Center for Urban and Regional Excellence courses for December, January 2025-26

Indiana University Northwest’s Center for Urban and Regional Excellence (CURE) offers a variety of non-credit courses and educational programs that aim to assist people of all ages gain skills and enrich their lives as we face today’s challenges and prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities. 

CURE offers a variety of learning opportunities for all ages through its Community Garden, Senior University/Senior Planet, Reading Skills and Adult Education programs. CURE is now enrolling for the following offerings:

Senior University/Planet and Adult Education Courses
For Senior University/Senior Planet and Adult Education Courses, register online at the link below or call 219-980-6907 unless otherwise noted.

Senior & Adult Ed: Enroll
Gathering Generations: Collecting a Family Health History

12-1 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 3
In-person at IU Northwest
Registration deadline: Dec. 2
Free and open to adults of all ages

Family health history is a powerful tool in preventing and managing chronic conditions. Led by students from the School of Nursing, this session will explore how sharing stories and health experiences can help families build a legacy of wellness and awareness. Participants will learn how to start conversations about family health history and how to document information that can help future generations understand their risks and make informed health decisions. Participants will receive a conversation guide with sample questions, a simple health history form (printable or fillable) and tips for making the discussion warm and respectful. This session is geared toward older adults (ages 55+), but all ages are welcome.

Senior Planet: Emojis, GIFs and More!

1-2:15 p.m., Friday, Dec. 5
In-person at the Banta Center, Valparaiso
Registration deadline: Dec. 2
Free and open to adults ages 60+

OR

12:30-1:45 p.m., Friday, Dec. 12
In-person at the Duneland Family YMCA
Registration deadline: Dec. 9
Free and open to adults ages 60+

In this lecture, we’ll review what some of the most common emojis mean, where to find them on your smartphone keyboard and when to use them. We’ll also cover how to create an avatar using Bitmoji and Memoji. GIFs and Memes are additional ways to add some color to your communications, so we’ll demonstrate where to find and create those as well! 

Senior Planet: Intro to Chatting with AI

1 to 2:15 p.m., Monday, Dec. 8
In-person at the Munster Branch of the Lake County Public Library
Registration deadline: Dec. 4
Free and open to adults ages 60+

OR 

10 to 11:15 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 29
In-person at the Hammond Senior Center at Pulaski Park
Registration deadline: Jan. 27
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Curious about using ChatGPT or Gemini but not sure where to start? In this lecture, we’ll explore tips for using generative AI chat programs so you can make them work for you. You’ll learn how to write questions or prompts that are specific and effective at getting helpful responses. Whether you plan to use them at work, for personal projects or just for fun, we’ll show you how this tech can help you with all sorts of tasks. We’ll also cover best practices for privacy and security so you can be a confident user. 

Senior Planet: Virtual Museum Tours

1-2:15 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 9
In-person at IU Northwest
Registration deadline: Dec. 7
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Tour world-famous museums from the comfort of your home! Did you know many of the world’s leading museums have been making their collections and exhibits available to view virtually? In this lecture, we’ll explore some of these virtual galleries, as well as digital tools that help bring art, architecture and history to life! 

Senior Planet: Digital Tools for Brain Health

2-3:15 p.m., Monday, Dec. 15
In-person at the Crown Point Community Library
Registration deadline: Dec. 10
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Stay sharp with technology! In this lecture, we’ll explore digital tools to support habits that can help you stay sharp, including wearable devices, engaging websites and informative podcasts. Discover practical resources to keep your mind active and enhance your cognitive wellbeing in today’s digital world. 

Senior Planet: Understanding Fraud & Scams

11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16
In-person at the St. John Branch of the Lake County Public Library
Registration deadline: Dec. 12
Free and open to adults ages 60+

The ability to spot a scam is an essential digital skill. In this lecture, we’ll review some of the most common scams, offer tips for avoiding them and go over what to do if you do get scammed. We’ll look at sample emails, texts and deepfakes to see how AI contributes to the increased spread and complexity of scams. We’ll also provide helpful resources for staying informed about the latest scams.

Senior Planet: Online Shopping

10-11:15 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 18
In-person at Hammond Senior Center at Pulaski Park
Registration deadline: Dec. 15
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Online shopping lets you buy products on the internet from your computer and have them shipped to your home or anywhere! Online stores often have larger inventories and lower prices, so you can quickly find the best deal. This lecture will provide a general introduction to shopping online using the popular website Amazon.com. You’ll learn how to search for products, make comparisons and add items to an online shopping cart. 

Senior Planet: Online Tools for Contacting Your Lawmakers

2-3:15 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 13
In-person at the Crown Point Community Library
Registration deadline: Jan. 11
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Learn how online tools can help you stay informed and get your voice heard. We’ll review several non-partisan websites that can help you identify your elected officials, find their contact information, understand how they vote on bills and tell them what you think about important issues. 

