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Wonderings

A publication of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at MSU

"It is good to get down into the details about a new topic, to be challenged cognitively and intellectually stimulated. And it's good to be in company with others who appreciate this stimulation!”

-Participant, Life in Ice

Jessica's Note

Registration is now open!

 

Fall 2024 semester registration is open! You can view all the fall semester OLLI offerings on our website.

 

If you need to reset your password, please click or tap here to visit our password reset page.

 

We encourage you to register online. However, if you prefer to register over the phone, please call the secure registration line at 406-219-3298. We will have an additional, temporary secure line for overflow calls at 406-219-3946.


We look forward to sharing this informative and engaging semester with you! We encourage you to renew your membership and enroll soon after registration opens; several programs have limited space.

 

Jessica Alvarez

Program Coordinator, OLLI at MSU

September Friday Forum - Community Health: Painting the Picture of Health in Gallatin County


What are Gallatin County's primary health concerns, and how are they evaluated and addressed? Kami Kirchberg, System Manager of Community Health Improvement and Partnerships at Bozeman Health, and Kate Batchelder, Accreditation and Health Equity Coordinator at the Gallatin City-County Health Department, will explore the county's health issues, discuss how the county and Bozeman Health prioritize these conditions, and outline strategies to mitigate their impact.


This Friday Forum meets on September 13 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online via Zoom. Click or tap here for more information or to register directly through Zoom.

 

Participants must register by 11:00 a.m. on Friday, September 13. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions on how to join the Friday Forum. Registration is required to receive the Zoom information.

 

Friday Forum features presentations and community discussions on local and regional timely topics on the second Friday of each month from September through May. OLLI at MSU Friday Forum is free and open to the public.

 

Click or tap here for past Friday Forum recordings on the OLLI at MSU Recordings page.

September Courses


Les Davis: Search For the First Montanans with Daniel Smith. Tuesdays and Fridays, September 10 - 27, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Face-to-face.


The Baltic Countries: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with Asya Pereltsvaig. Thursdays, September 12 - October 24 (no class Sept 26), 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Online via Zoom.


How To Be a Birder with Ashley Martens. Wednesdays, September 18 - October 9, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. with an optional field trip Friday, October 4, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Face-to-face.


The Montana Medicine Show: Frontier to Modern Times with Derek Strahn. Thursdays, September 19 - October 31 (no class October 17), 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Face-to-face.

September Speaker Series


Why Did the Supreme Court DO That?! with Susan Dana. Monday, September 9, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Museum of the Rockies.


OLLI Shorts with members like you! Monday, September 16, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Museum of the Rockies. We invite you to join us as eight selected OLLI members share their stories, experiences and knowledge in lively, informative eight-minute presentations. Curious? So were they! Learn more about the life adventures and understandings of your OLLI cohort.


  • Jeff and Sara King, "Return to the Red Truck Road Trip: Four Thousand Miles Around Montana in a Restored 1949 Ford F1”
  • John Sackett, "A Short Trip With Nuclear Power: The Very Beginning of Nuclear Energy Development and What's Ahead"
  • Sharon Eversman, "As You Lichen It: An Introduction to the Lichens That Live All Around Us”
  • Jerry Nielsen, "Making a Monolith of Scobey Clay Loam, Montana's Official State Soil”
  • Susan Dana, "Myths Matter: What Ancient Stories Tell Us About Ourselves”
  • Linda Gabel, "How To Race a Hot Air Balloon: The Early Years of Modern Sport Ballooning"
  • Mimi Babe Harris, "Art Venture: Creating an Interactive Art Installation for Kids”
  • Stephen Maly, "My Less-Than-Brilliant Quasi-Career: Highlights of a Life of Professional Para-Diplomatic Endeavors”


A Brief History of Montana's Historic Highways with Jon Axline. Monday, September 23, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Museum of the Rockies.


Critical Minerals in Montana: Past, Present and Future with Kyle Eastman. Monday, September 30, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Museum of the Rockies.

September Osher Online


First Ladies: More Than the Women Behind the Men with Myra Gutin. Mondays, September 30 - November 4, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Online via Zoom.


Medieval Science: Exploring Insights and Discoveries with Ilya Dines. Mondays, September 30 - November 4, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Online via Zoom.

How It's Made


Béquet Confections, Wednesday, September 11, 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. Face-to-face.


Towne's Harvest Garden, Tuesday, September 17, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Face-to-face.


Gibson Guitar, Wednesday, October 9, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face.

September OLLI Extras


Historic Helena and Capitol Tour Thursday, September 12, 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Face-to-face.


