{"id":1313143,"date":"2026-01-14T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/?p=1313143"},"modified":"2026-01-13T16:39:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T22:39:52","slug":"wisconsin-uwgb-university-green-bay-older-adults-students-enrollment-college","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2026\/01\/wisconsin-uwgb-university-green-bay-older-adults-students-enrollment-college\/","title":{"rendered":"As Wisconsin ages, UW-Green Bay looks to older adults to boost enrollment \u2014 and keep minds sharp","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\"><b>Reading Time: <\/b><\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary>Click here to read highlights from the story<\/summary>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>As Wisconsin\u2019s workforce ages and universities nationwide see fewer traditional college-aged students, UWGB is trying several unorthodox efforts to attract older learners.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The university offers short-term certificates that advance workers\u2019 job skills, ungraded courses that keep older people socially engaged and classes in local nursing homes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Leaders hope the initiatives will keep the region\u2019s growing retirement-age population sharp and socially engaged \u2014 and potentially in the workforce for longer \u2014 while also bolstering enrollment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<p>Inside University of Wisconsin-Green Bay\u2019s Christie Theatre, retired judge Mark Warpinski leads a discussion about how judges decide on the sentences they impose. Roughly 50 students nod along, take notes and eagerly wave their hands in the air to debate how they\u2019d sentence someone for a hypothetical crime.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The unusually lively audience betrays that this isn\u2019t a typical sleepy morning lecture \u2014 most of Warpinski\u2019s students are over the age of 50.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe pay attention. We ask questions. We&#8217;re not sitting on our cellphones and scrolling \u2026 like I guess most college students nowadays do,\u201d said 76-year-old student Norman Schroeder.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Classrooms full of older adults are becoming more common at UWGB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Wisconsin\u2019s workforce ages and universities nationwide see fewer traditional college-aged students, UWGB is trying several unorthodox efforts to attract older learners. That includes more short-term certificates that advance workers\u2019 job skills,<strong> <\/strong>ungraded courses that keep older students socially engaged and classes in local nursing homes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>University leaders hope these moves will keep the region\u2019s growing retirement-age population sharp and socially engaged \u2014 and potentially in the workforce for longer \u2014 while also bolstering enrollment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u201c<\/strong>We&#8217;re not just an 18-year-old campus. We&#8217;re not just a campus where you live in the dorms and have a traditional experience,\u201d said Jessica Lambrecht, UWGB\u2019s continuing education and workforce training executive officer. \u201cThere&#8217;s hundreds of universities you can pick from that offer that type of experience. So how are we gonna stretch and serve more?\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"People sit around tables knitting with needles and yarn inside a room, with papers, bags, water bottles, and other items on the tables.\" class=\"wp-image-1313148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse146_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From left, Anita Kirschling, Theresa Reiter, Judy Rogers and Linda Chapman work on knitting projects during a class through the Lifelong Learning Institute at UWGB. They are among more than 800 members of UWGB\u2019s Lifelong Learning Institute. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In fall 2025, UWGB joined the Age-Friendly University Global Network, an international web of universities that focus on including all ages. The college must follow the network\u2019s 10 principles, which include supporting those pursuing second careers; expanding online education options; and promoting collaboration between older and younger students, among other tasks. Lambrecht hopes this commitment leads more community groups to help UWGB in its pursuit of older learners.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UWGB\u2019s focus on enrolling people outside the typical 18-to-24 age group has helped the college\u2019s enrollment climb over the past decade, at a time when many universities are seeing the opposite trend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>University leaders hope to do even more to cater to retirees and other older adults in coming years, starting with more courses in assisted living facilities and building ways for older people to mentor younger students and workers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Addressing Wisconsin\u2019s aging workforce<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Wisconsin\u2019s aging population has caused ongoing trouble for its workforce.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For years, there haven&#8217;t been enough working-age people to fill the jobs left by those retiring. That trend is expected to continue into 2030.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lambrecht said UWGB leaders are thinking about how they can \u201cencourage and invite that pre-retirement age population to stay engaged in the workforce a little bit longer.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They think offering more short-term certificates can help.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps more commonly offered by two-year colleges, short-term certificates show someone completed a handful of courses focused on a skill or topic. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccdaily.com\/2025\/04\/certificate-trend-continues-for-undergrads\/\">An increasing number of people in the U.S. are <\/a>seeking these credentials, as they\u2019re cheaper and less time-consuming than degrees. They\u2019re also often marketed as a way for workers to gain knowledge that will help them advance in their career and earn more money, though studies and data <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/lifestyle\/careers\/more-workers-are-getting-job-skill-certificates-they-often-dont-pay-off-be49236f\">have indicated a mixed payoff.