Program 60 Gives Seasoned Adults a Retirement Alternative
With retirement oftentimes comes free time to fill. While some may take up a hobby or start traveling, others are taking courses at The Ohio State University through Program 60.
Program 60 is a program offered by the Office of Distance Education and eLearning (ODEE) to Ohio residents age 60 and older. It gives residents the opportunity to experience academic excellence at Ohio State by allowing them to take noncredit and non-degree program courses, tuition-free.
One Ohio resident who is taking advantage of this opportunity is Daniel Sing, a 65-year-old recent retiree. After retiring from his 38-year career at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Sing decided to use his retirement to do things he’s always wanted to. This included hitting the gym, rock wall climbing, and getting involved in Program 60 courses.
“I heard of the program during my time working at the university but never looked into it,” Sing explained. “With all my free time, I wanted to follow up on things I wanted to do, and Program 60 was one of them.”
Before registering in any courses, Sing knew he wanted to get involved in the College of Engineering and build on his engineering background. In his 20s, Sing travelled from New York to study at The Ohio State University, earning two bachelors’ degrees in ceramic engineering and microbiology. His passion for science and engineering stuck with him through his career with the medical center, where he assisted in creating a database for transplant patients and resources that was later integrated into the hospitals main database.
“I enjoyed what I did at the medical center, but it wasn’t what I went to school for,” Sing said. “I wanted to get back in the classroom and refresh my memory of engineering.”
Sing has been involved in Program 60 since summer 2015, participating in first-year engineering classes. The engineering program offers introductory courses that meet his needs and challenges him to keep up with current students. Sing has completed Fundamentals of Engineering 1181 and 1182, and has now moved on to the hands-on learning course Introduction to Design in Mechanical Engineering 2900. These courses are giving him the opportunity to refresh his brain from what he learned many years ago, and keep up with students who are working towards earning a degree.
“My main goal is seeing if my brain can perform like it used to. I want to be active in the classroom, learn as much as I can, and be proficient,” Sing said. “Luckily, I’ve met great students and professors who are supportive of my goals and treat me as if I’m taking this course for a grade.”
Moving forward, Sing plans to continue to take courses through Program 60 and grow his knowledge of current information in the engineering field.
“I’m upping my game, my expectations, and taking in as much information as possible.”
Interested in going back to school and making the most of your free time? Visit the Program 60 website to learn how you can get started and register for Spring 2017 courses.