In this Issue:
Registration for the Fall Semester | Registration Mythbusting | News from the Director | New Special Event Added | Spring Offerings Still Available | SIGs Over the Summer | Thank You, April Volunteers | Meet Our New Advisory Board Members | Faculty Grant Recipients | Scholarships Available
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Registration for the Fall Semester
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The new fall catalog will be mailed at the end of May. This catalog's offerings are listed in date order by the month in which they begin. We hope this layout will help you manage your calendar and we are interested in hearing what you think.
8 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18
Online and paper registration opens.
8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19
Phone registration opens.
Register Online!
This is the preferred method of registration
. Visit
osher.boisestate.edu
and click the “Log In / Join” link on our home page. If you are a new member, you will need to create an account before purchasing a membership.
If you are unable to register online, you may register by paper or phone.
- Paper Registration – Paper forms are processed in the order they are received but will not be processed until online registration opens on June 18. Since we may receive a large amount of paper forms prior to registration day, we recommend that you mail in or drop off your form as soon as you receive your catalog. Mail to: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 220 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Boise, ID 83706.
- Phone Registration – Due to the high volume of phone calls we receive from members requesting technical support on registration day, phone registration is not available until 8 a.m. on Wednesday, June 19. You may phone-in your registration by calling Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.
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Get a head start on the registration process!
Memberships for the 2019-2020 year will be available for purchase starting on
We recommend purchasing your membership in advance of registration day. This gives you the opportunity to log in to your account, verify that you have the correct password, and get familiar with the website. If you need assistance with your password, please call Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.
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Each year in the excitement around registration day, we tend to hear the following myths circulating throughout the membership. We'd like to take a moment to dispel the top two myths:
Myth 1:
"Everything fills up on registration day."
Busted!
While some of our popular offerings certainly do fill on the opening day of registration,
more than half of our offerings still have space available in the weeks that follow. Small capacity special events and workshops often fill quickly—because we know this, we have started offering two of the same event right off the bat. As always, we recommend that you put your name on the waitlist if an offering is full. We also encourage you to explore the rest of our available offerings that you may have missed in your initial registration.
Myth 2: "You'll get into more classes if you register by paper."
Busted!
Paper forms are not processed—or entered into our system in any way—until the opening day of registration. A limited number of Osher and Extended Studies staff members manually enter paper forms on registration day, and all forms are processed in the order in which we received them. Since
paper forms are hand-processed at the same time that other members are registering themselves online, turning in your paper form does not guarantee any sort of registration outcome. Paper forms are never pre-loaded into the system.
Pro Tip: If you have any questions about the registration process or would like to learn how to register online, contact the Osher office at (208) 426-6554 or
osher@boisestate.edu. We are happy to explain the process so you can feel confident in knowing how registration day works!
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It’s official—the fall catalog is off to the printer! Our team of curriculum committee members, advisory board members, and internal staff worked incredibly hard to create a quality list of presenters and topics to share with you in the fall semester. Many thanks to our proofing team as well:
Walt Thode
,
Barbara Olic-Hamilton
, and
Merilee Marsh
. It truly takes a village to get the best outcome.
I continue to see members making contributions to the
Excellence Fund
throughout the spring semester—thank you! The Excellence Fund helps ensure our ability to provide you with high-quality programming presented by university and community experts. It also helps us recognize and attract Boise State faculty through the Faculty Grant program, provide member scholarships, and meet operational demands as they arise. Learn more about giving to the Excellence Fund on the
Osher website
.
I’ve had a number of great questions from members this month:
- How do we select topics and presenters?
- What do we do with evaluations after a presentation?
- How do we decide to bring back presenters who have been here before?
- How does one get involved with a committee?
- How and where do we promote the Osher Institute?
- How does a member refer a great speaker to the Osher Institute for consideration?
Rather than diving into these here, I invite you to my next casual
Coffee & Cookies
event on
Thursday, May 16, from 12-1:00 p.m.
in the Yanke Building small classroom. Our advisory board chair,
Ben Simko
, and advisory board member,
Dennis Hall
, will join me in answering all of these questions. We hope to see you there!
