Welcome to the third edition of The Pinnacle, Pierce College’s News Magazine, for the students, written and edited by students. In this issue your student media team decided to go big on our feature and give the spotlight to our non-traditional student population.

If you look closely, non-traditional students are the majority of our student body.

We are high school students earning our associates degree alongside our high school diplomas. We are adults (raises hand) returning to college, we might have dependents (four!) We have jobs that we have to balance with our classwork. We have disabilities, some visible, most not, that we must overcome to achieve our educational goals. We leave our friends and family behind to come to the United States to get a more diverse education. We are the first in our family to get a degree. We are bi-lingual. We celebrate different holidays. We are soldiers and veterans learning how to assimilate to a community so different from the one we are trained in. We are students at Pierce College. 

Non-traditional students deserve recognition because we are the embodiment of resilience, we have so much determination, we have a deep commitment to growth. Non-traditional students aren’t just following a typical academic path; we’re juggling multiple responsibilities and still choosing to pursue higher education. We bring a wealth of experience, diverse perspectives and practical knowledge. We know how to think outside the box. We have the courage to step into the classroom after years away or after overcoming personal obstacles. We show a level of strength and perseverance that’s truly inspiring. 

Higher education isn’t just about age or timing; it’s a drive to keep learning, keep evolving, keep improving and keep moving forward despite the odds.

As a non-traditional student myself, I am proud to be here. You should be proud to be here too.

-Treva  @trevanic_ole

Letters to the editor can be sent to: [email protected]