Nature's Calendar: The Phenology of Autumn with Cedar Mathers-Winn. Friday, September 20, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Face-to-face.


Nurturing the Soul Through Creative Collaging with Jill Davis. Tuesdays, September 24 - October 29, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Face-to-face.



Machines That Make: Demystifying Generative AI Technology with Jason Clark. Wednesdays, September 25 - October 2, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Face-to-face.

Late Summer Reads


OLLI at MSU offers three member exclusive book discussion groups. We are sharing the below titles to allow you time to enjoy a good cozy read and join in the discussions! You may join any of the groups below for one, a few, or all of the sessions. Registration is required to participate in the book discussion groups.

OLLI Mystery Book Discussion Group

Mistress of the Art of Death

Ariana Franklin

October 1,

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI Non-Fiction Book Discussion Group

True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America

Betsy Gaines Quammen

September 16,

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI at MSU Book Discussion Group

Dreams of My Russian Summers

Anreï Makine

October 7,

3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Face-to-face

Hope Lutheran Church

Learning Opportunities for Everyone: Feed Your Curiosity at a Price That Works for You!

 

We strive to keep member participation affordable so everyone 50 years of age and better can engage with us in lifelong learning. We also understand that program or event fees can sometimes be prohibitive. Therefore, OLLI at MSU offers financial assistance for both tuition and membership.

 

We are grateful to the family and friends of our late OLLI at MSU leader and consummate lifelong learner, Doug Young, for establishing the Doug Young Memorial Scholarship Fund. We encourage you to apply for membership or program tuition assistance as needed and encourage your neighbor or friend to do the same. Our application is quick and easy. Click or tap here to view more information or apply for financial assistance. Please complete the application process BEFORE registering for programs.


Online donations are also encouraged to help us sustain and support the OLLI at MSU Doug Young Memorial Scholarship fund and OLLI at MSU general program fund.

Campus Corner

Below are a few upcoming events offered on the Montana State University Bozeman campus that may interest our OLLI at MSU members. Click or tap titles and locations for more information. These events are not sponsored or produced by OLLI at MSU.


Economics in the 2024 Presidential Election Thursdays, August 22 - October 31, 12:15 - 1:05 p.m., 136 Animal Biosciences Building and live streamed. This seminar course explores the economics of the policy positions of the 2024 presidential candidates on major issues ranging from climate to immigration to health care and beyond. Faculty and experts from the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics will lead the discussions. The class will also explore the role of political and economic institutions in democracy by reading and discussing one chapter from the book “Why Nations Fail” by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson. Click or tap here for schedule information.


Fall Orser Executive Speakers Forum - From Montana to the NHL: A Journey of Innovation, Evolution, and Leadership with Heidi Browning. Wednesday, September 18, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m., Strand Union Building, Ballroom A. Explore the remarkable career trajectory of the NHL's Chief Marketing Officer, Heidi Browning. She will share her perspective from a Montana upbringing to leading a major sports league's marketing efforts and dive into the transformative impact of digital marketing, social media, data analytics, active listening as a brand, and thinking outside the box.


Abriendo Puertas: Hispanic Heritage Month with Isabel Allende. September 30, 7:30 p.m., Strand Union Building Ballrooms. Acclaimed novelist Isabel Allende will visit Montana State University in September as part of the second annual President’s Crossing Boundaries Speaker Series. Allende is a Chilean-American writer known for interweaving imaginative stories with significant historical events in her books. She first won worldwide acclaim in 1982 with the publication of her debut novel, The House of the Spirits, which began as a letter to her dying grandfather. In addition to her work as a writer, Allende is a philanthropist and devotes much of her time to human rights causes. In 1996, following the death of her daughter, Paula, she established a charitable foundation in her honor. It has since awarded grants to more than 100 nonprofits worldwide that deliver care to hundreds of thousands of women and girls. Allende’s books have sold more than 77 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than 40 languages. A Q&A session will follow Allende’s talk. The event is free and open to the public; tickets are not required.

Would You Like More OLLI?

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We hope you enjoy the selection of items we have chosen for this edition. Everything in this email will be archived on the Newsletter Archive page of our website.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at MSU is a program of MSU Academic Technology and Outreach. OLLI at MSU provides intellectually stimulating and enjoyable programs that foster lifelong learning and community engagement for individuals 50 and greater. There are no tests, no grades and no papers. OLLI at MSU offers opportunities for the pure joy of learning. Become a member, support lifelong learning, consider teaching for OLLI at MSU. Contact the OLLI office by phone at 406-994-6550.