OLLI NEWS
Osher Institute Members Cheer Furman Basketball Team - OLLI at Furman University
OLLI Hosts "Times Up" Lecture - OLLI at Florida Atlantic University
BOLLI's CAST Troupe - OLLI at Brandeis University
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Greetings from the NRC    Mar 2019 15
"In like a lion" is the apt proverb for this March. So many of us have endured an exceedingly tough winter and there are few breaks in the immediate forecast. Being on many of your email lists, we've seen more than average weather related closures and delays. (Scant sympathy goes to our friends at University of Hawai'i Mānoa, however.) Yet no matter the weather, Osher members find ways to maintain their cheer, creativity, and curiosity. All three of these are well-represented below with a timely tribute to Furman basketball, ingenious performances at Brandeis, and the many inquisitive minds at Florida Atlantic University.  Plus, we explore the Spaces and Places of lifelong learning at Aquinas College in Michigan with a look at the converted historic mansion they call home. If these stories don't warm you up, you better just concentrate very diligently on spring.
 
Our best wishes for an "out like a lamb" March from the frozen Lake Michigan shore, 

 
Steve Thaxton, Executive Director


 
What's a college to do when there's a BIG basketball game and students are still on break?  Call on OLLI, of course!

Furman University's men's basketball team is having a great season, including a couple of weeks in the NCAA's Top 25-quite an accomplishment for a college with 2,700 students.  On January 3rd, Furman hosted in-state rival The Citadel.  With the team's number one fans on break, the Athletics Department was looking for ways to fill the student section. They offered a special deal to OLLI members; a $12 ticket gave them great seating, a Furman hat, and a free drink.  OLLI staff hoped to have a decent showing. They had no idea that 188 OLLI members would take advantage of this offer and cheer the team on to victory!

The members in the group had so much fun, and made such an impression on the Athletic Department, that they were offered another special deal later in January.  Again, there was a great OLLI member showing.

This has been a win for all. OLLI members enjoyed a fun outing, the basketball team gained new fans, ticket revenue increased (those seats would have been free for students), and Furman University saw how much OLLI members love their adopted university.

Submitted by: Nancy Kennedy, director, OLLI at Furman University


OLLI at Florida Atlantic University
OLLI Hosts "Times Up" Lecture
Last October, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida Atlantic University presented a lecture by Hilary Rosen, a political analyst and founding chair of the Time's Up Legal Defense Fund. According to Kami Barrett-Batchelder, associate director of OLLI at FAU, over 200 attended the lecture. The lecture was coordinated by Kami with the help of longtime member and former advisory board member, Gayle Jacobs, who is also Hillary's mother. Gayle, and her husband Bob sponsored the event.
 
Titled, "Time's Up in Work and Politics: How the Me Too Movement Creates Permanent Change," Hillary's lecture examined the creation of Time's Up, a movement formed by a group of women in entertainment in response to sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein. The Time's Up Legal Defense Fund, the group's first program, was established to support those in any industry that have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Over the course of the lecture, Hillary discussed these issues and how they play out in boardrooms, voting booths and kitchen tables across America.
 
Hillary Rosen is a well-known Washington, D.C., strategist, on-air CNN political analyst and a partner at SKDKnickerbocker. Her focus is advocating for women, LGBT issues, and progressive causes. She is also the founder of Business Forward, a progressive network of leaders seeking change in Washington. Hillary's ability to lead issue campaigns in D.C. is profiled in the book Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power, by the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reporters Gerald Seib and John Harwood. Hillary is a graduate of George Washington University with a degree in international business and lives in Washington, D.C.
 
Submitted by: Kami Barrett-Batchelder, associate director, OLLI at Florida Atlantic University

OLLI at Brandeis University
BOLLI's CAST Troupe
For the past few years, BOLLI's own CAST troupe (Creative Adventures in Storytelling and Theatre) has been meeting for theatre games and improvisation exercises, play reading, storytelling, and more.  
 
It didn't take long for the group to determine that they'd like to engage in a production for the BOLLI community, so they put together a group of scenes from a variety of sources and staged them.  The troupe had such fun that, the next year, they decided to make a return engagement and presented a series of monologues from one-person plays about famous characters.  And then, they began to...well, run dry. It was getting harder and harder to find material for intellectually mature and sophisticated older actors, especially when it came to light comedy.  
 
