Education for All Ages
FGCU Welcomes Older Adults to Audit Classes
Allen and Cindy Hawthorne moved to Estero in 2021 to savor the sun in the Sunshine State after years in northwestern Pennsylvania. But their new life now includes something they never anticipated: They’ve gone back to college.
The retired couple are auditing the “Introduction to Philosophy” course and loving everything about the experience.
“I am enjoying being in an academic setting again and hearing young people’s thoughts on the class and life in general,” says Cindy Hawthorne, 63, who attended college but left to start a family before finishing her degree. “Being around much younger students has been eye-opening. The ones we’ve spoken to have been friendly, curious, kind and open to hearing what we more experienced humans have to say.”
Anyone who is a U.S. citizen and a Florida resident 60 or older can attend FGCU undergraduate courses tuition-free on an audit basis if space is available — degree-seeking students are prioritized — with written permission from the professor. Florida residency for tuition or waiver purposes is attained when you have lived in the state of Florida for 12 consecutive months immediately prior to the first day of classes.
Over 100 seniors take advantage of the opportunity each academic year, with courses exploring world religion, philosophy, foreign languages, art and history among the most popular.