1997

Laying the Groundwork of Seniors College

UPEI Professor Dr. Thomy Nilsson, advanced the idea of Seniors College as a component on how education affects cognitive decline, health care costs and the quality of life experienced by seniors. Dr. Nilsson worked closely with Olive Bryanton, Coordinator of PEI Senior Citizens Federation, and other seniors advocates to bring the concept to fruition.

Formal Steering Committee Meeting

At this meeting to plan the formation of Seniors College where it was agreed that Seniors College of Prince Edward Island would be a...

• membership-based organization with
• a Board of Directors and
• courses suggested and facilitated by peers.

1998

July

• First Memorandum of Understanding signed with UPEI

September

• First classes begin with offerings of:
• Genealogy
• Getting to Know Your Brain
• Beginners Computer
• Five courses in the first year in total with 70 students

December

• Certificates presented to first Seniors College students

Olive Bryanton, The First Seniors College President.

Dr Lawrence Heider, Acting President, UPEI; Olive Bryanton, Dr. Thomy Nilsson, Mary Gallant

1999

May

• First AGM held and a 12 member board elected.
• Olive Bryanton elected President
• Rita Saunders, the first coordinator
• By-Laws developed
• Facilitators Handbook developed

September

• Single membership fee introduced for unlimited courses over three semesters

The First Seniors College Board.
Front Row: Dale Mattock, Ron Irving, Olive Bryanton, Bruce Garrity. Middle Row: Bernice Bell, Mary Gallant, Inge Blackett, Mary Beth Harris, Bruce Barrett, Libby Smith. Back Row: Rita Saunders, Bill Robertson, Thomy Nilsson, Greg Hughes, Connie Auld.

2005

October

• Kinsey Smith becomes President
• Bruce Garrity takes over as coordinator

Registration in 2005

2007

August

• Seniors College Conference on ‘Future of Adult Learning’
• Forty delegates from as far away as Winnipeg

September

• Registration results in close to 500 members in 93 courses
• Including three courses offered in Alberton:
  • Lives of Famous Film Actors(f), Computer I(w), Beginning Bridge(s)

October

• Ian Scott becomes President

The 2006 Board & The 2006 Annual General Meeting

2010

• New Horizon Grant received for a ‘Celebration of the Arts’
• Requests for information about Seniors College of PEI concept continues from places such as Memorial and Simon Fraser universities.

September

• Registration tops the 500 mark

December

• Buzz advertisement for Seniors College Gift certificate as a Christmas Gift

2011

February

• ‘Planning for the Future’ session held

September

• Registration again results in more than 500 members in 72 courses

October

• Dave McCabe becomes President

November

• Celebration of the Arts: Gala event held to a packed house at the Confederation Centre of the Arts
• Celebration in Song: CD recording of Choral Singing by Seniors College choir
• Arts Happening: Display of Paintings, Drawings and Photography by Seniors College art students
• What’s Next: a new play by Seniors College players, directed by Ron Irving
• Celebrating in Words: An Anthology from Seniors College of PEI writers. A published collection of writings by 56 members. Copies of publication are available at PEI Provincial library.
• Celebration of the Arts entries were on display in the surrounding concourses and viewed by the large crowd that attended a reception in Memorial Hall prior to the Mainstage event.

2013

January

• Work begins on the new Computerized Registration System

February

• Dee Davis becomes coordinator

March

• Incorporation as a ‘not for profit’ approved

September

• Computerized registration system used for first time

October

• Georgina Clow becomes President

The 2013 Board

2014

March

• The Guild hosts a week ‘Art Show’ for students in the art courses

July

• Martha Ellis becomes coordinator

August

• Memorandum of Understanding re-signed with UPEI and
• Seniors College purchases its own Liability Insurance

September

• Second year of computerized registration (more than 80% use)

September

• Seniors College recognized at the UPEI ‘Founders Day’ ceremony

November

• Organization restructures to five working committees (Program, Promotion and Communication, Technology, Financial Management, and Organizational Development) from two larger committees

The 2014 Board & 2014 Founders Day

2015

January

• Strategic Planning session for three years held in January

March

• Business Plan developed with the help of an ACOA grant

April

• “The Times of Our Lives” Art Show hosted by the Guild for art classes

May

• The Strategic Plan and Business Plan are combined into a single Action Plan with identified steps for the next three years

June

• A Financial Review by an outside person is approved and conducted resulting in a number of operational improvements including new software and reporting style. The budget year was changed to July 1- June 30 to better reflect the activity of the College.

August

• Seniors College receives ‘Wellness Grant’ from the PEI Department of Health and Wellness to offer a physical activity initiative in each of the three centres

September

• Third year of Computerized Registration held with more than 90% of members using the system

October

• AGM held:
  • budget year change approved
  • Barb Mullaly becomes President

Members enjoying a Bridge Course in 2015

2016

March

• Seniors College receives New Horizon grant to improve communication and to implement tools to assist decision making. A Facebook page was developed and data retrieval was added to the registration system.

April

• Time of Our Lives art Show again hosted by the Guild for the art classes.

September

• Seniors College becomes a member of the Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce.

December

• President Barb Mullaly passes away.
• Georgina Clow takes over as President.

2017

April

• Upgrades to the Registration system completed as a result of the New Horizons grant including a new public page and the ability to add news items.

May

• Financial Policy approved.

September

• For the first time Online Registration opens mid-week and three days before walk-in.

