CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. — The Institute for Retired Persons Inc. has announced its program brochure and schedule for the fall 2026 semester, which runs from Sept. 14 through Oct. 22.
The six-week term features 35 one-hour lecture sessions focused on continued learning and entertainment. The educational series includes virtual presentations held over Zoom on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9 a.m., as well as in-person sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at the Menno Haven Life Center, located at 300 Ridgeview.
The fall curriculum covers historical, scientific, medical, and political topics. Virtual sessions will highlight topics such as Loyalist outlaws in Bucks County, Louisa May Alcott, Gilded Age First Ladies, Pearl S. Buck, and forever chemicals. In-person sessions will feature presentations on local history, the American Revolution, Civil War chaplains, the U.S. Constitution, colorectal cancer, and U.S. strategic forces.
Speakers for the term include college professors, historians, authors, and medical specialists. Scheduled presenters include Leon Reed, Dr. Mark Sachleben, Dr. Alison Dagnes, Dr. Jeffrey Colvin, and Dr. Kathy Worthington, who will preside over the final IRP Members Meeting on Oct. 22.
Enrollment fees are $25 per individual or $40 per couple for the semester, which covers access to all 35 lectures. Fees do not include the cost of trips or special events. Menno Haven residents and participants attending exclusively via Zoom may participate without paying an enrollment fee.
Registrations may be submitted by mail to the IRP at the Menno Haven Life Center or completed in person at any scheduled lecture. The organization primarily communicates updates, enrollment forms, and schedules online through its official website, www.IRP-online.org. In-person sessions follow local weather cancellations and will not meet if Chambersburg schools are closed or delayed.
