Faculty Village

Retired ASU professors say lifestyle, lifelong learning has them thriving at one area retirement community

When Jo Madonna envisioned her retirement, she didn’t see downtown Tempe. The congestion and busyness were fine when she was working, but the former Associate Vice Provost of Student Affairs and Dean of Students at ASU’s west campus saw a different post-work picture.

“Well before I retired, I knew there was a great community of former faculty at Friendship Village,” she recalled. “There was never a question where we’d be.”

Madonna said walking into Friendship Village, senior living Tempe, is a bit like walking into the student union at ASU.

“There are people sitting around talking, laughing, playing games,” she said. “That, along with the lifelong learning opportunities, have made it my campus after campus.”

Madonna, who chairs the activities committee at the community, estimates at least two dozen former Arizona State faculty call “the Village” home, and that number is growing.

“We have groups for just about any interest or area of study,” she stated. “We always have a guest lecturer or speaker in the building as well as a great variety of entertainment.”

The building is very conducive to people gathering for a variety of events, she added.

Reporters interested in learning more about the connection between retired academia and Friendship Village should contact Jeff Bell at (913) 787-5512 or jbell@bellpr.org.