As UT strives to create a diverse and inclusive community, it’s essential to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of nontraditional students. These students — ranging from parents, veterans, older students, among others — bring a wealth of enriching life experiences and perspectives that enrich our campus.

While nontraditional students make important contributions to campus life, they also face unique challenges that can impact their academic success. These challenges can include financial constraints, limited access to support services and difficulty balancing academic responsibilities with important obligations.

By highlighting the experiences of nontraditional students, we can begin to break down barriers and create a more inclusive and supportive community for all students.

In this forum project:

Jack M., a UT student, reminds us that there is no one “right” path to success and that each student’s journey is unique.

Lacie Levy, president of nontraditional student organization New Wave Longhorns, explores the challenges faced by student-parents and the impact of recent changes to reproductive rights on their educational opportunities. 

The forum team consists of forum editors Alexa Leon, Tommy Wan and editor-in-chief Megan Tran. As always, if you have any thoughts on this topic or any other, please feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].