At the same time, OLLI member Sue Wurster, leaped into a writing class where one assignment was to write a piece consisting entirely of dialogue.  The result?  A story that ended up becoming a scene, which was soon followed by more. That year, the troupe presented a program of six scenes for senior actors written expressly for the group. This year, they did six more.  
 
Now, all twelve of those scenes are available in Carrying On...And On at Amazon (in both Kindle and paperback versions) for other OLLI groups to perform as well!
 
These are "non-royalty" scenes which feature older characters in largely realistic, humorous, and sometimes poignant situations. While most of the characters are female, most names used throughout are not gender specific, so casting can be flexible. Setting and costuming requirements are also simple.  
 
Doing drama together in CAST has been enormous fun. The troupe spends a lot of time laughing as they play theatre games, engage in acting exercises, improvisation, and tell stories. But they're also learning a great deal about the creative process and acting. They hope that other OLLI groups will enjoy producing this kind of work as well!
 
Submitted by: Sue Wurster, member, OLLI at Brandeis University


Conference
2020 Osher Institutes National Conference
Save the Date!
April 20-22, 2020

OLLI leaders and colleagues will gather at the sesquiennial Osher Institutes National Conference in the spring of 2020. As with past conferences, two representatives from each Osher Institute are invited to attend to make it possible for delegates, National Resource Center staff and Osher Foundation staff to meet each other, network, and have substantive discussions and interactions. Each OLLI may decide upon the two delegates selected, but attendees should include one program staff member and one program volunteer leader. The Osher Foundation is pleased to cover the cost of registration, accommodations, and meals for attendees. Individual Institutes will be responsible for arranging and paying for transportation of their participants to the conference, including airline travel, ground transportation to and from the airport and personal expenses incurred during travel.
 
Information on registration and conference details will be available in the coming months as curriculum and events are further developed.

NRCupdate
Osher NRC 2019 Webinar Series
Mark your calendar for the next webinar on March 20, 2019 beginning at 2pm Eastern/1pm Central/noon Mountain/11am Pacific/10am in Alaska and 9am in Hawaii. Register for the webinar here.

Connecting Across Generations Through Intergenerational Programming
Intergenerational programming can range from creative projects, to mentorships, to conversation partners for international students and everything in between. Across the Osher network, Institutes are engaging in intergenerational activities that foster connections to the wider population of their host college or university. This webinar will feature Osher directors and staff versed in a variety of intergenerational programming. Learn about different types of intergenerational programming, how they benefit both an OLLI and the university/college, as well as the keys to success for these intergenerational activities.
 
Presenters
Abby Baker
Program Specialist, OLLI @ Arizona State University
 
Tony Long
Executive Director, OLLI @ American University
 
Megan Whilden
Executive Director, OLLI @ Berkshire Community College

If you have interest in being a presenter or have ideas for future webinars, please contact Kevin Connaughton (kevin.connaughton@northwestern.edu ). 

Spaces and Places of OLLI SpacesAndPlaces
Aquinas College
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan is housed in a magnificent old colonial brick mansion on the college campus. It was built in 1906 on ten acres of beautiful grounds by a wealthy owner of the Musselman Grocer Company. The building was acquired by the College in 1967 and named the Browne Center in 1986 after a major donor.

OLLI has use of three floors for classroom space including a library for small class discussion; a 50 seat classroom in the former living room; a 70 seat lecture space in the lower level; a 25 seat small classroom upstairs; a fully equipped kitchen and an oak paneled dining room for a break room and art classes; and, a lovely sitting room for reading and conversation. The Institute also has the use of a 160 seat lecture facility across the street from the building.  Fortunately, OLLI has more than 100 reserved free parking spaces for students next to the building. 

OLLI at Aquinas grew out of an earlier program, Emeritus College, which was founded in 1973. The Institute will celebrate 46 years of lifelong learning classes this year. Currently, OLLI at Aquinas offers approximately 300 courses, trips, hiking and travel opportunities annually. Membership has remained steady at 1,200 students per year. Sheila Pantlind, OLLI Director, notes, "our students love being at their home away from home where they continue to learn, make lifelong friends, and have fun."

