Lifelong Learning: Education for Older Adults
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When I first learned of my great grandmother's decision to return to college at age sixty, I was eager to learn more about her journey. One item that I started to explore was her obituary, where I found a description of her that deeply resonated with me: "a lifelong learner".
In my family, education has always been a shared value, which is well represented in my great grandmother's pursuits. Although my great grandmother had to challenge societal norms, her college life demonstrated the possibilities that exist for older adults seeking to enrich their lives through education.
Her story serves as a testament to the power of education at any stage of life!
Photo Credit: Margie Mordaunt
Education in the 1950s
In the 1950s, it was thought that a husband was much more important than a college degree. The culture and media at the time portrayed that even if women had dreams of education, they should only pursue marriage.
One of the only reasons society believed a woman should attend college was to get her ‘Mrs. Degree’, meaning a husband. According to The Public Broadcasting Service, “The U.S. marriage rate was at an all-time high and couples were tying the knot, on average, younger than ever before”.
Photo Credit: Margie Mordaunt
Photo Credit: Margie Mordaunt
Based on these factors, my great grandmother, Mary Jane, left UC Berkeley in 1950 after meeting her husband on a blind date. She married William Michael Betts III at twenty years old, became a housewife, and started her family of three children. She spent her days volunteering at Children’s Hospital and The Oakland Museum when she was not tending to her children.
Returning to College as an Older Adult
Although Mary Jane found joy in caring for her children, once they were grown, she felt that “there was something incomplete”, as stated in her obituary. In 1988, she decided to reapply to UC Berkeley to complete her college education.
To her and her family's excitement, she was officially accepted back to Cal, entered as a junior, and graduated with honors in 1990. Mary Jane pursued an Art History major when she returned to college because of her passion for art, which she found through her immense volunteer work at the Oakland Museum.
Claire Thrasher via Canva
Returning to college is a complex decision that depends on many influences. In the grand scheme of things, there are many functional, social, and emotional reasons people make the choice to go back to college.
Claire Thrasher via Canva
In Mary Jane’s situation, she was hoping to discover something new, and complete the degree that she had proudly begun many years prior. It is also common that people strive for approval in their lives, which leads them to wanting a college degree for social acceptance in the workforce. The opinions of society and others have a much bigger impact than we think.
Overall, finishing your degree is enticing for older adults because of the personal and professional rewards they believe they will receive.
Benefits of Lifelong Learning
Through supporting older adults returning to college, we can elevate the lives of many. Although it may seem odd, multigenerational learning is actually beneficial for students in all stages of life. Through the interactions of people who hold mature knowledge and people with youthful knowledge, new ideas and skill sets can come to be.
Lifelong Learning has even been proven to reduce stress levels and increase life span. Learning is overall very positive for our health as it has been shown that the most educated individuals have the healthiest behaviors.
Opportunities
Although going back to college as an older adult may seem really difficult, there are many existing programs that support the cause. In fact, the trend in going back to college as an older adult is increasing; 3.3 million students thirty-five years old and above are projected to be enrolled in college by 2028. Now more than ever, colleges are designing to meet the needs of older students, as learning has no age limits.
In fact, UC Berkeley chancellor, Carol Crist, stated how she supports attracting older students to better reflect our changing society that we need to serve. Along the same lines, the University of Minnesota wants to help older adults discover new futures. Educational opportunities for older adults are continuing to expand, which is promoting growth and happiness.
Conclusion
In the end, my great grandmother’s decision to finish her college education was an incredible endeavor. However, her story is much more than personal growth, it demonstrates the opportunity for older adults to elevate their lives through education.
Photo Credit: Margie Mordaunt
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