<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2UQXGz_1FQUK0LW00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2UQXGz_1FQUK0LW00" width="1280" height="720" >SANFORD, Fla. — At Seminole State College, 50-year-old Nancy Vosburgh is happy to be back at school.“This is really my chance, my time,” Vosburgh said. “My kids are older and they’re in college, and if there was ever a time when I was gonna do something different, it was now."She is enrolled in the school’s Interior Design program, a field she said she has wanted to study for more than 40 years."When I heard about Seminole State and what they offer, I just kind of took two classes to test the waters and see how it would be, and I was hooked," Vosburgh said.A recent study by the Education Data Initiative found that in 2021, the most recent year available, fewer than 2% of the nearly 20 million undergraduate students enrolled in colleges and universities nationwide were over age 50.Vosburgh is one of nearly 700 students in that age group at Seminole State. She said returning to school has allowed her to learn about design and color while pursuing a goal she has carried since childhood.“I’m just so happy to know that even later in life I can do something that as a child I wanted to do, and it’s not too late," Vosburgh said. "And that feels really good."Central Florida schools are catering toward older students by creating programs to help them. The University of Central Florida has options for seniors over 60 who have lived in Florida for at least a year. University staff say 794 students aged 50 and older were enrolled for the Fall 2026 semester.At Valencia College, that age group's enrollment number is increasing. While 1,080 students over 50 were enrolled in 2024-2025, that number increased to 1,093 students in 2025-2026. They have programs that provide training to help enter a new career or advance your skills. A child care assistance program is available for parents who need extra help.College leaders said the 50+ age group is one they continue to see grow.“We want to make sure we are continuing to provide those programs and we continue to see success, so that those students can quickly enter those programs and then also begin to exit so that they can reenter the workforce a little bit more skilled and prepared for the next career opportunity,” said Andel Fils-Aime, assistant vice president of holistic student support at Valencia College.Rodney Rodriguez, a 56-year-old student at Valencia studying hospitality and tourism management, said he was able to go back to class through the Goodwill Scholars Program.Rodriguez, currently a lead at the Goodwill Donation XPress Center in Avalon Park, said the program has helped him continue building skills that can apply to his current work.“(Hospitality) would have transferable skill sets that would help me in my role and helping to pay it forward and give back,” Rodriguez said.The Goodwill Scholars program covers tuition, books, and other costs. It is funded by Goodwill donations and serves campuses across Central Florida.“If their goal is to stay with Goodwill, that’s awesome and we want to help them move up and around through the company,” said Goodwill Scholars manager Danika Hansen. “But if their goal is to use that training or education to go somewhere else outside of the company, we’re going to help support them in that too, and that is considered a win in our books.”Nearing his final semester, Rodriguez will take his final classes at the downtown Orlando campus before getting his diploma in the spring.“Even at my age now, I still get excited over graduation because you don’t understand how important that accomplishment is," he said. "It’s not just a piece of paper, it really defines the success of your commitment to your goals.”</div></body>

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SANFORD, Fla. — At Seminole State College, 50-year-old Nancy Vosburgh is happy to be back at school. “This is really my chance, my time,” Vosburgh said. “My kids are older and they’re in college, and if there was ever a time when I was gonna do something different, it was now."

Central Florida colleges help students over 50 pursue degrees

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SANFORD, Fla. — At Seminole State College, 50-year-old Nancy Vosburgh is happy to be back at school. “This is really my chance, my time,” Vosburgh said. “M

Central Florida colleges help students over 50 pursue degrees

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