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Please explore this page to learn more about Central’s Age-Friendly University initiatives including opportunities for lifelong learning and resources for education about aging.
In May of 2017, Central Connecticut State University became the first university in Connecticut to join the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network. We are proud to join a growing number of institutions across the globe in an international effort led by Dublin City University to identify the distinctive contributions institutions of higher education can make in responding to the interests and needs of an aging population.
Connecticut has the 7th highest median age in the United States and by 2030, it is expected that 25 percent of the state’s population will be over the age of 60. With more people experiencing increased longevity, Central is committed to meeting the educational needs and interests of this growing group through the development of new opportunities and innovative practices in teaching, research, and community engagement. The AFU principles serve as a valuable guiding framework for distinguishing and evaluating how Central can shape age-friendly programs and practices, as well as identify gaps and opportunities for growth in the years to come.
For more information about the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Initiative, visit: DCU Age-Friendly University and GSA's Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education AFU Global Network.
What Students are Saying
Having older adults in a classroom has really been eye opening for me as a student at Central because while I was in undergrad at a different university, I only had one experience in being in a class with an older adult and she ended up leaving the course shortly after it started. I love being able to hear the experiences and ideas of the older students in our classes as I find what they have to say enlightening, especially in this course specifically. Through age-friendly universities, students of all ages are able to continuously challenge ageist stereotypes and initiate intergenerational learning as well as support inclusion and diversity for the campus environment. --G.Z. (current Central student)
Opportunities for Lifelong Learning
Scholars for Life Speaker Series - Central faculty and guests bring their passions and knowledge to the Scholars for Life Speaker series offered through Central’s Office of Continuing Education. During the pandemic, the series is being offered free and online.
Over 62 Tuition Waiver Form - Connecticut residents aged 62 and older can go back to school tuition free. The tuition waiver can be applied to both full and part-time matriculated students (those who have been admitted to an undergraduate or graduate degree program) and nonmatriculated students. Some fees are still required and registration for nonmatriculated students is on a space-available basis and special registration dates apply. Check with the Registrar's Office for session/term registration dates. For those interested in earning a degree or certificate, students must follow standard admission procedures and submit the tuition waiver once accepted to their program of choice. Visit Admissions to learn more about our program offerings.
Resources for Aging Education
Ageism First Aid is an online multi-module course designed to help change the common negative misconceptions and myths about aging by replacing them with facts that should be common knowledge. The course will support factual conversations about aging and spark widespread use of positive aging-related language to help create a more age-friendly society.
Learners will need to create a new learner account and select Central Connecticut State University. The course fee is $15 for students and $20 for nonstudents. For a limited time, Central faculty and staff can obtain a code to take the course for free by contacting Erin Rodas in the Office of Equity and Inclusion.
AARP’s Disrupt Aging Classroom is a two-hour, interactive curriculum that challenges students to examine their aging perceptions and think about how the growing aging population is relevant to their personal lives and future careers.
The Disrupt Aging Classroom curriculum is free and presented by AARP volunteer facilitators, who are trained extensively on the content and effective delivery. Facilitators can present either in the classroom or virtually through a live-video presentation. The curriculum complements any course of study and can be presented across disciplines at university campuses.
Reframing Aging Initiative - Reframing aging relies on tested strategies and evidence-informed tools that have been found to reduce implicit bias against older people. Find free resources and a toolkit to help you change the conversation around aging.
Tools for Advancing Age Inclusivity in Higher Education was designed by the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and its Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), with support from AARP, to provide resources to advance age inclusivity in institutions of higher education. The suite of tools can be used by faculty, students, administrators, and other campus leaders.