B. B. King said, “The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” Lifelong learning refreshes, rejuvenates, revitalizes and rewards us with new ideas, updated old knowledge, and sometimes with just the comfort of sharing something from the past. There are many lifelong learning opportunities in Maine no matter your age or circumstances.

Maine Senior Colleges are located throughout the state. These organizations offer opportunities to take a class on a variety of topics, from architecture to jazz to zoology. The classes are quite reasonably priced, about $25-$30 and usually meet for a couple of hours, one day a week for a few weeks. There are no tests or grades, just vibrant discussion and a fun time learning new things with others. The Senior Colleges also may sponsor field trips, social events, art festivals, and other cultural opportunities. They frequently coordinate volunteers in their community.

A good example is the Senior College of Belfast that holds its classes at the University of Maine Hutchinson Center. With more than 650 members, it is the second largest Senior College in the state. Its classes are offered across three 4-6 week terms, plus, in the summer, it sponsors several one-day workshops. The spring term begins Thursday, April 4, and ends May 4. Classes are scheduled from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Some of the class topics include:

Indians of the Down East Coast Sustainable Landscapes and Gardens

Introduction to Jungian Thought The Music of Bob Dylan

Cultures of China and the Far East Legendary Maine Shipwrecks

Islam, Judaism and Christianity Great Plays of Eugene O-Neill

The Genius of Dickens: Two Novels Strategic Intelligence Today

May 16-19 is the Belfast Senior College Arts Festival at the UMaine Hutchinson Center featuring amateur and professional artists over the age of 50 from across the entire state of Maine. The opening reception is Thursday, May 16 at 7 p.m. The exhibit is extraordinary and varied in the media represented.

Click here for more information about the Senior College of Belfast.

Another opportunity for learning is at any campus of the University of Maine System. Maine residents over the age of 65 may apply for a fee waiver and attend a college class free of charge on a space-available basis. So if you still dream about being a writer, see if there is room in the creative writing course. You can take a course for credit and a grade, or you can just audit the course, sitting in and participating but not having to worry about tests or grades. At the Hutchinson Center, the instructors enjoy having older students join their classes. They report that the discussion is livelier, informed by the life experiences and knowledge of the senior participants, and that these senior students take the assignments seriously, do the reading and participate actively in the course.

Whether you choose a Senior College, a university course, an online course, a Cooperative Extension workshop, or a Community College course, there are myriad opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills. Whether you are looking for a course just for fun or to meet a professional or personal learning goal, remember the Chinese Proverb that says “learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”

Sue McCullough is director of the University of Maine Frederick E. Hutchinson Center Center and associate dean, Division of Lifelong Learning

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