As Sarah Lawrence College marks its centennial year, the Bronxville-based institution is looking beyond the traditional boundaries of undergraduate education. This spring, the college is launching two new community-focused learning initiatives aimed at meeting the growing demand for intellectually rigorous, flexible education: Extension Courses and the Signature Learning Community for adults 55 and older.
Together, the programs reflect a renewed commitment to lifelong learning and opening the college’s distinctive academic culture to the wider Westchester community.
“Sarah Lawrence has always believed that learning is not confined to a single chapter of life,” says James Stakenburg, the college’s inaugural executive director of lifelong learning. “At a time when the kind of education Sarah Lawrence offers is more important than ever, it’s exciting to develop new ways to bring the college to even more people.”
A timely moment for lifelong learning
The launch comes at a pivotal moment for the college and higher education more broadly. Sarah Lawrence is celebrating its 100th anniversary with the centennial theme “Timely Education. Timeless Values,” a phrase that captures the rationale behind the new initiatives.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in our country’s and the world’s history,” Stakenburg says. “Society is changing, and higher education needs to change with it and meet people where they are.”
That shift includes recognizing that adults increasingly want to keep learning without the pressure of degrees, grades, or credentials. People are also living longer, healthier lives, prompting many to rethink how they spend their later years.
“Today’s learners are looking for flexibility without sacrificing depth,” Stakenburg says. “No matter what stage of life they’re in, people want to keep thinking, reading, and engaging with other intellectually curious people. It’s also critical for brain health.”
Inside Sarah Lawrence’s Extension Courses
The new Sarah Lawrence Extension program is designed with those learners in mind. Extension Courses are non-credit, discussion-driven offerings rooted in the liberal arts and taught by the same faculty who teach Sarah Lawrence undergraduates.
Unlike many adult education programs that focus on skills workshops or one-off enrichment classes, these courses are intentionally small and intellectually serious. Classes emphasize active discussion, close reading, and deep exploration of ideas, rather than passive lectures.
Offerings include six-week courses that meet weekly for two-hour sessions during the day, evenings, or weekends, as well as standalone expert lectures and workshops. Most programming takes place in person on Sarah Lawrence’s Bronxville campus, with online and on-demand options available for added flexibility.
The first Extension Courses begin March 16, with additional offerings rolling out throughout the spring and summer.
“Our faculty use the same discussion-based approach that Sarah Lawrence is known for nationally,” Stakenburg says, noting that the college’s professors have repeatedly been ranked No. 1 in The Princeton Review’s “Professors Get High Marks” category. “This is an opportunity for adults in Westchester to study fascinating topics at one of the country’s most renowned liberal arts colleges purely for the pleasure of learning.”
Building community for adults 55 and older
Complementing the Extension Courses is the Signature Learning Community at Sarah Lawrence College, known as SLC@SLC, a tiered annual membership program for adults 55 and older. While reduced tuition for Extension Courses is a core benefit, Stakenburg emphasizes that the Learning Community is about much more than classes.
“This is an opportunity to become part of the Sarah Lawrence community,” he says.
Depending on membership level, participants can audit undergraduate courses, join special interest groups, attend social events and private receptions, access campus facilities like the swimming pool, borrow from the library with personalized librarian support, and take part in volunteer and mentorship opportunities. Higher tiers also include unlimited access to Extension Courses at no additional cost.
The program is designed to be flexible and accessible, allowing members to choose a level that matches both their interests and budget.
“People are rethinking what retirement looks like,” Stakenburg says. “Continued learning and social connection play a huge role in purpose and engagement during longer, healthier lifespans.”
Who can join and what’s next
There is no traditional application process for either program. Adult learners of all ages can register directly for Extension Courses online, while the Signature Learning Community is open to anyone 55 or older, with memberships available on a rolling basis.
Au pairs living and working in Westchester can also take Extension Courses at an affordable rate to fulfill J-1 visa educational requirements.
Looking ahead, the college envisions both initiatives growing into a robust ecosystem of courses, lectures, reading groups, study trips, and community experiences.
“Our goal is to establish Sarah Lawrence as a lifelong learning destination,” Stakenburg says, adding that it’s “not just a college you attend once, but a place you come back to again and again for serious ideas, meaningful conversation, and a true learning community.”
Over time, he adds, these programs could become a cornerstone of Westchester’s cultural and intellectual life, a place where adults do not just come to learn, but to belong.
Related: Sarah Lawrence College Celebrates Its 100th Anniversary
