Academy workshops are vital to my social calendar and my ongoing education. Decades of operating within the bounds of a professional career – as joyful as it was – narrowed my thinking. There is much to learn beyond work.
The Academy is peer-led, so I get step up to the challenges of researching a subject, assembling my thoughts and presenting – ever daunting but inevitably rewarding. (If you want to learn teach.) I get to share my enthusiasm for a subject and be inspired by the enthusiasms of others. Discussions are always stimulating, sometimes ardent, often poignant, and always – even when heated – civil. We listen; we think; we talk. We encourage each other. We appreciate the efforts of presenters. We hear others’ perspectives. We laugh. We learn.
The Academy is an invaluable community. In a world of increasing disinformation and disruption, it is a place for sharing our learning, deepening our understanding, and broadening our knowledge. It is a fellowship for wide-awake, lifelong learning