Encore 50th Anniversary

Celebrating 50 Years of Lifelong Learning

In 1973, Iris Whittington Gold envisioned an educational, fun and social learning experience for older adults — and with the support of her supervisor, that vision took shape. Just one year later, in 1974, the Encore 55+ Learning Program Pilot launched at the Eastern Campus. It has since expanded to the Western Campus. It has also reached into the community through Neighborhood Scholars and offers flexible, virtual learning with Encore On-the-Go.

Now, 50 years later, we're honored and inspired by the incredible growth of this program — and we invite you to celebrate this milestone with us!