It’s hard not to love the founding story of Lasell University in Newton, Massachusetts. It all began with the light. Legend has it that in the spring of 1851, a group of individuals gathered together and as the sun rose in the sky, illuminating Bragdon Hill, they made the laser-like decision to found a new school on that spot. As the founders, known as boomers, put shovels into the rocky New England soil, sparks flew, and the flame of knowledge was ignited for a new generation of students. Fittingly, the lamp of knowledge was then emblazoned onto the college seal. Welcome to the Lasell Lasers!
Since that day, strong academics have drawn 1,650 students a year to Lasell, with more than 400 of those enrolled in graduate programs. Newton (known as the Garden City and the inspiration for Fig Newtons) is just 8 miles from Boston and, unlike many communities that are established around a single Main Street or downtown, comprises thirteen distinct villages.
The 54-acre Lasell campus is a beautiful addition to the town it calls home and an integral part of the community, with 17 Victorian homes used primarily as residences for students. Among the most unique of its community connections is Lasell Village.
Lasell Village is an award-winning retirement community that invites its 225 residents to rethink senior living by promoting an active, intellectually-enriched lifestyle in a college setting. Conceived by the university 25 years ago, the Village is currently adding 42 new units to its existing footprint and provides supported living, short-term rehabilitation services, and long-term skilled care, as well as in-home healthcare. During my visit, I met an effervescent 80+ year-old Village resident who serves on the college’s student government association, attends classes at the university, and treasures her interaction with the university community — including managing events like the inventively-named Senior Prom.
My host for the visit was President Eric Turner, who is just beginning his third year at the helm, although he has served Lasell in different roles for three decades. Just before Turner began his presidency, the Lasell Board of Trustees approved a reduction in price designed to reflect the actual out-of-pocket costs the majority of Lasell students pay, after scholarships are factored in. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the combined tuition and standard room and board price decreased from $59,130 to $39,500 — a 33% reduction from the 2022-2023 published rate!
President Turner was able to show me most of the campus, including the new science center named for his long-serving predecessor, Michael Alexander; a brand-new Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality lab; and the home of the nationally-recognized Fashion Design programs.
The students in that fashion program have opened Studio 1851, a retail store which started as a pop-up shop in 2017 and now offers a collection of unique products that support its mission of sustainability, giving back, and experiential education.
As I left the buzzing campus, my back aching a bit as usual, it occurred to me that aging in a place so full of innovation, ideas, and intellectual ferment might not be a bad way to go. I’m going to be laser-focused on that!
