It wasn’t always easy for Bob Shoemake to connect with older adults. In fact, there was a time in his life when the idea made him uncomfortable.

“In my thirties, I didn’t much like being around older people,” Shoemake admitted during his retirement celebration at the University of St. Thomas. “I was too impatient to take the time needed to listen to them and to their stories.”

And yet, decades later, as director of the Selim Center for Lifelong Learning at St. Thomas, Shoemake would become one of the most thoughtful leaders in the field. Shoemake, who will retire at the end of June, spent more than two decades at St. Thomas and nine years at the center designing educational programming that invited older adults into ongoing intellectual and spiritual engagement. He learned that the role was more than his job; it was his calling.

Bob Shoemake and a guest in conversation during a reception in the Rogge-Leyden room of Murray-Herrick campus center (MHC) on Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010. The event was sponsored by the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning.

“Older adults are full of curiosity, wisdom, and a desire to contribute,” he said. “I didn’t know when I was young that I would come to cherish the presence of older adults, but now I see it as one of the great gifts of my life.”

Winding path awakens purpose

Shoemake’s journey to the Selim Center was far from linear. After all, he admits, he was an undergraduate student for more than a decade. “I went to college to be a high school music teacher, and I failed at it,” he said, although he did eventually earn a bachelor’s degree in music education, voice and choral conducting.

Born in Florida and reared in South Carolina, he grew up as a preacher’s kid. His church background helped form his spiritual and moral compass as well as his interest in music. In the summer of 1970, he took a position as choir director at a prison, where he lived in the guards’ quarters.

Bob Shoemake speaking at the Area of Emphasis in Aging Workshop: Optimizing Health and Well Being for Older Adults: A Focus on Age-Friendly Practices, presented by Age-Friendly Minnesota Council, MN Northstar Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and George Babiola, MSW LICSW in the lower level ASC on April 25, 2025, in St. Paul.

“My path has never been based on career goals,” Shoemake said during his May retirement celebration at Woulfe Alumni Hall in the Anderson Student Center on campus. “It’s always been a response to what I discerned God asking of me next.”

There was a period where he worked in retail, developing a sense of customer service and a sense of style.

“I worked part-time selling men’s clothing at the Dayton’s Department Store in downtown Minneapolis,” said Shoemake, who is known around campus for his dapper wardrobe. “Let’s just say I got very good at pairing jackets and shoes.”

The well-dressed Bob Shoemake (center), director of the Selim Center, and Ryan French, who was then the associate vice president of advancement, at the 34th annual NeighborFest on Monahan Plaza on July 30, 2015.

He eventually obtained a Master of Divinity (M.Div) from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, pursued ecumenical theology studies at the United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, liturgical theology at Saint John’s University and Catholic studies and theology at St. Thomas.

Learning builds community

Shoemake joined the Selim Center in 2016, drawn by its vision of lifelong learning that by that time matched his own continuing studies. As director of the Selim Center, which is now in its 51st year, he helped shape programming for older adult learners.

“Having had the honor of working with all of the center’s directors to date, I appreciated that Bob had an eclectic range of interests, which was reflected in the programming we did over the past nine years, bringing in new students, while maintaining the learning needs of our longtime students,” said Susan Anderson-Benson, the Selim Center’s program manager who saw how each director brought their own “spin” to the work of providing lifelong learning opportunities to adults aged 40 or more. “His background as a pastor made him an especially welcoming presence to our students, which was most appreciated by all. He’ll be missed!”

Under Shoemake’s leadership, the center expanded its programming, offering courses in philosophy, science, theology, and the arts. The center provides nearly 200 hours of instruction each year in single and multi-session course offerings to more than 1,100 students. Its students also can audit courses across the university.

But Shoemake didn’t just want older adults to sit in classrooms, he wanted them to be in community.

“Lifelong learning isn’t just about information. It’s about connection. It’s about purpose,” he said. “We created spaces where older learners could think deeply and engage with others across generations.”

One of the center’s more recent initiatives was a collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences for the “We March for Justice” civil rights pilgrimage that brought together older adult learners and traditional-age college students. In 2024 and again in 2025, they traveled to key historical sites across the American South to reflect on the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement.

“It was intergenerational, interracial, interfaith,” Shoemake said. “And it was transformational. The conversations on those trips between students and older adults were as important as the places we visited.”

Moments of shared learning and storytelling, he said, revealed the deep value in bridging generations.

“Our older learners have lived through history, and our students are inheriting it. When you bring them together, something sacred happens,” he said.

Wisdom crosses generations

Shoemake, who has sat on numerous nonprofit boards, including the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Chorale, also was instrumental in leading St. Thomas’ 2025 membership in the Age Friendly University Global Network and attaining its designation as an age-friendly university.

