Lindsey Beagley: Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State

In Series 10 of 4-Quarter Lives, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox talks with the leaders of a growing number of university faculties developing programmes for individuals looking to change direction in their 3rd Quarter of life. We explore the origins and motivations behind these programmes—and how they fit the evolving role of higher education in ageing societies.

This week we republish a conversation Avivah had with Lindsey Beagley, Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State University. They discuss the growing interest of universities to re-design themselves for the new age of longevity, engaging with people throughout their lives rather than just as the outset. Lindsey describes how Arizona State University is doing so in its various programmes, and in particular their ground-breaking Mirabella University Retirement Community on the ASU Tempe campus – integrating a continuing care retirement community into a university campus. She talks about how older adults involved in the Mirabella program are eager to help young people as well as to continue their own learning, and how this desire to mentor and support younger generations has influenced the program’s design and success.

Lindsey Beagley currently serves as Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Arizona State University. In this role, she launched Mirabella at ASU, a University Retirement Community on the ASU Tempe campus. She serves on the global council of the Age-Friendly University Global Network and on the board of directors for Heirloom Communities, intergenerational residential housing for low-income older adults and youth aging out of the foster care system. Beagley holds a master’s degree in public administration and is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education degree in Higher Education Leadership and Innovation with a focus on intergenerational learning in college classrooms.

Some Useful Links:

* https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2024/08/08/longevity-boom-boost-higher-ed-opinion

* https://www.mirabellaasu.org/

* https://learning.asu.edu/

* https://www.universityretirementcommunities.com/

* The Nexel Collaborative: https://thenexel.org/

* Age Friendly University Global Network: www.afugn.org

* Heirloom Communities: https://www.heirloomcommunities.com/

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