ENCORE (Exploring New Concepts Of Retirement Education) offers short-term courses, which are often lead by members and cover a wide range of topics, including science, health, art, music, literature, history, writing, religion and current events.
...just plenty of enjoyment, enrichment, and friendship! ENCORE provides life-long learning opportunities for older students. It is sponsored by Clatsop Community College, but is run entirely by its members.
ENCORE is an association of retirement-age people who share a love of learning. Established in 2001 by a steering committee of retired adults. ENCORE is sponsored by Clatsop Community College.
ENCORE is an affiliate of the Association of Learning in Retirement Organizations of the West (ALIROW). This association helps us to learn from other institutes about curriculum and organization.
ENCORE is a membership organization open to retired and semi-retired adults 50 and over who enjoy intellectual stimulation and the opportunity to meet new friends. Dues are $50 per year and are paid in August. Membership entitles members to enroll in any of the ENCORE course offerings, except for occasional fees on special classes, deteremined by members. Click here to Join!
ENCORE holds classes at many locations in Astoria, Warrenton and Seaside, on and off campus. Classes meet during the daytime.
ENCORE provides life-long learning opportunities for older adults. It is sponsored by Clatsop Community College, but is run entirely by its members. Members decide what they want to learn and how they want to learn it. They put on their own classes, invite guest speakers, discuss current events, read plays and keep their minds active.
Because of ENCORE's affiliation with Clatsop Community College, members are entitled to several privileges, including the library and library computers (excluding the student computer lab). It also includes borrowing books and other materials from the library collections, inter-library loan privileges (members must pay the ILL fees). Members must have a current ENCORE membership card.
Invite your friends! Anyone interested in the ENCORE experiencemay "try a class for free"! Your friends may enjoy one session only of any class at no cost or obligation. We know they'll want more!
The ENCORE membership year is from September 1 through August 31. The dues schedule is also from September through August, so in order to make the annual dues more equitable for those joining after September, the Board has set up the following payment schedule:
New members joining in the period from September through February will pay $50.
Those joining in the period from March through August will pay $25.
Those joining in June or July may pay $25 for the summer only, or $50 for a full year membership through the August of the following year.
Renewing members pay $50 in September or $45 if they prepay in August.
Payment of dues qualifies members to attend as many classes as they like each quarter. Usually there are six to eight classes from which to choose.
Members may invite friends who are not members to attend one class free. To continue in a class, they must join. Free class certificates are available from the Membership Committee.
January 2000 – Kitty Paino, Dean of Continuing Education and Rose Alsbury, Continuing Education Coordinator at Clatsop Community College started researching Learning in Retirement programs to provide local opportunities for seniors and augment the Elderhostel program.
August 2000 – In August, Rose attended the ALIROW (Association of Learning in Retirement Organizations in the West) regional conference in Portland.
April 2001 – The College sent Rose and Jeri Olson to a biennial ALIROW conference in California. This conference jump-started the process and announcements of an organizational meeting were sent out.
May 2001 – Interested persons showed up to organize ENCORE.
August 2001 – A public meeting was held to attract members. Facilitated by temporary committee members who had worked all summer, the meeting attracted 100 people, and 65 joined the group.
October 2001 – ENCORE's first six classes were held. First General Membership meeting was held. Officers were elected, and committees approved. Director was Dorothy Scott, Assistant Director was Tom Bell, Secretary was Doris Holce, Treasurer was Joan James, Member at Large was Helen McDaniel, Curriculum Chair was Anne Splane Phillips and Membership Chair was June Gammon.
Since 2001, ENCORE classes have covered everything from Shakespeare to Gardening to Science to Sustainable Living, and people over 50 continue to join and enjoy the classes friendships in ENCORE.