ABSTRACT
A dult learners add a welcome dash of maturity and character to college campuses. They enrich the college classroom with their wide-ranging backgrounds and diverse perspectives; they are varied in age, gender, color, political persuasion, and socioeconomic class. The stereotype of college as an experience for the young is still pervasive within society at large, and on many campuses, adults feel sensitive about their status. Even the term most institutions use to describe adult learners—nontraditional students—has negative implications. Fortunately, some colleges and universities, particularly community colleges, urban institutions, and liberal arts colleges with specially designed niches for returning adults, create environments in which all multicultural adult learners are not only accepted but also appreciated and respected.
