keep up," a 28-year
old confides.
The students' stories vary. Oasoeg (pronounced wosweg), who
introduces herself as a Native American, says, "I hated school.
I wasn't ready to learn in high school and barely skinned
by." After a stint in the military, she went to work. "But
the jobs I could get were not high paying. I realized how
important education is." She applied to Southern Maine Technical
College but wasn't accepted. Then a friend told her about
the Sumner Adult Education Transition-to-College program.
"This time around," she says, "I am more willing to learn."
Jeff, a single father, graduated from high school at 16 and
went to work, hauling logs out of the Maine woods to Canada.
On one trip, the logging truck didn't make the turn "and I
took a ride." He suffered a serious shoulder injury that will
require additional surgery to repair. "I started thinking
about what I could do without using my arm," he says.
A few of the students attended college briefly. Kendall attended
for just one semester before dropping out to enlist in the
military. "When you get out of the service you know there
is more than one thing to do in life," he says. "I have worked
manual labor all my life and I don't want to do it any longer.
I work full time and then some. My wife works at night while
I take care of the kids."
"I didn't go to college after graduating from high school because
I'm an alcoholic," Tempest says. "I started drinking at 14
and got pregnant in high school. I graduated on my daughter's
first birthday. Three years ago, I was looking at jail time
for doing something stupid. I realized my life was nothing
but trouble because of alcohol and I had to face the fact
that I needed help." She got into a treatment program. Eventually,
with a counselor's help, she found her way to Sumner's Transition-to-College
program. She has applied to the University of Maine for January
admission. "I am going," she says, firmly. "I want to be a
substance abuse counselor and help others the way I was helped."
All of these students juggle jobs, family responsibilities
and school. All are determined to get a college education
no matter how long it takes. Without a college education,
they know their chances of improving their economic standing
are limited. According to a 2002 study, college graduates
earn an average of $19,500 more a year than high school graduates.
An associate's degree increases one's earnings by $7,100.
The Sumner Adult Education Transition-to-College program is
one of 25 learning centers in New England funded by the Nellie
Mae Education Foundation. Like Sumner, they serve older,
low-income adults many of whom have been out of school for
several years. The learning centers are located in community-based
organizations, public schools, community colleges, and prisons.
The New
England ABE Transition-to-College Project is a partnership
between the Foundation, the learning centers, more than 30
postsecondary institutions, and the New England Literacy Resource
Center/ World Education, Inc. The Project was designed by
the New
England Literacy Resource Center (NELRC). The Nellie Mae
Education Foundation contracts with NELRC to coordinate the
project and provide technical assistance and professional
development to participating learning centers.
Over 700 adults participate annually in the New England ABE
Transition-to-College programs. They overcome their fears
and follow their dreams of a better, more fulfilling life.
With the assistance of college transition programs, many of
these adults will transform their lives and the future prospects
of their children.
This article is adapted from the original by Philippa Mulford,
a writer and staff member of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
To learn more about the New England ABE Transition-to-College
program, contact Deepa Rao.
World Education (WEI) coordinates the NELRC. WEI, through
its Literacy Division, works to strengthen the ability of
programs, organizations, and communities in the United States
to serve adult learners.
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