Purchase College Selected to Join the Age-Friendly University Global Network

Purchase College, SUNY, is pleased to announce that the college has been designated as part of the Age-Friendly University Global Network, which describes itself as “an association of higher education institutions committed to promoting positive and healthy aging and enhancing the lives of older members of the global community through innovative educational programs, research agendas, curriculum development, online education, health and wellness activities, arts and culture programs, and civic engagement opportunities.”

Joining more than 110 universities worldwide, Purchase was selected to join the network due to the institution's demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning and its ongoing efforts to promote age-friendly policies, research, services, and initiatives.

About Purchase College’s Commitment to Age Inclusive Learning

Home to Broadview Senior Living on the Purchase College campus, a residential learning community for adults 62 years old and older, Purchase has long been committed to intergenerational learning, which research shows provides a multitude of benefits for college students, older adults, and people of any age.

In December 2023, Broadview at Purchase College officially opened and welcomed its first residents. The 288-residence university-based community includes independent living, assisted living, as well as a dedicated memory care neighborhood. Broadview includes a state-of-the-art 10,000-square-foot Learning Commons - a vibrant center of intergenerational engagement that brings together residents, students, faculty, and staff for shared intellectual and creative experiences. In its first year of full occupancy and programming, the Learning Commons has already become a cornerstone of the campus’s lifelong learning initiatives.

The college also has a robust auditing program which invites New York State residents aged 60 and above to enroll tuition-free (some fees may apply) in up to two credit-bearing on-campus courses each semester, subject to space availability.

In addition, the college offers a General Studies degree completion program designed to support nontraditional-aged learners, along with a broad array of in person and online noncredit professional certificates and personal enrichment courses offered through the School of Continuing Education.

The Neuberger Museum of Art and the Purchase College School of Continuing Education have partnered to offer a series of Art-Making Workshops designed for older audiences and the Performing Arts Center on campus presents a wide array of performances throughout the year that are attended by audiences of all ages.

Kelly Jackson, Senior Director of Intergenerational Learning and Program Planning said, “By joining the AFU Global Network, we hope to both learn from our peer institutions and share our own emerging practices as we continue to innovate in this space. We are excited about the potential for collaboration and collective progress in building more inclusive, age-diverse learning communities and continuing to serve our community on campus and beyond.”

About Purchase College, SUNY

Purchase College, part of the State University of New York (SUNY) network of 64 universities and colleges, was founded in 1967 by Governor Nelson Rockefeller. His aspiration for Purchase was to create a dynamic campus that combined conservatory training in the visual and performing arts with programs in the liberal arts and sciences, in order to inspire an appreciation for both intellectual and artistic talents in all students. Today, Purchase College, SUNY is a community of students, faculty, and friends where open-minded engagement with the creative process leads to a lifetime of intellectual growth and professional opportunity. For more information about the college, visit www.purchase.edu.