A day in the life of Edenwald scholars.
After having breakfast in their respective apartments, Edenwald residents Susan C. and Susan K. meet in the Edenwald lobby at 10:25 a.m. sharp. They don’t want to be late for class.
This was the routine the two Susans embraced every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday throughout the fall of 2025. From the lobby, an Edenwald team member would shuttle the two friends to the Julia Rogers Building on the Goucher College campus, where they were auditing a sociology course, Health and Illness. (The topic of community health particularly struck a chord with Susan C., who had worked as a radiation therapist at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore for 21 years.)
After class ended at 11:50 a.m., the Susans would hang around a bit and chat with some of their 15 classmates. They would then shuttle back to Edenwald in time for lunch. Susan C. liked to fill her afternoons with Mahjong, while Susan K. was partial to reading and other various activities around the community.
After a dinner at one of the Edenwald restaurants, the Susans would often take part in an evening program, which could be a speaker, a musical performance, or a movie—provided, of course, they had completed their class reading.
No homework, but plenty of discussions.
Given that they were only auditing the class, the Susans were not required to submit any homework assignments or take any exams. They were responsible, however, for doing all assigned class reading and participating in any in-class discussions, the latter of which they found especially enjoyable. “Sadie [Professor Sadie Ridgeway, who taught the class] was really good about mixing people up into small groups for discussion and projects,” Susan K. says.
One discussion stands out in the Susans’ minds. Members of the class were asked what causes them the most stress. “The students were highly stressed about the fact that the microwave in their dorm didn’t work,” Susan K. chuckles. “That certainly was not an issue when we were in college.”
Both Susans found their relationships with the Goucher College students rewarding. “At the end of the course, they [the students] were coming up and thanking us for being part of the class. I was impressed with that,” Susan K. says. “As a former teacher, it was fun for me to interact with young people again.”
“The entire experience was terrific,” Susan C. adds.
The number of Edenwald residents auditing Goucher College courses in the upcoming spring semester is more than double that of those who attended the fall semester. Susan K. is among them. She’ll be returning to campus to take an ethics course. (Susan C. didn’t sign up because she plans to spend much of the semester in Florida.)
Fertile ground for innovation.
The Susans are among the early adopters of Edenwald residents who are taking advantage of the numerous intergenerational learning experiences that Edenwald is offering as a college-enriched senior living community. Susan K. is even a member of the Coordinating Council, a group comprising both Goucher College and Edenwald representatives that explore the most beneficial ways the two communities can interact.
Not surprisingly, the Edenwald-Goucher College relationship is already blazing new trails in intergenerational education. Earlier in 2025, Edenwald residents and Goucher College students collaborated in an Art in the Community class to create a story quilt that celebrates the pursuit of women’s rights. Additionally, two Edenwald independent living residents were part of the inaugural Edenwald/Goucher College study abroad trip, which explored Edinburgh, Scotland, in August 2025.
If you’d like to learn more about Edenwald’s INSPIRE expansion and the innovative ways Edenwald is bringing intergenerational education and experience to our residents, contact one of our Residency Counselors at 410-339-6263.
