Classmates for past 14 years find ways to stay connected

For more than a decade, Thursday mornings have been sacred for a devoted group of students who found each other-and stay connected-through a class at the University of Chicago Graham School. "Everyone in my life knows that Thursday mornings are my time," said Karyn Glass, 60, the youngest of these lifelong learners, whose average age hovers in the 70s. "We always joked that we planned our lives around Thursdays, but it's like my North Star. What would you do without your Thursday morning class?" In 2006, Glass and her classmates began the Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults -a four-year, non-credit program based on reading and discussing the Great Books. Like most older adults who enroll, many of them wanted to take more classes after graduation. Unlike most of the groups, though-they wanted to continue learning together.  "Several of them have dropped, some have moved, a couple have died, but a core remained," said Katia Mitova, who has taught at the Graham School since 1998. Six of the original group of 20 students are currently taking part in their first Zoom course taught by Mitova, entitled "Dictatorship: Three Latin American Novels." Despite the obstacles created by the COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning, this spring's 9:30 a.m. Thursday class is one that Glass couldn't miss.