Midlife & Longevity College Courses, Open Enrollment- UChicago | Graham School
Source: https://graham.uchicago.edu/topic/midlife-longevity
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:33
Midlife & Longevity College Courses, Open Enrollment- UChicago | Graham School
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Midlife & Longevity
The University of Chicago Graham School offers a distinctive intellectual environment to support individuals in the complex transitions presented by the new structure of adulthood. Our world-class faculty teach a variety of programs and courses to help you reflect on and make the most of mid-life and beyond.
Thanks to technological and medical advances the average lifespan continues to grow longer. These achievements create endless possibilities for the second half of our lives, but they also compel us to give serious thought to how we can make the most of this expanded time.
By rededicating yourself to learning, you can make the years ahead healthier and happier. Research has shown that, for older adults, engaging in mentally stimulating activities and maintaining strong social ties can help to slow cognitive decline, lower stress levels, and prevent depression.
Spotlight Programs
Courses
Pursue a Life Well Lived
Rethink aging through the lens of lifespan, healthspan, and joyspan with gerontologist and best-selling author Dr. Kerry Burnight.
Aging Brilliantly
Cohort Program
Navigate Life’s Turning Points
Embrace your potential with practice-based learning that blends interpersonal skills with tools from theater.
MyLife Studio
Cohort Program
Envision What Comes Next
Discover a meaningful next chapter through thoughtful reflections on your life and career.
Crafting Your Next Chapter
Fellowship
Design a Future of Meaning and Impact
Join a community of accomplished leaders on a journey of self-discovery and meaningful action for society.
Leadership & Society Initiative
Navigating Your Next Chapter
You may have a wide range of goals for the second half of your life.
Many of the students at Graham School set out to pursue an encore chapter of purpose in which they serve as corporate or nonprofit board member or become involved in addressing a societal issue through policy, philanthropy, or nonprofit involvement. Others are more focused on keeping their minds active through retirement by deeply examining fundamental issues and timeless texts. All are interested in lively conversations with peers who share their passion for lifelong learning.
As we age, forming meaningful connections with others can become challenging. The Graham School’s classrooms are a place where many students start and nurture relationships that positively shape the second half of their lives. These friendships can provide you with fresh perspectives and energy as you strive to build a legacy of valuable contributions.
Instructors
David Archer
Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences
Fred Beuttler
Lecturer, Master of Liberal Arts Program
Alida Bouris
Associate Professor, School of Social Service Administration
Jason Bridges
Associate Professor of Philosophy
David Brooks
Columnist, New York Times, and Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
Dr. Kerry Burnight
Distinguished Instructor, Gerontologist, Researcher, Author
Megan Christenson
Senior Portfolio Manager, REDF Impact Investing Fund
Harry Davis
MyLife Studio Guide, Booth School of Business Professor Emeritus, and the honoree of the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership
Sascha Ebeling
Associate Professor in South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Comparative Literature, and The College
Russ Eisenstat
Executive Coach and Co-founder of Rising Path Partners
Stephanie Eisenstat
Executive Coach, Physician Educator, and Co-founder of Rising Path Partners
Symon Elliott
Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates
Sampriti Ganguli
Senior Advisor, Arabella Advisors
Marco Garrido
Associate Professor of Sociology, Division of the Social Sciences
Robert H. Gertner
Joel F. Gemunder Professor of Strategy and Finance, Booth School of Business
Eleonory Gilburd
Associate Professor of History and the College
Andreas Glaeser
Professor in Sociology and The College
Caroline Grossman
Adjunct Associate Professor of Strategy, Booth School of Business
Faith Hillis
Professor of Russian History and the College
Kimberly Kay Hoang
Professor of Sociology, Director of Global Studies
Edward W. Kolb
Arthur Holly Compton Distinguished Service Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Rochona Majumdar
Associate Professor
Robert Martin
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology
Peggy Mason
Professor of Neurobiology
Omar M. McRoberts
Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and The College
Stephen Meredith
Professor in Pathology and the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division
Mark Miller
Associate Professor and Director of Graduates Studies in the English Department
Daniel Moerner
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Howard C. Nusbaum
Stella M. Rowley Professor of Psychology
Priya Parrish
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Strategy
Sheila Penrose
President, S.A. Penrose Advisors, LLC
Eugene Raikhel
Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Human Development
Michael Rossi
Associate Professor of the History of Medicine, Chair, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, and the College
Lawrence Rothfield
Associate Professor of the Department of English, Comparative Literature, the University of Chicago
Atiya Singh
Director of the McKeon Center at the University of Chicago
Anne Snyder
Editor-in-Chief, Comment, and Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
Amy Dru Stanley
Associate Professor in the Department of History and the Law School
Michael Strautmanis
Executive Vice President, Obama Foundation
Lyndon A. Taylor
Partner, Heidrick & Struggles
Michael S. Turner
Bruce V. and Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Physics, Enrico Fermi Institute, and the College
William Veeder
Professor Emeritus in the Department of English Language and Literature and the College
Kenneth Warren
Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor of English and Literature
David Wray
Associate Professor in Comparative Literature, Classics, and The College
Laurie Zoloth
Margaret E. Burton Professor of Religion and Ethics; also in the College; The Program in Jewish Studies; and the MacLean Center for Biomedical Ethics at the Pritzker School of Medicine
We are in a moment where we’re really inventing a new stage of life. You are stepping back from your main career, but because of improvements in health, you still have 20 or more years of energetic life ahead. And so, it’s worth it to take some time and think, ‘What am I going to do with this time?’
