Nontraditional students will converge in Ames this weekend to meet and rejuvenate campus climates.

The Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education conference will meet March 23-25.

The conference will seek to meet the needs of nontraditional students from a wide variety of perspectives including those of directors, instructors and students, said Paula Lemke, president of Older Adults Succeeding in School.

“It’s becoming more of an issue because there are more and more adult students returning and going to [school] the first time. It’s really growing because of the percentage of students [who] are older,” said Lemke, senior in community and regional planning.

Penny Rosenthal, member of the planning committee, said the group expects 70 people to participate at the conference in the Holiday Inn Gateway Center, US 30 and Elwood Drive.

Lemke said the national meeting will also attract exhibitors to provide helpful hints for adult learners, such as funding and being an advocate.

The keynote speaker for the event will be Vernon Wall, assistant dean of students. Rosenthal said Wall will present a speech titled “The New Student,” addressing the growing adult learning communities. He will be speaking at the conference opening at 7 p.m. Friday in the South Prairie room.

Rosenthal, director of Off-Campus and Adult Student Services, said Ames was chosen for the conference due to its central location, the staff available to help plan the event and the availability of conference space.

“We are excited about the opportunities holding the event has given us,” she said.

The conference agenda provides for an opportunity for participants to meet in small groups to discuss issues facing nontraditional students and educators including distance education, the psychological state of re-entry adult women, defining student roles and roundtable discussions.

Rosenthal said several ISU students will attend the conference this weekend. On-site registration is available for students who still want to attend. Members will receive reduced registration, although the public can attend.

Students who would like to attend the conference will be able to register in the Gallery Lobby from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is $190 for members and $275 for nonmembers. For more information about the conference call Penny Rosenthal at 294-2364.