Finding Community in Shared Spaces

Inaugural Adult Students Social Hour

At the October 14 launch of Clark College’s first-ever Adult Students Social Hour, students and employees swapped stories of returning to school—and discovered they’re not alone. Conversations flowed easily. Between bites and shared laughter, participants—some current students, some staff, and some alumni—found common ground in their journeys back to higher education.  

The event, complete with a pop-up Penguin Pantry, offered not just resources but belonging. Many of those identities were blurred as some staff members discussed their current and former experiences as “older” students among the current student body. 

The event highlighted the college’s growing commitment to supporting students at every stage of life, providing a welcoming space for students balancing college with careers, families, and life experience. People sat down facing each other in PUB 161, introduced themselves, and shared their experiences.

I don't need a book for class?

Mary came to Clark to get their certificate in ASL. 

“I worked for the post office for 35 years. While I was there, I had my second daughter—she was born with many disabilities, one of them being hard of hearing. So, we started ASL from kindergarten. She's now 30. We still do the ASL,” Mary explained. “Before I left [my job], the post office hired an individual, who was deaf, and I was able to communicate with them. And I thought, ‘Well, maybe I can…do something with this skill that I have acquired over the years.’” 

Coming back to school was a shock. When she went to school years ago, there were no online classes, and no Canvas. “It was a shock to go to the bookstore to buy a book, but that I actually didn't need a book, and it was hard for me to comprehend that I didn't have to [have a physical book],” Mary shared. 

Phoebe shared from their time at Portland State University, “I had to do a group work, and I was working with a student who had just graduated high school, and she wanted to coordinate everything via Snapchat—No…” The room laughed with understanding.

Finding their way back to school

“Half the battle was hitting the submit button” on her application to Clark, Jude shared. “I know that there'd been so many times I'd pulled into the parking lot, and I just drove around just trying to get the nerve to walk through the doors, and I did it!” 

Phoebe, a student success coach, shared that it doesn’t matter your age, when you start and stop school—those gaps can cause a lot of anxiety. “I stopped and started school a lot…it doesn't matter how much time you're away—even taking a term, and then having a restart can feel really challenging.” 

Several students relayed that the delay was around caregiving and working—there wasn’t time for school. Savannah, after starting at Clark in 2013, had to take six years off to be a caregiver. She is now back at Clark to finish some credits while also enrolled at Washington State University Vancouver. “I just happened to walk in here, and I found my peers!” Savannah shared, “I’m just shocked that I'm in a room with my people that are doing the exact same thing I've tried to do.” 

Mary shared her journey of getting her General Educational Development (GED) credential at 32; graduating with an Associate in Arts (AA) this year; and now working on math prerequisites for the Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management (BASAM) program. “They told me the next math class was even harder, so I'm not really looking forward to that. But I'm here,” she said with a smile.

Balancing work and school

“This is way different from when I was 18,” said Gaby, studying in the BASAM program while working full time at Clark as a recruiter. She admitted that some weeks she can give 100% of her time to studying, and other weeks, it can be more like 70%. “I had to really adjust quickly in the first two weeks to change what my expectation of perfection looks like in the classroom. And so, one thing that I've been holding onto as a mantra is ‘completion, not perfection.’”

Finding a new career

McKay is studying mechatronics after the industrial bakery he was working for closed its doors. He realized instead of being replaced by a machine, he could be the one making the machines. “I've always been very interested in science and technology, so I figured, I should take this as an opportunity to be the guy who makes the robots and fixes the robots… I’m going to show the robot who's boss,” he said. 

Jordan, after working low-paying jobs, is getting ready to start studying computer science, after “clawing his way out of prereqs.” It has taken him since 2020 to level up his math, but he admits that he now loves math! Others in the room groaned, but there was a lot of encouragement for others to move through those math requirements. 

Iris, after moving around the United States, is now working on her transfer degree in hopes of going to Portland State University for Business. She currently has a bachelor’s degree in finance, but from her home country. “The education system is a whole new experience,” said Iris, and she was excited to find a group of older students. 

Gabriel was laid off as a project manager in June, and he said, “I just realized that I felt like I was not getting interviews because I don't have a degree.” Gabriel was studying online, but the school closed its doors, so now he is waiting to see what credits will transfer for him.

Keeping It Old School

Students Jude and Roo stepped forward and announced that they are starting a club for adult students called “Keeping it Old School.” 

The club will feature meetups (starting in winter term), as a place for students to find community, through the sharing of resources, experiences, making connections for studying, and friendship. 

“We were trying so hard in the beginning to be careful with the wording [for the name of the club] and not include the word ‘old’ in there,” explained Jude, one of the student founders. “And we were using ‘non-traditional students’ and ‘adult learner’ in our spiel—kind of something along the lines of, if you are in a student who has had a significant gap in your education, or if you're returning to college in a sea of younger students and you want to meet up with some fellow students who are maybe experiencing the same kind of thing. As we're saying that to people, their eyes would just kind of glaze over. And then finally, we just started saying—you know, we're just ‘keeping it old school.’ And then they were interested. So that's the reason for the name.” 

“I wish this club would have been here when I was a student,” added Kim, alumni and staff. “Because I was old school—I think when I came back to school the second time, I was 42.” 

Next meetup

If you know of a student who would be interested in this new student club Keeping it Old School, invite them to  join the club’s Discord. Meanwhile, watch for a meetup the next term! 

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley 

Story by Jenny Shadley, Graphic Designer Supervisor, Communications & Marketing