Academy of Learning in Retirement


Through volunteerism, the Academy of Learning in Retirement (ALIR), believing in lifelong learning, recognizes and utilizes its members’ wealth of experience and abilities to achieve educational stimulation in the arts, history, literature, languages, and sciences.


  • How It Works & Membership
  • ALIR FAQs
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    Interested in leading a course for our Summer 2025 semester? Please fill out the following application and submit to Alir@neisd.net or bring/mail your application to 

    NEISD Community Learning Center

    Attention: ALIR Curriculum

    8750 Tesoro Drive San Antonio, TX 78217

    Summer 2025 Instructor Application

     

     

    Summer 2025 Catalog

    Important Dates for Summer 2025

     

    Monday, May 5 Summer catalog released and online fee payment opens

    Monday, May 12 Online Registration opens

    Wed, May 28 Instructors’ meeting | Orientation for new students

    Monday, June 2 First day of classes (9-weeks, 1st 6 weeks, 3 weeks A)

    Monday, Jun 23 2nd 6 weeks and 3 weeks B: begins)

    June 30 - July 4 No on-campus classes; NEISD closed

    Monday, July 21 3rd- 3 weeks C: Classes begin

    Friday August 8 End of summer term 

    Zoom classes are indicated in the catalog 

    About


    Academy of Learning in Retirement

    The Academy of Learning in Retirement (ALIR) began in 1989 as an extension of the University of Texas at San Antonio, with a founding vision of an all-volunteer learning academy offering a variety of intellectually stimulating classes to an over-50 crowd. Growth and space considerations necessitated a move from ALIR’s initial home at the Institute of Texan Cultures; happily, the North East Independent School District (NEISD) welcomed ALIR to its Community Education Department in the spring of 2006. In 2020, as a 501(c)(3) corporation, ALIR had a student body of more than 650 senior San Antonians when the COVID-19 pandemic challenged it to begin offering courses online. Although now fully back to a curriculum of in-person classes, ALIR continues to offer Zoom-based, online classes to those who are limited in mobility as well as those who prefer online learning.

    Mission Statement


    Through volunteerism, the Academy of Learning in Retirement (ALIR), believing in lifelong learning, recognizes and utilizes its members’ wealth of experience and abilities to achieve educational stimulation in the arts, history, literature, languages, and sciences.
     

    Contact


    Classes are held at 8750 Tesoro Drive, San Antonio, Texas. There’s ample free parking.
     
    For questions or more information, contact Willson Donovan, ALIR Facilitator, at (210) 407-0167, (210) 407-0142 or visit https://www.alirsanantonio.org/