What Is the
Life of the Mind?
The Life of the Mind celebrates the fact
that life is an ongoing quest for ideas, for
knowledge, for understanding, and for joy.
Learning, working, and serving others are not
the prerogatives of any one age or stage of
life, and young people and mature adults working
together can make a significant difference in
their own lives and ultimately in the
world.
Our goal is to engage in joint ventures
that combine the experience, the maturity, and
hopefully the wisdom of retirees with the new
ideas and youthful exuberance of college and
university students. Through these ventures, we
share our imaginations, our humor, and our
visions for the future and then work together to
try to make those visions a reality.
Getting it right!
The extensive resources of Willow Valley
Retirement Communities, the large number of
well-educated and highly motivated residents,
and the proximity to major institutions of
higher education make this an ideal site for one
of the most lively and most productive
intergenerational programs in the nation.
Franklin & Marshall College, Millersville
University, and Pennsylvania College of Art
& Design have entered into a partnership
with Willow Valley.
Seniors/Students
as Change Agents
Dr. Leon A. Pastalan and others write:
"Colleges and universities have traditionally
served as agents of social change. Institutions
of higher learning have a responsibility to seek
solutions to what is perhaps one of the most
significant social challenges of the 21st
century. There are a number of ways that
colleges and universities can serve in a
leadership role by laying a foundation for
attitudinal changes and the creation of new
models for retirement. What is suggested is
fundamentally about the personal growth of older
adults and a supportive intellectual and
cultural ambiance that relates to the
development of new and more valued roles in
retirement." Given opportunities, retirees also
serve as change agents. They have the time, the
experience, and the commitment to make the world
a better place for the generations to come.
This consortium allows Willow Valley
residents and college/university faculty and
students to engage in a broader and a deeper
exchange of ideas in sustained, interactive,
intergenerational educational pursuits. The
differing perspectives this kind of activity
brings 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. Anything less is a tragic
waste of human potential.
We're alive! Each of us has a life of the
mind. So why not make it better!
"At
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, we
continually look for opportunities for our
students to grow professionally and
intellectually. The Life of the Mind Consortium
has the potential to provide this growth while
offering valuable mentorship and
experience-sharing moments between students and
Willow Valley residents. We are delighted to be
among the founding members and look forward to
developing programs and relationships that will
flourish in both communities."
~ Mary Colleen Heil, President,
Pennsylvania College of Art & Design
"Willow
Valley Retirement Communities is proud to host
The Life of the Mind Consortium. We are pleased
that Franklin and Marshall College, Millersville
University, and the Pennsylvania College of Art
and Design have partnered with us in the
creation of this initiative which is designed to
promote cross-generational and
cross-institutional learning. As a leader in the
retirement field, Willow Valley Retirement
Communities is committed to facilitating a broad
range of intellectual and cultural pursuits for
our Residents. We see The Life of the Mind
Consortium as an important means of helping us
accomplish this goal."
~ John Swanson, President, Willow
Valley Retirement Communities
"The Life of
the Mind Consortium offers college students,
staff and faculty, older adults, and other
members of the Lancaster community the
opportunity to become fully engaged citizens by
learning from each other. One of Franklin &
Marshall's founders, Benjamin Franklin, said
that "without continual growth and progress,
such words as improvement, achievement, and
success have no meaning." Participants in the
Consortium help each other grow in ways that add
significant value to their contributions to our
democratic society. Franklin & Marshall
College is pleased and privileged to be a member
of the Consortium, and welcomes the chance to
help contribute to the vitality of its
programs."
~ John Fry, President, Franklin &
Marshall College
"Millersville
University is pleased to join the Life of the
Mind Consortium and celebrate the commitment to
broad, lifelong learning. By providing critical
opportunities for interaction, education, and
service, this intergenerational community
engagement effort will provide important
benefits for all of us. Partnerships, such as
this, demonstrate the power of collaboration and
the importance of working together on local
projects of mutual interest. Millersville
University is proud to associate itself with the
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and
Franklin and Marshall College in this endeavor.
"
~ Francine G. McNairy, President,
Millersville
University |
