When Denny May accepted an invitation to the home of ESI College instructor John Berninghausen for a cup of tea in the winter of 2023, he had no idea that it would lead to a new volunteer opportunity and a wonderful journey of community engagement.
“When my wife and I moved to a very rural part of Addison County in 2021 during the pandemic, we felt very isolated,” Denny said. “Then I heard about ESI College and decided to take some classes to engage with the community. John (a longtime professor at Middlebury College) is a truly gifted teacher, and our group really bonded. After one class, we gathered at his house, and started talking about how we could help promote the ESI College series. We became the ‘Friends of ESI College’ and things just took off from there.”
Elderly Services started ESI College more than 20 years ago as a program of lifelong learning for those 60 and over. Instructors have included Middlebury College faculty members, and local authors and experts on a wide range of topics. The popular program took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, when almost all of the classes had to be held via Zoom, rather than in person.
As we all emerged from the pandemic, the series returned to its face-to-face roots. ESI College gained new energy and a new focus with guidance from Denny and the other “Friends of ESI College,” and a generous grant from the Vermont Community Foundation.
“Intellectual stimulation, opportunity to engage in the community and the joy of making new friends came from my participating in ESI College,” May added. “I now really feel like part of the community—it’s been fantastic.”
We hope Denny’s enthusiasm leaves you wanting to know more about the program. You can use the link below to find the list of courses and instructors for the current ESI College session:
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