December 19, 2025 —
Whether it’s a foreign language, academic study, physical activity or current events, Kendal at Oberlin residents are passionate about learning. Lifelong learning is a pillar of the Quaker-based life plan community and opportunities abound, both on campus and off.
Having Oberlin College as a neighbor is like hitting the jackpot when it comes to lifelong learning, which is why new Kendal residents are always eager to meet Tina Zwegat, the college’s Director of Orientation and Student Affairs.
“Kendal is very near and dear to our hearts because our daughter went to the Kendal Early Learning Center,” she told new residents during a recent Zoom gathering.
Then Tina got down to business, explaining all the things Oberlin College offers older adults.
Concerts, Courses and More
In-person classes begin Oct. 4 and many Kendal residents will be in the classroom. (At this time everyone must wear a mask indoors and outdoors regardless of vaccination status.) Residents can audit a college class with permission of the faculty member (at no charge), and over the years countless residents have done so.
“I’ve audited everything from Shakespeare to Constitutional Law and several art history courses. I really enjoy having my mind challenged and watching the bright and lively minds of the students at work,” Elizabeth Hole says.
Residents can also take classes at Oberlin’s Experimental College, known as ExCo. They can also teach an ExCo course.
Another college offering that is popular with residents are the dozens of concerts, lectures and other events they can attend. For instance, the Conservatory of Music offers more than 500 performances throughout the year, many which are free.
Oberlin has four libraries (Main, Art, Science and Conservatory) and the public can borrow materials with a valid Ohio public library card.
Non-students can join the college’s Rec Center, which includes an indoor pool and tennis courts. (There is a reduced rate for people 55 years and older.)
The Allen Memorial Art Museum has reopened to the public, Tuesdays through Sundays, and admission is free for all visitors. Tours of the Frank Lloyd Wright’s Weltzheimer/Johnson House have also resumed. Open houses are held on the first Sunday of the month, April to November, and tickets are required.
A few other noteworthy college amenities include:
- bowling lanes that offers a drop-in senior league every Tuesday afternoon;
- Observatory and Planetarium that is open to the public on the first and third Fridays of the month, weather permitting;
- Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse that offers free live performances – dance, poetry, music, etc.
New Residents Excited to Head to Campus
David Dauphine, who moved to Kendal with his wife a year ago, said Kendal’s proximity to a renowned college like Oberlin was an important factor in selecting a life plan community,
“The idea of continual learning and intellectual stimulation are primary interests as we age,” he said.
He is interested in auditing classes this year about Greek and Roman history, and later exploring music courses. Now that the campus has reopened, he plans to use the rec center and libraries.
“And only a short bike ride away,” he added.
Deborah Gray moved to Kendal this summer but she doesn’t need much of an introduction to the college campus. She spent four years in Oberlin as a student, including “three happy summers” working in town.
“I’ve wanted to return ever since I left in 1972. I’ve been saving for retirement here since I took the Kendal open-house tour in 1997 during my 25th OC reunion. Kendal at Oberlin is the only retirement community I considered,” she said.
She eventually plans to audit a class and take an ExCo course. “Likely subjects include business and finance, mathematics, and logic, plus whatever else catches my eye. And I look forward to spending time in the OC libraries and attending concerts and recitals,” Deborah said.
Keeping Your Brain Healthy as You Get Older
It is important to stay active and eat well to stay healthy and fit, but you have to keep your brain healthy, too.
In the past, Molly Kavanaugh frequently wrote about Kendal at Oberlin for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she was a reporter for 16 years. Now we are happy to have her writing for the Kendal at Oberlin Community.
About Kendal at Oberlin: Kendal is a nonprofit life plan community serving older adults in northeast Ohio. Located about one mile from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and about a 40 minute drive from downtown Cleveland, Kendal offers a vibrant resident-led lifestyle with access to music, art and lifelong learning.