Want to see your own distinctive "Space or Place" in this newsletter? Please send it to oshernrc@northwestern.edu.

An Advice Column for Osher Institute Staff and Volunteers
dearolliDear Olli
Dear Olli,
I will be staying with my son and grandchildren in the summer, who live in a different state. I saw on the OLLI map that there is an institute not too far from where I will be staying, is my OLLI membership good at other institutes?
~Travelin' Learned Man

Dear Travelin' Learned Man,
First, kudos to you for using our handy OLLI map, it's the best way to find an Osher Institute near you! While not every city or town has an OLLI, there are 123 programs serving 365 U.S. towns and cities, because many Institutes run satellite locations in nearby communities! And on the map, you'll find local website links when you click on any of the pins.
 
Regarding your question, Osher Institutes are all independent programs affiliated with their host college or university. They are not connected through a unified membership structure nor governed by a single entity. Therefore, your membership only applies to your home Institute. However, check with the Osher Institute in your son's area. OLLIs offer different pricing and semester models. Perhaps they have an option that would work during your extended visit.  Happy Learning!
~Olli

Have a question for Olli? Please send it in care of Kevin Connaughton (kevin.connaughton@northwestern.edu). 

Educational Travel Ideas from the OLLI Network
The OLLI Traveler OlliTraveler
OLLI at Saginaw Valley State University
Alaska Discovery Land & Cruise
Join SVSU-OLLI on Collette's 13- Day Alaska Discovery Land & Cruise! Relax for seven nights and enjoy the epic Alaskan scenery from aboard one of Princess Cruise Lines' lovely ships. Cruise through the Inside Passage and Glacier Bay, taking in rugged natural wonders. Cruise the Sternwheeler Discovery and encounter Alaska's diverse culture and rich history. Enjoy three nights at stunning Princess' Lodges and Hotels. Ride a Luxury Domed Rail from Denali to Talkeetna viewing incredible landscapes from glass ceiling railcars and open air observation platforms as guides provide expert commentary. Travel deep into Denali National Park for the best opportunities to view the region's wildlife. Explore Alaska's gorgeous capital, Juneau. Visit Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital of the World. Enjoy lively entertainment and a hearty feast at the Music of Denali Dinner Theater. End in vibrant Vancouver. Learn more about this trip to Alaska.
Dates: August 20 - September 1, 2019

OLLI at Boise State University
Best of Yellowstone
Yellowstone National Park's past and present volcanic and tectonic activity is the foundation of its unique ecosystem and the ecological connections that make it so alluring. Join a park naturalist for a field study showcasing this UNESCO Heritage Site where landforms, together with climate, elevation and time, have resulted in a grand diversity of flora and fauna. Interpretive walks and field trips reveal wildlife, geology, forest, wildflowers and thermal features, as well as the park's human history and current issues.  Learn more about this trip to Yellowstone .
Date: May 19-25, 2019

OLLI at Aquinas College
Spectacular Scandinavia
Highlights include: Copenhagen, Vaxjo, Swedish Glass Museum, Stockholm, Vasa Ship Museum, High Speed Train, Oslo, Viking Ship Museum, Flåm Railway, Sognefjord, Briksdal Glacier, Geirangerfjord Cruise, Bergen. Stop at the Vasa Ship Museum to learn of the vessel's shocking maiden voyage. Visit the inricately-designed Borgund Stave Church, erected in 1180. Witness scenic wilderness along the Flåm Railway.  Learn more about this trip to Scandinavia .
Date: July 25 - August 7, 2019

Quick Tips for Helping Operate an Osher Institute
didyouknowQuick Tip - Curriculum Resources
Looking for some fresh content for your Osher Institutes's curriculum? This graph shows data from the 2018 Benchmarking study on the most popular curricular resources being used at OLLIs. 

  Career Openings in the OLLI Network
jobboardJob Board
Program Coordinator, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Rutgers University

Classroom Coordinator, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
University of California, Berkeley

Trip Coordinator, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Academic Support Coordinator

Is there a staff opening at your Osher Institute? Please send it to us at  oshernrc@northwestern.edu