Conner is one of the many non-traditional students with children attending SIUC who are searching for ways to manage time and make financial ends meet.

The one-hour meeting allowed non-traditional students with children an opportunity to voice their collective concerns.

Sherry DeAngelo, assistant program director of Non-Traditional Student Services, said the goals of non-traditional student week and the brown bag lunches are to find out what non-traditional students are going through.

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We are trying to let non-traditional students know that they are not alone, she said. We are here to help them achieve their goals in continuing their education.

The small group met to discuss the different roles that parents have to play in order to be successful.

Mary Bosker Woitke, group and outreach assistant for Women’s Services, helped to motivate the discussion, and give out suggestions to help those parents who are struggling.

Conner openly expressed his concerns about getting to know people who are experiencing the same problems that he has.

Everyone finds it hard to get support at times, Woitke said to reassure the group. There are groups who provide support for all these situations.

The group commented on not having enough time to be by themselves.

Mary Vieten, a group and outreach assistant for Women’s Services, made a suggestion about making personal time.

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Put your kids to bed earlier, she said. Then for those few hours you will have complete bliss, and it makes a really good studying time.

Woitke said the best time management tool is a planner.

You need to take time and look at what you are doing, she said. It can be very helpful to put it down in black and white.

The group also shared information on financial aid that is available that is not openly talked about, places to go to get a job that will have times flexible around classes and more affordable places to live.

Everyone could save so much more money if they knew what you needed to ask for, Vieten said.

This year’s Non-Traditional Student Week is one of the ways Student Development tries to add to the programs that are already available to non-traditional students.

Everyone’s story is different, DeAngelo said. We need them (non-trads) to tell us what they need so we can provide more services.