New 'Plus 50 Initiative' By Community Colleges Reaches Out to Baby Boomers
15 Colleges Receive Grants to Develop Innovative Programs for Students
Over 50
WASHINGTON, April 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As 78 million baby
boomers approach retirement, their attention is turning to staying active
and re-focusing their careers -- and they're about to get some help from
America's community colleges, thanks to a new "Plus 50 Initiative."
Ten community colleges will launch new "demonstration" programs for
students over the age of 50, with the help of seed grants from the American
Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and The Atlantic Philanthropies.
They'll be aided with mentoring support from five "mentor" colleges that
already have established programs for baby boomers.
Organizers say the project is designed to help with one of the largest
generational shifts affecting our nation, as baby boomers approach
retirement and consider how to keep their lives active, healthy and engaged
in careers and projects that matter to them.
"The baby boomer generation wants to stay active in retirement and
holds a wealth of knowledge and experience that society cannot afford to
see leave the talent pool," said George R. Boggs, AACC President and CEO.
"By retooling educational programs and adjusting for the needs of plus 50
students, community colleges can empower baby boomers to continue give back
by leading the vibrant and fulfilling lives they desire."
The three-year program is sponsored by the AACC and is funded by a $3.2
million dollar grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies. The 10 demonstration
colleges receiving grants are:
Chaffey Community College, located in Cucamonga, Calif., will start a
new program for baby boomer volunteers to mentor and tutor under-prepared
students and help them be successful in college.
Clover Park Technical College, located in Lakewood, Wash., will offer
an environmental science program alongside a volunteer on-site project for
baby boomers exploring sustainability. The program will apply classroom
lessons while restoring wetlands, forests and an oak savannah.
Joliet Junior College, located in Joliet, Ill., will offer workforce
skills certificate programs to students over the age of 50 for new careers
in high-growth jobs in healthcare and education.
Luzerne County Community College, located in Nanticoke, Pa., will
provide courses and services that encourage new job skills development, as
well as entrepreneurship for plus 50 students wanting to start a new
business venture.
Northern Virginia Community College, located near Washington, D.C.,
will expand educational offerings targeting baby boomers and reach out to
senior facilities with programs on retirement, personal finance,
entrepreneurship, technology literacy and good health.
Richland College, which is part of the Dallas County Community College
District, and is located in Dallas, Texas, will assess learning needs for
baby boomers, develop life-enhancing curricula for plus 50 students seeking
to re-define their lives and offer opportunities to retrain experienced
workers.
Santa Fe Community College, located in Gainesville, Fla., will address
the critical nursing educator shortage by training baby boomer nurses to
become instructors for nursing education programs, enabling them to pass
their knowledge onto to others and serve a valuable mentoring role for
younger nurses.
St. Louis Community College, located in St. Louis, Mo., will establish
and pilot workshops on four campuses that will help plus 50 students who
see retirement looming ahead of them, but are unsure about how to make this
next phase of their lives all they hope it can be. Travel study tours, art
classes and many other topics, offered in a format for non-degree seeking
students, will enable baby boomers to re-connect with interests they may
have set aside decades before while raising children and working.
Wake Technical Community College, located in Raleigh, N.C., will
centralize coursework and activities offered by three separate divisions
under one organizational umbrella and offer afternoon college classes at
convenient times that cater to plus 50 students.
Western Dakota Technical Institute, located in Rapid City, S. D., will
develop and pilot a national training model for baby boomers who want to
become seasonal rangers and interpretive guides at national parks.
Colleges receiving grants to serve as mentors for the program are:
Cape Cod Community College, located in West Barnstable, Mass., has
conducted focus groups and extensive surveys with baby boomers to identify
courses and volunteer opportunities. They plan to expand their current
programs and develop a talent bank that matches plus 50 students with civic
and service opportunities.
Central Florida Community College, located in Ocala, Fla., will develop
course offerings that will lead to new employment opportunities for plus 50
students, including online business classes, individual and corporate tax
preparation courses, training in less physically demanding medical fields
such as medical transcription, and intergenerational computer courses.
Century College, located in White Bear Lake, Minn., will help baby
boomers retiring from professional and supervisory positions apply their
leadership skills as community volunteers. They will also help plus 50
professionals who've been downsized out of their current jobs with skill
development courses in healthcare and technology that enable them to
re-enter the workforce.
Clark College, located in Vancouver, Wash., will redesign its small
business development curriculum to offer second careers through business
ownership at a wine and cooking school for wine hobbyists and food
enthusiasts. In addition, a joint program with the Area Agency on Aging
will train in-home caregivers.
The Community College of Spokane, located in Spokane Wash., will help
plus 50 workers upgrade or gain new skills and receive re-training to fill
regional job vacancies. The college will also expand course delivery to
rural areas using distance learning, so that plus 50 students located
farther from campus can participate.
