No place like Cottey

Nevada Daily Mail

For former Cottey student Lois Watson Lee, there's no place she'd rather be in late May than at Cottey College's Vacation College.

The weeklong session is geared toward Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) members, BILs ("Brothers-in-Law" -- P.E.O. husbands), alumnae, and others interested in continuing the lifelong learning process.

The program offers personal enrichment through "living the life of a Cottey student," according to the college website. Students stay in one of the residence halls, eat on campus and attend a morning class and an afternoon class.

Classes are taught by Cottey College faculty and staff and represent a wide range of interest areas in locations across campus. This year's topics included genealogy, dance, leadership, Hawaiian quilting, sustainable urbanism, twilight careers, anthropology, comparative politics, making hypertufa pots and loofah sponges, watercolors, money and retirement, Shakespeare, classic suspense films, Cooking from the Heart of Mexico, meditation, and scrapbooking.

This year's Vacation College ran from May 21-26.

Dr. Judy Rogers, president of the college, pointed out during a recent luncheon for the students, community members, faculty and staff of the college, that those attending the Vacation College hailed from many states across the country.

"People stay here and sample what it's like to be a student," she said. "Those who attend the Vacation College can take classes from dance, to comparative politics, to Shakespeare, to art."

Members of the audience who were taking part in the Vacation College called it a "great experience."

For Lee, 2013 marked her 22nd year of attendance at the Vacation College.

"I first came in 1992 and I had a wonderful time," said the Tulsa resident. "I've been coming ever since."

Lee said she has taken a variety of classes over the years, this year enrolling in Economics of a Small Town. She noted she, along with her classmates, had just visited four businesses in Nevada.

"I take something different from the experience every year," she said.

Lee noted she first came to the Nevada campus in 1942, with the goal of becoming a nurse.

She said she hadn't heard of the school until a Cottey representative came to her high school and talked to the students about the women's school and the opportunities and programs that were offered. She said her mother then went to see the Cottey rep.

The visit made an impression, she recalled, noting her father handed her the application for the Missouri college.

After her stint at Cottey, she transferred to the University of Iowa, near her home, and finished up her degree in nursing.

Her time at the school was enough to convince her she wanted to continue her ties at the school.

Lee has been a faithful supporter of Cottey, said Dr. Rogers, who visited with Lee at the conclusion of her update.

Attending the Vacation College has been a natural fit with her ties to the school and her interest in learning, Lee said.

And even though she will be 90 next year when the Vacation College rolls around again, she said she plans to be back.

"It's part of my year. I have been able to do it on my own and it's not that far from home. I plan on coming as long as I can."