Elderhostel
 | |
| Type | Not-For-Profit |
|---|---|
| Industry | Educational Travel |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Employees | 270 |
| Website | www.Elderhostel.org |
Elderhostel is a not-for-profit organization established in 1975 which offers senior citizens travel and educational programs in the United States and around the world. Its 8,000 programs are offered in all 50 U.S. states, as well as in 150 other countries. More than 5,000,000 people have signed up for trips.
History
Elderhostel, now also known as Road Scholar, was founded in 1975 to provide people over the age of 60 with low-cost educational and cultural programs. It also originally offered short-term lodging for seniors at reduced rates. It was founded by social activist Martin Knowlton and university administrator David Bianco.
Courses and accommodation were first instituted in the summer of 1975 at five colleges and universities in New Hampshire. Participation went from 220 to over 20,000 in the next five years, and the organization expanded across the U.S. and into Canadian provinces.[1]
In 1981, Elderhostel programs expanded to Mexico, Great Britain and Scandinavia, with lectures, course-related field trips, cultural excursions, and extracurricular activities, focusing on the culture of the countries in which they were located.
Educational Programs
Road Scholar now includes 7,100 programs, dividing them into the categories of theme-based, inter-generational, outdoor adventures, service learning, adventures afloa, and independent city discoveries.
Scholarships
Elderhostel extends approximately $300,000 yearly in scholarships to North American participants who might otherwise be unable to attend a Road Scholar program [2]
Research and Grants
Elderhostel conducts research on aging and lifelong learning.[2] Research articles include:“What Will Baby Boomers Want from Educational Travel,” and “Mental Stimulation and Lifelong Learning Activities in the 55+ Population.”
The Elderhostel K. Patricia Cross Doctoral Research Grant was founded in 2006 to aid doctoral students researching topics relevant to aging and later-life learning. The $5,000 grant honors the work of K. Patricia Cross, Ph.D., former Board Member and Professor Emerita of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley.[3]
References
- ↑ "The Elderhostel Story". Nonprofit.about.com. 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "GuideStar Exchange Reports for Elderhostel, Inc". .guidestar.org. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ↑ Mills, Eugene S. The Story of Elderhostel. University Press, 1993. p. 147.