Former NPR broadcast journalist & host Warren Olney says he’d tell his 18-year-old self to “grab every opportunity to improve yourself and your community.” Santa Monica College (SMC) Director of Facilities Maintenance Terry Kamibayashi considers the advice he’d give his 50-year-old self: “Never be afraid to fail” and he counts among his biggest accomplishments having once been the member of a circus troupe. Nat Trives, the beloved Mr. Santa Monica, offers this pearl of wisdom: “Always tell the truth as well as being transparent and you will be trusted.”
What do these individuals have in common? They are all associated with the SMC Emeritus Program, and are now featured on the first-ever Fifty Over 50 list at the College, a compendium of wisdom and perspectives to “celebrate the unsung heroes that are 50+, those who may not necessarily be famous, wealthy or well-known from their working life.”
This list was the brainchild of Scott Silverman, the SMC dean of noncredit and external programs who oversees Emeritus, a unique program that offers a wide, varied range of noncredit courses to meet the interests and specific needs of older adults. “Generally, in society—more so here in the U.S. than in other countries—older adults are not often celebrated,” says Scott. “There’s not much thinking about all the contributions that they have made to society throughout their lives. The idea behind this was to celebrate older adults, celebrate lifelong learning.”
With ageism decried as “the last socially accepted prejudice” by the American Psychological Association—and the need to rethink pervasive, negative attitudes called out—Scott’s project is timely, a necessary step towards a more equitable world where the wisdom and process of aging is celebrated. It is timely in another way, too—this year marks the 50th anniversary of SMC Emeritus, and the intent behind the list dovetails with the long, storied history of one of the first such programs in California which was intentionally designed to help older adults thrive.
All the Best Parts, None of the Stressful Stuff!
California Community Colleges offer a number of noncredit courses, free of cost to California residents who are 18+, to help students attain personal, academic and professional goals—and the lifelong learning-based programs which serve older adults fall under this category. SMC Emeritus, formed in 1974-75, was among the first such programs to be established in the state; it is designed for students 55 and above—though all adult California residents 18+ are welcome—to acquire new skills, learn strategies for healthy living, find their artistic voice and expression, and become part of a community unlike any other.
SMC Emeritus currently serves 3,500 students and offers roughly 160 classes every semester.“[Emeritus] is designed intentionally to support the mental and physical wellbeing of students so they can have longer, happier, healthier lives,” Scott says. “And ultimately, it leads to lower costs for the state—in terms of reducing costs for Medicare, and so on—which is why these programs are offered as one of the free noncredit options by the State of California.” He points out that Emeritus classes capture the magic of classes that many cities offer through community centers, “. . . but under the auspices and rigor of an academic environment, minus the exams. All the best parts, without the stressful stuff!”
Asked to cite some examples of Emeritus’s “greatest hits”—a.k.a classes that are popular, talked-about—Scott rattles off a lengthy list: “We have studio art, where people are actually making art, and art appreciation. Creative writing, literature. Even bilingual literature! People are writing memoirs in our classes. We have a really robust health and wellness programs—not just exercise, but actually learning the pedagogy behind it. Home economics classes like consumer protection. There’s a new class: American history through cooking—the first semester was African American history through the preparation of food. Computer science. Political science (Nat Trives teaches a class), current affairs (taught by Warren Olney, among others), theatre arts, improv and magic (as in, learning tricks students can perform for their loved ones!). A robust pathfinders program—for those who have acquired brain injuries. And so much more . . .
The work of Emeritus and its students reaches into the community, spreading the joys of the arts and music. The Emeritus Gallery, the Concert Band, the Gospel Choir, the Emeritus Players, two literary journals (The Ongoing Moment and Emeritus Chronicles) and Emeritus Voice newsletter—all of these share students’ work with others, through frequent public events, concerts, and publication.
Going Golden, Looking Ahead
The Fifty Over 50 list was one of the many ideas behind making SMC Emeritus’s golden anniversary more than a single event—an opportunity, instead, to build connections between the Emeritus community and the rest of the college. In collaboration with the SMC Foundation, Scott and his team organized field trips for Emeritus students to various SMC satellite campuses and exposed them to programs like The Bodega, the on-campus store/food pantry and Giving Thanks(giving), the annual holiday food giveaway organized by the SMC Foundation. This initiative was called—and very appropriately—“Let’s See SMC.”
“Part of my goal,” says Scott, “is for Emeritus students to see the rest of what the College has to offer, and in doing so, to find other opportunities to contribute—of self, service, or resource. And to show them that they are part of this broader Santa Monica College community.”
SMC Emeritus also commissioned a piece from composer Yukiko Nishimura, called “Golden Age”, for its Concert Band to perform.
And the reception has been overwhelmingly positive. “The students have really loved it—all the things we’ve done. All of them had a high level of panache—especially because of the SMC Foundation’s involvement.”
Humanizing the Experience of Older Adults—for Our Benefit
This work is deeply personal for Scott Silverman. The son of an elementary school principal, he’d wanted to work in higher education ever since his sophomore year in college. He also has a connection to community extension programs that goes back to his childhood. “When I was a kid, my grandparents would drive me to this extension class at UC Riverside—a summer camp for kids, where we could choose different activities. I did public speaking once. I did magic—was awful at it.”
And so when he landed a job at Santa Monica College overseeing the Emeritus program, it felt fated. “I try to tell everyone I know about Emeritus, because of what it does for the students, how beneficial it is for them. . . I want this to be a program that, if my parents were enrolled, I’d be proud to have them in it.” Scott points out with pride that while he doesn’t write curriculum, he is part of the work of ensuring that updates and course refreshes reflect the needs of students, while trying to reach an ever more diverse student population.
When asked what he hopes people will get out of the “Fifty Over 50” list, which celebrates the diversity of the SMC Emeritus community—as well as those connected with it, like some college leaders—Scott says: “I really want to humanize the experience of older adults—for the rest of us. Generally speaking, we know someone is contributing to society when they are working, and there is this assumption that once they stop working, they are not actively contributing. And that’s not true. In some cases, the value someone brings to society starts when they stop working.”
There is, Scott says about the list, “a book in here.” He doesn’t mean a literal book, of course, but instead a breadth of wisdom, “lessons we can learn . . . and hopefully something they can share with their own families, their own descendants.”
And that includes all of us.
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SMC in Focus Volume XI, Issue 6
Fever Dream
A severe childhood illness motivated Jacqueline Cortez to become a nurse, and Santa Monica College helped shape her path. Read Article
Preparing the Next Generation of Caregivers
Tomorrow’s caregivers, both paid and unpaid, are getting an in-depth education in gerontology through SMC’s Introduction to Working with Older Adults noncredit certificate program. Read Article
Rhythm and Ledger
Dancer-actress Naomi Henderson found harmony between art and accounting at SMC. Read Article
Freddie’s World
The beloved SMC watercolor instructor looks back on a career filled with painting, quirky collections and students who feel like friends. Read Article
Bragging Rights
Geography students help develop accurate maps. An English professor’s book a finalist for a prestigious contest. A nursing professor responds to an emergency midair. Read Article
The Wisdom of Age
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, SMC Emeritus launches the “Fifty-over-50” campaign, a compendium of collective wisdom from those who have made significant contributions to this community, and beyond. Read Article