Professor behind UW-La Crosse senior speed dating event is writing lesson plan, organizing second event – La Crosse Tribune
Click Here for the Post https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/education/professor-behind-uw-la-crosse-senior-speed-dating-event-is/article_c63c603c-bcfb-5029-9e41-6a98b0828149.htmlA speed dating event for senior citizens was a big hit at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in November — so big that the organizer is creating a corresponding lesson plan for colleges across the country.
Dawn Norris, a professor in UW-L’s sociology department, is drafting the lesson plan with help from New York City-based filmmaker Steven Loring, whose documentary, “The Age of Love,” served as Norris’ inspiration.
Norris said she was blown away by the interest and media attention still swirling around that first event.
“The need for this kind of event is rather overwhelming,” she said. “People really want a place where they can meet others in their age range for companionship. This was something I already knew, but I think I underestimated how important it is for people.”
The Nov. 28 event drew two dozen sharply dressed seniors to UW-L’s Student Union, where they sipped coffee and shot the breeze as Elvis and Sinatra poured through the speakers.
It wasn’t just Norris pulling the strings. Students in her generations and aging class did most of the legwork, planning, promoting and running the event.
While colleges have hosted similar gatherings in the past, this new lesson plan seeks to streamline the process. Norris said the plan will include dos and don’ts as well as advice for linking the event to Loring’s film and students’ coursework.
“I have full confidence this will be useful to other colleges who want to follow it or adapt it for their own needs,” she said.
Norris said she has also begun planning a second senior speed dating event at UW-L, which she is hoping to hold this spring.
Those who attended the November event came for a variety of reasons. Some were hoping to find a romantic partner, while others were hoping to find friends.
“It does get harder to meet people as you age,” said a participant who asked to be called Pete King, a fake name. “I’ve been looking, tried dating sites and all that. The trouble is, when you’re older, you’re just so set in your ways.”
Norris said seniors often struggle to meet partners or friends, because social venues such as bars or restaurants are typically marketed to a younger clientele. That’s one reason, she said, senior speed dating has been so popular.
“We’ve already had some partnerships,” she said. “Some people are already dating.”
