‘It’s cool’: Rutgers University is attracting a growing number of adult learners

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When James Evans was an 18-year-old high school senior, he got expelled for truancy.

At his mother’s urging, Evans eventually earned his GED — the high school equivalency diploma — and as years passed, he started attending Essex County College. But he never became a full-time student. Well, not until two years ago when he lost his job as an office services manager, and decided to return to school, in part because he was bored.

“I was sitting on the couch, and the thought came to me, I said ‘You know, you don’t have that many credits to go to get your associate’s degree,’” he said.

Evans got his degree, and these days, the 71-year-old older adult is enrolled at Rutgers University-Newark, working towards a bachelor of arts degree in Africana Studies.

He says attending lectures, taking notes and doing homework is challenging but fun.

“I think it keeps your mind sharp, keeps you going, you’re around young people,” he said. “You’re stretching your mind again, going back to the way you were at school when you were young.”

“You gotta go in with an open mind if you’re a senior citizen,” he added. “You just can’t back in with certain old thoughts, or this is the way it was done.”

Evans, an active member of the New Hope Baptist Church in East Orange for more than 25 years, has delivered numerous reflections on Black history and culture during services, which is what led to his decision to major in Africana studies at Rutgers.

He said his goal is not to get a degree to get a job, but rather to enjoy the experience. He said he loves all the classes he’s taking, including African community and the history of hip-hop.

“Every time he talks I listen with keen attention, hearing his points of view is fascinating and I learn a lot,” said Izzy Rodriguez, a classmate in the hip-op course.

He said having people that are much older in class is a valuable, new experience.

“It is a really cool thing because it’s proof that no matter how old you get, you’re always learning and you can always continue to seek more knowledge,” Rodriguez said. “It’s inspiring that you can continue to do that.”

Professor Wendell Marsh, who teaches introduction to Africana studies, said Evans is the oldest student he’s ever had, and he’s a “delight to have in the class.”

“With that age and experience he brings a wealth of information, experience and insight,” he said. “He is really there with the students in the process, even though of course he has an advantage in terms of being an informal student all of his life.”

The number of older adults taking higher education classes is definitely growing, said Megan Novak, director of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Rutgers University. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute serves 1,200 students a year who are enrolled in non-credit academic courses, and another 400 auditing a variety of classes. The number of older students enrolled in credit courses at the University is not currently tracked.

“I think this is a story that is actually happening with relative frequency, we just don’t hear about it,” she said.

The U.S. Census Bureau has projected that adults 65 and older will outnumber the country’s population of children 18 and under in 2034. Novak said that will expand demand for additional higher education learning opportunities among that population.

“It’s really causing us to reevaluate where are we now headed as institutions who serve the public,” said Novak. “I think that we must broaden our ability to serve the general public to engage with lifelong learning.”

Evans said people shouldn’t think about their age if they want to pursue college.

“If you’re retired or find yourself out of work, and you’re at a certain age where it’s much more difficult to find work and you’re kind of laying back now, I would certainly recommend it,” he said.

He said he gets along wonderfully with his classmates, who are young enough to be his grandchildren and will sometimes ask him for advice after class.

“We sometimes have a tendency to stereotype younger generations with a broad brush, that they’re all this or they’re all that, in my experience that is not true,” Evans said. Rodriguez said other kids in class enjoy having Evans as a classmate.

“His input is always so welcome, he’s a fountain of knowledge,” he said. “We respect the man and always want to hear what he has to say, he’s just a treasure to be around.”

Marsh said having Evans in class is a reminder that you’re never too old to start learning new things.

“Education is an ongoing process, it’s never finished, it’s always incomplete, we should always be learning,” he said.

More information about the Institute is available at olliru.rutgers.edu.