Dana Thorp Patterson, Director
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Meditation with Sadguru Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati
Sadguru Swami Nirmalananda Saraswati is an American Swami with a long and varied career in teaching yoga and meditation. Highly sought after as a speaker across the country, she will be in Boise for a brief visit and has agreed to present to members of the Osher Institute. Swami Nirmalananda will share her experiences as a monk in the Saraswati order in a personal way and explain the basics of meditation and how to make them applicable to your everyday life. If you have an interest in meditation and inner energy, this unique opportunity is for you.
Date and time
: Fri. June 14, 10 a.m.-noon
Cost: Included with membership
by calling Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.
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Spring Offerings Still Available
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Not all of our offerings fill up on registration day! Listed below are the remaining spring semester offerings that still have space available for members to register.
Susan Fenimore Cooper and the Birth of American Environmentalism | Dr. Rochelle Johnson
Mon., May 6, 10 a.m.-noon | Included with membership
The FBI and the Radicals: 1963-1976
| Aaron Leonard
Tue. and Wed., May 21, 22, 28, and 29, 10 a.m.-noon | $45
The Enlightenment and 18th Century Art
| Muffet Jones
Mon., Jun 3, 10, and 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m. | $35
Athenian Democracy
| Dr. Richard Leahy
Wed., June 5 and 12, 1:30-3:30 p.m. | $25
Visit the
Osher Registration Website
to register online and read the offering descriptions. You can also register by phone by calling Customer Services at (208) 426-1709.
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Although our last class of the semester will end on June 17, many of our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) will continue through the summer. SIGs are a great way to connect with other members, and we hope you consider registering for a few as you enjoy the summer months.
- (New!) Make Your Family Tree Better (Formerly known as the Genealogy SIG): Join other members to enhance your knowledge of your family tree and discuss best practices for genealogy research. The next meeting will take place on Monday, May 20 at 10 a.m. Please email osher@boisestate.edu or call (208) 426-6554 for more information and to add your name to the mailing list.
- (New!) Tuesday Social SIG: Whether you're biking, walking, or just out and about downtown Boise, consider joining this casual, purely social SIG. The first meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 4 at 10 a.m. at the Grove Plaza, 827 W. Main St. Coffee and doughnuts will be provided by the Osher Institute, and we would love to see you there! Please email osher@boisestate.edu or call (208) 426-6554 to add your name to the mailing list.
In addition to the new SIGs listed above, the following established SIGs will continue to meet over the summer:
- Conversational Spanish
- First Friday Astronomy Lectures at Boise State
- Foreign Films at The Flicks (meets through June)
- Hiking the Foothills (meets through June)
- Memoir Writing
- Walking the Greenbelt
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Thank You, April Volunteers
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There would be no Osher Institute without help from our wonderful volunteers. Thank you to the following members who gave their time during the month of April:
Darlene Stattner,
Carole Flatter,
Gary Wyke,
Elizabeth Greene,
Martha Hays,
Mickey Vogt,
Ed Bracht,
Rainey Pieters,
Steve and
Pam Ahrens,
Sharon DeLong, and
Kathy Yochum for greeting members before courses and lectures.
Thank you, too, to the Nominating Committee (
Ben Simko,
Dennis Hall,
Merilee Marsh,
Sheri Robison, and
Nancy Roehrkasse) for interviewing and nominating our new Advisory Board members;
the Faculty Grant Committee (
Rick Ogle,
Linda Hurlbutt,
Sheri Robison,
Patty Toney,
Wally Smith, and
Ben Simko) for reading grant proposals and selecting our 2019 Osher Faculty Grant recipients. We couldn't do it without you!
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Meet Our New Advisory Board Members
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Cindy Anson
worked at Boise State University for nearly 30 years before retiring in December 2016. She was hired in 1988 as the first university-wide coordinator of academic advising and oversaw the development of the first centralized academic advising center for freshmen.
Her career focus shifted after she began working on business process improvement teams in preparation for the implementation of a new campus information system. This led to a position in the Provost’s office managing projects and facilitating planning and problem-solving meetings. More importantly, it led to meeting her husband, Rob Anson, a professor of information technology. They consider themselves to be the first “go live” of the project. She remained in the Provost’s office for the next 16 years where she added new faculty orientation, leadership development for department chairs, and “other duties as assigned” to her portfolio.
Her best retirement gift was a membership in the Osher Institute. In addition to taking Osher classes, Cindy and Rob enjoy traveling both independently and with the Road Scholar program and have a goal to visit every person on their Christmas card list in the near future. At home, you will most likely find her with her nose in a mystery novel or spoiling their two elderly dogs.
