Range of free and low-cost courses include gardening, computers, smartphones, and more
Indiana University Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) offers a variety of non-credit courses and educational programs that aim to assist people of all ages gain skills and enrich their lives as we face today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.
CURE offers a variety of learning opportunities for all ages through its Community Garden, Senior University, and Adult Education programs. CURE is enrolling now for summer sessions. The offerings include:
IUN Community Garden: Collecting and Cleaning Seeds from the Garden
1 to 2:15 p.m., Friday, August 19
Zoom Meeting
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 18
Free and open to adults of all ages!
Join Dolly Foster, Landscape Horticulturist, for a fun class full of seed collecting/cleaning tips, tricks, and skill building. Seed collecting is a fascinating skill to learn, and it can help you start new plants for free, protect diversity, and provide gifts for friends, family, and community plantings. This lost art is more important now due to the loss of natural lands all over the country. Some native plants can be difficult to find so collecting seeds from your garden or a trusted source can help save a species. Collecting seeds from your own vegetable plants ensures diversity and saves you money. Register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG.
IUN Community Garden: Health Benefits of Gardening
1 to 2 p.m., Wednesday, August 31
Zoom Meeting
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 30
Free and open to adults of all ages!
Join Linda Curley, Julia Miller, and Rebecca Koetz from the Purdue Extension for this live Zoom session about the mental, emotional, and physical health benefits of gardening. Participants will also learn some mindful ways that everyone of all abilities can use to engage in the garden. Register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG.
Senior University: Introduction to Genealogy Research
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday, August 22
Concurrent via Zoom and In-Person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: August 14
Free and open to adults ages 55+
Join Linda Jones, President of the Gary Historical and Cultural Society, at IU Northwest for this introductory session on genealogy. In this session, participants will learn what genealogy is and why it is important. We will also discuss the steps to follow in your research of genealogy and the various sources used in genealogy research. Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6907.
Senior University: Smartphones I for Androids
2:30 to 4 p.m., Tuesdays, September 6, 13, 20, and 27
Concurrent via Zoom and In-Person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 29
Free and open to adults ages 55+
Is your smartphone outsmarting you? It won’t be for long, if you register for this four-part series on how to operate your Android smartphone. Join technology wiz, Brittany Taylor, and learn how to download apps, check email, send texts, customize settings, and much more! Register today and show your smartphone who's smarter! Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6907.
Senior University: Smartphones I for iPhones
2:30 to 4 p.m., Thursdays, September 8, 15, 22, and 29
Concurrent via Zoom and In-Person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 30
Free and open to adults ages 55+
Is your smartphone outsmarting you? It won’t be for long, if you register for this four-part series on how to operate your iPhone smartphone. Join technology wiz, Brittany Taylor, and learn how to download apps, check email, send texts, customize settings, and much more! Register today and show your smartphone who's smarter! Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6907.
Senior University: Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesdays, September 7, 14, 21, and 28
In-Person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 30
Free and open to adults ages 55+
Are you interested in developing professional presentations that can be shared with small groups, organizations, and at community events? If so, then join public relations professional, Chelsea Whittington, for this introductory course on Microsoft PowerPoint. In this four-part series, participants will learn the basics of PowerPoint including how to design and organize slides, insert graphics, send the finished presentation to the target audience, and more! Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6907.
Senior University: Exploring the Internet
Noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursdays, September 15, 22, and 29
In-Person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: Noon, September 7
Free and open to adults ages 55+
The internet is a vast resource that can educate, inform, and entertain. This three-part course is geared for new internet user and beginners with an overview of browsers, websites, and online safety. Then it’s off to discover some of the best the internet has to offer, including sites for lifelong learning, entertainment sources for streaming music and movies, the best of shopping, and more! Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6907.
Adult Education/Senior University: LinkedIn 101
Noon to 1 p.m., Tuesday, August 16
Zoom Meeting and Facebook Live - No Registration
Free and open to adults of all ages
Looking for new employment opportunities, a promotion on your current job, or to hire a stellar employee? Well, all of this and more can be accomplished on the professional networking platform LinkedIn. Seasoned communications professional Chelsea Whittington will share the basics of LinkedIn, including tips on how to create a polished profile that's sure to get noticed! Offered in collaboration with the Gary Housing Authority. Residents of Gary are invited to join the live Zoom meeting using Meeting ID: 656 209 3363 and Passcode: teamwork. Residents of other locals can watch the live stream on the Gary Housing Authority Facebook page.
Adult Education/Senior University: Art in the American Jazz Age
2 to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 24
Zoom Meeting
Registration Deadline: Noon, August 23
Free and open to adults of all ages
Join Deb Weiss, 30+ year visual and art history educator, for this live Zoom session and explore the art of the American Jazz Age! With revised materials and an expanded timeframe, this session is for those new to the topic as well as those who attended previously. Register today so that you can learn about the French Influence and the Art Deco Style, which permeated American culture and tastes, cultivating a sense of swanky definitive culture best illustrated in the Harlem Renaissance Art and Artists. Register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG.
Adult Education/Senior University: Social Security 101
Noon to 1:30 p.m., Monday, September 12 via Zoom
Registration Deadline: Noon, September 9
--OR--
Noon to 1:30 p.m., Friday, September 23 offered in-person at IU Northwest
Registration Deadline: Noon, September 15
Free and open to adults of all ages
Join Public Affairs Specialists with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to get a crash course in Social Security! Participants will learn about Retirement, Disability, Medicare, SSI, Widows Benefits, as well as how to receive assistance from the SSA. The presenters will also discuss how you can protect yourself from fraudulent phone calls and other scams. Email users, register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG. All others call 219-980-6978.
Adult Education/Senior University: Understanding and Responding to Dementia-Related Behavior
Noon to 1 p.m., Monday, September 26
Zoom Meeting
Registration Deadline: Noon, September 23
Free and open to adults of all ages
Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways people living with dementia communicate their needs and feelings as their ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join Julie Collins of the Alzheimer’s Association to learn to decode behavioral messages, identify common triggers, and learn strategies to help manage some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. Register online at: go.iu.edu/3AVG.
Adult Education: Fundamental Courses
24/7 Access; All classes start new every month
Cost varies; Courses for adults and young adults/teens
Online fundamental courses are informative, fun, and convenient. Fundamental courses include instructor-led courses and self-paced tutorials. Instructor-led courses run for six weeks with monthly start dates and feature an instructor-moderated discussion board so that you can interact with your classmates. Self-paced tutorials are designed for completely independent learning, without instructor moderation, and can be started at any time. Complete any course entirely from home, at any time of the day or night. Popular courses include Speed Spanish, Accounting Fundamentals, Introduction to Microsoft Excel, and A to Z Grant Writing.
Adult Education: Career Training Programs
24/7 Access; Start at any time
Cost varies; Courses for adults
The online, open-enrollment Career Training Programs are designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional-level positions for many in-demand occupations. Our programs are designed by a team of professionals from each respective field, providing you with effective web-based learning programs. Instructors/mentors are actively involved in your online learning experience, responding to any questions or concerns, encouraging and motivating you to succeed.
Adult Education: Comprehensive Career Tracks
24/7 Access; Start dates vary
Cost varies; Courses for adults
These online Career Track programs offer students a chance to hone their skills in a variety of professions—from the arts to healthcare to web development. All programs are available in the self-paced format and have opportunities for national certification, externship placement, and/or career support. For select healthcare programs, there is also the option for the instructor-led format, in which content is facilitated by live instructors with scheduled webinars and interactive activities. Enroll, learn more, or view all Comprehensive Career Tracks at iun.edu2.com.