For 88 years, the AACC has been the leading advocate for the nation's
community colleges, which currently number more than 1,125 and serve more
than 12 million students annually. Its membership comprises 95 percent of
all public two-year colleges - the largest, most accessible, most diverse
sector of U.S. higher education. As institutions committed to access,
community service and lifelong learning, community colleges have
long-focused on the needs of adults who are already in the workforce, many
of whom are seeking new skills and knowledge for changes in their lives and
careers.
To learn more about successful efforts by AACC member colleges to
respond to students aged 50 and above, please contact Norma Kent at
nkent@aacc.nche.edu, or at 202-728-0200. To learn more about the AACC and
The Atlantic Philanthropies, visit http://www.aacc.nche.edu/ and
http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area ranks as fastest growing in the nation
By DAVID R. CORDER, DAILY SUN
THE VILLAGES — It doesn’t surprise Ron and Terri Benigno that recently released census estimates ranked The Villages last year as the nation’s fastest-growing nonmetropolitan community.
This historic achievement gave Ron and Terri, Village of Mulberry Grove residents who moved to The Villages about five years ago from Las Vegas, an opportunity to compare their experiences here with their visits to Pahrump, Nev., the third fastest-growing nonmetropolitan community.
“In The Villages, it’s about golf and people,” Terri said in explaining the difference between the 14 years the couple resided in Nevada’s southernmost region. “Everybody is so friendly here in The Villages. No matter where you go, people say hello to you. Now that we have all these stores here, I cannot imagine anybody moving away.”
The micropolitan statistical report the Census Bureau released earlier this month added a new perspective to population estimates the federal agency released about three weeks ago, which ranked Sumter County as the nation’s 11th fastest-growing county in 2007. It is the first time The Villages earned the No. 1 ranking since its designation in 2003 as a micropolitan statistical area.
“It is the fastest-growing micropolitan statistical area from 2006 to 2007,” confirmed Greg Harper, a Census Bureau demographer.
Quality versus quantity
In its definitions, the federal agency classifies a micropolitan area as one or more counties with an urban core of at least 10,000 people but less than 50,000.
That compares with a metropolitan statistical area — one or more counties with an urban core of at least 50,000 people. The Orlando-Kissimmee MSA, for instance, covers Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties.
The micropolitan classification is even more revealing, considering The Villages area includes only Sumter’s population. It does not count any of The Villages residents who live in Lake or Marion counties.
While the numbers impressed him, Sumter County Commission Chairman Dick Hoffman viewed The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area’s population increases in much the same way as Terri and Ron.
Each considered the population gains in The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area more in terms of quality of life than numbers.
“I have noticed we continue to attract a very experienced group of new residents who have a wide variety of backgrounds,” Hoffman said. “They’re adding a benefit to the entire county.
“These residents get involved in volunteer work even outside The Villages,” Hoffman offered as an example. “It’s real positive for our county. We have an outstanding group of residents, and they’re making the community even better.”
Still, it’s nice to have bragging rights, Hoffman acknowledged.
“I’m glad we’re among the top, but being No. 1 is even better,” he added.
Economic benefits
The value of such population estimates is considerable, said Rick Thrasher, executive director of the Sumter County Economic Development Council.
“Yes, it has real value in a number of areas, specifically with economic development,” Thrasher said.
This is particularly true, Thrasher added in agreement with Hoffman, when considering the nature of the residents in The Villages — a 55-plus age demographic known for its active and vibrant lifestyle.
“That means there are a significant number of highly talented and experienced retired people who are likely quite interested in part-time, productive employment,” Thrasher said.
Such a demographic gives Thrasher another tool in his business-recruitment effort, which ultimately benefits residents in terms of new products, services and employment opportunities.
“I also can tell you without any hesitancy whatsoever the work-force measurements have become one of the very prime measurement factors for companies starting, expanding or relocating into the area,” Thrasher said.
Having worked in Salt Lake City, Utah, Thrasher also possessed enough insight to make comparisons between The Villages MSA and the mostly western U.S. communities that populate the top 10 list of fastest-growing micropolitan areas. He was familiar with the two Utah communities that ranked in the top 10.
“Utah has two things,” Thrasher said. “No 1, it has one of the highest birth rates in the country. That’s largely generated by long winters. The other thing is they have one of the highest education attainment rates in the country.”
In comparison, Thrasher said, The Villages MSA possesses more in common with St. Marys, Ga., which ranked No. 10 on the top 10 list.
“Understand (The Villages MSA), is a lifestyle destination,” Thrasher said. “So is St. Mary’s. Some places out west are career destinations.”
