Three weeks into the academic session and neither a quiz nor test in sight. The prerequisites? None. Forget credits and credentials. As for degrees and certificates -- not applicable.
The requirements for this program are powerful human drives: intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning.
Welcome to the Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) at Washington University, where members age 55 years and older delve into topics ranging from Italian opera to Native Americans of the Southwest. In informal, non-competitive environments, peer-led study groups analyze Shakespeare, explore the outer reaches of space and spar in the arena of current events.
"By the time we get to a certain age, we have lots of experiences, skills and information to share with others, from both our vocational and avocational spheres," said Saul Boyarsky, M.D., J.D., vice chair of LLI and chair of the curriculum committee. "Everyone in the group contributes in an exceedingly democratic and egalitarian enterprise."
Members come from all walks of life and include retirees from business, education, medicine and volunteer sectors, among others. Many, like Boyarsky, a retired professor of urology, hail from the University community.
An annual fall meeting open to the public launches the academic year. Fall, winter and spring terms feature a dozen or more daytime courses. For those daunted by the thought of returning to the classroom, acclimation is only a workshop away. Instruction in computerized library systems and adult learning theory bring members up to academic speed.
The courses are planned and developed by institute members, who also facilitate the discussions. On occasion, guest speakers visit to share their expertise.
Each study group meets once a week for two hours at the University's West Campus, LLI headquarters. With a membership that exceeds 250, courses fill quickly.
"I'm delighted that the institute has grown and taken hold as it has," said Henrietta Freedman, the organization's founder and a former University trustee. "We strive for excellence in our course offerings and hope to continue our growth in a controlled fashion to mirror that of the University."
In 1995, Freedman and a pioneering group of 25 launched the LLI with three courses. This effort, however, had its beginning more than 20 years earlier, when Freedman returned to the University after raising three children. "Back then, experts thought we would all end up wanting the rocking chair," she recalled.
A course in gerontology spurred Freedman to further investigate the aging process.
In the years following, Freedman's developing interest in retirement-age learning became a vision shared by University College in Arts and Sciences, which already had been researching existing programs. An introduction to the Elderhostel Institute Network, of which LLI is now an affiliate, gave Freedman and her colleagues a plan. With assistance from Jane Smith, associate dean of the college, and other University administrators, the institute opened its doors.
"The concept is member-driven from top to bottom," said LLI coordinator Richard Diemer, D.D.S., Ph.D., who works closely with facilitators in designing courses. "Some courses are essentially viewpoint discussions; others are highly structured with presentations and reading lists."
Whatever the form, a principal remains constant: "The more work you put into the course, the more you get out of it," said Sue Wohl, a facilitator and member of the steering committee. "We are an enthusiastic group, the beneficiaries of great knowledge shared."
The growth of four special interest groups, dubbed SIGs, is testimony to the participants' intellectual prowess. Courses in Shakespeare's works, current events, history, and drama of the western world seem only to whet the appetites of those enrolled. With their strong and faithful followings, SIGs are an ongoing feature of each term.
"We're dedicated to reading all of Shakespeare, sonnets included," said Lawrence Kahn, M.D., whose passion for the Bard's works was first sparked many years ago by a "college professor who thought he was Shakespeare reincarnated."
A professor emeritus of pediatrics and chair of LLI, Kahn facilitates many of the Shakespeare courses. "The big surprise here," he noted, "is that people are discovering the joy of reading Shakespeare aloud. We've seized a marvelous opportunity to enjoy ourselves and be enriched by the experience."
Only two subjects remain off limits: illnesses and grandchildren. A break for coffee, cookies and conversation is packaged in every course. Aside from the intellectual engagement, which is the calling card of the LLI, the friendship factor rules supreme.
Classmates often continue their discussions over lunch at a restaurant or attend a gathering at another's home. "Strong bonds are established that last long after the course is over," Diemer said.
All of these opportunities can be had at a reasonable price -- bargain, members believe. A $10 fee covers newsletter and course mailings per year. Fees for six courses per year (two per term), plus three lectures, amount to $150.
With retirement-age individuals comprising the fastest growing segment of the population, the LLI stands to address the community's needs. A five-year plan may involve doubling both membership and course offerings, Diemer said. The challenge will lie in securing the space necessary for expansion.
Meanwhile, the LLI isn't missing a beat. The intergenerational exchange of knowledge, a national trend in lifelong learning, already has debuted on campus. Undergraduates recently joined institute members for a session on "King Lear."
The Elderhostel Institute Network, the 250-member-strong organization devoted to the lifelong pursuit of education, is celebrating its 10th anniversary in June with a conference in Washington, D.C. The LLI will be well represented in this national effort to chart the course of lifelong learning.
"Without having educational goals to pursue one can easily vegetate," said David Gee. The retired health administrator turned historian and facilitator put his own spin on the program: "The LLI serves as a public health measure as well."
