Taylor Crook
Chinook Writer
Casper College offers the Golden Age scholarship to Natrona County Residents who are 60 years or older to take classes at a reduced cost. The Golden Age Scholarship, which offers a seventy percent discount on tuition, applies to credit for both degree-seeking classes and community education classes. For degree-seeking classes, the maximum amount of credits the scholarship covers is 15 per semester.
According to the Golden Age Scholarship page on the Casper College Website, the scholarship does not cover course fees, books, or supplies for a student. Larry Heinzman, a student currently enrolled in American Sign Language, takes community education classes with the Golden Age Scholarship. When asked if he would take classes without the financial assistance, Heinzman said, “I doubt it.”
Taylor Crooke/Chinook
Larry Heinzman looking at the trophy case that holds and displays editions of the Expressions magazine before he heads into his ASL class.
Heinzman, since learning about the scholarship from a friend, has taken a wide range of courses, including woodworking, electronics, German, and more.
Heinzman said, “I need something to do — to occupy my time — to be with other people. And younger students keep me younger.”
He then added that taking classes improves his quality of life, specifically within relationships. He said that it didn’t matter whether the relationships were formal or informal, but that the important part was getting to know other people and sharing with them. Like Heinzman, instructors also notice the impact of the program.
Mark McCool, who teaches machine tool technology, said, “It’s lifelong learning. I think you need to because if not, not to say you get left behind, but things change and they are changing more so much quicker.”
Heinzman also noted the importance of lifelong learning. He said, “I think the life of being a lifetime learner is important, whether it’s formal or informal…I’ve had friends who sat and watched TV, and within five years they were dead.”
McCool, having a multitude of students utilizing the Golden Age Scholarship, said that his classroom environment benefits from having an older adult present.
He said, “He doesn’t, like, do anything halfway.” He later added, “I would love to think that everybody in here would look up to that and think that’s a great opportunity as a kind of a role model.”
Heinzman highlighted some differences between attending college when he was younger versus returning on behalf of the scholarship.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been with young people, and it’s nice to see that there’s hope for our country, Hienzman said.
He also said that they (younger students) come into class with a lot of knowledge, usually already knowing the basics of the subject.
Golden age scholarship recipients aren’t only bringing connections to other students. Heinzman listed his connections to multiple instructors and faculty members.
“They are very good people,” Heinzman said. “They’re friends.”
Despite the added benefits of lifelong learning, mutual understanding, and connection, Golden Age students sometimes find roadblocks within the scholarship.
McCool noticed some struggles with the Golden Age Scholarship receipt experience. Regarding advertising for the scholarship, McCool said, “I think it’s not put out there enough…I didn’t really hear about it until I met the students.”
McCool also said that some of the older students struggle to keep up with computers and technology.
“It’s a wall at first, but you know, kind of turns into a little steeper hill and then a little not so steep,” McCool said. He then brought up that the younger students help the scholarship recipients with said technology.
Beyond the classroom and its challenges with technology, the scholarship itself also changed in recent years. The Golden Age Scholarship now only covers 70% of tuition, when it once covered the full cost of tuition.
Both Heinzman and McCool touched on the change in the percentage discounted, both remembering the change that took place in 2019. McCool noted that the discount was still inexpensive, even if the coverage wasn’t what it used to be.
Both McCool and Heinzman would encourage eligible students to take advantage of the Golden Age Scholarship. Heinzman also said that the classes move fast in the college setting. “They move fairly quickly,” Heinzman. “This class covers in one day, probably, what you would cover in one week in high school.”
