Message from our President (January 2023)

Dear Senior College Friends,

Another year has come to an end and we are welcoming 2023. I am more than pleased to close the books on the year 2022. To quote the late Queen Elizabeth II, 2022 has been my “annus horribilis” for it has been one thing after another. Simple illness, surgeries, moving to a new location seem rather mundane but on November 10 I fell and broke bones in both legs. Traumatic to say the least and after nearly 6 weeks of rehab at a facility in Camden I am home and learning the intricacies of mobility in a wheelchair. Needless to say I am looking forward to walking again and especially into the Hutchinson Center for a Senior College class.

On the flip side, 2022 has been a year in which Senior College has slowly rebounded from the pandemic. With Sandi Cirillo leading the return to live classes we featured a full in-person session at the Hutch with topics ranging from Bob Dylan and the Nobel Prize to Learning to Play Bridge. In addition, we offered Zoom classes for those who didn’t quite feel ready for a full return. We are most appreciative to the instructors who presented this fall’s lineup and to all the members who ventured forth. In recognition of the time and energy that is required to teach a course the Board voted to present all of our instructors with a gift certificate to Left Bank Books. We received many grateful responses and we believe that while we are a volunteer driven organization sometimes great volunteers need to be thanked!

With the Winterim session scheduled to begin on January 19th we are pleased to announce that classroom break periods will feature our greatly missed coffee, tea, and cookies! So make a New Year’s resolution to join us for a class and enjoy the friendship and fellowship of a Senior College Thursday. Again, we are offering two classes online and urge you to take a look at the Winterim schedule and sign up!

The Curriculum Committee is already preparing for the Spring Session. If you have an idea  for a class please let us know by completing the appropriate form under the COURSEStab on the website. If you are interested in teaching a course we would definitely love to hear from you. We hope that this Spring’s session will be well attended with a variety of interesting offerings and we need your support to assure this.

I recently asked members of the Board what wishes or resolutions they had for Senior College in the New Year. Here are the responses from some members of your Board of Trustees:

My wish for the 2023 year is to first remember and honor the past and then with renewed collegial enthusiasm, offer the community opportunities to work with teachers and in classes that are rich with diverse educational content.
Marjorie Arnett

My wish is that our outreach to younger members is fruitful in 2023.
Beth Sterner

My wish is that anyone who would like to meet new people or make new friends while enjoying a fun learning experience will find BSC, I did and it changed my life for the better.
Sam Causon

In addition to making new friends, I wish we might all learn something that makes us rethink everything we ever thought. Or just something new!
Deirdre Good

I wish we could come up with a strategy to reach 50 and 60 year olds and offer classes they can attend even if they are still working.
Jim Owen

At the risk of being seen as a curmudgeon, I must say as a native of Maine (and of Belfast) I have no wishes for Senior College in 2023. The example of my ancestors is to make the best of what you have rather than to wish for something else. This is basically my outlook on life.
Martha Laitin

During my recovery over the past weeks I have had many thoughts about Senior College. I have thought about courses, special events, and the possibility of new initiatives that will benefit all of us. I have been especially fortunate to get to know and work with a group of volunteers that have brought new energy, new ideas, and old values to this incredible endeavor. I hope in the coming year Senior College continues to bring us together to learn, laugh, and live better.

Nancy Perkins
January 1, 2023