Wonderings
A publication of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at MSU
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"Cathy is a treasure. We are very lucky that she still wants to be so involved with OLLI!”
-Participant, The Dynamic History of the Yellowstone Ecosystem
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Off to the Races!
Fall semester opening registration came in with a roar. Literally.
Our OLLI at MSU volunteer committee members did such a spectacular job coordinating interesting and compelling programs that it became a race to the "enroll now" button. Hundreds of eager and curious OLLI members, with their wish lists in hand, waited for the clock to strike at 10:00 a.m. on August 29. Soon after, some people's enthusiasm turned to concern and frustration. Behind the scenes, our software systems struggled with the influx of registrations. Think Taylor Swift, Grateful Dead, The Beatles, or whatever your flavor. It was a popular and overwhelming day for our OLLI at MSU registration system. We also felt your pain (and panic), and we sincerely apologize for the chaos.
Of the many problems to have, I'll take being popular any day. Rest assured, we are committed to making next semester a better member experience and have begun to discuss and plan ways to curtail similar issues for our Spring 2025 opening OLLI registration day in January. We will communicate our strategies and processes in this newsletter and on the website. Stay curious. Stay engaged.
Welcome to the Fall 2024 semester of learning with OLLI at MSU. Thank you for joining us!
Bobbi Geise
Director, OLLI at MSU
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September and October Courses
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. Waitlist available.
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. Waitlist available.
Montana Indian Groups: Yesterday and Today with Walter Fleming. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12 (no class November 5), 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Face-to-face. Waitlist available.
Global Civics 2.0 with Steven Maly. Tuesdays, October 15 - November 26 (no class November 5), 10:00 - noon. Face-to-face.
What Happened to Dick and Jane? Issues, Trends, and Best-Practices in Teaching Children to Read with Ann Ellsworth. Wednesdays, October 16 - November 13, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Face-to-face.
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September Speaker Series
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 bring a friend and 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.
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Belgrade Community Library Events
These community events are free and open to the public, presented by OLLI at MSU and the Belgrade Community Library, with sponsorship by the Belgrade Community Library Foundation. Refreshments are available at 5:30 p.m. Advanced registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome.
Montana Through the Mail with Ken Hamlin. Thursday, September 19, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Face-to-face.
Galloping in the Gallatin: Montana's Horse Racing History with Brenda Wahler. Thursday, October 17, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Face-to-face.
Please note: Birthing the West: Caring for Women, Caring for Communities on October 3 has been cancelled.
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September Osher Online Courses
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.
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How It's Made
Towne's Harvest Garden, Tuesday, September 17, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. Face-to-face.
Tour MSU's Towne's Harvest Garden farm and learn about their many vegetable crops. Staff and students will explain their organic growing process from start to finish and discuss some of the farm's educational programs. At the end of the tour, there will be an opportunity to purchase vegetables.
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Early Autumn 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.
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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.
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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.
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.
Montana Supreme Court Candidate Forum Thursday, September 26, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Gaines Hall, Room 101. Please join the Pre-Law Club and the Gallatin Bar Association as they host the candidates for the Montana Supreme Court at this elections panel. Free and open to the public.
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.
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Would You Like More OLLI?
Follow the OLLI at MSU Facebook page for program updates and reminders, news, and technology tips. The best time to follow is now.
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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. | | | | |