At ages 73 and 76, Chris Koban and her husband, Jack, are not your typical students at the University of Mississippi, but they are just as eager to learn.
“I always think it’s kind of funny as we go walking across campus, like who do people think we are?” Chris Koban said.
Through the Lifelong Learning program, the Kobans are back in the classroom — for free.
The program, offered by the Office of Professional Development and Lifelong Learning (PDLL), waives tuition for individuals 65 and older to take one academic course per semester up to four credit hours. This does not include additional fees for books or online courses.
“First, what you have to do is apply to the university to be admitted. … The application fee is normally waived for them,” PDLL Director Mary Leach said.
Once accepted, students browse available courses and rank their top choices. Assistant Registrar Merchell Boston manages enrollment, making sure students can take classes for credit or audit them, depending on instructor approval.
Each semester, approximately 30 students enroll as Lifelong Learners, but the number can fluctuate based on interest and the number of new qualifying individuals, according to Boston.
The Kobans have taken courses for six semesters, including classes from the religion, finance, history and political science departments. This spring, they are enrolled in Rel 326: Saints and Sexuality.
“After I did the first homework, I was like, ‘I wonder what these kids think of us,’” Chris Koban said. “What would I have thought if my grandparents had shown up for a Saints and Sexuality class with me when I was in college?”
For some Lifelong Learners, stepping onto a campus where the majority of students are younger than them can be intimidating. The average age of an undergraduate student at UM is 20 years old, and only 4% of students are age 25 or older, according to the UM Common Data Set from 2023-2024.
Larry Hadenfeld, another Lifelong Learner, felt this hesitancy on his first day on campus.
“I was nervous the first day, even getting on the bus, because I was riding the bus to campus,” Hadenfeld said. “And just getting on the bus, you’re getting on with a bunch of 20-year-olds, and they all looked at me like, ‘What are you doing here?’… I think it took some courage to take that step.”
Over time, Hadenfeld saw the experience as a way to reconnect with his youthful side.
“Outside of class, being a Lifelong Learner energizes me because when you’re on campus and you’re among all these youthful, energetic kids, it transfers that energy and that vibrancy to me,” Hadenfeld said. “And that’s what I really appreciate.”
Jack Koban also praised the quality of the classes at UM compared to his initial experience as a student at the university over 55 years ago.
“When I was here, the instructors were limited by their own experience and the textbook, whereas now the professors are unlimited,” Jack Koban said. “They have solid access to so much information. The depth of their knowledge is just so much greater than it was when we were here. I don’t think the other students understand what a treasure this is, to have the quality teachers they have.”
The biggest motivating factor for Chris Koban to continue taking courses is to keep her mind active as she ages.
“One of my biggest fears in life, I think, is to grow old and not keep up with technology. … I keep wondering, in 10 years, will I be able to keep up — or in 20 years, if I’m still around?” Chris Koban said. We just kinda feel like if we don’t keep doing these things, we’re gonna get old fast.”
