Senior citizens stay back for more college
By Jacquelin Batten
Special to the Daily Forty-Niner
College isn't for kids anymore.
For the last three years, Cal State Long
Beach has been offering senior citizens a chance to further their education
through a program called Senior University.
"The Senior University really listens
to students -- it picks up and expands constantly by growing with the students
and broadening classes," said Mary Baldwin, a Senior University student.
"It's a good community interest learning outlet."
The eight-week sessions for people older
than 50 meet for 90 minutes each week. The senior students are offered
a variety of different classes including art, music, language, dance, politics,
film, woodwork and travel.
The teachers, who are volunteers, include
retired teachers, lawyers, graduate students, international teachers and
a former big-band member.
"Continuing education for the vibrant
members is what we are doing," said Elizabeth Kearny, a Senior University
official. "They want to keep learning and growing no matter what their
ages."
The classes are in high demand, Kearny
said, with some filling up immediately.
Class limits are up to the instructor,
but the current first-come, first-served procedure is a problem for some.
To alleviate the problem, Senior University is going to try a lottery method.
Registrations will be accepted until a
given date. If there are too many, a random drawing will be held.
Senior University is funded through a
yearly membership fee of $30, with a $10 charge a class. Students can take
as many classes as they want, and they are not graded.
Additional funding is provided by grants,
which helped to rebuild the new computer lab.
Renovations on the lab include new computers,
a projector, a projector screen, wiring and tables.
A general membership meeting will take
place Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. Registration will begin at 9 a.m.
Future classes may include Estate Planning
and Tuesday noontime lectures at the University Art Museum by Oct. 10. |
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