Life roles of nontraditional college students impact their retention and degree completion. Based on the literature, it was not known how nontraditional students describe how their life roles influence their experiences while they complete a 2-year associate degree from a 2-year college in the southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how nontraditional students described how their life roles influenced their experiences while they completed a 2-year associate degree from a 2-year college in the southern United States. The theoretical foundations were adult learning theory and the model of student departure. Research questions asked how nontraditional students at a 2-year college in the southern United States described: (1) their different life roles and (2) how their life roles influence their responsibilities while they complete their 2-year associate degree. Participants were 13 students at least 25 years old and scheduled to graduate within 1 year from a 2-year college. The qualitative descriptive study employed interviews (n = 10) and a focus group (n = 3). Participants described their life roles as older students, parents, and employees. The results supported the value of the adult learning theory, as nontraditional students in this study were self-directed, eager to learn, and motivated by the direct benefits of their education. An implication of this study is colleges serving nontraditional students should use the adult learning theory for understanding nontraditional students and the model of student departure for implementing support services to help nontraditional students complete their degree. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]