David Brooks, AB’83
Columnist,
The New York Times
& Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
In a world that is challenged by really hard problems, the place where knowledge is created is also a special place for partnership between the University and society. I think the leaders who are looking for this new stage in their life couldn’t find a more wonderful place to do it.
Paul Alivisatos, AB’81
President of the University of Chicago
I find it just a fascinating and exciting way to really engage with people my own age as we bring life experience to understand some of the texts and the material that we’re covering in the classes.
Fred Beuttler, PhD’95, CER’19 (Basic Program)
Graham School Instructor & Former Deputy Historian of the US House of Representatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about the Graham School’s midlife and longevity offerings.
What types of offerings does Graham have for those entering midlife?
At Graham, we offer a number of different types of opportunities for people to explore what these new chapters look like. For some, they are looking to create positive social impact and reflecting on their legacy. For others, they are looking for opportunities for deep inquiry, meaningful conversations, and relationships with others that share their passion for life and investigating deeper meanings.
What is the advantage to taking part in these courses at this point in my life?
It can become challenging as we age to form friendships, to start new, deep meaningful relationships. Graham’s classrooms are a place where many find these relationships forming and find new meaning for the next phase of their life.
Is financial support available?
We are committed to reducing financial barriers for students to take part in our programs. Please contact us if you would like to be considered for scholarship support.
How large are the classes?
We are committed to keeping the classroom experience intimate to allow for meaningful engagement between students and instructors. As a result, we do cap the enrollment of each of our cohorts.
How can I best prepare for class?
Complete any assignments and come prepared to participate actively in classroom discussion.
UChicago has a reputation for academic rigor. Will I be able to meaningfully participate in the classroom discussions?
Our non-credit courses are built for adults who have life experience and want to learn. Our instructors encourage all students to participate, regardless of their educational background, creating an inclusive learning environment with a collegial atmosphere.
Are these offerings online or in person?
The Graham School offers both online and in-person class experiences. The description for each course specifies whether it will be offered online through Canvas or in person at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago.
What’s it like to take a course in a Socratic seminar format?
Students come to each session prepared to engage in lively, respectful discussions about the assigned reading. With a small group of peers and your instructor, you’ll examine fundamental questions through the lenses of multiple disciplines and lived experiences.
Do I have to complete an application?
No application is required for Basic Program courses or open enrollment courses. There is a required application for offerings such as the Leadership & Society Initiative and Crafting Your Next Chapter.
Midlife & Longevity News
Mar 31, 2026
Donor
A Journey of Curiosity: Why Dianne Blanco Gives to Graham
This Giving Day, support opportunities for curious minds to learn, connect, and grow through the liberal arts.
View Now
Mar 24, 2026
Articles
Spotlight on Giving: Michael Paulson on Learning, Legacy, and the Graham School
Michael Paulson shares how the Graham School shaped his learning journey and inspired his commitment to support future generations of learners.
View Now
Feb 24, 2026
Student Stories
From LSI Fellow to Returning Scholar: A Conversation with Michael Walsh
A conversation on purpose, intellectual vitality, and continuing the work of lifelong learning at the University of Chicago Graham School.
View Now
Questions about the Graham School? Get in touch.
Contact Us
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Your Shopping Cart
Enroll Now
We use
cookies
to enhance your experience on our site.
