Age not a factor when pursuing educational opportunities
They say you are never too old to go back to school, and CMU student Gary Tegge is proving that theory correct.
The 48-year-old St. Louis, Mich. native is a few semesters away from earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology. After obtaining his associate’s degree from Mid-Michigan Community College, Tegge came to CMU this year as a junior.
“At first I was worried how I would fit in here,” Tegge said. “Were they going to view me as that old guy?”
He held the same worries and questions most students have when going to a new school. However, those worries soon faded.
“People have been very friendly here,” he said. “I didn’t know anybody before classes, but I’ve met a lot of people already.”
Tegge started work when he was 18 years old, and for the next 30 years, he said he had a one-track mind. Tegge worked as a manager everywhere from gas stations to fast food chains. College never crossed his mind as a serious possibility.
“Fast food and retail management was all I knew,” Tegge said. “It was all of my experience.”
An accident on the job forced him to rethink his career strategy. A serious infection of a large cut on his leg immobilized him. The only work Tegge had ever known was no longer possible. It gave him a reason to learn a new way.
“I knew it was time to go back to school and pursue my passion,” Tegge said.
According to Tegge, CMU has helped make the transition a smooth one.
“I went through the STEP program, and it helped a lot,” Tegge said. “(CMU) did a wonderful job with touring, advising and scheduling.”
Associative Director of Academic Advising Jane Johnson said the university talks to the students about their situation and plans accordingly.
“We offer advising to all undecided students, regardless of whether they consider themselves traditional or non-traditional,” Johnson said.
CMU also offers AAD 104: College Strategies for Non-traditional Students, for those seeking further guidance.
Although Tegge commutes to campus, many non-traditional students live in one of the four on-campus apartments, according to Nathan Tomson, manager of university apartments.
Tomson said older students are allowed to live in residence halls, but they are encouraged to live in the on-campus apartments. He said the residence hall experience is geared more toward 18 to 21-year-olds, and nontraditional students are often uninterested in it.
“We try to do programs for students in the apartments, but it really depends on level of interest,” Tomson said. “We do a lot of advertising for events and programs on campus.”
Tegge said he plans to look into extracurricular opportunities, but so far, he is still adjusting to campus life. As a father of five and a full-time student, Tegge said this semester has been a lesson in prioritizing. Family and school rank among the highest on his list.
His youngest lives with him, and he said it isn’t too overwhelming.
“She’s 15 years old, so I don’t exist,” Tegge said with a smile.
None of his children are attending college, so Tegge sees his experience as a way to show them it is still possible.
“I’m sad I never stuck with school when I was younger,” Tegge said, “But you’re never too old to learn. Now my kids get to tell me to do my homework"
