How long have you been enrolled in the SMC Emeritus program?
10 years
What was your occupation prior to retirement?
Marketing Research
What was your highest level of education?
Earned College Bachelor Degree or higher.
What are the top three reasons why you value the SMC Emeritus Program?
- Excellent instructors
- Meeting and enjoying new friends
- Feeding passion for subject areas
Pearls of Wisdom: What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?
Don't ever be afraid to try new things, even if they are not immediately tasteful. Your likes and tastes will change over time. Don't discount people you don't seem to like - everyone (or at least almost everyone) has traits you will probably enjoy if you get to know them. Always be looking to reach out to people. You'll be surprised to find how receptive they are. Say hello to strangers.
It will brighten their day and yours. Embrace life long learning.
How would your advice to your 50-year-old self differ?
Re-emphasize lifetime learning, because by 50 you haven't embraced it enough. Even for things you are happy with, don't be afraid of change. Change can be hard, but often surprises you with how wonderful it can be. Stay young, but also be ready to embrace aging gracefully. Keep making new friends - don't ever feel like you are all set with your current group of friends.
What are some of your biggest accomplishments in life?
- The most important is having a fulfilling family (while recognizing that we are not perfect).
- Career success.
- Embracing change as I have aged and moved to new stages in my life.
- Continuing to embrace working to expand friendships.
- This is an ongoing process, but: Increasing my self awareness over time.
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Trying to overcome self doubts and putting my real self out there.
The SMC Emeritus Program has helped me as a lifelong learner because it offers such a wide variety of subject areas and chances to make new and valuable friends.
The best part about being an SMC Emeritus student is the knowledge and caring provided by instructors. They all try to treat students as family.