By Ben Heath/reporter
When some people picture a college student, the image usually doesn’t include the baby boomer generation, but a brand new club is looking to change that with its slogan “50+ is TCC too.”
More than 500 students age 50 and older are on NE Campus, said 50+ Club co-president Savannah Talbert who found out quickly that these students were eager to get involved.
The first meeting for the 50+ Club was held Oct. 17.
“This is our club,” Talbert said. “We have such a richness for life.”
The club’s first event is a ’60s- and ’70s-themed mixer on Nov. 15 called Come as You Were. The mixer will be stocked with oldies music, ‘70s candy and the all-important disco ball.
Talbert said the primary goal is to attract more 50-plus people to come back to school.
“We want to create an environment where (older students) feel welcome,” said Talbert, whose husband, Warren, also attends NE.
The club is planning to launch the Navigation Program to provide volunteers to help older students find their way around campus. It’s a service Talbert said she wishes she had when she was a new student.
Because many TCC classes are free for older residents, the 50+ Club wants to “reach out to the people who are just sitting at home so they can come back and ‘catch fire,’” said club secretary Michael Manien.
Club membership also has other benefits, such as tickets to watch the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Cowboys games as well as discounts on shopping.
Although colleges today are focused on the younger generations, for these baby boomers “learning is easier because we have a passion for what we’re doing,” said Warren Talbert, club co-president.