<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\t<div\n\t\tclass=\"wp-block-newspack-blocks-homepage-articles  wpnbha is-grid columns-2 colgap-2 show-image image-alignleft ts-2 is-3 is-landscape \"\n\t\tstyle=\"\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t<div data-posts data-current-post-id=\"1313143\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"article-section-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>more from wisconsin watch<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1312781\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-appleton tag-education tag-new-news-lab tag-news tag-wisconsin-watch category-pathways-to-success type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\u2018Can&#8217;t do this alone\u2019: An Appleton school prepares students for skilled trades. It\u2019s not easy.\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse720_Atech_Dec-25.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-appleton-technical-academy-school-students-skilled-trades-college-manufacturing\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">\u2018Can&#8217;t do this alone\u2019: An Appleton school prepares students for skilled trades. It\u2019s not easy.<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\n\t<article data-post-id=\"1312113\"\n\t\tclass=\"tag-education tag-higher-education tag-news tag-university-of-wisconsin-madison tag-wisconsin-watch category-pathways-to-success type-post post-has-image\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"post-thumbnail\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-madison-public-policy-major-students-la-follette-school-susan-webb-yackee\/\" rel=\"bookmark\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"attachment-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium size-newspack-article-block-landscape-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"New UW-Madison major will teach students to bridge partisan divides\" data-hero-candidate=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=600%2C450&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=400%2C300&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=200%2C150&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/asse20251203-Susan-Webb-Yackee-Timmerman-001.jpg?resize=800%2C600&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1&amp;w=370 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 34.9rem) calc(100vw - 2rem), (max-width: 53rem) calc(8 * (100vw \/ 12)), (min-width: 53rem) calc(6 * (100vw \/ 12)), 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><!-- .featured-image -->\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/2025\/12\/wisconsin-madison-public-policy-major-students-la-follette-school-susan-webb-yackee\/\" rel=\"bookmark\">New UW-Madison major will teach students to bridge partisan divides<\/a><\/h3>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .entry-wrapper -->\n\t<\/article>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p>UWGB offers 20 short-term certificate options, ranging from topics such as utilizing artificial intelligence to English-to-Spanish translation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYour job is going to continuously change, and with the exponential growth of information, how are you going to stay relevant in the workforce?\u201d Lambrecht said. \u201cSo that&#8217;s really where continuing professional education programs come into play. It\u2019s giving you short-term, bite-sized programming that&#8217;s going to help you refine a skill set that you now are faced with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>University leaders also want to create more opportunities for younger students and employees to learn from people reaching retirement age. Lambrecht said she\u2019s thinking about how they can \u201cmarry those two audiences to be of continued value in our workforce.\u201d For example, last summer, they debuted an \u201cintergenerational\u201d program aiming to connect older adults and youth through several educational workshops.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2018Learning for its own sake\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The quest for more older students isn\u2019t just about keeping them working. It also helps keep the region\u2019s aging population mentally sharp and socially engaged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UWGB\u2019s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) is geared toward older adults who want to \u201cenjoy learning for its own sake.\u201d There are no tests, no grades and no prerequisites. The volunteer-led club offers between 150 and 250 courses each semester \u2014 the most popular including history, film and documentary classes, guest lectures and tours around the region.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen I retired, I realized I&#8217;ve got to keep doing things. You can&#8217;t just sit in the chair,\u201d said Gary Lewins, a 10-year LLI student. Last semester, he took a class that taught him how to digitize all of his old photo albums.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A person\u2019s hands hold knitting needles and purple yarn, forming small stitches over a table with papers nearby.\" class=\"wp-image-1313149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse117_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anita Kirschling works on her knitting project during a Lifelong Learning Institute course at UWGB. LLI offers 150 to 250 courses each semester. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Norman Schroeder began taking LLI classes in 2018. The retired family doctor said it was good for more than just learning \u2014 he quickly made several friends. Today he helms LLI\u2019s Board of Directors and tries to get more people to join.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLLI is not only just the cognitive stimulation, the brain stimulation of the classes and learning \u2014 it&#8217;s also the social engagement,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cThose are important elements for good health. Particularly in older patients, there&#8217;s a high incidence of depression, and some of that comes from social isolation \u2026 I kind of promote LLI as good for your health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The institute has over 800 members, who pay $150 for a year of access to classes. University professors often volunteer to teach classes related to their expertise, happy to teach to a highly engaged audience, Schroeder said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In early 2025, the Rennes Group, which operates assisted living facilities in northern Wisconsin, gave a $300,000 grant to the institute. UWGB has used the money to host classes at Rennes\u2019 nursing homes, upgrade technology to livestream classes to residents living in them and take residents on outings, such as a tour of the Green Bay Correctional Institution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cJust because you live in an environment that provides maybe some extra help, doesn&#8217;t mean \u2026 you shouldn&#8217;t have access to things like lifelong learning,\u201d Rennes Group President Nicole Schingick said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Enrolling \u2018the bookends\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>UWGB\u2019s focus on older learners comes as the so-called traditional college student, aged 18 to 24 years old, makes up a smaller share of enrollment nationwide.