Des Moines Register
02-02-07
Senior College attracts insatiable learners
Classes for the over-50s crowd at the Pappajohn Education Center is about to
reach 1,000 mark.
Spanish, computer classes rank high in popularity
By CAROL BERONICH
REGISTER CORRESPONDENT
Senior College in Des Moines is booming. The program, which offers classes for
lifelong learners over age 50, is about to hit the 1,000 mark in enrollment - less
than 18 months after its inception.
Barbara Kirk, Senior College president, attributes the popularity of the classes to
an "insatiable need of senior citizens to continue to learn."
"Most of our students have been busy with work and families all their lives," she
said. "This is the first time they had time to do what they want to do."
What they want to do is learn more about opera, jazz, symphony, theater, art,
photography, computers, Buddhism, astronomy, French and Spanish. That's just
a sampling of the 26 course offerings available at Senior College starting this
month.
Senior College began with one class in summer 2005 and expanded quickly.
Twelve classes were offered for the fall and winter terms that year. More than 20
classes were offered in spring and summer 2006, and 14 for the fall term.
The college is a nonprofit organization with a volunteer board, established by the
Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative, an organization whose members
include the three state universities, Des Moines Area Community College, Drake
University, Grand View College and Simpson College. Classes meet once a
week for two hours and last four to eight weeks. Cost is $40 to $80 per class,
depending on the length of the course. Some include additional fees if outside
events are part of the learning experience. All classes meet during the day.
The emphasis is enjoyable learning in a relaxed non-competitive atmosphere,
according to the college's Web site. Noncredit classes are offered with no
educational admission requirements. There are no tests, term papers or grades,
simply the fun of learning, said Pat Denato, board member and volunteer with
Senior College.
The college is headquartered at the Pappajohn Education Center, 1200 Grand
Ave. A majority of classes meet there, but some are scheduled at other locations
in the community. Formal educators, both current and retired, and people who
have developed substantial expertise in a particular subject area teach classes.
Kirk said she likes to have one board member attend each class to monitor the
standard of instruction and the interest of the subject matter. Each student is
asked to evaluate the instructor, class content and the facility. Kirk personally
reads each one.
Two classes that are offered every term are computer instruction and Spanish.
One group that took the beginning Spanish class - and all classes since recently took a trip together to Costa Rica. Janet Pugh of Urbandale was among
that group.
"It was an adventure tour," Pugh said.
Instead of the usual museum and points of interest tour, six of the original class
members and their guests enjoyed white-water rafting, a zip-line tour over the
rain forest by moving overhead from platform to platform via steel cables, a
suspended bridge tour of the rain forest, horseback riding, and a catamaran
cruise to a resort island.
Pugh said she enjoyed the rain forest most.
"The animals and insects on the tour were so different," said Pugh, who has
traveled mostly in the United States. "We saw howler monkeys, three-toed sloth,
iguanas. It was great."
Susan Orlich of Des Moines said her favorite part of the trip was the white-water
raft ride.
"I never dreamed I'd have the nerve to go," the 63-year-old said. "It gave me a
whole new lease on life."
Orlich said the trip forced her to "step out of my boundaries. I did things with the
group that I never would have done on my own.
Rachel Tarbell, who teaches the Spanish classes at Senior College, said she is
planning a trip to Spain next.
Computer classes also are popular at the college. Marti Elston, coordinator at
the college and an administrative specialist at Iowa State University
Extension, has volunteered as a helper in the class. Computer classes average
20 students, so volunteers are asked to give one-on-one help to students.
Elston, who has been with Senior College since its inception, said she has been
most impressed with the commitment of the volunteer board of directors to bring
quality classes to students.
"They work hard to bring the best classes they can to students," Elston said.
"You have to put some thought into what you offer, and they really want the
classes to be stimulating and make the student think.
"The college started with just a group of people interested in doing this," she
said. "We invited people from [Des Moines'] neighborhood associations and the
Higher Education Collaborative and the enthusiasm just grew. It's the work of the
people