Tufts Alumni

Programming

Tufts Institute for Learning in Retirement earns A+

This past fall, Tufts alumni had a good reason to return to the Tufts campus. In its first term, the Tufts Institute for Learning in Retirement (TILR) provided a wonderful opportunity for alumni and the greater Boston community to come back to the classroom-without the exams. The Institute has proved to be an exciting, interactive learning environment for older adults. Study groups in which participants discuss, question and share experiences around a variety of topics form the framework of the program. Peer learning occurs in small groups, and topics of study range from current events to literature, from the creative self to art history, and from the refugee experience to the Middle East. Typically, study group leaders are peers of the participants and well versed in their respective fields. Not teachers in the traditional sense, they facilitate and guide the exchange of ideas. Tufts alumnus John McDonald, M45, a retired physician, was one of the group leaders. With a long-term interest in Middle Eastern history, he says that "it is a wonderful experience for me in retirement to share my hobby." This desire for knowledge and intellectual stimulation is shared by group leaders and participants alike. According to Laura Kadish, director of TILR, "our members come to us open to new experiences and with a readiness to learn together." Patricia Marinos, G72, is a member and strong advocate who will lead a study group in the spring. This former teacher's motivation and enthusiasm for the program is evidenced by her one-and-a-half hour drive from home to the Tufts campus. She has given TILR an A+ grade. Exchanges aren't limited to the classroom, however. There are a number of venues for socializing together. Between the morning and afternoon sessions, all held in the Aidekman Arts Center, the Alumnae Lounge becomes an active setting for study-group members and leaders to chat over brown bag lunches. An "extra curricular" activity last fall centered around the faculty-directed major production of The Merry Wives of Windsor with a special "behind the scenes" look with its director, artist-in-residence Anthony Cornish. Participants and friends enjoyed an evening of supper and theater. Soon after, the art gallery provided tours and an opportunity for members to train as docents for local schoolchildren. Many members were also eager to take advantage of the tickets to The Issam Fares Lecture with General Colin Powell this month-just another advantage to returning to school as an adult learner. Plans for the spring term look just as exciting. The eight-week sessions will meet on either Mondays or Fridays beginning March 16. The fee is $150 for up to two study groups. Early registration is highly recommended for this A+ experience. Call 617-627-5699 for an application and registration materials. Medford Campus Study Groups Following are just some of the courses planned for the spring term. In addition, TILR is piloting an online study group this spring called "Cool Genes, Hot Topics: A Case Study of the Ethical and Legal Aspects of the New Genetics." If you are interested in this group, which meets from March to May ($75 tuition), and would like more information, please email tilr@tufts.edu. Please check the TILR website for updates as some of the courses might change. o Advanced Portfolio Building: Growth, Balance and Income for Retirement o Art History from the Renaissance to the 20th Century o Cultivating Health: Exploring Varying Models and Behaviors o Great American Short Stories o King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing-The Plays as Intended for Performance o The Middle East from the Rise of Islam to the Fall of the Ottoman Empire o Mostly About Mozart o Non-Fiction Writing: Memoir and Essay o Poetry Writing Workshop o Psychology 101 Revisited: Who Are We and Where Are We Going? o The World of Antiques o World War II in the Pacific

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