Bowling Green, Ky. - For 1948 graduate Jim Kirkwood, Western Kentucky University’s third annual Alumni College is a win-win situation.

In the lifelong learning program, Kirkwood will get to share his love for tennis and his love for WKU.

In addition to participating in the numerous continuing education classes June 2-5, Kirkwood and his wife, Shirley, will be teaching a class on tennis.

"We really enjoyed it last year and the year before," Kirkwood said. "We're making it a part of our vacation this year."

Kirkwood received his bachelor's degree in zoology at WKU, earned a master's and doctorate at the University of Louisville and then worked in marine biology research for 27 years. After retirement, he wasn't ready to slow down so he became a certified tennis professional and has been director of tennis at the Plantation Inn Tennis Club in Crystal River, Fla., for 16 years.

"I don't like the idea of going out on the front porch and sitting in a rocking chair," Kirkwood said.

That's one of the goals of the Alumni College program.

"Alumni College is a great way for alumni and friends of Western Kentucky University to live like a college student again, without the stress of final exams," said Ginny Hensley, assistant director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving. "They spend three nights in a newly renovated residence hall, take classes during the day and visit some of the great tourist attractions surrounding Bowling Green."

In addition to tennis, this year’s 17 class offerings include quilting, genealogy, bourbon making, digital photography and civil engineering’s concrete canoe.

"We also like to spotlight the exciting things taking place at Western today," Hensley said. "Many of our Alumni College students haven’t been on campus in 30 years. We will update them on the campus master plan and specifically the current construction projects taking place."

The program provides alumni with an opportunity to spend more time on campus. “With Alumni College, they get to enjoy the great things they enjoyed about being a college student and continue educating themselves too,” Hensley said. “We want the Alumni College students to leave wanting to come back. We want them to rekindle their love for Western and continue to grow as an individual too.”

The registration deadline for Alumni College 2005 is May 20. The cost is $125 per person. Information is available online by clicking on http://www.wku.edu/Alumni/AlumniCollege2005.pdf or by phone by contacting the WKU Alumni Association at (270) 745-4395 or 1-888-WKU-ALUM.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Ginny Hensley at (270) 745-4395.