Tag: lifelong learning

As the Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Mirabella at Arizona State University, Lindsey Beagley works at the intersection of higher education and senior living. Mirabella at Arizona State University is a retirement community on ASU’s Tempe campus, offering residents full access to the university’s resources, including classes, cultural events, and facilities. 

Lindsey joined us on an episode of Varsity’s podcast, Roundtable Talk, where Derek and Lindsey talked about lifelong learning, intergenerational connections, life in the Peace Corps and what she’s looking forward to as she ages.

Here are some fresh perspectives from that conversation: 

WHAT MAKES MIRABELLA AT ARIZONA STATE A “UNIVERSITY RETIREMENT COMMUNITY”?

Mirabella at ASU is the first certified university-based retirement community in the country. It’s a continuing care retirement community (CCRC)—mostly independent living, but also offering assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing. What makes it different is its location right on campus and the deep integration with ASU.

We have three full-time staff dedicated to connecting residents with campus life—helping them enroll in classes, get involved in mentoring, or find whatever opportunities match their interests. They have full student ID cards, meaning they can access any campus facility. And students come into Mirabella all the time—using spaces for club meetings, performances, and study sessions. It’s a true living laboratory for intergenerational engagement.

HOW DO TRADITIONAL STUDENTS REACT TO HAVING OLDER CLASSMATES?

At first, most students assume that older adults in their classes must be faculty or observers. When they realize they’re fellow students, it forces them to rethink what learning looks like beyond the traditional college years.

For many young students, college is a transaction—”I need to get my degree and get a job.” They’re externally motivated. But then they see someone in their 70s or 80s taking a class purely for the love of learning, and it’s eye-opening. It shifts their mindset—they start to think, “Maybe learning isn’t just something I do now. Maybe I’ll come back to this one day.”

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITIES THAT WANT TO PARTNER WITH UNIVERSITIES?

Flip the paradigm. Don’t just approach a university and say, “What can you do for us?” Instead, ask, “What do your students need?”

You might be surprised. Universities often need mentors, guest speakers, or judges for competitions, but it’s hard to ask working professionals to volunteer their time. Meanwhile, a senior living community is full of people with decades of experience who are looking for meaningful ways to contribute.

This is a huge untapped resource. Older adults don’t just want engagement for their own sake—they want to be needed. That’s the key to meaningful intergenerational partnerships.

Want to hear more from Lindsey? Check out the full episode of Roundtable Talk for more fresh perspectives. Watch new episodes of Roundtable Talk on the Varsity website and on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.

QUOTES

“Another principle that’s near and dear to my heart is the idea of promoting intergenerational connections. A college campus is uniquely positioned to connect generations around a shared love of learning.” (Lindsey)

“Universities should recognize a range of educational needs for older learners.” (Lindsey)

“21st century universities are highly technology enabled. How do we think about supporting people with technology barriers. We need to think about how to close that digital divide for learners of all ages.” (Lindsey) 

“There is no boundary or barrier between the (retirement) community and the campus community. We have students in the (retirement community) building all the time. We want that. We also have residents on the (college) campus all the time. These are the kinds of organic exposures and interactions that I feel are the most powerful part of this model.” (Lindsey) 

“Older people have forgotten what it’s like to be young but also young people have not developed the skills to project their future selves, which is so important. It means that you can make decisions now that will benefit the future version of you.” (Lindsey) 

“So many folks at 75 no longer identify with their careers. They no longer want to say ‘I’m a retired physician or a retired real estate broker’ they want to say ‘I’m a learner, I’m a mentor, I’m whatever it is I’m doing now.’ They have value now and post career identity and I think that’s what that student ID card represents.” (Lindsey) 

“We bring the university to (the community residents). You can really say that you get what you need in terms of care as you age but also you get what you want in terms of learning and enrichment and intellectual stimulation.” (Lindsey) 

NOTES

Lindsey is on the Executive Council of the Age Friendly University Global Network and is Senior Director of Lifelong University Engagement at Mirabella at Arizona State University. 

Lindsey works at the intersection of higher education and senior living, creating opportunities for senior living residents to fully immerse themselves in campus life at Arizona State University. With a background spanning the Peace Corps, aging services, and higher education, Lindsey is redefining what it means to age with purpose. 

Mirabella at Arizona State University is a luxury retirement community blending vibrant senior living with lifelong learning. Located on ASU’s Tempe campus, it offers residents cultural events, educational opportunities, and upscale amenities, fostering intergenerational connections.

Mirabella as ASU is the first certified university-based retirement community in the nation. It’s a 20-story Life Plan Community located on ASU’s campus, opened in December 2020. The community includes 238 independent living units, 17 assisted living units, 20 memory care units and 21 skilled nursing units.

Merging higher education with senior living might seem unusual, but this fusion can disrupt and redefine both fields. The concept of a university-based retirement community exemplifies how bringing together two distinct industries can lead to groundbreaking innovations and new possibilities.

While in grad school at ASU, Lindsey noticed her classmates accumulating significant debt due to high housing costs. This led her to start a home-sharing agency in Phoenix to match older homeowners with college students, allowing students to rent a room in exchange for household chores. 

University-based retirement communities are gaining popularity, and there are compelling reasons for this trend. The baby boomer generation, being the most educated retiree cohort ever, has a strong nostalgia for its college years.