Dear members of the Lasell University community,

This year, we celebrate 25 years of redefining what aging can look like on a university campus. Lasell Village was founded in 2000 through a bold idea brought forward by then-President Tom de Witt H’07, who envisioned a retirement community grounded in learning and fully integrated with the University. That vision launched a nationally recognized model of intergenerational education and aging innovation.

As Lasell University approaches its own milestone (175 years of leadership in higher education!), Lasell Village is proud to be part of this shared legacy. Our residents take and teach classes, mentor students, and collaborate with faculty. This spring, Lasell Village and Lasell University were featured in Bloomberg News as a leading example of the growing trend of university-based retirement communities. The story highlighted our intergenerational Spanish class—and the bold model of lifelong learning we helped pioneer—as a blueprint for how colleges and senior living can thrive together in the face of shifting demographics.

In July, I had the opportunity to share Lasell Village’s story in a TEDx talk on the power of structured learning as a pathway to reclaiming identity in later life. And in November, we welcomed senior living leaders from around the world as part of the Global Aging Network conference, where Lasell Village served as a learning site for global innovation in aging.

We’re also growing. Construction is now underway on McGuire Hall, which will add 42 new apartments and an expanded Town Hall with reimagined spaces for connection, care, and learning. These investments, like our mission, are focused on the future. The University has its sights set on the future, too, with new workforce development and talent transformation initiatives underway.

Lasell Village is proud to be a part of the University’s evolving story, one that is rooted in learning, innovation, and community across generations. Here’s to the next chapter, together.

Warmly,

Zehra Abid-Wood
President, Lasell Village

Photo by Todd Dionne