For nearly 15 years, Laura Weinstein, a retired museum educator, has taken a variety of courses at NYU SPS—mostly in-person classes at the School’s Midtown location. “It is important to continue to grow intelligently and keep you mind stimulated and strong, and the NYU SPS courses have helped do just that for my friends and I,” said Weinstein.
Prior to retiring, Weinstein held positions at a number of New York City museums, including the American Museum of Natural History, The Jewish Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Museum of the City of New York, where she continues to volunteer at as a tour guide several days a week.
“Over the years, I have taken many courses related to New York City, including on the City’s architecture, multiple courses with Professor Francis Morrone, an adjunct instructor and NYC historian, and, this summer, I will be taking a Travel with Film course with Leonard Cortana, an adjunct instructor,” Weinstein said. “These courses have really helped me to learn a host of little-known facts about the City, which I have been able to share with tourists in my role as a volunteer at the Museum of the City of New York.”
“I have taken courses at other academic institutions, but those classes are not of the same quality as the NYU SPS classes,” said Weinstein. “I feel that one of the most important factors in choosing courses is the instructor, including their level of expertise and engagement with the class. And, NYU SPS offers just that.”
In addition, Weinstein has built relationships taking these courses that have extended well beyond the classroom and enhanced her overall experience. “I have made lifelong friends with a group of ladies who regularly take the NYU SPS courses. In a recent semester, we have participated in activities, such as lunches and trips, outside of the classroom,” she noted.
While she has enjoyed the in-person interaction with the instructor and other students in her previous classes, like others, Weinstein needed to recently transition to remote learning for the 2020 Spring semester due the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Weinstein, “This spring was my first online/remote class, and it was a good experience. The content was of the same high-quality that you would expect from an NYU SPS in-person experience, and I would definitely recommend these Zoom-based courses to anyone who is interested in lifelong learning.”