Thus, education can represent for nontraditional students both a first step toward escape and a means by which to create a life obliterating poverty—a motivation for attending college much different from their middle and upper class co-learners. The poverty nontraditional studentswant to leave behind is more than a material poverty; it is a spiritual poverty as well, as chronicled by the women writing about why they attended my creative writing classes:

I want to be able to express the thoughts and ideas that seem to be trapped inside my mind and heart. I want to learn to use writing as a tool to help me sort out goals and decisions. In the process, I would like to create something beautiful that kind of expresses a motto for my life.

Dianna, mother of five

Oy es un dia mull espesial Para mi estuve esperando este dia con ansias porque oy es posible que nasca en mi escritora y todo esto se lo devo a Dios y a las personas que an echo posible todo esto grasias dios por todo lo que Tu nos das sin mereserlo Senor En tus manos pongo todo y que se aga tu boluntad

Anamaria, mother of three

I would like to be able to develop my thoughts more clearly and put them down on paper—to be able to express myself and bring out what is inside me.

Amelia, mother of one