Senior College Celebrates Its 25th Year
The 2026-27 academic year marks 25 years that Senior College has provided high-quality educational opportunities for seniors.
Emeritus Professor of Education Al Hood, together with a small group of retired University of Iowa faculty and staff members, envisioned offering a slate of courses each semester to make lifelong learning accessible to older adults. Costs would be minimal, and instructors would be paid an honorarium. The committee settled on a $30 registration fee, which is what it remains today. Course offerings per semester have grown considerably, as have enrollments.
10 Things We Bet You'd Like to Know About Senior College
We're proud of what Senior College has come to mean for so many people over the past 25 years. Here are 10 things we'd like you to know about us.
1. Eager Learners
You—our students—rank number one with us. You join us from all parts of Iowa, across the country, and even around the world, thanks to our 2020 introduction of online courses. Since our first courses were offered in 2002, more than 31,000 course registrations have been recorded across 433 courses.
2. Outstanding Teachers
You have to agree, our instructors are first-rate. Most have college-level teaching in their backgrounds, and they all enjoy sharing their expertise with students. In our 25 years, we've benefited from 276 different instructors showcasing their knowledge, both in person and online. Some instructors have taught more than one course—we even know one emeritus faculty member who has taught more than 20 courses!
3. Exceptional Volunteers
Everything Senior College has delivered over the years has been led by a group of committed volunteers. All of us served as University of Iowa faculty or staff members, from departments all over the university. Our team supports instructors as they create, promote, and launch their courses.
4. Rich Variety
Every semester we provide a broad mix of course topics. We cover several disciplines; we tap into past, present, and future themes; and, most importantly, students evaluate courses each semester and suggest future Senior College courses.
5. Hardworking Funds
Your tuition for Senior College keeps our program self-supported. We give our instructors a stipend for their dedicated work. We pay rental fees for the facilities where we hold our classes. We work with the University of Iowa Center for Advancement to support our course catalog and registration. And, we help sponsor other learning opportunities in the greater Iowa City area.
6. Open Registration
Anyone can register for a Senior College course. There are no restrictions for age, location, employment history, or educational background. Because most of our students are at or near retirement, our instructors plan their content with a mature interest in mind.
7. Zero Grades
Senior College removes all the scary parts of school: no grades, no graduation requirements, no attendance expectations. We focus on the fun of learning something new or reinforcing something you'd like to know better. Several of our students enroll for more than one course a semester—there's no limit.
8. Speedy Registration
Our online registration system—at www.foriowa.org/senior-college—makes it easy to register. We recommend you register early, as some courses can fill within the first hour or less. If you've already taken a Senior College course, you're on our mailing list. We'll send you a reminder about a week before registration opens for a new semester. You can be added to our list by emailing a request to alumni.seniorcollege@foriowa.org.
9. Welcome Proposals
Do you have an interest in teaching a Senior College course? We welcome proposals from individuals with a passion for their topic and a knack for sharing their interests with lifelong learners. Let us know your ideas by contacting us at alumni.seniorcollege@foriowa.org.
10. Promising Future
Thank you for your ongoing interest in Senior College courses. We look forward to seeing you in upcoming courses—in person and online. We're always interested in hearing from you about Senior College, including your past joys and forward-thinking ideas.