President Rob Vischer and Bob Shoemake (l-r)

During a fireside chat with President Rob Vischer, Vischer said “Bob, you’ve lived your life with a sense of calling. What do you think is the most important message for students today?”

Shoemake answered, “Resist the culture that tells you to build a life based on your resume,” he said. “Instead, ask yourself what you are called to do, not just what you are paid to do.”

As someone who also is an adjunct faculty member at St. Thomas and has taught business ethics to undergraduate and MBA students at the Opus College of Business and theology in the College of Arts and Sciences, Shoemake added, “I didn’t end up where I thought I would, but I ended up where I was meant to be.”

Recognizing his leadership, the Area of Emphasis in Aging at St. Thomas honored him in April 2025 with its “Lifetime Engagement Award.” This award is given annually to a person who has contributed either through their teaching, research, programming, or through their community service to making the world a better place for older adults.

Dr. Tanya Rand, the Area Emphasis in Aging program coordinator, presents Bob Shoemake with the Area Emphasis in Aging Lifetime Achievement Award at St. Thomas in April 2025.

Dr. Tanya Rand, the Area Emphasis in Aging program coordinator and faculty in the Morrison Family College of Health’s School of Social Work, presented Shoemake with the award. She said at that ceremony, “I have known Bob now for several years and in that time I have really grown to appreciate the values he lives every day; the importance of keeping your brain healthy by an ongoing quest for knowledge (never stop learning), the significance of human connections and relationship building across generations (we need each other from cradle to grave), and power of perspective taking regardless of circumstance (I quote Bob- “keep living the dream”). Congratulations Bob. Keep up the good work!”

As Bob Shoemake steps down from his role at the Selim Center, the legacy he leaves is larger than a program. It’s a mindset that learning never stops, that age is a source of strength, and that when generations come together, everyone grows wiser.

As we touched down my heart started racing.

The flight attendant announced, “Welcome to Israel. We continue to pray for the safe release of the hostages and the continued safety for Israel.”

The words hit hard as reality set in that the next week will be tough, thought-provoking, and challenging.

After a full week traversing Israel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to Sderot in southern Israel, bordered by Gaza, to Magdala in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon and Syria, I can say the trip was more than challenging and thought-provoking; it was transformational.

We heard from military leaders who briefed us on the War and its challenges, NGOs, community leaders, survivors of Oct. 7, and Palestinian and Arab-Israeli leaders. There was one speaker in particular who verbalized my feelings.

She shared, “War is brutal, it’s heart-wrenching, and innocent lives pay the ultimate price, yet we must fight for peace because Israelis and Palestinians deserve to coexist in harmony and safety.”

Indeed, this is exactly how I feel because the loss of innocent lives tears my heart apart.

But we cannot lose sight and must never ever forget that Hamas, a brutal terrorist organization chose on Oct. 7, 2023, to launch the deadliest attack on Israel and the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

They targeted without care innocent civilian killing more than 1,100 individuals.

So many in the media quickly forget to share that it’s been 272 days since Hamas took 250 hostages, with 120 still held captive, including an 8-month-old baby, yes, a baby, living without his parents somewhere in Gaza.

So, when heartbreaking images come on the screen of the price of war, they should also show the image of the then 8-month-old being held hostage in Gaza as Israel and the United States work tirelessly to free him and all hostages.

“Human shields” was a recurring theme, and I had not digested what those words truly meant until I was just feet away from the Gaza border. Hamas today controls Gaza, and it comes with a heavy price, paid entirely by innocent Palestinians who also long for peace and safety. But that is their reality and human shields, sadly, is how Hamas sees them as they use residential towers as storage facilities for bombs.

Worse, they turn to civilians to house the hostages, therefore making those civilians agents of terrorism as they knowingly hold captive innocent Israelis and eight Americans.

On Oct. 7, Hamas changed the rules of engagement as this should no longer be viewed and discussed solely as a war based on the religious past and the quest for Jerusalem. Hamas and its leaders have shown they have no heart or care for people or innocent lives, including for the loss of Palestinian lives.

The war waged by Hamas is about the destruction of our democratic values and ending the right for Israel to exist.

A nation that celebrates and hosts one of the world’s largest Pride parades and serves as the only democratic nation in a region that is crucial to the United States’ security.

We also took time to visit Yad Vashem, an architectural fortress that serves as a painful reminder of the evil Jews faced 80 years ago when one man chose to launch one of history’s most troubling periods. For Jewish people, history cannot repeat itself. Genocide occurred because evil was not challenged, and few were willing to stand strong against hate. It took a direct attack on the United States of America for us to aggressively join World War II.

We cannot go back in time to learn why it took years for the United States to confront Hitler and its evil.

