Southwest Minnesota State University’s Gold College is proof that learning never has to stop.

Gold College is set to begin next month for a six-week spring semester. A kick off event is planned for Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. in Charter Hall 201.

I’m thinking about signing up for a Gold College class for the first time. It would be fun to learn something new. It’s also a chance to go back to school without the pressure of tests or grades.

I’m feeling almost like I felt 20 years ago when I enrolled in graduate school. Education still offers valuable opportunities.

I have experience as a Gold College instructor after graduate school from my days as an environmental education coordinator for the Yellow Medicine and Lyon Soil and Water Conservation Districts. I found Gold College helpful to my program for several reasons.

A big part of it was the students. They came from all walks of life, but all of them had a strong interest in my topics. They brought many life experiences into the classroom. I learned from them while they learned from me.

Another reason was the people who worked with me as guest speakers for the class. It was enjoyable to reach out to them, invite them to speak and the facilitate their presentations.

Gold College speaks to how sometimes education for the sake of education is a good thing. It’s something that tends to get overlooked in the 21st century.

There’s an emphasis now on career preparation. Although that’s important, it can have a downside if it makes some people feel that the only reason to go to college is to qualify for a better paying job.

Education is much more than that. It’s a chance to experience life. There’s a social side to it, an opportunity to meet people and widen someone’s circle of friends.

Some of them are people with similar career interests. Others might just be people someone meets in the dorms or in general studies classes. Either way there’s potential to form lifelong friendships that carry over well past graduation.

There’s nothing wrong with starting out as a freshman unsure about a major. The first year of college can be a process of narrowing down the options and eventually choosing one that seems right.

It doesn’t have to be totally based on money. Some people feel called upon to teach or to do something else that doesn’t rank high on a list of best paying jobs.

Hopefully when someone reaches the point of being eligible for Gold College he or she can say that they lived life on their own terms. Hopefully they can say they made good career choices that provided both a comfortable lifestyle and personal fulfillment.

Someone doesn’t need to have a four-year degree to participate in Gold College. All it takes is an interest in learning.

It’s a way to learn more about the world around us. Some of the classes are opportunities to learn new skillls. They’ve included everything from creative arts to technology.

It’s also a good value. It’s worth the money it costs to enroll. It’s also well worth the time (two hours a week for most classes and a six week duration).

SMSU is a great site for Gold College. It brings adults from around the region onto campus. They experience its facilities, gain the chance to learn from instructors, and enjoy the social benefits.

Probably the hardest part of Gold College is choosing among the class offerings. They’re all good. They’re all likely to prove interesting to any student.

If I follow through on my idea and opt for a Gold College class, I’m sure I’ll enjoy being back in the classroom. It offers a potential next chapter in my education, which goes all the way back to nursery school and which culminated in two graduations from SMSU and 1990 and 2007.

I might choose something I’ve never had much experience with. I might also choose something that relates in some way to my work at the paper or my college majors. Either was it’s a good opportunity.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent