“I love hearing other people's stories. I also applaud people who do

not normally public speak. They all did a great job.”

-Participant, OLLI Shorts: Member Perspectives

Jessica's Note

You may have noticed a few additions to our member confirmation letters this year: guest passes for Speaker Series programs AND a link to view our member handbook.

All members can bring a guest to one Speaker Series program a semester. Now, you have beautiful guest passes to make sharing your love of lifelong learning easy. Simply fill out the card and tear off the filled-out portion to turn in at the door! Your guest may keep the other half—no more lines at the sign-in table.

We invite you to click or tap here to view the member handbook. The handbook features information about OLLI at MSU structure, function and culture, member benefits, gift certificates, volunteering, and teaching for OLLI.

Jessica Alvarez

Program Coordinator, OLLI at MSU

Campus Corner

Upcoming events on the MSU Bozeman campus. Click or tap titles and locations for more information.

Honors Presents: Great Expeditions 2024 - Food, Culture, and Farming of the Maya of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Monday, October 2, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Gianforte Classroom, Norm Asbjornson Hall 165.

University Band Concert, Thursday, October 5, 7:30 p.m. Reynolds Recital Hall.

Provost's Distinguished Lecturer Series: Eric Boyd of the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tuesday, October 17, 7:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies Hagar Auditorium.

Art Exhibition: Blackfoot Pathways - Sculpture in the Wild, Ongoing through Friday, October 20. Haynes Hall, Helen E Copeland Gallery.

October Friday Forum: Understanding and Managing Local Urban Camping

HRDC Housing Director Brian Guyer and Bozeman City Manager Jeff Mihelich will discuss the history and challenges regarding urban camping in Bozeman. They will also address the recent city ordinance intended to manage the use of city streets and other public spaces for urban camping and answer questions on this important and timely local issue. 

Click or tap here for more information and to register through Zoom.

Participants must register by 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 13. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forum offers presentations and campus discussions on local and regional timely topics. Friday Forum is free and open to the public.

October OLLI at MSU Offerings

Courses

Social and Criminal Justice with David Smith. Learn more about what justice looks like in the real world and the many interpretations of social and criminal justice throughout history. Thursdays, October 5 - November 2, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Online via Zoom.

An American Portrait-Part 2, Reconstruction to Present with Derek Strahn. This course is currently full.

A History of the Tudors with Jessica Payne. This course tells the colorful and epic political, religious and cultural story of England during the reign of the Tudor dynasty from 1485-1603. Wednesdays, October 11 - November 15, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. Hope Lutheran Church.

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? Grammar FUNdamentals for Everyone! with Ann Ellsworth. Enjoy the fun, lively discussion as we re-examine your grammar understanding and de-mystify the G-word in the process. For parents, grandparents, and child- or grandchild-free alike! Thursdays, October 19 - November 16, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Hope Lutheran Church.

OLLI Extras - Extracurricular activities to add to your learning experience!

OLLI On Campus: Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Join LRES Department Head Bob Peterson, faculty, and staff to learn about and experience the many fascinating cutting-edge research topics this thriving MSU department is undertaking to better understand our diverse local ecosystems. Morning refreshments and lunch are included. Saturday, October 7, 8:30 - 1:30 p.m. Optional campus tour after the program.

AHA Heartsaver Basic First Aid, CPR and AED with Oakley Wurzweiler. October 13, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Hope Lutheran Church. Few spaces remain.

Diversity and Inclusion: Cultural Identities with Barbara do Amaral. Gain a deeper appreciation for "other" and a general understanding of cultural identity models. Dig into cultural issues and learn what makes us similar and different. Fridays, October 20 - 27, 10:00 a.m. - noon. Hope Lutheran Church.

October Speaker Series

Montana Modernists: From the Beginnings to Now with Michele Corriel. Monday, October 2, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Paradigms of Planet Earth with Stephen Maly. Monday, October 9, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Montana's Mountain Goats: A Wilderness Icon with Bruce Smith. Monday, October 16, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

Uncovering Secrets: American Indian Boarding Schools with Walter Fleming. Monday, October 30, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Museum of the Rockies.

The fall 2023 speaker series is graciously sponsored by:

Preludes & Performances

As You Like It: Shakespeare in the Schools Wednesday, October 4, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Experience a behind-the-scenes dress rehearsal and the opportunity to discuss the nuances of this long-standing Shakespearian production with the executive artistic director.

That’s a wrap…

by Pat Craig

OLLI at MSU Speaker Series Committee Member

These are “the things you don’t know about people until you read their obituaries!” - OLLI Shorts audience member

We shifted the needle a bit and took a chance. The OLLI MSU Speaker Series has traditionally been, and still is, presentations by professionals in their subject matter. But what if we dedicated one Speaker Series that introduced members to their OLLI peers? Thanks to Pat Craig’s brilliant idea, we kicked off the 23/24 OLLI at MSU Speaker Series this month with our second annual OLLI Shorts – eight 8-minute presentations from OLLI members like you.

The audience laughs, gasps, groans, and cheers were infectious. Members commented it felt great to laugh and that it's so lovely to hear these stories now rather than at someone’s funeral! Well, we’re not ready to throw in the towel yet!

If YOU have a personal story you would like to share at the Fall 2024 OLLI Shorts, please contact us at olli@montana.edu by March 2024. We meet once a month, June through September, to coach one another and help develop an engaging and fulfilling story for you to share with your OLLI cohort. Don’t wait until the dirt is flying. Tell your story now and hear your peers cheer along the way!

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 please 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.

October 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!

OLLI Mystery Book Discussion Group

The Cold Dish

Craig Johnson

October 3,

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI Non-Fiction Book Discussion Group

The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero

Timothy Egan

October 16,

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI at MSU Book Discussion Group

Kafka on the Shore

Haruki Murakami

October 2,

3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Face-to-face

Hope Lutheran Church

Help us connect and learn!

Are you a retired photographer or budding visual art enthusiast? We want to feature our member’s smiling faces on our future mailers and in our newsletters! We invite you to complete our short volunteer form and we will reach out to you with follow up information. 

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.