 Educational
Programs
ILEAD (Institute
for Lifelong Education At Dartmouth)
What is ILEAD?
ILEAD (pronounced like
Homer's Iliad) is an acronym for Institute for Lifelong Education
at Dartmouth. It's a non-credit peer led and peer taught
volunteer organization for adults within commuting distance of
Dartmouth College. Sponsored by Dartmouth, it is a member
of the Elderhostel Institute Network and is totally self supporting.
Like the more than 190 such institutes at other colleges and universities
in America, (ILEAD is the fourth largest), ILEAD takes its inspiration
from a movement begun in 1962 at the New School for Social Research
in New York City.
The Core of
ILEAD.
ILEAD was founded in
November 1990 by 38 members of the Hanover community who liked
the ideal of learning in retirement. They liked the challenges
of running the entire program themselves and participating actively
in one or more of ILEAD's committees: Curriculum, Executive, Finance/Budget,
Long Range Planning, Membership/Volunteer, Publications, Special
Events, and our newest committee, Study/Travel. ILEAD's
membership now stands at over 800 members. While many members
have Dartmouth connection, ILEAD's goal is to become that connection
for all its members.
How does it
work?
Members participate
actively in study groups of 6-25 members. Each group is
conceived and coordinated by ILEAD members who volunteer as Study
Group Leaders. Some Study Group Leaders will have had teachings
experience; many will not.
A wide variety of study
group subjects has been offered ranging from politics, art, literature,
theatre, and history to science, writing, music, ethics, culture
and spirituality. Groups meet for two hours once a week
in Dartmouth College or other local facilities, many times at
Kendal at Hanover. Terms in the autumn and spring run for
eight weeks; in the winter the term is six weeks long. A
summer session is being planned.
Each participating member
has the opportunity to learn from peers and to lead one or more
portions of the Study Group sessions. All members support one
another's efforts in researching topics and presenting them for
discussion in their Study Group.
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