After being out of school for an extended period of time or just starting your education later in life can be difficult; the Office of Adult Transition can help to make this transition smooth.

By Jennifer Aanerud
Contributing Writer

The Office of Adult Transition at ARCC’s Coon Rapids campus is available for any adult learner over the age of 24 who is returning to school after their education was interrupted. The Office of Adult Transition is headed by Jan Pomeroy who said that she can relate to these students as she was an adult leaner herself and came back to finish her education at age 45.

Adult learners can be in various stages of life. Some are single parents, unemployed, retired, those changing careers, starting their education later in life, returning to finish or further their education later in life, low-skilled, etc.

Pomeroy said that the primary focus of the office is to help these students navigate the educational system.

The Adult Transition Club is a resource that is also available to help non-traditional students support one another and share how they balance school and life with each other. This club meets the second Tuesday of every month in C278 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

The Adult Transition Advisory Committee is another place that these students can turn who wants to be a voice for other students who fit into this category. Those who would be interested in serving on the committee can contact Pomeroy directly at 763-433-1340. The committee meets once a month.

According to the Community College Survey of Student Engagement 2015 statistics, 28 percent of ARCC’s student population is over age 24. Pomeroy said that they have received a “big response so far” from the students since opening up the office this last December. She is currently working with 17 students on the Coon Rapids campus. She is in her office weekdays from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. or by appointment. The Office of Adult Transition is located in the Advising Office in C254 on the Coon Rapids campus.