Senior Planet: Intro to Digital Wallets

1-2:15 p.m., Friday, Jan. 16
In-person at the Banta Center, Valparaiso
Registration deadline: Jan. 14
Free and open to adults ages 60+

What item can you not leave home without? If you said your phone, this lecture is for you! If you said your wallet, you should probably come too! The digital wallets on our smartphones allow us to go about our daily lives without ever needing to pull out our actual wallets. In this presentation, we’ll review the basic features of the most popular digital wallets, Apple Wallet and Google Wallet and talk about their many uses beyond purchases. We’ll also discuss features/considerations for security and privacy. 

Senior Planet: Tech Tips for Disaster Preparedness

1-2:15 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 21
In-person at IU Northwest
Registration deadline: Jan. 19
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Did you know that technology is an essential part of being prepared for emergencies and natural disasters? In this session, we’ll explain how technology can help you prepare. We’ll discuss and demonstrate useful features of the FEMA and Red Cross apps, including setting alerts. Additionally, we’ll review built-in smartphone features that can come in handy in the event of an emergency and explore how to keep phones and essential devices charged during a prolonged power outage. Finally, we’ll discuss how you can use social media to get emergency and other important information from local and national authorities. 

Senior Planet: Anti-Virus & Malware Removal Programs at a Glance

11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23
In-person at the Merrillville Branch of the Lake County Public Library
Registration deadline: Jan. 21
Free and open to adults ages 60+

Did you know that viruses are only one type of malware that can harm your computer? In this lecture, we will go over different types of malware and how they work. We will also introduce some anti-virus programs and malware removal software and go over how these tools can be used to prevent and get rid of malware infections. Attend this lecture to learn how to keep your device safe!

Senior University: Cyber Security

4:30-6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 27
Concurrent: Zoom and in-person at IUN
Registration deadline: Jan. 20
Free and open to adults ages 55+

Are you concerned about the security of your social media accounts? Not sure how to determine if an email is fraudulent? Would you like to ensure you are making a transaction on a secure site? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then join us and learn cybersecurity fundamentals. This session will focus on securing personal information, safely conducting online transactions and identifying scams and phishing attempts. Register today so that you can learn to protect yourself while online! 

Reading Skills Program: Enroll

Offered in partnership with the Institute of Reading Development, these programs are specifically designed to give students the skills, motivation and individual support they need at each grade level. Students attend weekly classes that build skills and provide great experiences with terrific books. Between classes, students practice reading and complete fun, interactive lessons that develop core skills and build confidence.

Adult Education: Fundamental Courses
24/7 Access; All classes start new every month
Cost varies; Courses for adults and young adults/teens

Online fundamental courses are informative, fun and convenient. Fundamental courses include instructor-led courses and self-paced tutorials. Instructor-led courses run for six weeks with monthly start dates and feature an instructor-moderated discussion board allowing you to interact with your classmates. Self-paced tutorials are designed for completely independent learning, without instructor moderation and can be started at any time. Complete any course entirely from home, at any time of the day or night. Popular courses include Speed Spanish, Accounting Fundamentals, Introduction to Microsoft Excel and A to Z Grant Writing. 
Fundamental Courses: Enroll

Adult Education: Career Training Programs
24/7 Access; Start at any time
Cost varies; Courses for adults

The online, open-enrollment Career Training Programs are designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional-level positions for many in-demand occupations. Our programs are designed by a team of professionals from each respective field, providing you with effective web-based learning programs. Instructors/mentors are actively involved in your online learning experience, responding to any questions or concerns, encouraging and motivating you to succeed. 
Career Training Programs: Enroll

Adult Education: Comprehensive Career Tracks
24/7 Access; Start dates vary
Cost varies; Courses for adults

These online Career Track programs offer students an opportunity to hone their skills in a variety of professions — from the arts to healthcare to web development. All programs are available in a self-paced format and offer opportunities for national certification, externship placement and/or career support.
Comprehensive Career Tracks: Enroll
All Indiana University events/programs, groups, activities, educational, cultural, and historical observances are open to all members of the Indiana University community.


IU 2030: Service to our State and Beyond

IU Northwest will improve the lives of the people and economic vitality of Northwest Indiana and beyond by fostering and strengthening collaborative relationships that promote, build and sustain the well-being of the campus and our communities.

About IU Northwest

One of nine campuses of Indiana University, IU Northwest is located in metropolitan Northwest Indiana, approximately 30 miles southeast of Chicago and 10 miles from the Indiana Dunes National Park. The campus has a student population of approximately 3,000 degree-seeking students and more than 30,000 alumni, most of whom remain in the Northwest Indiana region, and has been recognized by the Department of Education as a minority and Hispanic serving institution. The campus offers Associate, Baccalaureate, and Master’s degrees from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, the School of the Arts, and the School of Education. The campus is also home to IU School of Medicine-Northwest-Gary, the region’s only four-year medical doctorate program. As a student-centered campus, IU Northwest is committed to academic excellence characterized by a love of ideas and achievement in learning, discovery, creativity, research and community engagement. Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring .