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Does “going to college” always mean sitting in classrooms, hearing lectures, taking tests, being surrounded by the younger set? The residents of St. Louis’s Central West End are answering “Certainly not” as they are getting acquainted with a really new kind of college for adults, located in Maryland Plaza at 4653 Maryland Avenue. Lindenwood 4 is a College for Individualized Education for people who know what they want from their college training, but have life styles or personal preferences which keep them from attending a traditional college or university. Through individually designed study programs, Lindenwood 4 meets the learning needs of a wide variety of people with very different levels of previous academic experience. Working closely with a faculty advisor who has expertise in the student’s field, the student creates and carries out learning experiences which range from concentrated research to actual on-thejob projects in the student’s place of employment. Blending the practical and the conceptual in a cooperative atmosphere, Lindenwood 4 students work towards a fully accredited degree without the confines of the classroom. Consequently they are not just preparing for “real life,” they are actually involved in it.
Who are the enrolled students in Lindenwood 4 in St. Louis? Adults between the ages of 25 and 60, employed full-time (usually in their field of study) and raising families. Some are finishing their B.A. and B.S. degrees; others are working towards the M.A. They come from a variety of settings. Several work in neighboring hospitals, like Barnes and Jewish, where they are Laboratory Technicians, Laboratory Supervisors, Nurses, or Nursing Educators. Others are teachers at area elementary and high schools.. Still others run their own businesses or manage households. Most Lindenwood 4 students have had previous college experience; all have had significant life and professional learning experiences (for which undergraduates may claim academic credit).
The faculty of Lindenwood 4 are also unique. They are especially selected by students and the administration for their innovative educational skills and for their dedication to student-oriented learning. Many of the faculty are not standard academic educators, but are professionals, counselors, artists, writers, or community organizers who have ongoing career and personal commitments which keep them actively involved and current in their fields.
Students and faculty work together to achieve the student’s goals via a methodology which acquaints the student with the necessary concepts and theories demanded by the professional/career standards of the proposed field. Students meet weekly with their faculty advisors to share, review, and enhance the work they’ve done on their own. Once a month everyone in the St. Louis-St. Charles Lindenwood 4 community participates in a day-long topical seminar which consists of formal presentations, workshops, theatre etc. by students and resource people; or presentations by recognized professionals or artists from the city — like poet Howard Nemerov who recently read and discussed his poetry at Lindenwood.
Likewise, graduate students meet in “interest groups” on select evenings to give presentations and workshops, and to share their work with other people in the St. Louis community. Because Lindenwood 4 draws on the community for resources, faculty, and students, it attempts to integrate itself into the aims and needs of its locality. One method for doing this has been the formation of Friends of the Program, a group of community people who are regularly invited to seminars and interest group meetings to contribute and participate just as students do. Through this kind of sharing of information, Lindenwood 4 provides a sounding board for local organizations and direct support for immediate learning interests in the Central West End. In order to become a member of Friends of the Program, a person need only notify the St. Louis or St. Charles office of Lindenwood 4 (phone numbers given below) to be added to the mailing list, free of charge.
An important intent of locating in Maryland Plaza is the concern to be a part of the redevelopment effort in St. Louis, lending the support and stability associated with a well-established college system, the Lindenwood Colleges in St. Charles–home office of Lindenwood 4. Equally important, is the concern of the Lindenwood Colleges to have a meaningful, growing presence in the city and to develop educational programs towards the revitalization of St. Louis.
The same active participation in the urban community characterizes Lindenwood 4 regional offices in Washington D.C. and Santa Monica, California. All locations of Lindenwood 4 offer full degree programs towards the B.A., B.S., and M.A. degrees. If you want further information, you can call 361-1404 in St. Louis or 946-6912 (toll-free from St. Louis) in St. Charles. The St. Charles office of Lindenwood 4 is located in Young Hall, Lindenwood Colleges.
Originally published in The Paper, April 1976.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1976_04.pdf, printed page(s) 11; PDF page(s) 11.
