Community colleges are most often viewed through the lens of degrees, workforce training and transfer programs. Those missions are essential. But at Greenfield Community College, our mission also creates opportunities for people to continue learning and connecting throughout their lives.
One example meets each week in a small podcast studio on campus.
Around the microphones, local retirees gather to plan interviews, compare notes and share a few laughs before recording Backyard OASIS — Older Adults Seeking, Inspiring and Serving. Launched in 2023, the podcast began with a simple question: What if technology could bring older adults together instead of leaving them behind?
This summer, the volunteer team will record its 100th episode. Supported by staff in GCC’s Teaching and Learning Innovation Center, volunteers research topics, invite guests, conduct interviews and help produce each episode. Along the way, they have learned new technology, developed new skills and, perhaps most importantly, built new relationships.
The conversations are as varied as the community itself. Guests have included local authors, nonprofit leaders, educators, scientists, health professionals, historians and community advocates. Topics have ranged from healthy aging, recovery and dementia to local history, travel, nutrition, classic cars and even reality television. Every episode offers another reminder that learning doesn’t end with retirement.
At a time when loneliness and social isolation affect many older adults, Backyard OASIS has become more than a podcast. It has become a reason to gather, create something together and stay engaged with the community. The project also demonstrates something we see every day at GCC: education takes many forms, and meaningful learning often happens outside a traditional classroom.
Community colleges serve recent high school graduates, adults changing careers and workers seeking new skills. They also serve lifelong learners who simply want to remain active, curious and connected. That broad mission is one of the strengths of community colleges, particularly in rural regions where colleges often serve as gathering places as much as educational institutions.
GCC’s Backyard OASIS reflects that role.
During the past three years, we’ve had the opportunity to interview people whose work has shaped Franklin County, including Dave Hayes, known to many as the Weather Nut; authors Joan Livingston and Jonathan Wright; nonprofit leaders Jan Maher and Pat Sicard; Rabbi Andrea Cohen-Kiener; and many others. Their stories remind us that every community has people whose knowledge and experiences deserve to be shared.
Working on the podcast also has reinforced something I’ve believed throughout my career in higher education. Learning is not confined to a particular age or stage of life. It continues wherever people are willing to ask questions, share experiences and listen to one another.
As Backyard OASIS approaches its 100th episode, the milestone is worth celebrating. More important, though, is what those conversations represent. They show that curiosity doesn’t retire, that technology can bring generations together and that a community college can be more than a place where students earn degrees. It also can be a place where a community continues to learn together.
You can find Backyard OASIS wherever you listen to podcasts or at https://rss.com/podcasts/backyardoasis/.
Judy Raper is associate dean for community engagement at Greenfield Community College.