The Adult and Student Services Center honored 26 students at the Pyle Center Wednesday for their tenacity in earning a UW-Madison degree.
According to Judith Strand, director of the Adult and Student Services Center, the goal of the event was to commemorate ""non-traditional"" students who persevered in pursuing their academic goals.
Recipients of the awards included men and women who did not attend college directly after graduating high school.
""It is a really important way to recognize a specific population of our campus that often goes unnoticed,"" Dean of Students Lori Berquam said. ""These are, really, non-traditional students and they've had, usually, quite an amazing past in terms of what's gotten them to this point.""
The ASSC scholarships were divided into two different categories; those that were for the 2009-2010 academic year and those that were for single parents. The categories included the Bernice D. Kuney Scholarship, the University League Scholarship and the Bernard Osher Reentry Scholarship.
Molinda Henry, one of eleven recipients of the Osher Scholarship, said her daughter inspired her to go back to school and earn a college degree.
""[The scholarship] means everything to me, it's like freedom, it's like a passport to anywhere I want to go,"" she said.
Jacqueline Buleje, another recipient of the Osher Scholarship, said she has not attended school in almost nine years.
""I left for family responsibility before my grandparents passed away, and it was my job to … take over my family at that point in time,"" she said. ""Now it's my turn to come back and finish what I started.""
The ASSC gave 11 to 13 scholarships each year prior to the addition of the Osher Scholarship in 2006. The association currently gives out 26 scholarships and awards annually. This year 143 students submitted applications.
The first Adult Student Scholarships and Awards Reception took place in 1980 after former Dean of Students Mary Rouse and former Director of Outreach Development Peg Geisler initiated the recognition of older students.
For more information on ASSC visit www.dcs.wisc.edu.
