"You know, I've always wanted to ... "
You could fill in anything behind that phrase and Kirwan
Rockefeller's answer would be about the same. "So why don't you?"
Rockefeller, 51, has accomplished many of his goals already, as a
former consultant for CBS, ABC, Universal Studios, Warner Bros. and
other studio heavyweights. He's acted as a dancing crab in a
Seattle-area commercial campaign, danced professionally and acted on
stage.
Now Rockefeller is satisfied with helping others fulfill the
dreams they never got around to fulfilling. As Program Director in
the Arts and Humanities at University of California -- Irvine's
Extension program for three years, the Newport Beach resident thrives
on constant interaction and creates courses for lifelong learners.
His job has become a juggling act of sorts, as he oversees 10
disciplines at the UCI Extension: film studies and film appreciation,
creative writing, screenwriting, appraisal studies in the fine and
decorative arts, connoisseurship, psychology, integrative medicine,
yoga/Buddhism studies, languages and wine studies.
The paintings in his office remind him of where he's been (Barbra
Streisand and, of course, the dancing crab) and where he is now
(Michelangelo and Van Gogh). He's already achieved the goals of his
youth and now he's happily settled in Newport Beach, with backgrounds
in psychology and medicine and with a new set of aspirations.
The Daily Pilot's Jeff Benson sat down with Rockefeller to discuss
why it's never too late to go back to school.
How can UCI Extension help seniors who'd like to continue
learning?
We run a continuing education program for the entire university
with a series of courses linked together. We don't award the main
degrees. At the UCI Extension, we work directly with Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute, made up of retired and semi-retired individuals
looking to stay active and engaged. There are about 650 members. It's
a place to connect with others and learn something fun.
What do you do?
My responsibilities are in two areas: professional development in
the arts and humanities and personal enrichment. I'm responsible for
all the administrative programs and logistics for all the courses. I
create courses, hire instructors, negotiate compensation and overview
instructional design for lifelong learners.
Studies show that if we continually learn new things as we get
older, we become more engaged and connected and it increases our part
in society. But besides that, we can make friends and have fun. It