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Celeste Miller
moved from Reno to Idaho in 1977 to go to law school in Moscow. Skiing in Sun Valley convinced her to make Idaho her home, where she has long enjoyed outdoor recreation of all sorts. Celeste moved to Boise where she practiced law for 37 years, first at Givens McDevitt Pursley and Webb (now Givens Pursley), and then as an Assistant United States Attorney. After leaving the Department of Justice, Celeste joined the firm of McDevitt & Miller until she recently retired from her litigation career. In between lawsuits, Celeste has volunteered for area non-profits including the Idaho Law Foundation where she co-chaired the effort to host the 2016 National High School Mock Trial Championship. She has also volunteered as a Board member and Grants Committee Chair of the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation.
Celeste is an avid Osher member interested in a variety of courses, and she recently finished presenting the course, “The Anatomy of a Federal White Collar Criminal Prosecution.” Celeste is excited to expand her involvement with Osher by joining the Osher Advisory Board.
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Established in 2011 by the Osher Institute Advisory Board, the Osher Faculty Grant has awarded over $115,000 to fund Boise State faculty research projects. The grant supports Boise State faculty and raises awareness of the Osher Institute within the university. Annual member contributions to the Osher Institute Excellence Fund make the grant possible.
The 2019 Osher Faculty Grant recipients are:
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"Applications of Microbial Facilitated Stabilization for Sustainable Improvement of Expansive Subgrades"
Dr. Baskhar Chittori, Department of Civil Engineering
This project aims at applying environmentally-friendly biological processes to minimize volume changes (heaving and shrinking) in expansive soils. One innovative approach to prevent this heaving and shrinking is called microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP) which stimulates bacteria to precipitate calcite and strengthen the soil. This study applies MICP to expansive clay soils to mitigate swelling and improve soil strength.
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"Post-Concussive Blood Biomarker Detection"
Leslie Kendrick, Department of Radiologic Sciences
This project aims to identify a new method of measuring post-concussive time to recovery and to identify if blood biomarkers could aid patients, physicians, coaches, and families in recognizing and predicting post-concussive healing. This research specifically aims to compare the time of post-concussive symptom resolution, defined for this study as a return to work, learn, and play, with blood biomarker levels in young athletes over the course of the study.
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"Caxton Printers of Idaho and the Development of Regional Book Publishing in the American West"
Alessandro Meregaglia, Albertsons Library
This project will study the history of Caxton Printers, Ltd., their longtime director, James H. Gipson, and the firm’s contribution to the development of regional publishing in Idaho and the American West. This research will result in a book written for those who study book publishing history but will also be accessible by a general audience—particularly relevant to Idahoans interested in the history of their state.
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The Osher Institute believes the opportunity to be a part of our rich intellectual community should be available to anyone who wishes to participate.
Scholarships include:
- A free annual membership
- Access to register for lectures and some special events at no additional cost
- Half-price discount for up to three (3) fee-based offerings per semester
Please note:
Scholarships are not available for fee-based special events for trips.
If you could benefit from this opportunity, we encourage you to complete and submit the online
Osher Financial Scholarship Application. Applications are accepted year-round but expire at the end of each fiscal year (June 30). For more information, please contact the Osher office at (208) 426-6554 or
osher@boisestate.edu.
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Boise State University
Phone: (208) 426-OLLI (6554)
Email: osher@boisestate.edu
Website: osher.boisestate.edu
The Osher Institute at Boise State University operates within the Division of Extended Studies. It is a membership-based lifelong learning program offering non-credit, college-level offerings for intellectually curious adults over age 50.
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Osher Institute Advisory Board
Chair: Ben Simko
| Ralph Bild | Russ Centanni | Carol Delaney | Bae Emilson
Chuck Folkner | Susan Gibson | Dennis Hall | Merilee Marsh | Mike Merz
Virginia Rivers | Gary Robb | Sheri Robison | Nancy Roehrkasse
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Osher Institute Staff
Director:
Dana Thorp Patterson |
Program Coordinator:
Jamie Lundergreen
Assistant Program Coordinator:
Holly Goldgrabe
Student Office Assistant:
Makayla Muilenburg
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