Life Stories of Older Community College Women

The purpose of this narrative research was to explore the life stories of older women attending community college, uncovering elements of their identities and highlighting the role education was playing in the creation of their future selves. This study followed the lives of eight degree-seeking community college women students, age 50 or older, over a two and one-half year period. Six were racial / ethnic minorities, and many came from working class backgrounds. The initial interview utilized an unstructured, arts-based storytelling process to uncover reasons for being in college and a hoped-for future. The follow-up interview utilized a semi-structured life story protocol. Each life story was analyzed holistically, noting themes, story plots, and identity elements. The stories were further analyzed collectively. The women faced a history of challenges to developing a sought-after identity. These included childhood experiences of trauma and poverty, discrimination, medication and alcohol addiction, physical and mental health issues, mental and physical abuse, and divorce. Age-based factors were prevalent in the stories, and the women noted the impact of a dwindling time horizon in which to reach their goals. Life values were characterized by a deep commitment to family and religious faith. Development goals varied. Three women focused on reinforcing identities traced to childhood, two envisioned a commitment to education leading to a new identity, and two hoped to expand a current identity. One woman exhibited identity confusion. Six of the women’s stories portrayed various degrees of progression while two demonstrated different degrees of regression. Motivation to attend college was based on a broad set of variables, often mutually reinforcing. Nevertheless, education’s primary purpose was tied to work and income generation. Impediments to educational progress included the need for developmental classes, balancing work and college, and health issues. Despite their varied struggles, virtually all the women spoke of futures dedicated not just to themselves. Education was seen as a way to enable their generative desires to care for and support others. Significant transformations in worldviews or self-concept resulted from four of the women’s educational experiences. Recommendations resulting from the research include faculty development and staff training related to the needs and concerns of older women students. Older women’s life stories can provide valuable input to teaching pedagogy and support services. Faculty must recognize the teaching challenges inherent in multi-generational classrooms. Older women students will benefit from readily accessible life and career counseling services accessed prior to beginning their academic studies. Future research should include a longer term analysis of women’s life stories to assess educational impact and a focus on women of a single ethnic / racial minority. Further research into imagery as a means to evoke life stories and as a tool for life counseling is suggested. Keywords: community college; narrative research; life stories; identities; women; older women; arts-based; storytelling; motivation; transformation; education; racial / ethnic minorities