November

• Barb Trainor becomes President.

The 2017 Board

2019

January

• Charley Scott becomes Provincial Coordinator.

April

• Generous donation from Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty to provide needed upgrades to Seniors College website and registration system.

December

• Well attended Christmas social held at Belvedere Golf Club. Daphne Blanchette was the lucky winner of a one year Seniors College membership draw held at the event.

The 2019 Board

2020

March

• Spring term 2020 cancelled because of COVID restrictions.

September

• Seniors College board made the difficult and disappointing decision to cancel courses for the upcoming 2020-2021 college year because of ongoing COVID restrictions.

December

• Pat MacAulay becomes President at Seniors College AGM.

The 2020 Board

2021

May

• In the absence of in person courses, Seniors College facilitators and other presenters created short course videos which were posted on our facebook page from February to May.

September

• Congratulations to Carol Ann Duffy, the lucky winner of a one year membership in our 2021-2022 membership early payment promotion.

September

• Following a busy registration day, Seniors College classes return with ongoing COVID restrictions including class capacity limits, indoor masking, and contact tracing.

November

• Seniors College welcomes Charles Sanderson as interim Provincial Coordinator.

2022

Februrary

• Start of Seniors College Winter term delayed until February because of COVID restrictions. Several courses moved to in person Spring session. First offering of multiple courses online via Zoom during February and March.

March

• Seniors College welcomes Tory Kennedy as Provincial Coordinator.

September

• Return to in person classes for 2022-2023 without restrictions. Several courses offered online via Zoom to provide an option for members. Short delay to start of some Fall term courses because of Hurricane Fiona damage.

December

• Shirley Pierce becomes President at Seniors College AGM.
• Donna MacCornac was the lucky winner of a 2023-2024 membership.
• Mark Nicholl won the door prize draw of Gary MacDougall's latest book, 'Don McDougall Business: Get it Done; have some fun'.

The 2022-23 Board

2023

January

• New signature course Age Related Planning offered during Winter term with funding provided by the Government of Canada New Horizons for Seniors Program, and the Province of Prince Edward Island Seniors Secretariat. Classes were professionally recorded and website enhancements carried out to enable posting video sessions and associated documents to Seniors College website for member viewing.

February

• Seniors College origami class sends hope and 1,000 paper cranes to Ukrainian embassy in Ottawa. Story is covered by CBC news.

March

• Course Entry Improvement project completed allowing facilitators to add and update course information using an online form. Funding for the project provided by Province of Prince Edward Island Seniors Secretariat.

May

• Seniors College Annual Art Show and Sale held at The Guild

June

• Seniors College begins a sponsorship initiative for community minded partners to provide Gold, Silver, or Bronze sponsorship to assist with funding our courses.
• Seniors College thanks Lawtons Drugs for their $2500 Bronze Sponsorship

July

• Membership surveys carried out to solicit feedback for upcoming five year Strategic Planning exercise. Winners of 2023-2024 membership for completing survey were Diana Hoy and Irene MacLean.
• Seniors College thanks Rotary Club of Charlottetown for their $10,000 Gold Sponsorship.

August

• Seniors College thanks Saint Dunstan’s University Board of Governors for their $5000 Silver Sponsorship.
• Charlie Hicken was the winner of 2023-2024 membership refund for early payment of membership.

September

• Seniors College thanks Provincial Credit Union for their $2500 Bronze Sponsorship.
• PEI Lieutenant Governor Antionette Perry hosted a 25 year anniversary recognition tea for Seniors College of PEI representatives, founding members, early builders, and invited guests.

October

• GMD Consulting led a strategic planning session for Seniors College board and other member participants to define and plan a direction until 2029.

November

• Seniors College of PEI Annual Meeting held and 2024 Board of Directors installed.
• Seniors College thanks Cox & Palmer for their $2500 Bronze Sponsorship.

December

• Christmas social held for Seniors College members and facilitators. Anna Duffy was the winner of 2024-2025 membership drawn and presented by retired journalist Gary MacDougall recognizing his generous promotion of Seniors College through newspaper articles.

The 2024 Board

LG Hosts 25 Year Recognition Tea

2024

May

• ‘The Time of Our Lives’ annual Seniors College art show and sale held at the Hilda Woolnough Gallery at The Guild.

June

• A large website project with multiple system enhancements was completed. The project included updates to Course Registration with enhanced display and reporting, new financial tracking of venues and facilitator honoraria, and new features for tracking dormant member accounts. This project was funded by the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund.

August

• Seniors College of PEI announced new learning partnership pilot project with Tantramar Seniors College in New Brunswick to enhance learning opportunities for both communities.
• Darlene Doiron was the winner of 2024-2025 membership refund for early payment of membership.

September

• Empowering Seniors Through Exercise: Seniors College of PEI announced a planned release of 5 recorded exercise videos available for viewing by members and others who may wish to try various types of exercise. Seniors College acknowledges the support of Province of PEI Seniors Secretariat for funding of this project.

November

• Seniors College Board member Steve Connolly recognized with the 2024 Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty ‘Mentor Award’.
• Seniors College of PEI Annual Meeting held and 2025 Board of Directors installed. Peter Benson becomes President.

December

• Christmas social held for Seniors College members and facilitators. Charlene Nickels was the winner of 2025-2026 membership drawn and presented by retired journalist Gary MacDougall recognizing his generous promotion of Seniors College through newspaper articles.

The 2025 Board