Stephanie Austin is on campus today, Freshmen Welcome Day, Monday, August 20th, 2012, to be introduced as a member of our Marion Regional Campus Homecoming Court for 2012. Stephanie is a junior rank non-traditional student. Stephanie’s major is psychology and her minor is anthropology. After Stephanie completes her undergraduate degree she plans to attend the main campus of The Ohio State University in the summer of 2013 to begin her Graduate Program in a Master’s of Nursing. Her goal is to teach nursing at a major university so she will be pursuing and graduating with a PhD. Her PhD will probably be from The Ohio State University.
I asked her why she wants to teach nursing, Stephanie said she currently has an LPN and there is currently a shortage of nursing educators and she has always wanted to teach nursing so when she decided to pursue her nursing level to an RN, she also decided to keep going and work towards completing her goal of eventually teaching in a university setting.
Stephanie has been an LPN since 2004. She started back to classes for her RN in 2010 at our Marion Campus. She graduated in the Spring of 2012 with her Associates of Arts Degree from The Ohio State University and attended the awards ceremony at our historical (and beautiful) Palace Theatre here in Marion. She describes our campus as” small but it’s very inviting especially for a non-traditional student.” She finds the professors are very accommodating and always willing to answer questions at their office hours. The administration has always assisted her, answered her questions and been willing to help her with any matter needed. For her personally she has found this campus to be less overwhelming as a non-traditional student than she would encounter personally on our main campus.
Another interesting fact about this student is that she is married to Shad Austin, a local missionary and early Childhood Education major here at OSUM. Stephanie has been on several missionary trips. She has traveled to Mexico on medical missions. She went with an organization called Busses International. She assisted in the on board medical clinic, provided hair cut/services to women and children, handed out new clothing, shoes and food care packages. During this past spring break, Stephanie went to Missouri and work with an organization that helped the recent Missouri tornado victims. In May, she went to the Bahamas and performed with their puppet ministry inside the public school system. Stephanie said, “She enjoys getting to know new people and is fascinated by the different cultures and customs that she has had the privilege to see”. She also has traveled with OSUM to India. She is the current President of the OSUM India Culture Society and if you would like to join or have every thought about traveling to India please send her an email at Austin.271@buckeyemail.osu.edu.
Stephanie decided to run for homecoming when she was in a conversation with English Professor Alexis Martina. “Professor Martina expressed to me her feelings that non-traditional students should run for homecoming on this campus because there are students on this campus who make up a vast majority of students and they are involved and should be involved and she encouraged me to apply.” So she applied and Stephanie was selected as one of three female homecoming court members. She was officially introduced today, along with the other court members, to our incoming Freshmen class at Welcome Day today.
I asked Stephanie what she would say in encouragement to a non-traditional female student who is starting classes this autumn semester. “I think the most important thing is to stay encouraged, know your syllabus, when things are due, make a schedule and FOLLOW IT that way you will not feel overwhelmed when due dates approach.” It’s very hard to juggle classes, kids, husband, home and life, and she finds doing this very helpful. “If they need help ASK, don’t wait until the last minute when you are struggling, ask your professor right away, they are always willing to help”, Stephanie also strongly advises new non-traditional students starting classes and all students really.
I wish Stephanie good luck in her 2012 Homecoming Court candidacy and to enjoy all the homecoming activities. I was the 2011 Marion Campus Regional Homecoming Chair and it was truly a great experience watching our first homecoming court go through the candidacy of being on the court and all the wonderful activities our campus and the main campus planned for them. Then of course the homecoming football game on main campus was a lifetime experience for them and it was just great to be a part of this.
By: Val
August 20, 2012
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