Taking seniors back to school

“You know, I’ve always wanted to ... “

You could fill in anything behind that phrase and Kirwan

Rockefeller’s answer would be about the same. “So why don’t you?”

Rockefeller, 51, has accomplished many of his goals already, as a

former consultant for CBS, ABC, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and

other studio heavyweights. He’s acted as a dancing crab in a

Seattle-area commercial campaign, danced professionally and acted on

stage.

Now Rockefeller is satisfied with helping others fulfill the

dreams they never got around to fulfilling. As Program Director in

the Arts and Humanities at University of California -- Irvine’s

Extension program for three years, the Newport Beach resident thrives

on constant interaction and creates courses for lifelong learners.

His job has become a juggling act of sorts, as he oversees 10

disciplines at the UCI Extension: film studies and film appreciation,

creative writing, screenwriting, appraisal studies in the fine and

decorative arts, connoisseurship, psychology, integrative medicine,

yoga/Buddhism studies, languages and wine studies.

The paintings in his office remind him of where he’s been (Barbra

Streisand and, of course, the dancing crab) and where he is now

(Michelangelo and Van Gogh). He’s already achieved the goals of his

youth and now he’s happily settled in Newport Beach, with backgrounds

in psychology and medicine and with a new set of aspirations.

The Daily Pilot’s Jeff Benson sat down with Rockefeller to discuss

why it’s never too late to go back to school.

How can UCI Extension help seniors who’d like to continue

learning?

We run a continuing education program for the entire university

with a series of courses linked together. We don’t award the main

degrees. At the UCI Extension, we work directly with Osher Lifelong

Learning Institute, made up of retired and semi-retired individuals

looking to stay active and engaged. There are about 650 members. It’s

a place to connect with others and learn something fun.

What do you do?

My responsibilities are in two areas: professional development in

the arts and humanities and personal enrichment. I’m responsible for

all the administrative programs and logistics for all the courses. I

create courses, hire instructors, negotiate compensation and overview

instructional design for lifelong learners.

Studies show that if we continually learn new things as we get

older, we become more engaged and connected and it increases our part

in society. But besides that, we can make friends and have fun. It

helps us stay on top of the game.

Besides that, I’m the Arts Commissioner for the Newport Beach Arts

Commission, appointed by City Council in October 2002.

I’ve also been on the board of directors for the Newport Beach

Film Festival for two years. We hold sneak previews at UCI, supported

by the Newport Beach Film Festival. All of us working together are

able to bring wonderful films to Orange County.

There’s a really strong cultural renaissance in Newport Beach.

Things are happening at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the

South Coast Repertory and the Laguna Beach playhouse. What a

wonderful array of cultural opportunities here.

Why does the university need an Extension program?

People are always saying, “I’ve always wanted to write my

memoirs,” “I’ve always wanted to learn more about the inside workings

of Hollywood,” “I’ve always wanted to learn Sanskrit,” “I’ve always

wanted to learn the great traditions in history,” or how to meditate.

Or what makes a really good wine.

Our courses promote lifelong learning. I learn something new every

day and I personally see such value in that. I guess the main

motivation would be that our students love learning something every

day, and I create classes and programs where people can do that.

People are coming to me at 55 years old who’ve had their

screenplays produced and screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

That’s amazing.

I can’t guarantee people will fulfill all their dreams and

passions, but they can learn skills to change their lives, have fun

and learn something they’ve never learned before.

What’s the most popular course that Extension offers?

We also offer a course in creative writing for people who want to

write their autobiographies. All of them are interested in creating

some sort of history or memoirs. It’s really important for boomers

and seniors to record their stories. Stories are so important as a

way of creating a legacy for future generations.

We’re getting ready to launch a new program on retirement options

for those who’ve retired or are about to retire. It’ll officially

start up in the spring, but some parts will start up in the winter

quarter. On April 2, 2005, we’ll have a Retirement Options Fair for

people looking to play, learn, volunteer or work.

What is the film studies class like?

A lot of our senior students love the film series, “Sneak Previews

with Michael Berlin.” They listen to guest speakers and sneak preview

films before they’re released to the general public. In most cases,

the guest that night is directly affiliated with the film as a

director, producer or actor -- or someone behind the scenes.

The students can get a good idea of what things are like in

Hollywood and why things are done the way they’re done. It’s really

popular and it’s a way to bring to Orange County many independent

films people might not normally get to see.

Do you have any unique course offerings?

We’re the only university-based program on the West Coast that

teaches people to be appraisers of fine and decorative arts. We

partner with the American Society of Appraisers, which is the largest

and oldest credentialing organization in the country for people

wanting to become appraisers.

A lot of it comes from the popularity of shows like “Antiques

Roadshow.” People can learn the business aspects of evaluation in the

fine and decorative arts. And for people who want to be appraisers, I

also have a program in connoisseurship.

These classes are appropriate for seniors and for boomers. They

can know more about oriental carpets, antique furniture, silver,

jewelry and other things that may have been in their families for

years.

You used to act and work in television studios for a living. How

did you get involved in UCI and psychology?

I was born and raised in Virginia, on the Chesapeake Bay, and went

to the finest Broadway shows. I first came to Southern California

from rainy Seattle in 1985 and said, “This is where I want to live my

life.” I fell in love with Newport Beach but didn’t get to settle

here until six years ago.

When I moved to L.A. in 1985, I’d already completed that phase of

my life. I had done all that and I wanted to learn something new, so

I made the switch from entertainment to psychology. I was able to

bridge the various arts and it took me to psychology. It’s what makes

our dreams soar.

What does UCI Extension do in terms of research work?

We’re looking to do work in integrative medicine, looking at the

medical benefits of meditation and acupuncture, yoga and tai chi.

Researchers are looking into those things and developing new programs

as a way to get the word out. I’ve also created a new program for

mental health professionals that trains in psychology and integrative

medicine. It’s focused on educating practitioners. We’ll provide

similar opportunities to general scientists at the UCI College of

Medicine and we’re looking at how Extension can extend its research

into the community.

How can people sign up for classes?

You can go to our website, https://www.extension.uci.edu or call

(949) 824-5414.