Retirees: the "new kids" on campus.

• Author: DeGirolamo, Joyce
• Position: Education - Institute for Learning in Retirement catering to retirees need for knowledge

SOME WALK INTO THE CLASS socializing about a party they attended last night; others are ready to get right down to business; and yet another group is huddled by the lecturer, eager to express opinions about the class topic. While this setting could be anywhere--high school or college--it's the students that warrant attention.

Proving that education is truly ageless, these students are part of a growing trend on college campuses nationwide. They are retirees who aren't looking for degrees or career advancement. They want no homework, grades, or hassle. Instead, they are in search of opportunities to increase their knowledge, nurture their creativity, and engage in lively discussion and debate among a group of their peers. More and more, they are finding this niche at colleges and universities throughout the U.S.

From the nation's top colleges to local two-year institutions, programs catering to this rapidly growing group of Americans are being developed and expanded. With projections stating that more than 75,000,000 Americans are expected to turn 65 within the next 10 years, it is no surprise that colleges and universities have realized the importance of this older generation.

Not so long ago, retirement consisted of golfing, gardening, crocheting, and shopping. While today's seniors enjoy those activities, they aren't limiting themselves to leisure pastimes. Among the pursuits topping their lists are those involving the need to stimulate their minds as well as their bodies. From aging baby boomers taking early retirement to traditional-aged retirees, these older individuals are not willing to sit back and spend their remaining 10 to 20 years or more being stagnant. Many of them view retirement as an extension of their work years and seek new outlets to utilize the skills they acquired during their careers.

Like many retirees who held management positions during their career years, Hedy Werner wasn't ready to settle into a quiet retirement. "After 30 years of giving 50 hours a week to a 40-hour job, I wanted something that would keep me stimulated and active," explains the former library branch manager. "There are many opportunities for people who want just a boost with hobbies or a little light reading. But for some of us, especially those with college degrees, self-education is firmly tied to the academic scene.

"Upon retirement, I found I needed something that would put me in touch again with the whole world of knowledge and information, and would allow me to interact with people having similar goals," she indicates. So Werner looked at the various options in her community and decided to join an Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) program held at Baldwin-Wallace College. Located in Berea, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, it is a mid-size liberal arts college that offered Werner the chance to take affordable courses at a location just five miles from her home.

While many colleges and universities present opportunities for seniors to take classes, the programs are as different as the people who participate in them. Some institutions of higher learning form elitist-type clubs where courses are costly and frequently held in members' homes. These programs, which often operate by invitation only, are limited in number and scope of the participants.

Other colleges and universities offer free classes to seniors, but the selections are confined to courses with openings due to low enrollment by traditional-aged students. Another scenario involves seniors being offered watered-down versions of classes that are designed for 18- to 22-year-olds. While it is impressive that the institutions are making efforts to reach out to their communities, they are doing so only in a limited sense. They are taking the easy route of "plugging in" the seniors to...