40% of UNLV students are considered non-traditional students.
Are you one of the 40% of students who is considered a non-traditional student at UNLV? A non-traditional student is anyone who has either taken a break from their studies or has commitments outside of going to class and studying.
UNLV will also classify you as non-traditional student if “you’re 24 years of age or older, a transfer student, have dependent children or loved ones, had an interruption or delay in your education since high school, work while attending school, classified as independent for financial aid purposes, serve or have served in the military, or formerly incarcerated or justice impact, etc.”
If you fit into the non-traditional student category, consider checking out the Alliance of Non-Traditional Students (ANTS). ANTS is not just a club. Tiffany Brewster, President of ANTS, describes the club as a family, community, and system of support.
“One thing about us is that we provide you the support,” Brewster said. “We give you the tools that you need to succeed. We stick with you from the beginning of your entrance into you until you graduate. It’s truly a community where we are pushing for each other to succeed.”
“This isn’t just a club. We have lives. We’ve had careers and things like that. We’ve been, we’re intimidated by the idea of coming back to school, but the other members help us get through.”
Whether you are looking for kid and family-friendly events, friendly faces to study with, an accepting group to eat lunch with, business mentorship, networking, or career seminars, ANTS has a ton of resources available to help you achieve your goals and make the most of your time at UNLV.
“When I found this group of people, I said, ‘I’m having a hard time. I have anxiety,’ they were there to help me,” Brewster said. “That’s, I think that’s one thing that’s very unique about ANTS. It isn’t just a club where we come here to have fun, we also have that support that you need to make it from entry to graduation because we want to see you succeed.”
Not all ANTS members are looking to transition careers. Some simply enjoy learning and others are looking to pursue their passion or further their current career. This is a benefit to other members because you can network with and be mentored by a member who is established in an industry or career you’re interested in.
“We do have our members who have PhDs, who are professors, who’ve had careers, some of them are older,” Brewster said. “They do mentor our other members. If they have questions, they’ll be like, ‘Hey, is anybody a nursing major or somebody who’s been a nurse?’ and a member can provide them with the information that they need to help them. Our members, not just the school, but the members themselves, are resources to our other members.”
To learn more about ANTS, resources, events, & seminars, you can join via the “Organizations” tab on the UNLV Involvement Center website and/or the unofficial Facebook group, “The Non-Traditional Students of UNLV”.
