When we picture seniors settling into retirement, we often think of them as “slowing down.” We don’t typically perceive them as tackling new challenges, enrolling in coursework at the local college, or going online in their spare time.

But that’s exactly what they’re doing.

And nobody knows this better than Mimi Witcher, an empty-nester turned educator turned entrepreneur. In the late 90s, Mimi was seeking out a new career when her days as a stay-at-home mom had come to an end. A friend encouraged her to learn how to use the computer by enrolling in computer courses at Richland Community College in Dallas, Texas.

Becky Jones, the Associate Dean of the Office Computer Technology and Support Department, noticed Mimi’s enthusiasm and computer abilities. Richland College was starting its new Emeritus Program for seniors, and Becky thought Mimi would be perfect to teach one of the courses.

“You see their creativity displayed in so many ways in the projects they tackle. Just ask them to paint a house on their computer using Microsoft Paint, and they will build an entire village."  — Mimi Witcher, co-founder of Computer School for Seniors

With much trepidation, Mimi entered the classroom and discovered she had found her new niche in life. “As it turns out, I loved teaching fellow seniors about the fun and rewards to be found on their computers,” she says.

On August 26, 2005, at the age of 61, Mimi was recognized by her students and peers when she received the Richland College Excellence in Teaching Award. That same year, Richland College was honored as the first community college in the United States to receive the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for quality and organizational excellence. So Mimi became the teacher of the year at the college of the year.

"I love teaching," said Mimi, "and I love the enthusiasm and 'can-do' attitude shown by my senior students day after day."  Over the past eight years, Mimi says she sees the same five characteristics in almost all of her students:

1. Creativity. “You see it displayed in so many ways in the projects they tackle,” says Mimi. “Just ask them to paint a house on their computer using Microsoft Paint, and they will build an entire village.”
2. Tenacity. Mimi has seen her fair share of senior students who struggled with certain computer classes. “Did they quit? No way. They kept taking the class over and over until they nailed it,” she said.
3. Experience.  She has taught retired doctors, lawyers, and even a college dean. “I had a senior student who had won three television Emmys. He brought one of them to class to everyone's delight.” Despite their different life experiences, they have a collective attitude of “we should never stop learning,” notes Mimi.
4. A strong work ethic. Mimi says that this generation does not require a lot of "rah-rah" talk to get motivated. “They subscribe to the Nike slogan ... just do it! When they worked full time, they did the job that needed to be done because it needed to be done. Period.”
5. A desire to become more computer savvy.  One student created a banner that was a pictorial history of her grandson's life from birth to college graduation. Not only was her grandson impressed, but his friends were amazed that his grandmother had so much computer knowledge and expertise. “Being able to communicate with and impress the kids and grandkids is a strong motivator for learning more about the computer and the Internet.”

About the same time Mimi received her award, one of her dearest 90-year-old students asked if it would be possible to put some of her lesson plans on the Internet. His health was failing and he would not be able to attend any more of her classes. Mimi asked around and her students thought it was a great idea.

So, she decided if some students couldn’t come to the school, she’d bring the school to them. Mimi started converting her best lesson plans into a Front Page format while her husband Bill, a longtime marketing executive, researched what would be involved with hosting a website.

Within six months, the Witchers were online with their first website called ComputerFunForSeniors.com. It was a completely free site with no advertising, no tuition and no promotion, designed specifically for Mimi's students and their relatives and friends. A labor of love, they hosted the site for a year at their own expense, specifically to meet the needs of a limited number of Dallas-area seniors.

Upon receiving requests from people across the country and even around the globe, Mimi and Bill began to broaden their vision for how many seniors they could actually empower. “We got the idea of broadening the appeal by actually creating a ‘school campus’ on the Internet, featuring numerous departments and faculty members,” Bill recalls.

The idea for Computer School for Seniors started taking shape with a Computer Learning Center, Government Center, Student Fitness Center, Campus Kitchen, and Restoration Center. “We wanted to create a safe, secure and fun campus environment designed specifically for our senior students,” says Bill. “We wanted it to be colorful, inviting and easy to navigate.”

They decided not to offer any advertising, as they didn't want anything to distract or confuse their senior students. “We wanted to encourage them, educate them and make them feel good about visiting their very own campus,” says Bill.

The result is the launch of Computer School for Seniors at www.CS4Seniors.com. The site offers more than one hundred computer courses specifically designed for seniors, plus a variety of faculty-recommended websites through the Photography Studio, Internet Café, and many more upcoming departments.

“Research shows that seniors benefit both physically and mentally by continuing to learn throughout their lifetimes,” says Bill Witcher, Mimi’s husband and the marketing arm of the business. “A survey by AARP showed that adults over 50 want to stay educationally active, but have different expectations, needs and demands than younger learners. Computer School for Seniors addresses those differences.”

Bill adds that “Today's seniors are healthier and more adventuresome than their parents. They are anxious to learn new things with the computer, and the Internet holds a special fascination for them.”

“Whether they sign up for a new computer class or create their own website, they don't want to miss out on anything," says Mimi. As one of her students told her, "I agree with Wayne Gretsky who said that you miss 100% of the shots you never take."

What shots might your business be missing with the senior consumer? Does your product or service meet a direct senior need? Is cluttered advertising clouding your message? Are there any studies you can point to that demonstrate a desire at this life stage for what you provide?

Is your web site welcoming and designed with the senior consumer in mind? Does your approach reflect an understanding of the five characteristics that Mimi has witnessed in nearly all of her students?

Above all, do you truly believe in what you’re selling? Remember, the Witchers had such faith in what they were doing that they initially did it for free.

Jennifer Kalita is a contributing editor to http://www.second50years.com/