What is happening in The Villages MSA in terms of population growth is similar to what is occurring in Florida and elsewhere, said Sean M. Snaith, Ph.D., and director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida.
“First, we’ve got a wave of population moving in at retirement age, the baby boomers,” said Snaith, referring to the U.S. population segment of about 80 million residents born between 1946 and 1964. “That’s going to continue to drive population growth in general.”
David R. Corder is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9066, or at david.corder@thevillagesmedia.com.
THE VILLAGES — It doesn’t surprise Ron and Terri Benigno that recently released census estimates ranked The Villages last year as the nation’s fastest-growing nonmetropolitan community.
This historic achievement gave Ron and Terri, Village of Mulberry Grove residents who moved to The Villages about five years ago from Las Vegas, an opportunity to compare their experiences here with their visits to Pahrump, Nev., the third fastest-growing nonmetropolitan community.
“In The Villages, it’s about golf and people,” Terri said in explaining the difference between the 14 years the couple resided in Nevada’s southernmost region. “Everybody is so friendly here in The Villages. No matter where you go, people say hello to you. Now that we have all these stores here, I cannot imagine anybody moving away.”
The micropolitan statistical report the Census Bureau released earlier this month added a new perspective to population estimates the federal agency released about three weeks ago, which ranked Sumter County as the nation’s 11th fastest-growing county in 2007. It is the first time The Villages earned the No. 1 ranking since its designation in 2003 as a micropolitan statistical area.
“It is the fastest-growing micropolitan statistical area from 2006 to 2007,” confirmed Greg Harper, a Census Bureau demographer.
Quality versus quantity
In its definitions, the federal agency classifies a micropolitan area as one or more counties with an urban core of at least 10,000 people but less than 50,000.
That compares with a metropolitan statistical area — one or more counties with an urban core of at least 50,000 people. The Orlando-Kissimmee MSA, for instance, covers Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties.
The micropolitan classification is even more revealing, considering The Villages area includes only Sumter’s population. It does not count any of The Villages residents who live in Lake or Marion counties.
While the numbers impressed him, Sumter County Commission Chairman Dick Hoffman viewed The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area’s population increases in much the same way as Terri and Ron.
Each considered the population gains in The Villages Micropolitan Statistical Area more in terms of quality of life than numbers.
“I have noticed we continue to attract a very experienced group of new residents who have a wide variety of backgrounds,” Hoffman said. “They’re adding a benefit to the entire county.
“These residents get involved in volunteer work even outside The Villages,” Hoffman offered as an example. “It’s real positive for our county. We have an outstanding group of residents, and they’re making the community even better.”
Still, it’s nice to have bragging rights, Hoffman acknowledged.
“I’m glad we’re among the top, but being No. 1 is even better,” he added.
Economic benefits
The value of such population estimates is considerable, said Rick Thrasher, executive director of the Sumter County Economic Development Council.
“Yes, it has real value in a number of areas, specifically with economic development,” Thrasher said.
This is particularly true, Thrasher added in agreement with Hoffman, when considering the nature of the residents in The Villages — a 55-plus age demographic known for its active and vibrant lifestyle.
“That means there are a significant number of highly talented and experienced retired people who are likely quite interested in part-time, productive employment,” Thrasher said.
Such a demographic gives Thrasher another tool in his business-recruitment effort, which ultimately benefits residents in terms of new products, services and employment opportunities.
“I also can tell you without any hesitancy whatsoever the work-force measurements have become one of the very prime measurement factors for companies starting, expanding or relocating into the area,” Thrasher said.
Having worked in Salt Lake City, Utah, Thrasher also possessed enough insight to make comparisons between The Villages MSA and the mostly western U.S. communities that populate the top 10 list of fastest-growing micropolitan areas. He was familiar with the two Utah communities that ranked in the top 10.
“Utah has two things,” Thrasher said. “No 1, it has one of the highest birth rates in the country. That’s largely generated by long winters. The other thing is they have one of the highest education attainment rates in the country.”
In comparison, Thrasher said, The Villages MSA possesses more in common with St. Marys, Ga., which ranked No. 10 on the top 10 list.
“Understand (The Villages MSA), is a lifestyle destination,” Thrasher said. “So is St. Mary’s. Some places out west are career destinations.”
What is happening in The Villages MSA in terms of population growth is similar to what is occurring in Florida and elsewhere, said Sean M. Snaith, Ph.D., and director of the Institute for Economic Competitiveness at the University of Central Florida.
“First, we’ve got a wave of population moving in at retirement age, the baby boomers,” said Snaith, referring to the U.S. population segment of about 80 million residents born between 1946 and 1964. “That’s going to continue to drive population growth in general.”
David R. Corder is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9066, or at david.corder@thevillagesmedia.com.
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