Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84goodTO KNOW Technology: It’s Not Just for Teens by AliciaWanek THE EMERITUS PROGRAM AT RICHLAND COLLEGE PROVES THAT YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS! In a recent interview with his daughter Charlotte, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked, “What’s the one thing you’ll never understand about your daughter’s generation?” He promptly said, “Technology” and pulled out his decades-old flip phone. If the billionaire owner of a sports franchise that thrives on social media, has one of the largest television screens in the world in its stadium, and relies on advanced technology to run its organization can’t even operate a smartphone, is there any hope for the rest of us? We’ve all watched the toddler operating an iPad with ease in a waiting room, and those of us with teens have probably handed over computers or phones to our kids or grandkids to help us out when we can’t get our gadgets to do what we need them to do. There is hope, and no matter how old you are, you can catch up, thanks to programs like the Emeritus Program at Richland College. The Emeritus program was developed for individuals 50 and over and encourages its participants to stay intellectually challenged, physically fit, and socially connected. The program offers credit and non-credit courses as varied as health and fitness, bridge, managing Medicare, and a multitude of technology courses. This summer alone, the Richland Emeritus program offers over 20 classes for all levels of computer users. Courses include essential computer skills (how to use a mouse, manage your files, and use desktop tools), an overview of Microsoft Office, how to use Photoshop to edit those family pictures, how to use your iPhone or iPad and get the apps that are right for you, and how to use websites to trace your genealogy. As students get more tech-savvy, there’s even a web design class. Enrollment in any Emeritus course is open to anyone age 50 or older. Every type of student finds a welcoming environment at Richland College, and Emeritus program director Cindy Berry elaborates, “Seventy-five percent of all the credit students on Richland’s campus are part-time students and most of them work full time… We don’t have what they call in academia, ‘traditional students.’ All of our students are nontraditional, but our credit classes are designed for anybody to take.” The Wall Street Journal recently ran an article asking “Are You the Family Tech Support? – Adult children of baby boomers often find themselves in a role they never asked for—the round-the-clock IT expert for aging electronic gadget enthusiasts.” With programs like Emeritus, we can encourage our parents to learn for themselves in a non-threatening class of like-minded students, and older parents can stop relying on their kids to help them with technology. Emeritus instructor Julie Phillips often posts on Facebook about what a great time her students are having, and besides, wouldn’t it be fun to show the kids a thing or two? For information or to register, go to RichlandCollege.edu. The Emeritus Program at Richland College was developed for individuals 50 and over and encourages its participants to stay intellectually challenged, physically fit, and socially connected.