Adult Learners
Going to college later in life can be an intimidating prospect. Will I be the oldest person in the classroom? How do I study? Where do I even begin?
We know you may have those questions and others. At Spoon River College our mission is to help anyone who walks through our doors be successful in their educational goals -- whether they are 17 or 77!
Sure, a lot of our students are recent high school graduates. But a significant part of our student base arrives fresh from the classroom of life. In fact, nearly 70% of our for-credit students are over the age of 21, and they represent a growing trend. From young moms returning to the workforce to retirees training for a whole new career, they're the new face of Spoon River College. And they're getting the skills they need to get ahead in the game of life.
Our advisors will guide you the process of choosing an educational path that suits your interests and goals; our financial aid staff will help you find the resources you need so your education is not a financial burden; our academic success center is there to lend a hand when that exam or paper is looming around the corner and you don't know where to begin!
You are not alone in this journey. Let us take you where you want to go!
Success Stories
By the age of 23, Denny deBourbon owned an events management company, booking such greats as B.B.King, The Doobie Brother, Martina McBride, and Collective Soul in the St. Louis, Bloomington, and Peoria areas. In 1996, his company signed a contract with the newly completed Heritage Grand Inn's Grand Room in Canton, where he worked for the next ten years.
He enjoyed the work, but was ready for a change. In 2004, he enrolled at Spoon River College in the college's new Associate of Arts in Teaching program.
In May 2007, deBourbon had the honor of being the first graduate of the program, receiving the AAT-Special Education degree. "Returning to school is a leap of faith, and involved sacrifice, but the rewards are worth it. It creates a boost to your self-esteem that comes with that degree wards, the feeling that comes from pursuing a goal and achieving it, and in my case with the AAT in Special Education, the opportunity to pass those feelings on to another human being," said deBourbon.
