College for Older Adults

Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center

Spring 2026 Term

Mark your calendars for our Spring 2026 term dates! The Welcome Back Registration Event will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 in the Grand Hall at the Higher Education Center. Our first classes will meet on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. We will be offering classes in history, literature, nature, science, philosophy, and health. Many of your favorite instructors will be returning and we are welcoming some new faculty members. We look forward to seeing you then.

The College for Older Adults (COA) is designed for learners who are at least 50 years old. Enrichment courses are offered that cover a range of topics. Registration is only $40 per term. Optional fees for course materials and field trips may be charged. For more information contact Ed Morgan, emorgan@swcenter.edu, 276-619-4377.

CLASS INFORMATION

Some Special Classes may require an additional fee for materials, supplies or admission. Do not include that fee in your COA registration- It is to be paid separately. To take Special Classes, you must be a COA member paying the full $40.00 fee. Please make checks out as described in the course description.
We encourage you to pay the COA membership fee by credit card. Should you require a refund the COA can quickly refund the registration fee. If you pay by either check or cash, it may take several weeks (and an act of Congress) to obtain a refund. No refunds will be made after the second week of classes unless there are valid health or personal reasons.
Room assignments listed in this schedule may not be the ultimate room where the class is held. Room assignments can change due to size of class enrollments, and occasional unforeseen conflicts with other events at the Higher Education Center. Please check daily the room assignment on posted notices.
A local caterer plans to offer a grab and go lunch during the one-hour break for COA students and others in the building, (first come, first served). They will publish their menu.

Transportation options are published here: https://district-three.org/index.php/Town-of-Abingdon NOTE: The Center has no control over the District Three bus schedule, its employees, their webpage and other publications, or anything other than providing a bus stop in the parking lot in front of the building.
Schedule changes due to inclement weather are announced on our website (www.swcenter.edu), on WCYB-TV, and via text alert (if you sign up for it at https://goo.gl/waa48N). Please use your best judgment as to whether or not you can get here safely.
In the event of an emergency, please evacuate the building in an orderly manner. The elevator will not be operational. If you need assistance, go to the stairwell and wait for assistance. Please do not open the door in the stairwell at the west end of the building EXCEPT in an emergency.
COA Motto: We must be patient with one another.
For more information, contact Ed Morgan by email at emorgan@swcenter.edu or (276) 619-4377.

Click HERE to view/download the COA Steering Committee Members

CLASS HIGHLIGHTS

Explore Our Class Recordings and Discover What COA Students Are Learning!

A Lifelong Love of Learning: Betty’s 25 Years with the College for Older Adults

When Betty Carbary retired at age 65, she knew she wanted to stay active, engaged, and curious. Around that same time, she spotted an article in the local newspaper about a new program at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center: the College for Older Adults...