Pam Hearney
Published: March 30 2005
Every year, ardent sports fans eagerly scan the news to find which of the graduating high school hopefuls have been recruited to become players on their favorite college teams and which of the graduating college stars have been recruited to go on to the pros with the dream of becoming superstars and national sports heroes.
Equally important, but much less publicized, is the hard work that goes into recruiting the rest of the student body of every college.
In the case of PJC, most of the younger members of the new student body come from the local high schools because the graduating classes are thoroughly informed of the benefits to be found in the hallowed halls of higher education.
“We try to impress that the choices they make immediately after graduating high school will be among the three or four most important decisions in their lives,” Dr. James Callaway, registrar, stated. “So many young people graduate from high school, get jobs and think that is all they want from life.”
PJC plays an important role in Santa Rosa county by helping to increase the education level and show how continuing education can create a greater quality of life.
“Escambia and Santa Rosa counties are fortunate to have a school like PJC,” Marshall McLeod, director of Institutional Research & Effectiveness, said. “It is a comprehensive community college, which means that it has different kinds of education for the needs of different kinds of people.”
McLeod said that overall, about one-third of the high school graduates enter PJC, and also about one-third of the adult population of Santa Rosa and Escambia counties make use of the campus either full or part time for the continuation of their education.
“People return to school for a variety of reasons,” Callaway said. “When they do decide to come to college at 25, 30 or beyond, PJC wants them to know the college will be there for them.”
It is difficult to reach the older prospective student. With that in mind, last December, Callaway and Earl Evens initiated advertisements and held an open house to contact those adults who might be interested in furthering their education or are just interested in learning how to get started.
Callaway said that he had met several women on the Warrington campus who had told him they had not started as early as they might in their nurses’ training because they were afraid and didn’t quite know where to begin.
“When I left school, I never wanted to see another book,” Susie Lolie, student, said. “After a while there [were] the kids, and I had to work to help support them.”
Lolie said that she worked in various waitressing jobs, but the lifestyle took its toll on her.
“After years on my feet I couldn’t take it any more. Then I heard about being a [Certified Nurses’ Assistant],” she said.
Lolie said she really enjoyed the work and felt it was worthwhile. Her employer encouraged her to attend PJC to get all the certificates she needed to become a real registered nurse.
“I never knew I could possibly do all that,” she said.
Since older students have often had experience in the working world, they are able to contribute different feedback than traditional college-age students, which can make the classes more interesting for everyone.
“Some people come back to school because they need to make themselves more marketable,” Callaway said. “They find themselves trapped in jobs that have maxed out their abilities and need to improve their position. Because so many adult students must work, and are only able to go part time, we have been developing accelerated courses, so they can get as much learning in as short a time as possible.”
“This is my second time around for college,” Susan Lee, student, stated. “I realize now that I should have finished, but after 2 and a half years, I was so tired of school and so far in debt. I didn’t appreciate the difference the degree would have made in my life. Now I’m putting together a career in communications technology.”
PJC is one of the schools in Florida that honors the Senior Waiver Program, which means that people older than 60 can enroll in credit courses without paying class fees, although they do still need to purchase books.
Then there are the older students that want to continue their education because they want to learn a new hobby or improve an old one. Others come because they find college interesting and fun.
Loretta Lang is a senior citizen who attends many of the courses offered in the continuing life program.
“We just moved into the area a few years ago and were slow to meet new people. I signed up for one of those weekend holiday baking courses and met so many people and had such a good time we keep coming back for all kinds of classes.”
Lang added that she particularly enjoys the computer classes, because they have helped her “keep up” with her grandchildren.
