The Osher Foundation, sponsor of the Maine Senior College Network where UMASC is one of 17 participating colleges, says about the need for Life Long Learning:
“In the fall of 2000, the Foundation began to consider programs targeted toward more mature students not necessarily well served by standard continuing education curricula. Courses often attract students of all ages eager to accumulate units to complete degrees or to acquire specific job skills. By contrast, the interest of many older adults, especially those who have retired, is in learning for the joy of learning – without examinations or grades – and keeping in touch with a larger world.”
This is not only an American phenomenon. It began in France in 1973 and spread throughout Europe where it is commonly referred to as U3A (university for the third ‘age’ of life). China began building schools in 1983 and now has more than 70,000 serving about 8 million students, about 3% of the people over 60.
If you’d like to be part of this world wide movement, sign up for a class. After a few sessions, you might be walking back to your car, notice some classmates and join them for a cup of coffee. There are studies that show we make our lifelong friends in college.