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Service adds years to your life, and life to your years.
Fr. Louis J Putz, C.S.C - Founder
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Where third agers come together
Our mission is to improve the quality and dignity of senior adult life through continuing intellectual challenge, spiritual reflection, and social interaction.
Forever Learning is the largest senior education non-profit in the South Bend area. We provide a unique opportunity for 3rd agers to be in community with one another, continue learning, and stay physically and socially active. Our teachers share their time and knowledge simply for the joy of giving back and sharing with like minded learners. Forever Learning provides more than just recreation. We provide purpose and a supportive community to help seniors age with grace and dignity.
We were founded in 1974 by Fr. Louis J Putz, CSC, a former Notre Dame professor. From our first semester with 115 students and 20 different classes, today our program offers over 300 classes per year taught by hundreds of volunteer teachers, serving thousands of active students. Our courses don't have homework or tests, they're purely for the joy of learning and growing.
Forever Learning hosts two 10-week semesters each year in Spring and Fall, and two 5-week Summer and Winter sessions. We also host a variety of educational and social events and travel opportunities. Our main campus houses 6 class rooms, 2 lecture halls, a gymnasium, a lounge, a kitchen, and our offices. Additionally we have a variety of satellite locations thanks to our many community partners.
Forever Learning is a welcoming community for people over the age of 50 of any race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, educational background, gender, or orientation.
Location: 54191 Ironwood Road, South Bend, Indiana 46635
Phone: (574) 282-1901
Office Hours During Semester - 8 am - 3:30 pm Monday - Friday
Office Hours Out-of-Semester - 9 am - 1:00 pm Monday - Thursday
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What Our Students Are Saying
"The people that I meet become friends, and then family, and then we all learn together" - James Kane, Student
"It's too good an experience not to try" - "Margaret Whitmer, Teacher and Student
"It fills what work used to fill. Work gave us a reason to do things, a social life, and intellectual stimulation. All of those things are here and better, because we get to choose what we do" - Steven Gable, Teacher and Student
"The participants are intelligent, motivated, and enthusiastic" - James Field, Student
"It keeps me on my toes. It makes me study, and reach, and dig deeper into a subject... into myself." - Barbara Jung, Teacher
"Forever Learning fulfills such a critical role in the lives of seniors, because there's lots of research that shows loneliness and isolation is such a tremendous problem" - William Gilroy, Teacher and Student
"Taking FLI classes each semester has become a very significant and enjoyable activity during my retirement and I look forward to each semester. It is not only the ability to expand my knowledge in an area of interest, but it's the social interaction with the other students and with the instructors. I've made new friends and over the years have gotten to know many who share similar interests." - Dennis Wasikowski, Student
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Our History
Father Louis J. Putz, C.S.CJune 1, 1909 – June 24, 1998
Immigrant-Priest-Teacher-Visionary
Forever Learning Institute is the legacy of Fr. Louis J. Putz, C.S.C. As a Notre Dame professor nearing retirement, in the early 1970’s Fr. Putz became deeply interested in 'third agers.' He saw life as a chain with three links: the age of learning, the age of earning, and the age of returning. He chose to focus on the third age because he saw that seniors were so often overlooked and forgotten by their communities. He also knew they had a great capacity to give back to their community and to one another.
He believed that “service adds years to your life and life to your years” and that “isolation is the greatest malady of older adults.”Establishing A School for Seniors
Fr. Putz’s beliefs lead to his vision of a school for seniors for continued intellectual challenge, physical fitness, spiritual growth, and social connectedness. Thus, on May 24, 1974, he assembled his first advisory group to establish the mission, goals, and structure of the school.
Father Putz was successful in attracting numerous well qualified teachers. All teachers would serve without pay, giving their time and knowledge in service to this community. Our first executive director was Sr. Madeleine Adamczyk, Ph.D, who had authored seven textbooks in the 1950's, and had served in education as a teacher, professor, and college dean for decades. She was a member of the White House Council on Aging in 1971.
For our first semester, Fr. Putz hoped for 40 students, but was delighted that 115 enrolled in 22 different classes. While Fr. Putz passed away in 1998, his vision has lived on. Today Forever Learning thrives as the largest senior educational program in Michiana. In the 2025-26 school year we saw record enrollment of over 5,000 class seats, from 2000 students and teachers, in 350 different classes and travel opportunities.Timeline
- 1974: Forever Learning opened its doors at the novitiate for the Sisters of St. Joseph, 107 South Greenlawn Avenue
- 1979: FLI moved to the former St. Patrick’s Grade School, 308 S. Scott Street
- 2006: FLI moved to Little Flower Parish Center, 54191 Ironwood Road
- 2018: Thanks to our donors FLI establishes an endowment with The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County with $25,000
- 2024: FLI celebrates 50 years of life-long learning
Awards
- Age of Excellence Award - Real Services - 2015, 2021
- Distinguished Community Service Award - South Bend Alumni Association - 2018
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