Tuition-free classes inspire students over 60

Cynthia Russell Wanamaker ’83 MA was back on the Columbus campus in the spring after years of working with special needs children and raising three daughters with her husband, Steve Wanamaker ’75, ’76. The occasion wasn’t a speaking engagement or impromptu visit, but rather her thrice-weekly Leadership and Character class.

Through Program 60, Wanamaker and other Ohio residents 60 and older can take classes at Ohio State’s Columbus and regional campuses on a tuition-free, noncredit basis. Introduced at Ohio State in 1973, it proved so popular that lawmakers expanded the program to all Ohio public universities three years later.

Those who take part have access to the full range of Ohio State courses, provided space is available. They also are granted full access to Ohio State libraries, their own university email accounts and student IDs that yield preferred pricing for events and eateries on and off campus.

“There’s an excitement about being here as a 64-year-old and engaging with students,” says Wanamaker, one of about 300 participants each semester. “It’s broadened my horizons. It’s brought new thoughts to consider and ways to think about things.”

The leadership course exposed Wanamaker and the traditional students who shared her classroom to entrepreneurs and professionals who relayed their paths to success. She gained insights from her professor, class visitors and fellow students alike, and she no doubt made her own mark.

“I learned how important people’s core belief systems are … and how far one is willing to go for those core beliefs,” she says. “It was inspiring. It was a confirmation for how I was raising my daughters and for who I am as a person.”

For some, Program 60 is an opportunty to explore a new passion. That’s true for Jeff Gardner ’78, who spent his career as a consulting archaeologist for a cultural resources management firm. He had no experience in feature writing, but found a way to practice that craft through Program 60.

“I haven’t been in school in 35 years, so it’s a little different,” Gardner says. “I’m very serious about the assignments. It’s a little bit of a challenge, but I’ve enjoyed it.”

Longtime advisor Jody Patrick says he’s constantly in awe of Program 60 participants. “They range from lawyers to judges to ordinary people who have master’s degrees and PhDs to people who don’t have college degrees and are interested in taking an art or history class.”

Wanamaker gives extra credit to her alma mater, its faculty and its students for welcoming learners of all ages and walks of life.

“It keeps us young, healthy, alive and engaged,” she says of being a regular on campus. “Learning keeps my brain thinking and my heart going.”