Returning to college after years away from formal education can feel like a new beginning, as well as a daunting challenge.
What sparks students to return? Once they’re back, how can colleges help them stay on track? And what informal networks and resources do students create on their own?
Those are some questions we explore in the second episode of our podcast series Second Acts. We hear the in-depth stories of three students—Paul Carr from Detroit; Gina Petersen from Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Tim Lum, from Honolulu—who headed back to finish a degree.
We learn how students struggled to adapt to online programs—in one case buying blue light glasses to handle suddenly spending so much time at a computer. We hear how a student found support from classmates during a difficult period of his personal life. And we meet some of their professors, academic coaches and other folks working to help them succeed.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts, or use the player on this page.
This podcast series is supported by the Lumina Foundation.
