"The whole principle behind a college education is that it does not end with graduation," said Alumni University Director Cliff Cockerham. He pointed out that similar summer alumni programs are flourishing at the nation's best campuses because they meet multiple needs: they offer substance, a physical place to unwind, and an atmosphere of both nostalgia and intellectual stimulation.
A wide range of courses allow participants to surf the Internet, explore the mysteries of the human mind, take part in a writing workshop, or discover the health benefits of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. The learning formats also reflect the variety of college life. Small seminar classes are punctuated by large-group lectures by the University's leading scholars, and informal meetings are scheduled over lunch with deans and the president.
Alumni are encouraged to bring their parents, spouses and children. "Since alumni ties to a university are lifelong, families naturally become a part of those ties," said Cockerham. Families stay together in dorm rooms, dine on campus food and partake of evening cultural and social events designed especially for alumni, from a jazz concert to an Altanta Braves game.
On-campus vacations are especially popular with parents, said Cockerham, because "it's a way for them to have a meaningful and memorable experience for themselves and for their children," without having to worry about programming every minute for their offspring. Children can enroll in Emory's widely known Barkley Forum Summer Debate Institute, or overnight camps for golf and tennis, a culture camp, or a program for young children called Fresh Air Affairs.
Experiences for older children are designed to enhance their college applications, and interested high school students meet with members of Emory's admissions staff. Some teens take classes alongside their parents, or join in after-class activities. "We'll have midnight Inter-net surfing sessions that include all ages," he added.
"We want to give someone an ideal week of the best that college life has to offer," said Cockerham. For Ross Cox '53C, last year's Alumni University was an epiphany. "It has been a time and a space carved out from my usual work world, to do something that I wanted to do," he said. "Maybe you can't go home again, but you sure can go back to college again. In some ways, the second time around is better."
-- Elaine Justice