New Club Highlights Nontraditional Student Experience
Founders of the nontraditional student organization Max Budnick (left) and Kseniya Harrington (right) walk on campus.
Undergraduates new to campus often find community in dorms, classrooms, and dining halls. For students like 36-year-old Max Budnick, however, making connections can be challenging.
The third-year computer science major transferred to Georgia Tech in 2023. After high school, he entered the workforce, accruing years of real-world experience and owning two businesses before pursuing a bachelor's degree. While adjusting to life on campus, Budnick found that his struggles differed from those of his younger classmates.
Along with Kseniya Harrington, who transferred to Tech at the same time, Budnick was inspired to create an organization to help nontraditional students navigate the challenges unique to their path.
"Whether you are 18 years old or 36 years old, Georgia Tech is a challenging school. As you get older, there are often different stressors to deal with than when you’re coming out of high school. It could be paying bills, growing families, or job responsibilities you didn’t have when you were younger, and I want to give nontraditional students a place where they’re surrounded by people who can relate to what they’re dealing with,” Budnick said.
Kim D. Harrington, interim associate vice president for Arts, Belonging, and Community (ABC), worked to connect the pair with potential members, emphasizing the importance of finding a sense of belonging within the Institute.
"Supporting student belonging is the heart of what we do in ABC. We strive to create a community where every student at Georgia Tech feels a sense of belonging. College life comes with its unique challenges, so we are committed to cultivating spaces where students can connect, share, and grow together. This new club will be a welcome addition," she said.
Recognizing that many of the nontraditional students he's connected with may have little time to devote to extracurricular activities, Budnick hopes to structure the club's events in a way that makes participation easy.
"Sometimes, we're just going to eat dinner together — things that we do already, so we might as well do it together," he said. He also envisions creating networking opportunities for club members, hosting guest speakers who can offer advice on making the most of their time on campus, and other events geared toward young professionals.
Additionally, he sees an opportunity to invite traditional undergraduates to events as a way to bridge the generational gap. And Harrington sees an opportunity for the organization to fill an emerging void at Georgia Tech.
"As our enrollment increases, we will likely see an increase in our nontraditional student population, and we want to make sure that every student who comes to Georgia Tech finds connection and a supportive community,” she said.
Budnick is working to finalize the launch of the organization ahead of the fall semester. Prospective members are encouraged to reach out to him at mbudnick6@gatech.edu.