Tenn. baby boomers hit the books at community colleges.(tracking trends)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Susan Boase never aspired to be an administrative assistant, but she was still devastated when she was laid off from her job at a drug and alcohol treatment center two years ago.

Unemployed at 54, the Franklin resident is scared. Her unemployment checks are dwindling. She's too young to collect full Social Security benefits.

But Boase is banking on something she's always loved as her financial savior. She's enrolled in the culinary arts program at Nashville State Community College, hoping to co-own a restaurant or get a job managing a culinary program at a college or university.

"I'm petrified because I'm financially dependent on this working, and it's scary because I am single," she said. "But I'm loving every minute of it."

Community colleges here and nationwide are seeing a new wave of enrollment from baby boomers--up 6 percent from 2007 and more than 12 percent in seven years, American Association of Community Colleges data show. …