Useful Resources - CU Denver Change Makers

Looking to dig deeper into the themes we explore in Change Makers?

This curated collection highlights current ideas and research on purpose, longevity, career reinvention, and thriving in midlife. These books and articles have inspired our curriculum and continue to spark reflection among fellows and alumni.

Articles

• Old School: Midlife Transition Programs Take Off – Forbes article on the increase in university midlife transition programs like Change Makers: "The idea is simple. The impact profound."
• It’s Never Too Late – New York Times series of articles on “inspiring people who prove it’s never too late to switch gears, change your life and pursue your dreams”
• Grow Your Brain – Research from Oxford University on brain plasticity and aging
• You’ll probably live to be 100. Here’s how you need to prepare for it – World Economic Forum article summarizing the main points in the book The 100 Year Life by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott
• Third acts: Some older adults are rejecting lives of leisure – on purpose  – Christian Science Monitor article on the pursuit of meaningful activity in later life
• Late Work: From recreation to re-creation – Forbes article on a variety of models for “late work” that includes this great line: “Ageing is compulsory, but learning is optional.”
  

Books 

• Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives, Ken Stern, 2025.
  A compelling look at how community and relationships shape our health span and life satisfaction.
• Moments That Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond — Karyn D. Kedar, 2024
  Offers rituals and reflections for navigating major life transitions with intention and grace.
• Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long & Well You Live. Becca Levy, 2022
  Groundbreaking research showing how mindset powerfully influences aging and longevity.
• Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age, Bruce Feiler, 2020.
• In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in the New World of Work. Kerry Hannon, 2022.
  A practical guide to navigating career transitions, entrepreneurship, and financial independence after 50, from one of the nation’s leading experts on work and aging.
• The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity. Linda Gratton and Andrew Scott, 2016.
  Explores how longer lifespans are reshaping careers, education, and relationships — and offers a roadmap for thriving across multiple life stages.
• Life Reimagined: The Science, Art, and Opportunity of Midlife. Barbara Bradley Hagerty, 2016. 
  Blends neuroscience and storytelling to reveal midlife as a time of opportunity and personal growth.
• The Power of Purpose: Find Meaning, Live Better Longer (3rd edition). Richard Leider, 2015. 
• Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life. Mark Freedman, 2008.