A Community Treasure: Chelsea’s Adult Learners Institute (ALI)

submitted by Joan Gaughan, Chelsea’s Adult Learners Institute 

Chelsea’s Adult Learners Institute (ALI) owes its existence to a model developed by a Rhodes Scholar in 1972 known as the Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI). With the help and support of the newly elected mayor, Ann Feeny, in 2004 Maurine Nelson suggested this program and found a vibrant community ready to take on a variety of challenges that could provide intellectual opportunities for senior citizens as well as opportunities for social interaction. With the wealth of Chelsea’s own local resources — its people — a remarkable decision was made. Unlike other Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country, which were “hatched” in colleges and universities, the Chelsea ALI would be a “stand-alone” and eventually a 501(c)(3) nonprofit association. Support would also come in the form of instructors from Washtenaw Community College and, until 2007, Siena Heights University in the form of an entirely community-based program. Today, of the approximately 350 LLI programs, Chelsea’s ALI is one of only about twenty “stand-alone” programs in the entire United States.

The first semester of classes was in 2005 when six classes were offered. Because it was expected that semi- and fully retired people would be the target audience, the classes were scheduled from 10am to 12pm and 1 to 3pm, Monday through Friday, with some evening classes. There would be two semesters each year, fall running from September through late November, and winter/spring from February through late May. Participation would be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and tuition would be kept as low as possible.

A kick off about six weeks before the first class was scheduled allowed instructors to preview their classes, and people could become acquainted with the program and register for classes. The first mailing went out to over 3,600 households with persons 60 years of age and older in the Chelsea area. Since then, roughly 20 classes are offered each semester in a wide variety of interests taught by instructors who are not only experts in their fields but have the ability to spark interest in those subjects as well. In the past 17 years, rarely has a class been canceled for low enrollment. The high quality of the classes has allowed ALI to grow beyond Chelsea, attracting participants from the entire 5 Healthy Towns area and beyond.

ALI is a collaborative project with the Chelsea Area Senior Center, which, in its early development, not only gave ALI an organizational “home” but also allowed it to share the benefits of CSC’s non-profit status. In 2007, ALI received its own 501(c)(3) status but continues its close ties with the Senior Center. A recently signed Letter of Understanding with CSC ensures that the two organizations will continue to work together in terms of representatives on their respective boards, mutual public relations, and seeking ways to offer classes together.

From its beginning, committees have emerged as individuals saw that there was something to be done and did it. Thus, the ALI Board is a “working board” and there are several committees with new ones constantly evolving to keep up with the times, such as offering Zoom attendance, developing a website, and updating methods of keeping participants informed.

Steve Daut, President of the ALI Board, is happy to announce that catalogs outlining 20 new classes for winter/spring will be available in late January.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.