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Greetings from the NRC July 2016
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The Gershwin and Heyward lyric, "Summertime and the livin' is easy..." doesn't describe the season for most Osher Institutes. Rather, this is a time of special programming and exciting activities. And for most OLLIs, it is a busy time of creating and recruiting for fall courses, discussion groups, and events. Here at the Osher NRC, we applaud your summer work and share in your sense of vigorous creativity in our current work on the 2017 Osher Institutes National Conference, among other projects.
In this July newsletter, you'll see the highly anticipated announcement of the 2017 Conference, again made possible by the generosity of our supportive funders at The Bernard Osher Foundation.
While looking to future happenings, some of this month's OLLI Newsletter stories also have a theme of looking back: celebrating milestones at Johns Hopkins University; poignantly recounting a father's service to country at Louisiana State University; and listening to the toe-tapping history of cultural icons "The Beach Boys" at University of Richmond.
We hope you enjoy a few easy summer minutes away from your projects as you catch up on Osher Network news.
Our best wishes for summer relaxation in between all your OLLI work,
Steve Thaxton, executive director
NRC for Osher Institutes
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Osher Institute at Johns Hopkins University
Celebrating 30 Years of Lifelong Learning
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On Sunday, May 1, 2016, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Johns Hopkins University (Osher at JHU) celebrated its 30th anniversary hosting 200 members, faculty and guests at a sumptuous jazz brunch and a performance by Daryl Davis and his Band. To mark this tremendous milestone, Vice Dean Kathleen Burke joined former Johns Hopkins Dean Stanley Gabor, Director, Mary Kay Shartle Galotto and former Director Kathy Porsella, all of whom have been instrumental in building Osher's reputation as a community of learning and friendship. Program Supervisor Susan Howard was among the honorees as she celebrates 20 years with Osher at JHU this year.
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Mary Kay Shartle Galotto, director, Osher at JHU and Kathy Porsella, former director |
Highlights of the day included a special video starring Osher members and capturing the fun and memories of Osher days past and present. Member Ginny Schultz and faculty member Stan Levin collaborated on the video which can be
viewed here. An Osher trivia game created by member Jerry Robins tested everyone's memories. Four lucky members went home with door prizes including an Osher gift basket, a 30th anniversary fleece jacket, "The Ultimate Broadway Musical List Book" by Steven Friedman and a free one-year Osher at JHU membership.
Osher at JHU had its beginning 30 years ago as the Evergreen Society in Columbia, Maryland with 15 students taking three classes. Evergreen grew and prospered, and in 2008 became Osher at JHU, joining the national network of over a hundred life-long learning educational partnerships begun by philanthropist Bernard Osher. Today the Osher at JHU program has over 1200 members, and offers classes in three major locations, Baltimore/Columbia and Montgomery County, as well as three satellite locations.
"Special thanks to the planning committee from both campuses and all those who celebrated with us to raise a toast to 30 years of Evergreen/Osher excellence, as we move forward to the challenges and opportunities of the future," said Director Galotto.
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Osher Institute at University of Richmond
The Wrecking Crew
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The University of Richmond's Osher Institute offered a class this semester on the The Beach Boys' album, "Pet Sounds", often cited as one of the most influential recordings of the last 50 years. In preparing for this class, Osher instructors Bill Pike and Joe Vanderford arranged for a viewing of the  documentary film, "The Wrecking Crew", about the studio musicians who backed up many of the great musical groups of the 60s, including the The Beach Boys. This add-on event brought nearly 100 Osher members and friends to the university.
Denny Tedesco, son of Wrecking Crew guitarist Tommy Tedesco, and creator of the film, was the featured guest. He offered wonderful insights on his father's work and the importance of the behind-the-scenes musicians during this era.
The music incorporated in this documentary resonated with our members - this was our era! Everyone recognized and could sing along with just about every song.
Bill and Joe did a great job tying the film back to the Pet Sounds class by relating the story of how The Beach Boys became intertwined with The Wrecking Crew.
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Denny Tedesco Speaks to Osher Institute Members |
After their initial successes with songs about surfing, cars, and surfer girls, The Beach Boys writer and producer Brian Wilson suffered a nervous breakdown. This breakdown generated a request from him to his band mates: let me stop touring so I can stay at home to write and produce new material for the group. The Beach Boys agreed, and while the band hit the concert trail, Brian stayed in Los Angeles writing songs. Then he went to the recording studio to work with a talented group of studio musicians nicknamed the Wrecking Crew to lay down the instrumental tracks. The Beach Boys would come home off the road and head to the studio where Brian taught them their vocal parts for the new recordings.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
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The Osher Institute at Yavapai College recently hosted their first Spirit Symposium. Open to the public, but offering a discounted rate for OLLI members, the symposium drew participants from 11 different states and as far as Rhode Island. Robin Weeks, director of the Sedona campus of the OLLI at
 Yavapai College noted the intention of the symposium was two-fold. "Bringing the science behind our spiritual awareness adds understanding to the nature of consciousness, the very essence of who we are," Weeks said. "OLLI's educational mission makes this fundraising symposium an exciting opportunity to learn while helping to build our Scholarship Fund."
As noted in the "Sedona Red Rock News" article, the two day Spirit Symposium featured four of "the most innovative minds and creative voices in afterlife research including Gary Schwartz; Mark Anthony; Marjorie Hines-Woollacott; and Weeks." The faculty presented "scientific evidence concerning life after death; non-physical consciousness; near-death experiences; survival of consciousness; spirit communication, both human and animal; karma; and reincarnation" with the goal of bridging the gap between the scientific and the spiritual.
 Osher Institute members also had the opportunity to participate in the OLLI at Yavapai College six-week Great Ideas Program - a class based on Dr. Marjorie Woollacott's recent book "Infinite Awareness" that culminated in three days of face-to-face time with Dr. Woollacott following the symposium. Robin Weeks noted that the class was enormously successful with rich discussions, hearing from many members that it was one of the best they had experienced at the Institute.
The Osher Institute at Yavapai College hopes to make the Spirit Symposium an annual event, as well as continue their Great Ideas Program as they invite other authors for similar experiences.
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OLLI at Louisiana State University
Daughter Tells Father's War Story Lecture
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In May, Osher Institute at Louisiana State University members heard from local resident Beth Dawson, the compelling story of her father's wartime experience in the Bataan Death March and as a prisoner of war in the
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OLLI Member Beth Dawson with Photo of her Father |
Philippines during WWII. While her father, Army Capt. Whitney Langlois shared only a little of his story during his lifetime, Beth had the opportunity to join with surviving veterans retracing the final five miles of the Death March where she learned much about the daily life and privations among those held prisoner.
Beth was able to share with these vets how an LSU connection contributed to her father's survival. When captured, he had swallowed his LSU graduation ring. Later he was able to trade it for food and cigarettes. Captain Langlois was among those who surrendered to the Japanese in 1942, surviving until liberated in 1945. Her OLLI lecture was covered in great detail in the Baton Rouge Advocate newspaper.
Submitted by: Joanne Johnson, program manager, OLLI at Louisiana State University
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Osher NRC 2016 Webinar Series
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Mark your calendar for the next webinar on July 20, 2016 beginning at 2:00pm Eastern/1:00pm Central/noon Mountain/11:00am Pacific/10:00am in Alaska and 9:00am in Hawaii. It is entitled:
Managing Multi-site OLLIs.
Many Osher Institutes have, or are considering, satellite sites for their programs. Whether at remote campuses, rented locations or in classrooms affiliated with other organizations such as retirement or community centers, there are distinct factors to consider and lessons to learn about effectively running multiple sites. Learn from the experiences of three different OLLIs in operating multi-site Osher Institutes, including the pitfalls and the successes associated with these models.
If you have interest in being a presenter, or have ideas for topics, please contact Diane Venzera (diane.venzera@northwestern.edu).
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Irving, TX - April 2017
Announcing the 2017 Osher Institutes National Conference
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The National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes is pleased to announce:
The 2017 National Conference for Osher Institutes
April 3-5, 2017
at
The Omni Mandalay at Los Colinas in Irving, Texas
Plan to join OLLI leaders and colleagues at the sesquiannual national conference next spring. As with past conferences, two representatives from each Osher Institute are invited to attend to make it possible for the delegates, National Resource Center staff and the Osher Foundation staff and Board Members to meet each other, network, and have substantive discussions and interactions. Each OLLI may decide upon the two delegates selected, but we encourage a mix of both staff and member leadership. 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.