Skip to main content
Topic
Midlife & Longevity
The University of Chicago Graham School offers a distinctive intellectual environment to support individuals in the complex transitions presented by the new structure of adulthood. Our world-class faculty teach a variety of programs and courses to help you reflect on and make the most of mid-life and beyond.
Thanks to technological and medical advances the average lifespan continues to grow longer. These achievements create endless possibilities for the second half of our lives, but they also compel us to give serious thought to how we can make the most of this expanded time.
By rededicating yourself to learning, you can make the years ahead healthier and happier. Research has shown that, for older adults, engaging in mentally stimulating activities and maintaining strong social ties can help to slow cognitive decline, lower stress levels, and prevent depression.
Spotlight Programs
Courses
Pursue a Life Well Lived
Rethink aging through the lens of lifespan, healthspan, and joyspan with gerontologist and best-selling author Dr. Kerry Burnight.
Aging Brilliantly
Cohort Program
Navigate Life’s Turning Points
Embrace your potential with practice-based learning that blends interpersonal skills with tools from theater.
MyLife Studio
Cohort Program
Envision What Comes Next
Discover a meaningful next chapter through thoughtful reflections on your life and career.
Crafting Your Next Chapter
Fellowship
Design a Future of Meaning and Impact
Join a community of accomplished leaders on a journey of self-discovery and meaningful action for society.
Leadership & Society Initiative
Navigating Your Next Chapter
You may have a wide range of goals for the second half of your life.
Many of the students at Graham School set out to pursue an encore chapter of purpose in which they serve as corporate or nonprofit board member or become involved in addressing a societal issue through policy, philanthropy, or nonprofit involvement. Others are more focused on keeping their minds active through retirement by deeply examining fundamental issues and timeless texts. All are interested in lively conversations with peers who share their passion for lifelong learning.
As we age, forming meaningful connections with others can become challenging. The Graham School’s classrooms are a place where many students start and nurture relationships that positively shape the second half of their lives. These friendships can provide you with fresh perspectives and energy as you strive to build a legacy of valuable contributions.
Instructors
David Archer
Professor in the Department of the Geophysical Sciences
Fred Beuttler
Lecturer, Master of Liberal Arts Program
Alida Bouris
Associate Professor, School of Social Service Administration
Jason Bridges
Associate Professor of Philosophy
David Brooks
Columnist, New York Times, and Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
Dr. Kerry Burnight
Distinguished Instructor, Gerontologist, Researcher, Author
Megan Christenson
Senior Portfolio Manager, REDF Impact Investing Fund
Harry Davis
MyLife Studio Guide, Booth School of Business Professor Emeritus, and the honoree of the Harry L. Davis Center for Leadership
Sascha Ebeling
Associate Professor in South Asian Languages and Civilizations, Comparative Literature, and The College
Russ Eisenstat
Executive Coach and Co-founder of Rising Path Partners
Stephanie Eisenstat
Executive Coach, Physician Educator, and Co-founder of Rising Path Partners
Symon Elliott
Managing Director, Russell Reynolds Associates
Sampriti Ganguli
Senior Advisor, Arabella Advisors
Marco Garrido
Associate Professor of Sociology, Division of the Social Sciences
Robert H. Gertner
Joel F. Gemunder Professor of Strategy and Finance, Booth School of Business
Eleonory Gilburd
Associate Professor of History and the College
Andreas Glaeser
Professor in Sociology and The College
Caroline Grossman
Adjunct Associate Professor of Strategy, Booth School of Business
Faith Hillis
Professor of Russian History and the College
Kimberly Kay Hoang
Professor of Sociology, Director of Global Studies
Edward W. Kolb
Arthur Holly Compton Distinguished Service Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Rochona Majumdar
Associate Professor
Robert Martin
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Anthropology
Peggy Mason
Professor of Neurobiology
Omar M. McRoberts
Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and The College
Stephen Meredith
Professor in Pathology and the Biological Sciences Collegiate Division
Mark Miller
Associate Professor and Director of Graduates Studies in the English Department
Daniel Moerner
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
Howard C. Nusbaum
Stella M. Rowley Professor of Psychology
Priya Parrish
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Strategy
Sheila Penrose
President, S.A. Penrose Advisors, LLC
Eugene Raikhel
Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Human Development
Michael Rossi
Associate Professor of the History of Medicine, Chair, Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, and the College
Lawrence Rothfield
Associate Professor of the Department of English, Comparative Literature, the University of Chicago
Atiya Singh
Director of the McKeon Center at the University of Chicago
Anne Snyder
Editor-in-Chief, Comment, and Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
Amy Dru Stanley
Associate Professor in the Department of History and the Law School
Michael Strautmanis
Executive Vice President, Obama Foundation
Lyndon A. Taylor
Partner, Heidrick & Struggles
Michael S. Turner
Bruce V. and Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Physics, Enrico Fermi Institute, and the College
William Veeder
Professor Emeritus in the Department of English Language and Literature and the College
Kenneth Warren
Fairfax M. Cone Distinguished Service Professor of English and Literature
David Wray
Associate Professor in Comparative Literature, Classics, and The College
Laurie Zoloth
Margaret E. Burton Professor of Religion and Ethics; also in the College; The Program in Jewish Studies; and the MacLean Center for Biomedical Ethics at the Pritzker School of Medicine
We are in a moment where we’re really inventing a new stage of life. You are stepping back from your main career, but because of improvements in health, you still have 20 or more years of energetic life ahead. And so, it’s worth it to take some time and think, ‘What am I going to do with this time?’
