Our Members
Who Are Collegium’s Members?
Who are we? Listen as our Collegium members describe us.
“We come in all sizes and shapes. We range in age from the greatest generation to baby boomers.” Most of us have retired from the challenges of careers in large and small businesses, schools and universities, medicine, law, and other professions. Regardless of our backgrounds, we share a common characteristic, intellectual curiosity. The need to learn remains intense. “I wanted to continue learning as long as I was able,” one member recalls. A nagging fear lurked in the backs of many of our minds, a fear that we would sorely miss “the stimulation of a full-time collaborative, working life.” But the answer lay within reach: “Collegium beckoned as a place to keep my mind alive and growing.”
Some of us joined Collegium at its inception in 2004. Most heard from friends who had already joined and returned with tales of “passionate teachers with impressive presentation skills.” For others, the quest began with the inevitable Google search and ended with “a bright yellow flyer in my mailbox. The rest is history.”
Why do they love this program and even recruit others? As one member says, “Reading is great in itself, but Collegium offers topics that I probably would never pursue on my own.” Another says, “When I walk out of ancient history, I feel as if my brain has been stretched. When I walk out of modern poetry, I feel as if my soul has been enriched.” We stay for one another, “for the camaraderie, and most importantly, the acknowledgement of having been seen and heard by our peers.” Sometimes our roles even change: a member becomes a course leader or a course leader becomes a member.
One member summed it up simply: “Within the walls of Collegium I have found friendship, information, understanding, beauty, kindness, generosity, and a spirit that keeps the magic of living alive.”
These are the voices of Collegium’s members.