Southern Utah University’s Non-Traditional Student Services hosted a carnival night in the Starlight Room on March 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event was masquerade themed, and students were invited to join in a night of free food, games and fun.
Attendees also took part in a mask-making contest and a game of Kahoot, which educated about the different cultures of carnivals around the world.
“This event is [based on] carnivals around the world,” explained Jami Logan-Yetter, a peer advocate for the NTSS office. “We have Brazil, Italy and the United States represented. This [event] is for our non-traditional students, which is about 42% of our student body.”
A student is considered to be non-traditional if they are married, divorced or widowed or if they have dependent children. You can also qualify as non-traditional if you have taken a gap in your education of more than three years or if you are over the age of 25.
“We want to bring [non-traditional students] in and give them a place to feel like they belong,” said Logan-Yetter. “And help them make those connections on campus so they don’t feel so alone.”
Many non-traditional students feel that the office helps them with their time at SUU through the events they host and also by providing a safe space for students.
“For me, it’s a second home,” shared Alecia Peterson, a non-traditional student studying elementary education. “It’s a break from everyday life—a break from that same routine.”
Adriano Santos, another non-traditional student in attendance, emphasized the value of finding common ground with other students.
“Where the majority of students are traditional, sometimes it’s hard to have things in common,” said Santos. “It’s nice having a group of people who are in the same life stage as you are.”
Although the carnival night is the non-traditional office’s last major event of the school year, they still host smaller events throughout the semester.
For more information on SUU’s Non-Traditional Student Services, you can find them in Room ST 172, on their Instagram or via their website.
