An electrical engineering professor, Finley Smith, is the faculty member Dick Seiler ’54 remembers most from his college experience.
“Professor Smith made it possible for the few of us enrolled in electrical engineering communications to graduate,” he says. “He taught multiple classes on esoteric technical subjects to some struggling students.”
When he graduated from Lafayette, there were some classes Seiler had been unable take. Thirty-nine years later, after a successful career at IBM and upon his retirement to Scottsdale, Ariz., he began looking for a place to experience some of the learning he has missed.
“I began looking for an opening to continue my consulting work on a pro bono basis and for adult education opportunities. Educationally, I wanted the chance to pursue some liberal arts courses that were not available to the engineering students at Lafayette when I was there,” he says. “The engineering class schedule was full and I had no time for much else.”
Seiler could not find a resource to take the kinds of classes he wanted. He found that there were other people in a similar position.
“Others had looked to Arizona State University for a solution and could not find it,” he explains. “The only ASU interest came from Mrs. Elva Coor, who was the wife of the president.”
After becoming a member of an interest group that was exploring the idea, Seiler proposed to do a consulting business study on a potential market group.
“Researching other college and university programs for best practices, and tapping the experiences of others exposed to different retirement education models, I put together a formal business proposal,” he says.
After Seiler presented the proposal to Elva Coor, the ASU administration also accepted the idea and agreed to provide funding and employee support. The Adventures in Learning Program was born.
“Since the inception five years ago, more than 1,000 people have participated in the Adventures classes given locally,” says Seiler. “People with a desire for intellectual stimulation in retirement are able to come together for discussion groups, tours, lunch programs, and learning. The program also has provided the catalyst for meeting top ASU faculty, giving to the ASU Foundation, and community interaction.”
Having enjoyed his education at Lafayette, Seiler is delighted to participate in education once again. And he is satisfied that education has become an important part of the retirement life of the area residents, fulfilling a previously unmet need.