"It seems that when students come back after some delay, they come back with a higher sense of mission-they're much more focused." After directing a play for a class in the Little Theater, senior Melinda Hollis talks with sophomore Justin Cox and freshman Bethany Billings. Hollis is a theater major who came back to school after a break to finish her degree. -Dr. Mike James, chairmanofthe cormnunication dep:xrtrnent COLLEAGUES REY Assistant to the dean and resource coordinator for the College of Nursing decide to pursue higher degrees together When Debbie Kemper enrolled in college in 1972, she didn't know she'd soon be meeting her future husband, Greg. "I got married and quit going," she said. "I wasn't as focused back then." A marriage, three children and a couple of careers later, Kemper decided to pursue a master's degree in education at Harding, where she worked as assistant to the dean of the College of Nursing. Kemper became a nontraditional student-one who returns to college after the usual window of time that people "traditionally" attend school expires. She received her bachelor's degree in biology from Lyon College at Batesville in 1995, and, after teaching high school biology in Strawberry, Ark., accepted the position at Harding. It wasn't long after working at the university that she started mulling over the idea of becoming a college professor herself. "At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted another bachelor's degree or if I wanted a master's degree," said Kemper, who lives in Batesville. "But I decided that I really wanted to teach at the college level." see them that often-they both live on campus and I drive back and forth to Batesville, which is a SO-minute drive." Her son, however, said he enjoyed sharing his college experience with his mother. "It gave us something to relate to," he said. "fr's nice to see her and run into her every now and then. I see her at least once a week, which is more than I would have if she didn't go to Harding. It's great to share something with your parents to overstep the age difference." Lastsummer, Kemper enrolled in Dr. MikeJames' cyberspace communication class with Beverly Rose, her colleague from the College of Nursing. Rose, who served as resource coordinator for the college, began pursuing her bachelor's degree in 1977. After receiving an associate's degree in computer systems technology at Arkansas State University at Beebe, Rose decided to pursue a degree in interactive media. "I wanted to get a bachelor's degree all along, but I never had the time to do it," Rose said. "I was a computer science major, but when I found out about the interactive media major, I switched." James, who served as chairman of the communication department, said Kemper and Rose were ideal students. "It seems that when students come back after As Kemper pursued her degree, she said she tried not to intrude upon her children's academic pursuits. Her son, Daniel, a senior marketing major, and her daughter, Jill, a freshman pre-law major, both attend Harding. some delay, they come back with a higher sense of mission-they're much more focused," James said. "Both of them are excellent students, and they're Waiting for her Sth century prophets class to begin, senior Flo Stephens reads her Bible. Stephens plans to graduate with a degree in communication disorders and work in a school system. receiving the benefit of the new information and technologies that have surfaced in this field." "I did take chemistry with my son, but it was in a different section - we shared a book," Kemper said. "But I try not to bother them ... I don't -Chad Lawson nontraditional students 29
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