Abstract Who are adult undergraduates? How do we define this specialized clientele for program designs, support services, and research? Given changing profiles of young collegiate adults as part-time, worker, parent, and e-learning students, how do we differentiate these younger adults from our older adult undergraduates for our services and advocacy? These questions are explored through an abbreviated historic background to situate the adult student in undergraduate higher education from colonial America to the present. The second section explores past rhetoric and perspectives used to classify and often segregate adults in undergraduate higher education. Given the complex and sometimes contradictory actions and understandings, three propositions will be offered to aid you in framing your perspective to define, advocate, and lead programs and services for adult undergraduate learners as lifelong learners.

中文翻译：

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成人学生：本科高等教育中令人困惑的世界

摘要 谁是成年本科生？我们如何为项目设计、支持服务和研究定义这些专业客户？鉴于年轻的大学生作为兼职、工人、家长和电子学习学生的形象不断变化，我们如何在我们的服务和倡导方面将这些年轻人与年长的本科生区分开来？这些问题是通过一个简短的历史背景来探讨的，以定位从殖民美国到现在的本科高等教育中的成年学生。第二部分探讨了过去用于对本科高等教育中的成年人进行分类和经常隔离的修辞和观点。鉴于复杂且有时相互矛盾的行为和理解，将提供三个命题来帮助您构建自己的观点来定义、倡导、