Middlesex Community College will host the spring Opening Session of the Middlesex Institute for Lifelong Education for Seniors (MILES) at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 20, in the Bedford Campus Center’s Café East, 591 Springs Road. The event is free and open to the public.
MCC’s MILES program offers stimulating, interactive daytime seminars and workshops with no term papers, tests or grades for active, older adults. This informational and entertaining opening session provides community members an opportunity to learn more about MILES and the courses being offered, and is a good opportunity to meet instructors and peers. Light refreshments will be served.
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The MILES Opening Session will feature a keynote address by Robert Thorson, Professor of Geology at the University of Connecticut. Thorson is also author of “Thoreau Country Landscapes: The View from Walden’s Shore.” His book examines Henry David Thoreau as a writer, philosopher, political activist, proto-ecologist and a remarkably skilled physical scientist with a special interest in how his Concord landscape came to be.
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Thorson’s presentation will include Thoreau’s thoughts on fieldstone walls, climate change, the origin of life, and his habit of collecting mineral specimens. Copies of Thorson’s book will be available for purchase, signing and inscription.
The spring session of MILES runs from March 20 through April 24 on the Bedford campus. The two-hour study groups meet from 2 to 4 p.m., in one-, two-, or five-week sessions, and are facilitated by individuals with expertise in their field, including some MCC faculty and staff. The workshops and seminars focus on a variety of topics, including movies, computer skills, literature, technology, health and environmental issues, religion, history and music.
“The goal of MILES is two-fold,” said Marci Barnes, program manager of Community Education and Training. “The first is to enrich lifelong learning for active, older adults through our varied and interesting programming. The second goal is simply to provide personal enrichment and social interaction with like-minded members of the community.”
Each MILES course is $15. All MILES participants enjoy free use of the MCC Fitness Center and library. For the complete schedule of MILES courses, contact Chris Lindsey at 781-280-3570 or visit https://www.middlesex.mass.edu/careertraining/miles.aspx. To register for MILES courses, call 1-800-818-3434.
MCC is one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in the state. We offer more than 75 degree and certificate programs, plus hundreds of noncredit courses, during the day, evening and weekend, on our Bedford and Lowell campuses, and online. Middlesex – a great place to begin your future!