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In September, Chancellor Michael Alexander sent a letter to faculty and staff outlining how the university must \u201creinvent\u201d to topple trends like these. To do so, he wrote, UWGB leaders must recognize \u201cevery person is a potential student over their lifetime, not just at 18 with stellar high school academic credentials.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In their quest to grow enrollment, college leaders have trained their focus on not just older learners, but younger ones, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c(We\u2019re) trying to think about the bookends of the population, knowing that the 18- to 24-year-old is a shrinking demographic,\u201d Lambrecht said. \u201cIf we&#8217;re going to thrive as a university, we have to think outside the box.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2020, for example, the college launched a program for high schoolers to complete associate degrees through the university for free. High schoolers have comprised a growing share of the university\u2019s student population over the years, from 16% in fall 2018 to more than a third of enrollment today.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"521\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Two people sit in chairs knitting with needles and yarn, with coats draped over the backs of chairs inside a room.\" class=\"wp-image-1313150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=782%2C521&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=336%2C224&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=140%2C93&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=780%2C520&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 780w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=400%2C267&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?resize=706%2C471&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 706w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26.jpg?w=1200&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/asse275_UWGB_LLI_Jan_26-782x521.jpg?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Anita Kirschling, left, and Theresa Reiter work on knitting projects during a Lifelong Learning Institute class at UWGB. University officials want to do more to reach older adults in the coming years, particularly those who can\u2019t come to campus. (Mike Roemer for Wisconsin Watch)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In 2024, 12% of UWGB\u2019s students were over the age of 30, though that figure only includes students who are taking classes for credit and does not include students like those involved in the Lifelong Learning Institute.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These approaches have helped UWGB\u2019s total enrollment grow over 3,300 students in the last decade, while nearly every other UW school has seen a net decrease over the same time frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s common to see people of all ages on the Green Bay campus. In the summer, UWGB rents out its empty dorms as \u201csnowbird housing\u201d to older adults. But college leaders want to do even more in coming years to reach older people \u2014 particularly those who can\u2019t come to campus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe reality is, some of our members have mobility issues,\u201d Schroeder said. \u201cWhen you&#8217;re an 18- to 20-year-old college student, walking any distance is not a big deal. But if you&#8217;re on the campus at UWGB, sometimes it&#8217;s a long walk from the parking lot to get into the classrooms.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UWGB leaders hope to offer more virtual classes for older students who are home-bound or have physical limitations. To assist those with hearing loss, they want to add \u201chearing loops\u201d to classrooms, which transmit sound from a microphone directly into a hearing aid. Eventually, they want Rennes residents to have access to the full catalog of lifelong learning classes virtually, in real time, Schingick said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat would really be able to open the doors globally, if you will, to all of our residents and all of our communities, no matter where they are in the state,\u201d Schingick said.<br><br><em>Miranda Dunlap reports on pathways to success in northeast Wisconsin, working in partnership with <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.opencampus.org\/\"><em>Open Campus<\/em><\/a><em>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"782\" height=\"646\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&#038;quality=100&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1279368 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=782%2C646&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 782w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=336%2C278&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 336w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=140%2C116&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 140w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=768%2C634&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1536%2C1269&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=2048%2C1692&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1200%2C991&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=1568%2C1295&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 1568w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1.png?resize=400%2C330&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/WCIJ_Logo_Stacked_FullColor_RGB-1-782x646.png?w=370&amp;quality=100&amp;ssl=1 370w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 782px) 100vw, 782px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/\">Wisconsin Watch<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.wisconsinwatch.org\/subscribe\">newsletters<\/a>\u00a0for original stories and our Friday news roundup. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UWGB leaders hope their efforts will keep the region\u2019s growing retirement-age population sharp and socially engaged \u2014 and potentially in the workforce for longer \u2014 while also bolstering 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