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Community Colleges to Create Boomer Schools

AARP, 9/4/08

Abstract:

Boomer School could well become the nickname for some new community college programs, thanks to targeted-grant dollars percolating through the curricula of dozens of campuses across the U.S.

The intent is to facilitate the largest generational shift in U.S. history. As more than 78 million baby boomers make the transition into retirement, they'll remove from the workforce plenty of valuable knowledge and experience that many want to translate into active "giving back" roles or into new careers requiring different skills.

The Plus-50 Fifteen:
Recently, the Atlantic Philanthropies and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) announced a new "Plus 50 Initiative" to give grants to 15 colleges widely scattered among such places as Cucamonga, CA; White Bear Lake, MN; Nanticoke, PA; West Barnstable, MA; and Ocala, FL. 

Ten of the community colleges will use seed grants to create new programs. The other five are "mentor" colleges with established programs for baby boomers and the new funding will underwrite sharing the benefit of their experience.

The Osher Institute's Lifelong Learner:
Since the fall of 2000, the Bernard Osher Foundation has focused on study programs targeted toward older students. This emphasis, sometimes called "senior college," involves seed grants of $100,000, followed by larger grants to those programs demonstrating success and sustainability.

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