Seniors College has been growing at a remarkable rate - there were 97 members five years ago, and there are now over 500.
This may just be the beginning. Long-term projections show that College membership could easily increase tenfold over the next three decades. The number of seniors in Canada will increase to more than nine million over that period, while the proportion of seniors with post-secondary education (who tend to be the most active Seniors College members) will quadruple.
All this means that Seniors College, which is already extremely short on space, will before long be unable to meet the growing needs of the PEI community.
The dream of the Seniors College Board is to acquire a dedicated space for a home base: one that covers not simply the pressing need for classrooms, but can house a small administrative team and serve as a congenial centre for activities. Learning takes place not simply in classrooms. Interaction in coffee areas and lounges is an important part of the whole College experience.
In the short term, the College would like to formulate plans for a suitable space, with professional input from planners and architects. This will require start-up funding. After this phase, it will move to raise the funds necessary to acquire, convert, or build the premises.
If you are interested in supporting this campaign, we are anxious to speak to you. Please contact the Seniors College President, Julie Dowling, at julie.dowling@gmail.com or the College Coordinator, Bob Gibson, at seniorscollege@upei.ca or 902 894-2867.
Centre for Life-Long Learning
