For years, the administration and staff of Riverland Community College recognized that there was a need for an educational curriculum designed specifically for the growing “baby boomers” population — people ages 55 and older.

They wanted to establish programs that would not only interest the mature learner, but that would also meet the goal of providing lifelong learning opportunities to those yearning for substance in their experiences.

That opportunity presented itself three years ago as a project for Riverland Employee Leadership Program participants. Peggy Young, a then leadership program participant and now Generations program coordinator, was there from the beginning.

After many focus groups, committee meetings and course explorations, Generations was born. An 18-member advisory board was established to determine what types of classes and offerings were needed in the Austin and Albert Lea area. To this day, they met regularly to decide what topics of interest, speakers, class locations and times would peak the interest of the potential class participants.

According to Young, “these advisory board members really run the show. They have their fingers on the pulse of our target audience and they are diligent in providing top-notch programming to fit this niche.”

The program’s mission statement: Riverland Generations is a personal educational experience designed for the mature learner to inspire learning for living.

The Riverland Generations vision statement promises: We will be a pioneer in delivering intergenerational learning in a safe and welcoming educational atmosphere.

Value statements include:

Above all else, we value people.

We value all generations within our communities.

We value inclusiveness and diversity.

We value intergenerational connections.

We value the use of technology to enhance learning and social interaction.

We value life experience and knowledge.

Programs offered to date have been varied in content and delivery: a digital photography course held in conjunction with the Mower County Senior Center, a humorous speaker who connected life’s lessons learned from Andy Griffith with the values we have/need today, a presentation about the facts of the John F. Kennedy assassination, a cancer research analyst from the Hormel Institute who offered the most current cancer research data being utilized today.

Classes generally have at least 20 people in attendance; however, their program outlining Islam beliefs was offered to the group with 80+ in attendance; it was standing room only!

The group plans at least one educational trip each year. Previous trips have included a tour and class at the University of Minnesota Arboretum, a visit to National Eagle Center in Wabasha, the Walker Art Center, and the Minnesota History Museum and Minnesota State Capital.

Riverland Generations has worked to get a feel for the needs of the community and to offer quality educational pieces to participants. Classes are affordable (usually about $5 per class), with the annual trip being slightly more expensive (due to the cost of transportation and meals.) They offer one class per month and to date have focused primarily on the Austin location. They hope to expand their programming into the Albert Lea area soon and are anxious to see what type of classes area residents are interested in. They are currently working out partnership details with their Owatonna contact and hope to eventually expand their offerings at the various Riverland locations.

“We anticipate soon expanding our offerings into the Albert Lea community,” said program director Peggy Young, “but we also wanted to make sure we worked out all the kinks before we moved ahead into other locations.”

Young and the advisory board members of the Riverland Generations program are striving to meet the needs of each community and hope to receive valuable input from each of the locations in order to do so.

The point of their program is not to make money — thus the $5 program fee — but to provide services to the growing number of mature learners in the community who want to continue their goal of lifelong education. Some participants take the classes for their own personal use, while others find these types of classes work well as they move forward in their own educational goals, earning credit as they do so.

Thanks to a Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation grant, the Generations program has expanded to include Project GO (Golden Opportunities), an employer/employee skills matching program. Project GO forms partnerships with local employers and volunteer agencies to match available volunteers or employees who are looking for a work outlet or wanting to utilize their time to help out a local business or organization. Project GO has made it the primary goal to match the needs of the employer with those of the employee/volunteer.

Riverland Generations offered a unique program on Jan. 24 with the topic of interest focusing on how illness can affect the personal and intimate relationship between couples. The “Making Love Again: Hope for Couples Facing Loss of Sexual Intimacy” class has sparked the interest of many participants whose lives have been affected by illness or disability. Nationally known speakers Virginia and Keith Laken will share their experience with a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and the sensitive issues surrounding the impact of impotence on relationships.

Anyone wishing more information about the program may contact Peggy Young at (507) 433-0602 or peggy.young@riverland.edu.