David Brooks, AB’83
Columnist,
The New York Times
& Senior Advisor, UChicago Leadership & Society Initiative
In a world that is challenged by really hard problems, the place where knowledge is created is also a special place for partnership between the University and society. I think the leaders who are looking for this new stage in their life couldn’t find a more wonderful place to do it.
Paul Alivisatos, AB’81
President of the University of Chicago
I find it just a fascinating and exciting way to really engage with people my own age as we bring life experience to understand some of the texts and the material that we’re covering in the classes.
Fred Beuttler, PhD’95, CER’19 (Basic Program)
Graham School Instructor & Former Deputy Historian of the US House of Representatives
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn more about the Graham School’s midlife and longevity offerings.
What types of offerings does Graham have for those entering midlife?
At Graham, we offer a number of different types of opportunities for people to explore what these new chapters look like. For some, they are looking to create positive social impact and reflecting on their legacy. For others, they are looking for opportunities for deep inquiry, meaningful conversations, and relationships with others that share their passion for life and investigating deeper meanings.
What is the advantage to taking part in these courses at this point in my life?
It can become challenging as we age to form friendships, to start new, deep meaningful relationships. Graham’s classrooms are a place where many find these relationships forming and find new meaning for the next phase of their life.
Is financial support available?
We are committed to reducing financial barriers for students to take part in our programs. Please contact us if you would like to be considered for scholarship support.
How large are the classes?
We are committed to keeping the classroom experience intimate to allow for meaningful engagement between students and instructors. As a result, we do cap the enrollment of each of our cohorts.
How can I best prepare for class?
Complete any assignments and come prepared to participate actively in classroom discussion.
UChicago has a reputation for academic rigor. Will I be able to meaningfully participate in the classroom discussions?
Our non-credit courses are built for adults who have life experience and want to learn. Our instructors encourage all students to participate, regardless of their educational background, creating an inclusive learning environment with a collegial atmosphere.
Are these offerings online or in person?
The Graham School offers both online and in-person class experiences. The description for each course specifies whether it will be offered online through Canvas or in person at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago.
What’s it like to take a course in a Socratic seminar format?
Students come to each session prepared to engage in lively, respectful discussions about the assigned reading. With a small group of peers and your instructor, you’ll examine fundamental questions through the lenses of multiple disciplines and lived experiences.
Do I have to complete an application?
No application is required for Basic Program courses or open enrollment courses. There is a required application for offerings such as the Leadership & Society Initiative and Crafting Your Next Chapter.
Midlife & Longevity News
Mar 31, 2026
Donor
A Journey of Curiosity: Why Dianne Blanco Gives to Graham
This Giving Day, support opportunities for curious minds to learn, connect, and grow through the liberal arts.
View Now
Mar 24, 2026
Articles
Spotlight on Giving: Michael Paulson on Learning, Legacy, and the Graham School
Michael Paulson shares how the Graham School shaped his learning journey and inspired his commitment to support future generations of learners.
View Now
Feb 24, 2026
Student Stories
From LSI Fellow to Returning Scholar: A Conversation with Michael Walsh
A conversation on purpose, intellectual vitality, and continuing the work of lifelong learning at the University of Chicago Graham School.
View Now
Questions about the Graham School? Get in touch.
Contact Us
This is the search overlay. Use the Escape key to close it.
Your Shopping Cart
Enroll Now