UC's Institute for Learning in Retirement is Ten Years Young Date: May 3, 2000 By: Dawn Fuller Phone: (513) 556-1823 Archive: General News It started out as a concept that celebrated UC's commitment to lifelong learning, an education initiative for people over 50 who were far too active to rock away their golden years. Now, the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) is 10 years strong, with an anniversary celebration to take place 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at Kingsgate Conference Center. As members celebrate the ILR's 10th anniversary, they also observe its growing success. In 1990, the institute was created to provide noncredit, mostly academic courses to students age 55 and older, with classes taught mostly by their peers. For one fee, students could take as many courses as they wished per quarter. The ILR was self- supporting under the umbrella of the College of Evening and Continuing Education. Class moderators and the majority of the staff received no salary, instead providing their time on a voluntary basis. UC's Institute for Learning in Retirement was the first in Ohio and became a model for the University of Dayton and Miami University in Ohio. UC's ILR launched its first quarter with 14 seminars and 131 students in 1990. The institute has grown to record enrollment this year with about 2,400 members registered for 1999-2000 and a total of 364 seminars offered over the four quarters of the school year. Members still pay one set fee, $70, to register for as many courses as they'd like per quarter. Other institutes around the nation not only charge a membership fee, but they also charge for each course. The minimum age to join the ILR was dropped to 50 last winter to open membership to early retirees. "Volunteers develop our programs and lectures, and you'd be surprised at the variety of moderators that we have," says Stephen Appel, ILR co-director. "A lot of our moderators are emeritus UC professors. They love to teach." Seminars cover topics including literature, history, philosophy, current events and politics, as well as religion, foreign language and the arts. One of the most popular seminars over this academic year is the course, "World War II Experiences." Moderators are World War II servicemen and women, intelligence officers and Holocaust survivors, all Cincinnatians who describe their experiences to the class. The average ILR member is a 68-year-old married woman. Half of the members of ILR have attended the institute five or more quarters. "I've had the opportunity to find out about things I did not have a chance to study at college," says Ruth Englert of Mount Airy, an alumna of the College-Conservatory of Music who has attended the institute all 10 years. "I've explored different subjects, and I've made some wonderful friends. Most of the members are highly educated, delightful people." The ILR operates mainly out of UC's Tangeman University Center on the main campus and its branch campus in Blue Ash, Raymond Walters College. Its growing popularity is bringing seminars to outlying areas such as Maple Knoll Village and Rockdale Temple. The May 13 anniversary celebration will honor moderator and ILR co-founder Aaron Levine, as well as moderators Lester Dreyfuss, Ken Schonberg, Rollin Workman, Bob Zimmerman, Jerry Ransohoff, Ethan Stanley and William Collier, all of whom led classes during each of the ILR's 10 years of existence. Anthony Perzigian, UC senior vice president and provost for baccalaureate and graduate education, will deliver the keynote address at the anniversary gala. The cocktail reception begins at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. Attendance is $18 per person. For reservations, call the ILR at 513-556-9186.