Forget Bikram yoga and Pilates. Leave the juice fasts to Gwyneth Paltrow and the four-hour workouts to Madonna. And while you’re at it, ditch the expensive moisturizers. There’s a much easier way to stay young—and it’s a lot more fun. “The opportunity to learn for pure pleasure, without having to worry about tests or grades, is the closest thing to a fountain of youth ever found,” says Katie Compton, director of the Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) at Washington University.
LLI, now celebrating its 20th anniversary, offers a broad range of peer-led academic courses for adults age 55 and over. “The classes aren’t for credit—there are no grades and no exams,” Compton explains. “LLI is for people who love learning for the sheer joy of it. It’s an opportunity for retired seniors to lead involved, active lives in which they continue to grow and interact with others. You’ve never seen a more vibrant, motivated bunch of students. They take their responsibilities seriously—and they have fun.”
There’s something for everybody. Offerings include classes in anthropology, art and architecture, creative writing, economics, entertainment arts, geography, history and contemporary issues, literature, math/science/technology, religion, and philosophy. “Institute members from a variety of backgrounds plan and present the courses and related field trips, workshops, and cultural and social events,” Compton says. “Some are former college professors or high school teachers, but we also have a retired pediatrician who has led more than 50 classes on Shakespeare and Faulkner, an archeologist who leads science classes, and a leading businessperson who now facilitates economics courses.” You don’t need a degree in the subject to lead a class, she adds: “All it takes is a fascination with the subject matter, and a passion for sharing and exploring it with others.”
Knowledge is priceless, but tuition at LLI is accessible. Most subjects are offered in eight-weeks terms in fall, winter and spring, with a four-week summer session and a few courses that continue year-round. The first eight-week course is $155, with additional courses costing $95 each. Four-week courses are $75. An annual membership fee of $420 entitles students to two courses per term (excluding the summer term), and also covers the $25 surcharge for year-round courses. “And a $635 all-inclusive membership entitles students to three courses per term, including the summer session, and also covers the surcharge for year-round courses and a parking permit,” Compton explains. New members receive a $60 credit on their first course.
Classes are located conveniently at Washington University’s West campus on Forsyth Boulevard and Jackson Avenue in Clayton. Show Me LLI, an introductory program consisting of three mini courses, takes place May 15. Summer registration begins June 1. “What drew me to LLI 19 years ago was the concept of peer learning,” says Karen Sterbenz, chair of LLI’s executive committee. “It’s an exciting, stimulating way to learn, because everyone participates—you’re not sitting passively, getting lectured to. It’s a great way to make new friends. And that’s always wonderful, at any age!”
Photo by Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton
[The Lifelong Learning Institute at Washington University, located at the university’s West campus on Forsyth Boulevard and Jackson Avenue in Clayton, offers a broad range of peer-led academic courses for adults age 55 and up. Show Me LLI, an introductory program consisting of three mini courses, takes place May 15. Registration for summer classes begins June 1. For more information, call 314.935.4237 or visit lli.wustl.edu.]
