The Elderhostel State Office is located within the Division of Continuing Education. The State Director coordinates the programming in Iowa at thirty other cooperating colleges and universities. Elderhostel is a short term non-credit academic program designed for persons age 55 and older. It is a part of an international network of over 1800 sites. Each institution designs programs which feature some of its best known fields of study.
Participants gather from all over the country because of a specific course of study.
The Elderhostel programs held on The University of Iowa campus are also directed by Peggy Houston from the Division of Continuing Education. Participants stay in the local residence halls and are integrated into many of the campus activities. Over the past 20 years of programming there have been many departments and courses offered. Recently the focus has been mostly on creative writing with several sessions held each summer on poetry, short fiction, memoirs, novels and essay.