GOING BACK: ADULTS FIND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN

When faced with limited career opportunities due to a lack of education or training, many people simply plod along in the drudgery of "just getting by."

But more and more people now are deciding regardless of circumstances or their age to broaden their employment prospects and return to school.

Dorothy Sullivan last year found her life at a crossroads. She always was interested in a career in nursing, but marriage at a young age and the subsequent obligation of rearing three children took precedence over pursuit of her dream.

A divorce last year, however, spurred her to take stock of her life and her future.

"I always had an interest in nursing, so I just decided to say, `I'm going to do it,'" Sullivan, 47, said. "I needed some changes in my life. When you're alone, you need a career, and I always wanted to do this. Now my children are of the age where I can do something for me.

"I just decided that I'd come to the point in my life where I needed a total change to start everything over new. It seemed like a good time."

This fall she'll graduate from the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School's nursing program as a licensed practical nurse with plans to immediately enroll in the Vo-Tech's registered nursing program.

Sullivan said she plans to work as an LPN while studying to be an RN.

Sullivan and others like her are becoming more common in trade schools and universities, according to Dorothy Hardy, coordinator of the Cape Girardeau Vocational-Technical School's adult education services.

Hardy said the Vo-Tech program offers a wide range of services for people wanting to return to school, or who face unique obstacles to their education.

Sullivan said it's important to pursue goals and dreams, regardless of circumstances.

"You can always find excuses and reasons why you can't or shouldn't do it," she said. "I didn't know I'd be able to do it, or even how to go about going back to school."

After being out of school for more than a quarter of a century, Sullivan knew there would be adjustments, especially financial ones. One of the first things she did last August was quit her full-time job at the jewelry department of the Marion, Ill., JCPenney store and move to Cape Girardeau.

"Being broke all the time is the biggest adjustment," she said. "But I have a wonderful family. I couldn't have done it without them and their support."

Sullivan also was able to obtain financial aid in the form of grants and a scholarship. And she took advantage of the Vo-Tech school's adult education services.

Hardy was able to secure needed medical services that Sullivan was unable to pay for. "I tried on my own and couldn't get the services, but I did through her," she said.

Upon returning to school, Sullivan found the strenuous nursing program challenging but not intolerable. She said that as an older student, she's probably more focused than many of her younger classmates.

"I probably would not at a younger age do as well in the program as I'm doing now," she said. "It's very demanding. I've always had a love of learning, but this is a very intensive program.

"I think I adjusted well to it even though it's a lot of stress. But I wanted to do it, and I think that helps a lot."

Sullivan said that most of her friends supported her decision, although some were at least mildly surprised.

"I had a couple people who said, `At your age, you're going back to school?'" she said.

"But the way I look at it, whether I go to school or not, in a couple years I'll still be two years older. Nothing's changed except now I'm making an effort to do something for me.

"Most of the people, the people I worked with, were really thrilled I was going back. They said, `Go for it.'"

Sullivan said many people she hardly knows would inquire how school was going during the year.

"I have a feeling that I'm doing what three quarters of them want to do, but don't feel like they can," Sullivan added.

Someone who also dodged what might have been eventual regret is Michelle Lawrence, 24. Although her circumstance are different than Sullivan's, she could easily this year have ceased pursuit of her dream to be a social worker.

In 1986, upon graduating from Charleston High School, she enrolled in social work and psychology at Southeast Missouri State University.

When she became pregnant last year, she knew the pregnancy would be an encumbrance to her studies.

But when the baby was born three months premature and was hospitalized in St. Louis, she was forced to drop out of college in her junior year.

"It would have been tough enough being a single parent trying to finish school, but he was born three months early, which made it even more difficult," Lawrence said.

"He was in the hospital in St. Louis for three months while I was living here. Going back and forth to St. Louis, I had to sit out of all my classes."

Lawrence said her son, now 6 months old, is doing fine, but pursuit of her degree was set back a full year. With bills mounting and a child to take care of, she considered dropping out of school to work full time.

"I did think about it several times, but I said, `Hey, I'm too close now to think about not returning," Lawrence said. "I realized being as far in school as I was, the best thing would be to go ahead and finish school.

She plans to graduate next semester and will earn her degree after an internship next spring. After that, she plans to do social work for two or three years before returning to graduate school for her master's degree.

"I want to get a couple years experience working with child abuse and neglect cases," she said. "After that, I want to go back and get my master's."

Lawrence encouraged other single parents who might think it impossible to continue their education to follow her lead. She said it's never too late to start college or finish after a hiatus.

"Anything you set your mind to do, with a strong mind you can do it," Lawrence said. "Just strive for your goals and don't settle for less in life.

"Having a child and being a single parent, it is hard, but I'm not going to settle for anything less than the best for me and my baby."

Sullivan expressed similar sentiments. She said there's rarely a "perfect" time to take any chance in life, and people need to look beyond immediate burdens.

"It takes a lot of guts to quit your job and have no money and worry about how you're going to pay rent," Sullivan said. "But if you wait until you can afford it, you'll never do it. I made up my mind I was going to make it regardless.

"Anybody that's thinking about it, I would say, ~`Go for it.' If you wait around for everything to be right, it won't happen," she said. "You have to make it right yourself."

Lawrence said she's glad that she pursued her dream and continued her education after her baby was born. She said she's looking forward to graduation and the opportunity to set additional goals.

"Once I've accomplished all this, I think to look back on what I've done will be a reward in itself," she said."