City College’s School of Extended Learning (SEL) at the Schott Campus offers a variety of tuition-free adult education classes such as creative English, jewelry making, theater, and monoprints. These classes are tailored to provide enriching opportunities for students 55 and over.
“The classes are taught with a focus of lifelong learning and getting students together to build a community,” said Rachel Walsh, director of the older adult classes. “Our goal is to create a community for our older adults to have social connection.”
The older adult classes at the SEL, formerly known as the Center for Lifelong Learning, have been offered for 40 years. Students can register for classes online, in person, or by using a paper form. Enrollment in the classes is free; however, students are required to purchase their own course materials.
“People in the office are fabulous, they go out of their way to make it easy,” said Leon Olson, a student who has been enrolled in older adult classes for the past five years.
A majority of the classes are designed to be hands-on to help students use their muscles, relieve arthritis, and improve dexterity. The courses accommodate physical limitations with professors providing personalized guidance and attention as needed.
“Instructors are so inviting and adjust teaching to the level of students,” said Olson. “We have a relaxed feeling and can interact with each other.”
Walsh shared the story of one student who discovered a newfound passion for acting after being encouraged by his wife to try an acting class.
“It’s become like his favorite thing. He looks forward to coming and he’s just so outgoing as well,” said Walsh.
Siu Zimmerman, a professor at SEL, teaches two sessions of 8-week classes, for monotypes and monoprints, which meet from 10 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Fridays.
“They learn they can do something new and become good at it so it builds self-confidence,” said Zimmerman.
In her class, students learn how to carefully etch designs onto an acrylic plate, use roller brushes to apply various colors and textures of ink to their work, and press it onto a piece of paper to reveal their creation.
“It helps me not feel so anxious about what is happening in the world,” said Jo Day, a monoprint course student. “I just like creating, it keeps me sane in these uncertain times.”
Beyond the classroom, the program’s impact can be seen in the lives of the students. Some become professionals and go on to participate in art shows, sell their work, or become published writers.
The program also works to bring learning opportunities directly into the community, with its Vitality program offering 60 off site classes a week at 15 different local senior living facilities. This helps address transportation and accessibility challenges that can be a barrier for some older adult learners.
“With older adult learners it’s creating those spaces within the community for them to more easily access ways to build community together, rather than relying on them coming here to us,” said Walsh.
As the program looks to the future, SEL is hoping to expand on self-management courses by offering classes such as estate and retirement planning.
