Learning is an ongoing process, and there is an organization at Sacramento State that supports and salutes education on campus for senior citizens. The Renaissance Society, in operation for the past 17 years, has been catering to the curiosities of Sac State alumni members of the Sacramento community.

The Society meets on Friday afternoons from 1:00:2:45 p.m. to discuss and learn subjects brought up amongst members and chosen by the society?s board.

Such subjects include drawing (basic art), Bonsai trees, Japanese culture, music, computers, religions, and sciences.

For a nominal fee of $60 a year, members can attend seminars for these and other subjects, which are usually held on campus, and sometimes off-campus in a variety of places.

The program began in 1974, when Dr. Robert Heilman (Professor of Social Work and Chairman on Aging) initiated a Gerontology Center at Sac State. A couple of years later, he attended a seminar in New York which inspired him to open another center in San Diego. Heilman was moved by how much senior citizens were independent and interested in continuing their education.

“It had nothing to do with gerontology. I didn’t like the courses on aging anymore. I had heard another drum beat,” Heilman said.

That beat led to Heilman teaming with Dr. Margaret McKoane, former Director of the Program for Adult Students? Admission and Reentry, to begin The Renaissance Society.

Beginning with $2500 from President Donald Gerth and Dean Arellanes, the Society was able to repay the loan through fees within two years. And within those two years, committees were formed, and membership was at over 80 people.

Since then, the Society has flourished and is alive and well today. The experiences that Sac State students are having now don?t have to end at graduation, and creative expressions don?t cease to exist in old age. The Renaissance Society will be there for former students and others to cultivate continuing curiosities and further learning through the latter part of everyone?s lives.