Today, we know the consequence of waiting because Hitler’s deliberate and orchestrated efforts to commit genocide against the Jewish people were waged like wildfire until it became uncontrollable and spread across Europe. History must not repeat itself and Israel, the United States and all nations who stand firmly on the side of strong democratic values cannot allow the evils of Hamas and Hezbollah to spread because their mission is no different from Hitler’s. They showed it on Oct. 7 and continue to do so today as they launch missiles across Northern Israel.

War is bloody, war is heartbreaking, and worse, it’s deadly.

Hamas continues to choose to hold hostages as families live in agony praying for the safe release of their loved ones. This is the moment to show unequivocal force to demand that Hamas has but one option if they care about Palestinians- release every single hostage now. Every day that goes by, Hamas is the sole organization responsible for every Palestinian death because the bloodshed could end with Hamas releasing the hostages, yet they choose not to.

Midweek was the hardest for me personally as it was days after the anniversary of my grandmother’s passing. Death was around us; the pain was running through our core, and unimaginable horror was felt as we visited Nachal Oz, one of the Kibbutz’s in Southern Israel attacked on Oct. 7. We heard from its leader who recounted, vividly, the second-by-second experience she endured that bloody day. As I listened with painful agony, imagining what families lived that day, the pain quickly turned into anger as we walked the neighborhood and felt the darkness that overcame the peaceful Kibbutz on Oct. 7.

Tears flowed endlessly because I had never witnessed such a scene. But it would get worse as we visited the Nova Concert site where hundreds of innocent youths were massacred and many taken hostage, so many held today in Gaza. This was a breaking point for me. As I walked the scene alone I was overtaken by emotion and literally got sick to my stomach.

Wednesday evening, as we made our way back to Tel Aviv, I was silent and somber. I went back to the hotel and decided I needed to process all the emotions because what I felt was anger, and I knew this moment required more than anger; we need thoughtfulness. So, I went for a jog on the beautiful boardwalk along the coast of Tel Aviv.

As I jogged over three miles, I paused to FaceTime my husband to share the powerful scene I witnessed.

Resilience!

It was the one word we heard daily, multiple times a day throughout Israel. Israelis are resilient and in the face of darkness and pain, they strive to find light. As I jogged to make sense of what I witnessed earlier, I saw families enjoying the beach, friends playing volleyball, and residents jogging (many much faster than me) alongside each other because terror and war will not stop them from living life. I felt to my very core the resilience of Israel and its people, and it was at that very moment as I FaceTimed with my husband that I recommitted to share every part of our journey and proudly, and loudly say why I stand with Israel and its people because staying silent must never be a choice.

As the trip ended, we enjoyed the closing day on Saturday, the Sabbath. We went to the market in Jerusalem, where we spent a few hours with Arab Israelis, and their shops were open. The conversations were thoughtful as they shared insight on how Oct. 7 impacted their lives. Many felt the pain we all do around the loss of lives. And for them, the economic impact is profound as tourism has come to a screeching halt, so they were most grateful for our willingness to travel to Israel.

During our closing dinner, where we offered final thoughts on the mission trip, I reflected on the night before and the powerful Shabbat dinner hosted by a strong and resilient family whose four adult children have done their tour of duty with the IDF and one on active reserves today. As we ate dinner, the family embraced us with their traditions during Shabbat, each of us sharing a positive moment or lesson encountered during the week. The stories were profound and allowed us to process the trip. As we closed the trip on Saturday night, on my birthday, I was once again reminded of what resilience means and how we lived it for an entire week.

I close with a reflection. War is painful and bloody and must be avoided at all costs because innocent civilians are lost, and generations are forever changed. We live in the United States where we have the freedom to march and speak out and even challenge our government. Sadly, Palestinians cannot do that because they will pay the price with their lives, and that is painful to digest. But it’s their reality and they must fight their own terror as so many across the world have done.

I also know in my own journey, and for millions of LGBT Americans, it’s been the Jewish community, more than any other in our nation, which stood in the face of injustices, marched shoulder to shoulder with us as proud allies as we fought for our rights.

They never bowed to social pressures when confronted with why marriage equality must be the law of the land, but rather joined leaders across the nation in demanding change. This is our moment to unequivocally and without pause confront the evil that challenges the very existence of Jews and Israelis with equal conviction to say we are profoundly and an unapologetic ally of Israel and Jewish people across our world.

I am more so than ever.

We lead by the power of our example and the example of our power! That is America’s history, and it’s being tested like never before. Let’s stand on the right side of history with Israel and show the world once again that our power rests with doing what’s just and right.

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Christian Ulvert, president and founder of EDGE Communications, is one of Florida’s top Democratic strategists. Christian was part of a 12-person delegation organized by the American Israel Education Foundation (AIEF), the charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC, traveling to Israel the last week of June to learn firsthand of Israel’s latest challenges and opportunities, and the continued strength between the United States and Israel relations.