Town Square with Ernie Manouse

The Benefits of Lifelong Learning


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Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, [email protected] or @townsquaretalk.

Many of us have been there. We’ve thought about going back to school to get a college degree or thought about simply learning a new skill. But then doubt comes into your mind, and you find yourself asking:

What if I’m too old?

What if I fail?

Do I have the dedication and commitment to balance this new learning experience with everything else that’s going on in my adult life?

It can also seem that most people have hit a certain point in their lives where they feel as though their brain has already done enough learning, and now they just want to focus on living.

New York Times best-selling author Tom Vanderbilt says, “The reason most brains don’t work as we get older is because we stop learning.”

In this episode, we talk in-depth with Vanderbilt about the process and mindset of transitioning from a new learner to an older learner, and we get information from Houston Community College about their continuing education classes. We also hear from a caller who, at 74 years old, has attained five college degrees.

GUESTS:

Tom Vanderbilt

  • Best-selling author of Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning
  •  Melanie Costechareyre

    • Program Director, Community Programs at Houston Community College
    • Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, [email protected] or @townsquaretalk.

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      Town Square with Ernie ManouseBy Houston Public Media

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