How the Napier Initiative Connects Generations for Social Change
At first glance, Pilgrim Place is known as a socially engaged retirement community in Claremont. But one of the most meaningful expressions of that mission is the powerful intergenerational program, the Napier Initiative at Pilgrim Place.
More than a fellowship. More than mentorship.
The Napier Initiative is a living example of lifelong learning, community engagement, and social justice in action.
What Is the Napier Initiative?
The Pilgrim Place Napier Initiative is a fellowshipand mentorship program that connects residents of Pilgrim Place with undergraduate and graduate students from the Claremont Colleges.
The program enables Pilgrim Place residents to:
Participate in Claremont College courses
Engage in lifelong learning
Serve as mentors to emerging leaders
Support student-led social impact projects
At the same time, students (known as Napier Fellows) develop projects focused on justice, sustainability, peacebuilding, and systemic change. Residents walk alongside them as advisors, conversation partners, and mentors.
This is intergenerational mentoring at Pilgrim Place at its best: wisdom meeting energy. Experience meeting vision.
To learn more, visit the Napier Initiative website
Honoring Joy and Davie Napier
The program is named after Joy and Davie Napier, former Pilgrim Place residents with deep roots in academia and social justice work. Their legacy lives on in a program that bridges generations around shared values.
The Napier Initiative reflects the core spirit of Pilgrim Place: a mission-driven senior living community where retirement is not an ending, but a continuation of purpose.
How Intergenerational Mentoring Works
Each year, students submit project proposals for funding consideration. These projects address real-world challenges: from access to education to public health to environmental sustainability.
Residents serve as elder mentors, offering:
Life experience and perspective
Ethical guidance
Encouragement and accountability
Long-term thinking shaped by decades of engagement
This is not passive observation. It is active collaboration.
Older adults as mentors play a powerful role in shaping leadership for social change, while at the same time gaining perspective from these students. At Pilgrim Place, mentoring across generations is built into community life.
Real-World Impact
That’s what makes this program unique among retirement community social justice programs. It is rooted in action.
The impact of the Napier Initiative extends far beyond campus. This work is made possible by the generous support of our donors.
One early recipient used the funding and mentorship to establish a school in Africa, expanding educational access in underserved communities.
Another funded project focused on making medications more accessible by exploring more affordable manufacturing pathways; work that directly addressed public health inequities.
These are not theoretical ideas. They are social impact projects with measurable outcomes, made possible by the commitment of our residents and our generous donor partners.
That’s what makes this program unique among retirement community social justice programs. It is rooted in action.
Lifelong Learning at Pilgrim Place
The Napier Initiative also reflects Pilgrim Place’s commitment to lifelong learning.
Residents regularly participate in:
Claremont College courses
Discussion groups
Justice-focused lectures
Peace and reconciliation programming
Environmental sustainability education
Seniors in college classrooms are not just a tagline; they're part of daily life.
Pilgrim Place is a learning community for older adults who believe growth never stops.
What Makes Pilgrim Place Unique?
Many retirement communities offer amenities.
Few offer meaningful avenues for social impact.
Pilgrim Place stands apart as a values-based senior living community where:
Justice-focused community programs are central
Intergenerational education is embedded
Community engagement is ongoing
Purposeful aging is encouraged
The Napier Initiative is one of the clearest expressions of that difference.
A Community Focused on the Future
In a time when generations are often siloed, the Napier Initiative creates space for connection.
Students gain perspective.
Residents remain engaged.
Communities benefit.
It’s a model of what socially engaged retirement living can look like — rooted in history, alive in the present, and focused on the future.
Interested in Learning More?
Explore the Napier Initiative through our special intergenerational programs at Pilgrim Place, or visit napierinitiative.org to learn more about the fellowship, projects, courses, and annual celebration.
If you’re seeking a purposeful retirement community in Claremont that values lifelong learning and social justice, we invite you to discover Pilgrim Place.
Pilgrim Place Napier Initiative FAQ’s
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The Napier Initiative is a fellowship and mentorship program that connects Pilgrim Place residents with undergraduate and graduate students from the Claremont Colleges. Residents support student-led projects focused on social change while staying deeply engaged in lifelong learning and community impact.
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It pairs older adults as mentors with students (Napier Fellows) working on real-world justice and sustainability projects. Students bring fresh research and momentum; residents bring decades of perspective, ethics, and long-term thinking—creating a two-way, intergenerational exchange.
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Napier Fellows are students (typically from the Claremont Colleges) who propose and carry out social impact projects. They receive mentorship from Pilgrim Place residents and may receive funding support, depending on the initiative’s awards and donor support.
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Joy and Davie Napier were longtime Pilgrim Place residents recognized for leadership rooted in education, peace, justice, and sustainability. The initiative was named in their honor to carry forward their legacy through intergenerational work and community-based social change.
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Projects typically address challenges like education access, public health, sustainability, peacebuilding, and systemic change. The goal is measurable, real-world impact—projects designed to move beyond ideas into action and community benefit.
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Residents serve as elder mentors and advisors, offering perspective, encouragement, ethical guidance, and accountability. This is active collaboration—not passive observation—where residents help fellows refine their work and stay grounded as projects develop.
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The Napier Initiative is a partnership linking Pilgrim Place with the Claremont Colleges community to encourage leadership for social change through mentoring and collaboration.
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Not exactly. While funding may be available for selected proposals, the Napier Initiative is best described as a fellowship + mentorship model—combining advising, relationship-building, and community learning with project support.
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Yes—Pilgrim Place has a strong culture of lifelong learning, and residents may engage with Claremont Colleges courses and learning opportunities as part of the broader intergenerational relationship the initiative supports.
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Pilgrim Place is a values-driven retirement community where purpose doesn’t stop at retirement. Programs like the Napier Initiative reflect a culture of justice, learning, service, and community engagement embedded in daily life.
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Students typically get involved through Claremont Colleges channels and Napier Initiative pathways (calls for proposals, fellowship/award cycles, and campus/community announcements). The initiative’s website is the best place to start.
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You can explore details, projects, and ways to engage at napierinitiative.org and through Pilgrim Place’s intergenerational programming.
