Meet the "nontraditional" college students of today. From left: Evan Spencer, Kim Embe, Bailey Nowak, Diana Platas and Eric Ramos.

Tennessee Jane Watson

Tennessee -- despite what the name might make you think -- was born and raised in the Northeast. She most recently called Vermont home. For the last 15 years she's been making radio -- as a youth radio educator, documentary producer, and now reporter. Her work has aired on Reveal, The Heart, LatinoUSA, Across Women's Lives from PRI, and American RadioWorks. One of her ongoing creative projects is co-producing Wage/Working (a jukebox-based oral history project about workers and income inequality). When she's not reporting, Tennessee likes to go on exploratory running adventures with her mutt Murray.

For These Young, Nontraditional College Students, Adulting Is A Requirement

Elissa Nadworny

They are early risers and hard workers. Some are the first in their family to go to college. Many are financially independent from their parents. Meet the "nontraditional" college students of today.