EIU Media Relations

EIU Establishes Program for the Not-So-Typical College Student

Not too many individuals in Coles County and the surrounding area can claim to be both a retiree and an active college student. Eastern Illinois University hopes to change that.

"Our research has revealed a desire by the retired segment of the community for quality, short-term programs," said Will Hine, dean of the university's School of Continuing Education. "We propose to join the hundreds of universities across the nation that offer superior, inexpensive opportunities for learning to the valued retirees of our area."

The school plans a two-hour "kick-off" event from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 13, at Eastern's Neal Welcome Center, located at the intersection of Lincoln and Douglas in Charleston. Interested persons are invited to this open house where they can get detailed information about the new program and what's being planned for the near future. Admission is free, and no advanced registration is required.

While many opportunities will be offered to the public-at-large, additional advantages will be made available to those who join what is being labeled as the Academy of Lifetime Learning - the cornerstone of the program's development. A one-year membership is $75.

Membership privileges will include discounted registration costs for courses, and invitations to monthly brown-bag luncheons and other social gatherings in the fall and spring. Other benefits will become available as the program develops, Hine said.

Organizers hope membership in the academy and participation in the program in general will extend beyond those who are already affiliated with the university.

"Although we certainly invite those who have retired from Eastern to join us, we'd also like to see others who may never have ever set foot on this or any other campus participate, as well," Hine said. "We'd like as broad a background as possible represented."

One need not be formally admitted as a student at EIU to participate.

In order to see the program grow, organizers have enlisted well-known and respected individuals from the community and/or university to its advisory board. Members include Martha Brown (chair), EIU; Ken Baker, EIU; Dee Braden, Coles County Council on Aging; Betty Coffrin, Coles County clerk/recorder (retired); John Daum, Charleston High School band director (retired); Lillian Greathouse, EIU (retired); Sharon Kuhns, University of Illinois Coles County Extension; Godson Obia, EIU; Gene Scholes, EIU (retired); Jeanne Snyder, EIU; James Wallace, EIU; and Don Yost , local businessman/EIU Board of Trustees.

Although in its infancy stage, the program already has plans for five learning opportunities for the "more mature" student. All are scheduled to take place during the months of September or October.

They are:

• "Amish: A Visit to Their Doorstep," 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9. Members: $50; non-members, $65 per person. This all-day event includes a bus coach trip to Arthur and visits to (non-tourist) Amish businesses, Amish homes, the Amish Interpretive Center and other special locations, including a meal in an Amish Home. Pat McCallister, an Amish researcher, will narrate and answer questions.
• "Tree Selection for Home Landscapes," 1:30 to 3 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5 and Oct. 12. Members: $15; non-members, $20. This course will consist of a tour of the trees on the EIU campus, with emphasis on evaluation of trees suitable for home landscape. In addition, the group will observe fall coloration, share natural tree histories and demonstrate proper planting procedure. Jon Collins, former superintendent of grounds of the EIU campus, will facilitate the course.
• "Tips for Aging Gracefully," noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. Members: $7; non-members, $5. This presentation will explore participants' aging IQ, the importance of physical activity, mental activity and nutritional well-being, as well as health quackery and helpful resources. Jeanne Snyder, associate professor at EIU and gerontology specialist in family and consumer sciences, will facilitate this discussion.
• "Auctions: Experience the Action!" 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, and 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15. Members: $25; non-members, $35. Introduction to auctions, from what it takes to be an auctioneer to how to get the real bargains. Auctions are the only truly democratic sale venue; buyers decide what an item is worth and what they will pay. The first day of the course includes an opportunity to talk with a local auctioneer, an auction house owner and others who work behind the scenes to make auctions happen. The second day takes place at an actual local auction. Students will observe the set-up and have the opportunity to bid. After completing the course, participants will be able to attend local auctions and enjoy the excitement of bidding. Gene Deerman, assistant professor of sociology at EIU, will facilitate the course. She clerks at Sullivan Auction Enterprises in Sullivan.
• "From Renaissance Florence to the Splendors of Venice ," Oct. 19 through 27. Cost: $2,475 (excluding airfare). Price includes a complimentary membership to the Academy of Lifetime Learning . Discover the treasures of the Medici Family's Renaissance Florence and the splendors of Venice ! Stroll the streets of Florence in the autumn when the sun is golden and bathes the city in an atmosphere of history and tradition. Explore the waterways of Venice , led by an art historian who will reveal the secrets of the city on the water. Tour led by Kaye Woodward, director of EIU's Bachelor of General Studies program.

For information about Eastern's new program for "retirees," its offerings and/or the Academy of Lifetime Learning , contact Susan Bulla, EIU School of Continuing Education, at 217-581-5114, skbulla@eiu.edu.