Four First Impressions
by Deborah Lanser
Introduction
Now that the fall semester is over, four new members volunteered to share what they think about their initial experience. They learned about LLI by various means. Catherine Burgos, who sees herself as a lifelong learner, evaluated several local college LLIs. She liked what she saw at Bard, so she applied repeatedly until she finally got in. Robert Sherman was familiar with Bard College because his wife and daughter went there, so when two friends who are presenters told him about LLI he decided to try it. Bard College had also been on Mark Houghtaling’s radar for a long time, thanks to the concerts at the Fisher Center. He learned about LLI from a friend who is a member. And Jan Malthaner Nolte, a relative newcomer to the area, learned about LLI through a fellow singer at the Bard chorus.
Registration
Because he had volunteered to help set up the fall catalog in ProClass, tech-savvy Mark had the easiest time registering. Still, he hopes to find ways to make the program more user-friendly. He learned the hard way that he should log into ProClass by 9:00 a.m. on both preregistration and registration days to sign up for the courses he wanted. On preregistration day, he was at his computer in time to get into one class, but on registration day, he was too late to join some of his other choices.
Jan thought that ProClass followed a certain logic that enabled her to register for her preferred class. She believed the preregistration/registration process was an essentially fair way to ensure members got at least one class of their choice. Catherine remembered some of the basics of ProClass from orientation, but foresees that she may have to relearn when she uses it next. In contrast, Robert found the registration process unnecessarily cumbersome, although with some help, he was able to get into the class that interested him.
Class Selection
Jan was impressed by the number and variety of courses. She decided to start with just one class to whet her appetite. After hearing from a friend that some members choose their class because of a favored presenter, she chose Smartphones, Smart Photographers, Smart Pictures. An experienced college teacher, she also presented a class, How to Talk to Anyone: Making New Friends in New Circumstances. She was pleased with the support she received from her producer and class manager and valued the level of participation from the class members.
Despite being too late to get into all the courses he wanted, Mark, a former marketing manager, was enthusiastic about the in-person class he did attend, Six Presidents Who Expanded Executive Authority, as well as the Three Hikes. Robert, who has a store that sells furniture he designs and builds, chose to stretch his mind with Bard Masters of Science and Math. He found the “top-notch” instructors presented the curriculum at a high level.
Instead of taking any of the literature classes, Catherine, a former English teacher, chose to expand her interests by taking The Mindful Senior, How to Talk to Anyone: Making New Friends in New Circumstances, and Functional Strength Training. From her teacher’s perspective, she thought each class was what a class should be. She added, “The semester felt like grad school: engaged individuals, sharp minds, and intelligent conversation.” Now she is looking forward to WinterFest. She also likes knowing about events outside of LLI, such as the Bard lectures, concerts, and the Hessel Museum.
Socializing
Jan, who is a relative newcomer to the area, found LLI to be a great community builder, and she appreciates that the organization is run by volunteers. She quickly developed a sense of camaraderie with the people who helped her develop her class. Mark had a vacation house in the Hudson Valley for years, but only moved to Rhinebeck recently. Even before classes started, he quickly became an invaluable member of the catalog tech team. Working with other team members Susan Christoffersen and Carmela Gersbeck gave him the opportunity to learn more about the organization. Off-campus activities—pickleball for Jan and the Minnewaska hikes for Mark—also provided them the opportunity to engage with other members.
Catherine and her husband moved full-time into their nearby vacation home on the day the COVID shutdown began, which was very isolating, so the opportunity to meet other people in a meaningful setting was important to her. Once she joined, she was pleased by how welcoming the community is. On the other hand, long-time Saugerties resident Robert found it difficult to engage with other class members, but hopes spring classes will offer him other opportunities.
Catherine, Jan, Mark, and Robert were four of the 37 new members who decided to take advantage of all that LLI has to offer. By choosing courses outside of their area of professional expertise, they all demonstrated how much they value lifetime learning, and two even stepped up early to volunteer. Like all new members, they are all a welcome addition to our community.
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