LIFE OF THE MIND CONSORTIUM

PARTNER NEWS

A Mural of Cooperation from Thailand

RESOURCES ABOUT SENIORS !!!

Brandon, Emily. The Class Goes Gray. U.S. News & World Report. November 6, 2006.

CLCU: Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities New York's 100+ Private Colleges and Universities. In Support of Seniors.

Caplan, Jeremy. Back to School. Time. February 2004.

Caplan, Matthew and Others. Intergenerational Engagement in Retirement Communities: A Case Study of a Community Capacity-Building Model. Journal of Applied Gerontology, Vol. 25, No. 5, November 2006, pp. 406-426.

Kelley, Robert. The Complete Guide to a Creative Retirement. Turnkey Press, 2003.

Larson, Wendy Ann. Back to School. The Washingtonian. March 1, 2005.

Manheimer, Ronald J. “Older Adult Education in the United States: Trends and Predictions.” North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement, 2002.

Pastalan, Leo and Others. The Importance of Collegiate Retirement Communities on or Near a College/University Campus.

Roszak, Theodore. Longevity Revolution: As Boomers Become Elders. Revised Edition. Berkerley Hills Books, 2001.

Russell, Jenna. Thirsty for Learning, Seniors Fill College Programs. The Boston Globe. November 17, 2004.

United States. The Administration on Aging, US Dept of Health and Human Services. Census Statistics: Older Population by Age: 1900 to 2050. March 3, 2003.

"Seeing the gravitational wave universe will revolutionize astronomy in the same way as the invention of the telescope revolutionized astronomy," Lommen says.   "It will enable us to detect mind-blowing phenomena from much earlier in the universe than we've previously been able to probe."

Millersville University

"Cooperative Education and Internships are a "win - win" for all concerned. Employers get a highly motivated employee for a specific amount of time; students gain professional proficiency, self-confidence and a chance to "test drive" their career choice; the University gains important feedback regarding its instruction, curriculum and programs."

Anthony Comper, former President of the Bank of Montreal, stated: “Whatever else you bring to the 21st century workplace, however great your technical skills and however attractive your attitude and however deep your commitment to excellence, the bottom line is that to be successful, you need to acquire a high level of information literacy. What we need in the knowledge industries are people who know how to absorb and analyze and integrate and create and effectively convey information­and who know how to use information to bring real value to everything they undertake.”



 

The Overview

What is it?

The Consortium, begun in October 2005, is a partnership uniting Willow Valley Retirement Communities, Franklin & Marshall College, Millersville University, and Pennsylvania College of Art & Design to encourage an exchange of intellectual, social, artistic, and cultural ideas and activities. Although we began our work together as a Consortium at this time, the official Memorandum of Agreement was not signed by all partners until October, 2006.

Why is it?

The partner institutions share a commitment to life-long learning, intergenerational activities, and the importance of active, involved citizenry at all stages of human life. They are concerned with broad social issues and with developing an enabling culture to sustain and nurture older adults and the young people with whom they interact. Anything less is a tragic waste of human potential.

What does it do?

The Consortium encourages retirees and college/university faculty and students to engage in a broader and a deeper exchange of ideas in sustained, interactive, intergenerational educational, social, and artistic pursuits.

The Life of the Miind Consortium is the opportunity to engage in both a broader and a deeper exchange of ideas with university faculty and younger people in more sustained and interactive educational pursuits. The differing perspectives this kind of activity will bring is critical to all participants in today's society. Both academic communities and leading retirement communities, as change agents, must look at the broader issues and develop an enabling culture to sustain and nurture older adults and the young people with whom they interact.

Further, all of the member institutions recognize the importance of working together to give back to the larger Lancaster community and have developed joint projects to do so.

Where is it?

Although the Consortium has no physical location on any of the campuses, the Willow Valley Cultural Center is the natural center for Consortium activities at Willow Valley.

How is it funded?

Primary funding for the service projects of The Life of the Mind Consortium has come from a grant from the H.W. Wilson Foundation in New York City. This money was dedicated to the improvement of library facilities for children and young people in Lancaster County. Additional funding for these projects has come from the generous contributions of individual residents of the Willow Valley Retirement Communities. Many Willow Valley residents also contribute their time, talent, and supplies for various consortium projects. Students and faculty from the academic institutions also contribute their time as lecturers and as partners in consortium projects.

Mutual Benefits

1.) Broadening the concept of diversity to foster cross-generational sharing of cultural and intellectual pursuits.

2.) Fostering the personal growth of both young people and older adults through increased interaction and life enrichment among communities.

3.) Advocating for member institutions and providing support on issues of common concern to the members.

4.) Serving as a model of a cross-generational and cross-institutional center for life-long learning.

5.) Developing new constituencies and building community support and recognition through intergenerational service programs.

 

Benefits to Willow Valley

1.) An ongoing relationship with academic institutions will appeal to potential residents and serve as a substantial marketing tool. The large numbers of “baby boomers” now moving into retirement are especially interested in facilities that allow them to continue to pursue a variety of intellectual, social, and cultural activities without age restrictions.

2.) Collaborative activities will introduce faculty, alumni, parents and students to Willow Valley Retirement Communities and encourage them to consider this community for their own retirement and publicize it to others.

3.) Residents' participation in a larger supportive intellectual and cultural community fosters the development of new and more valued roles in retirement. Emphasis on service activities provides residents with the satisfaction of continuing involvement in the larger community and demonstrates Willow Valley's commitment to its neighbors.

4.) Residents increase their opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural enrichment by taking college courses, organizing resident-directed seminars and attending campus intellectual, artistic, and cultural events.

5.) The lives of retirees are enriched through possibilities for interaction with students and campus activities.

6.) Universities provide an on-going source of part-time student employees and student interns throughout the communities.

 


"In the culture I grew up in you did your work and you did not put your arm around it to stop other people from looking--you took the earliest possible opportunity to make knowledge available." --James Black, Nobel Prize in Medicine

  "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving." --Albert Einstein
2009 Last Update