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Osher NRC Newsletter Survey
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Did you miss the survey in the June newsletter?
NRC staff would appreciate your opinion to make sure that we're providing information that is interesting and useful to you in this monthly Newsletter. Please take a moment to complete this short four question survey. Thank you!
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An Advice Column for Osher Institute Staff and Volunteers
Dear Olli
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Dear Olli, 
Our Curriculum Committee is strictly oriented to academic subjects in course content and lectures. When ideas relating to expressive arts or physical health activities such as movement or yoga classes come up, they shun them. In my estimation we are missing opportunities by tipping so much to the academic side. What advice do you have for us?
~Dissenting Opinion
Dear Dissenting,
Osher Institutes are encouraged to find just the right curriculum approach for their individual Osher Institute. There's no right or wrong approach. Many variables influence course offerings: the host college or university culture; whether instructors are paid faculty or peer leaders; availability of physical facilities; and, if there are other lifelong learning programs that compete with a particular OLLI for course enrollments. Many OLLI programs distinguish between their regular classroom curricula and Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that encompass physical activities and expressive arts, as well as hobbies. The presence of SIGs sometimes have an impact on course choice when they serve the purpose of applying theoretical learning with activities. Importantly, the most prominent variable on this question is simply member interest. For the most part, institutes strike a balance between both academic and non-academic courses. Most curriculum committees and OLLI directors have two tools to help them assess the right mix - either the metrics of enrollment from past courses (some fly high and some sink) or they gather member feedback in the form of surveys and evaluations. My advice is to sincerely express your interest in alternative courses, but broadly assess the interests of the general membership in a way that goes beyond a few opinions and is supported with ample collection of data.
~Olli
Have a question for Olli? Please send it in care of Stacey Hart at the NRC:Stacey.Hart@Northwestern.edu
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Educational Travel Ideas from In and Outside the OLLI Network
The OLLI Traveler
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Florida State University
Lifelong Learning Summer School at Corpus Christi College Cambridge, England
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OLLI Members at Cambridge in 2013 |
The annual Lifelong Learning Summer School at Corpus Christi College,
Cambridge is a fantastic opportunity to spend one or two weeks
experiencing the highlights of Cambridge college life in the
University's sixth-oldest college (founded in 1352), and in the
company of other lifelong learners from around the world!
Participants take two academic courses each week for the love of
learning, live in college accommodations, take meals in the
historic dining hall, and have a full and exciting social
program to get the most out of being in Cambridge. The college is also
able to organize special summer schools specifically for
the member groups of a particular OLLI program.
Dates: Aug 19-26, 2016
OLLI Southeastern Space CampĀ®
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an astronaut?
Get ready for the thrill of a lifetime! The University of Alabama in Huntsville Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is pleased to invite you for an out-of-this-world adventure, a memorable German feast, and a history lesson on the Rocket City contributions to the US space program. On September 8 - 9, OLLI members throughout the Southeastern Region lift off to OLLI Space CampĀ® and you're invited to join them. Several packages are available, and you can find all the details
online here.
Dates: Sep 8-9, 2016
OLLI at the University of Alabama Huntsville
Capitals of Spain 
Consider traveling to Madrid, Valencia, and Barcelona, Spain, in March of 2017 for 14 days. See cultural and historic sites, museums, taste Spanish specialties, and travel with your OLLI friends. Our trip is booked through Grand Circle Travel. The OLLI Curriculum Committee is working to offer classes this fall and winter to support this travel.
Click here for more information.
Dates: March 2017
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Interesting Facts to Know and Talk About
Did You Know...?
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- There are more than 154,000 Osher Institute members nationwide.
- In the summer heat, the iron in France's Eiffel Tower expands, making the tower grow more than six inches.
- Long term memory gets better with age.
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Career Openings in the OLLI Network
Job Board
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OLLI Coordinator/Bartlesville - Temporary
Administrative Support Associate - OLLI Office Coordinator
Is there a staff opening at your Osher Institute? Please send it to us at
oshernrc@northwestern.edu
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