According to members of the LifeLong Learning Institute at Immaculata大学 (LLI), the dedication and support for LLI reflects their love of learning and connections to others. 对一些成员来说，这是一条生命线. LLI enables individuals over 50 in the southeast Pennsylvania region to continue cultivating their knowledge, 结识志同道合的人, 保持精神上和身体上的活跃.
以示对伊玛丘拉塔大学的支持, LLI, 成员们最近捐赠了超过16美元,500 toward the purchase of equipment for the new Parsons Science Pavilion, 目前正在施工中. Gerry Mello of Exton explains the reasons why it was important for LLI members to donate to Immaculata.
“Besides wanting to provide state-of-the-艺术 equipment for Immaculata’s 科学 programs, we suddenly realized when COVID hit how much we loved and appreciated LLI,梅洛承认道. “这并不是说云顶捕鱼IOS版以前不欣赏它, 但男孩, 当云顶捕鱼IOS版失去它的时候，云顶捕鱼IOS版才真正意识到它的意义.”
西切斯特居民埃德·戈尔报道, the donation was a way of expressing their commitment to LLI and to the university. “所以，时间、才华、财富…….云顶捕鱼IOS版加入。”他微笑着补充道. Spending his professional career as a corporate executive (as p艺术ner with PricewaterhouseCoopers), Goll is adamant that LLI made his retirement vibrant and full. Joining LLI provides him with the opportunity to delve into topics that have always interested him but took a backseat to his professional interests. Goll is thrilled to be teaching LLI members about 技术 and the metaverse and to be a student learning about diverse subjects that he didn’t even realize he was interested in.
Roberta McManus of Oxford feels like the classes she takes at LLI prevent her from becoming stale. As a lifelong schoolteacher, she understands the importance of 教育—at any age. What makes the LLI classes so valuable is that they are created by seniors for seniors, 所以主题是相关的.
Mello, Goll and McManus serve with seven other members to form the board of directors for LLI. Donations for the Parsons Science Pavilion were 100% among the board members and they also had strong contributions from many active members of LLI.
这些成员的年龄从65岁到96岁不等! Seniors can p艺术icipate in classes with just as wide of a range, 包括歌剧, 火箭科学, 历史, 艺术, 技术, 天文学, 语言, finance and health classes and the always popular wine class. 目前, 目前疫情仍在继续蔓延, LLI本学期提供30门课程, 有些是在校内举行，有些是虚拟的. Having the opportunity for both formats is extremely beneficial. 去年秋天, 当时LLI部分恢复了两节课, there were over 100 p艺术icipants who attended the lectures.
“我已经习惯使用Zoom了…….梅洛说. Many of the members are very comfortable with 技术. While others may be familiar with a virtual classroom, they still prefer to attend a physical class. Although the majority of the members reside in Chester County, 邻国也可以加入.
除了课程之外, nearly 500 LLI members treasure the connections they’ve developed with the campus 社区. 和 the 社区 appreciates the contributions of these senior citizens on Immaculata’s campus. 他们增加的价值, 有形的和无形的, is what makes the cross-generational 社区 so positive. 例如, several members have served as judges for various student events, and they have volunteered to be patients to help the 护理 students. Another area that the LLI members have been instrumental is in staffing the IU Food Cupboard, which provides complimentary food and toiletries to students experiencing food insecurity.
“The culture at Immaculata is wonderful,梅洛说. “这里的人很善良. 云顶捕鱼IOS版和修女们开玩笑，她们很开心.”
McManus expresses her joy of the “after-class” activities—mainly eating lunch in the cafeteria. She appreciates the varied life stories of her friends and the camaraderie they share over a meal. 梅洛也喜欢吃午餐, but it’s the all-you-can-eat ice cream that he insists is the best thing about lunch!
“Working with the LLI board members has been a pleasure and the entire Immaculata 社区 is grateful for their donation to help equip the new Parsons Science Pavilion,苏珊·阿诺德说, vice president of Institutional Advancement at Immaculata. “Our 科学 and 护理 students will benefit from their generosity.”
Goll acknowledges that Immaculata deserves more recognition for contributing to the health and welfare of Chester County senior citizens.
和, just like students for the past century have fallen in love with Immaculata and the campus 社区, 这些老年人也是如此. The intangibles that make life worth living are demonstrated when LLI members greet one another—truly glad to be in one another’s presence and sharing their love of learning with their love of 社区. 终身学习学院是一条生命线.