•September 23, 2026•

by Joshua Reinhart

For many adults who began college but did not complete a degree, leaving school was less about academics than it was about everything else happening in life at the time. A new national survey offers a reminder that stepping away from college does not have to mean closing the door permanently.

Study.com’s 2026 Finish Your Degree: New Survey on College Stopouts found that 80% of adults surveyed who left college without earning a degree attributed their decision to full-time work, cost, or family responsibilities. Academic challenges accounted for just 2% of respondents’ reasons for stopping out. So for adults who have thought about returning, the message is simple: It may be worth starting the conversation.

“Finishing a degree is not simply about receiving a diploma,” said EIU Interdisciplinary Studies Program coordinator Kimberly Redfern. “For many returning students, it is about expanding professional possibilities, gaining confidence, accomplishing a long-held personal goal or creating new options for the future.”

Study.com’s survey found that 55% of adults who returned to college said the desire for higher pay was a reason for reenrolling, while 41% cited a personal sense of unfinished business. Another 26% said encouragement from family influenced their decision to return.

•September 23, 2026•

A nationally known pumpkin sculptor and “Halloween Wars” champion will bring his carving talents to Arthur when the Arthur Pumpkin Festival debuts Saturday, Oct. 3.

Mike Brown, a professional pumpkin sculptor, designer and builder from Springfield, Missouri, will be among the featured attractions during the daylong downtown festival, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. along Progress and Hickory streets.

Brown has gained national attention for transforming ordinary pumpkins into elaborate three-dimensional sculptures. Rather than relying on traditional jack-o’-lantern designs, Brown carves directly into pumpkins to create detailed faces, characters and other works of art.

His talents have also taken him to national television.