Wonderings

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

"OLLI rocks. There are so many interesting things to get involved in.”

-Participant, Soul Collage

Lottery entries open next week. What does that mean for me?

To provide the best experience for new and returning OLLI at MSU members, the upcoming registration process for the Spring 2025 semester will be a little different.

The key difference is that registration for certain popular programs or programs with limited seats will be through a lottery. Your registration experience will be the same as in previous semesters, using the same website, phone number or mail-in registration system. The only difference for members will be timing.

Please mark your calendars for the following dates.

• January 9 through January 16: Window to register for lottery-based offerings.
• January 15: Regular Spring registration for all other programs opens. This registration period is open-ended.

Please note that whether you submit your lottery entry first thing or at the very last minute does not affect the likelihood of being selected. Rushing to register online or by phone on the morning the lottery period opens will NOT increase your odds of being selected by the lottery. 

How to enter a lottery for a program:

1. Visit montana.edu/olli/register
2. Log in to your OLLI at MSU account or create a new one if you don't have one yet.
3. Select each lottery-based offering you would like to enter. You must be a current member and pay the program tuition when entering the lottery. If you wish to register with a spouse, friend or other person, select the option labeled "OLLI member with a partner." You can let us know later who will join you if your entry is selected. Please note that they must also be an OLLI member!
4. Complete the payment process and wait to hear back by January 21.
5. Don't forget to register after January 15 for any non-lottery programs!

Other important information:

• If your lottery entry is not selected, OLLI will place you on the waitlist for that program and hold your credit until the program begins. You may also use the credit toward another OLLI program or request a refund by calling the OLLI office.
• If a lottery entry period expires and a program is not filled, any remaining spaces in that program will be open for regular registration.

There's a lot more information about the lottery available on the OLLI at MSU Lottery Information page, including Frequently Asked Questions. We also hope you will call the OLLI office at 406-994-6646 if you have any questions.

Continue reading to find a full list of lottery programs below.

We hope you will join us,

Jessica Alvarez

Program Coordinator

OLLI at MSU

Announcing the January Friday Forum: Report to the Stakeholders

Gallatin County taxpayers will begin the new year by writing checks for the first half of their 2025 property taxes. Property taxes had been in the news for months before the November 2024 election. In that election, Gallatin County residents rejected multiple levies for public safety.

Maureen Horton, Gallatin County Treasurer, will open the Friday Forum with information about the treasurer's role and explain how school equalization affects our tax bills. Police Chief Jim Veltkamp and Bozeman Fire Chief Jim Waldo will explain the demands of population growth, what current taxes fund and what the recent failed bond for these departments would have supported in our community.

This Friday Forum meets on January 10 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, January 10. 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.

Semiannual Semester Reception

You’re invited to the OLLI at MSU Semester Reception!

Join fellow lifelong learners for an engaging evening of connecting, learning, and celebrating. Discover our upcoming programs, learn about the new lottery process, and enjoy a special video preview of winter/spring semester courses. Did we mention door prizes, too?

• When: Wednesday, January 8, 4:00–6:00 p.m.
• Where: Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 Graf Street, Bozeman, MT

Refreshments and light appetizers will be served. This free, public event requires no advanced registration—bring a guest and join the fun!

All Spring 2025 Lottery Entry Offerings

Lottery entry opens on January 9 and closes on January 16. Selected entries will be notified by January 21. Click or tap here for more information about the lottery process.

OLLI Extra: Classic X-C Skiing FUNdamentals, Tuesdays, February 4 - 18, 11:00 a.m. - noon. Face-to-face at Crosscut Mountain Sports Center. Registration for this program will be by lottery entry.

How It's Made: An Inside Look at a Radio Station: KGVM, Wednesday, February 12, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Course: Going Local: Bozeman's History from Frontier Times to Present with Derek Strahn. Thursdays, March 27 - May 8 (no class April 24), 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Hope Lutheran Church. A pre-recorded version of this course will be available through the regular registration process.

OLLI Extra: Taste of OLLI: Lockhorn Cider, Tuesday, May 6, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Lockhorn Cider.

How It's Made: R. L. Winston Factory Tour, Wednesday, May 14, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

How It's Made: Go Fast Campers Manufacturing. Two tours are available, choose one:

• Tuesday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. - noon
• Wednesday, May 21, 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Course: Wonders of Spring: Bird Migration, Song, and Breeding with Ashley Martens. Tuesdays, May 20 - June 10, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Face-to-face at Hope Lutheran Church, with a field trip Friday, June 6, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

OLLI Extra: MSU Sustainability Tour: Above and Underground with Duke Elliott. Thursday, June 12, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. Face-to-face at the MSU Bozeman campus.

Chilly Weather 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

The Firemaker:

A China Thriller

Peter May

January 7,

12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI Non-Fiction Book Discussion Group

The Road to Unfreedom

Timothy Snyder

January 20,

1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Online via Zoom

OLLI at MSU Book Discussion Group

Our Mutual Friend

Charles Dickens

January 6,

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 aim to make participation accessible for everyone aged 50 and older who wants to engage in lifelong learning. Recognizing that program or event fees can be a barrier, OLLI at MSU provides 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 invite 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.

MSU's Research and Economic Development presents "994 Journeys" featuring Dr. Alex Adams Tuesday, January 7, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Student Union Building, Room 233. Research and development has planned a series of presentations called "994 Journeys," which allow the speakers to tell the story of how they came to MSU. The first session of 2025 will host Dr. Alex Adams, Director of the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity (CAIRHE). CAIRHE is an NIH-funded center focusing on building research partnerships with rural and Native communities and mentoring junior investigators. Learn more about Dr. Adams’ community-based participatory research, focusing on promoting family and community wellness and healing trauma through community building, and the effect of climate change on human health. See how storytelling, filmmaking and other outreach strategies can engage communities and impact health.

MSU Library Open House - Celebrating 75 Years of the Renne Library Building Monday, January 13, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Montana State University, Renne Library. On January 9, 1950, a star was born when Montana State University opened its first dedicated library building. (Before then, various locations across campus housed library resources.) To mark this important milestone, the MSU Library invites faculty, staff, graduate students and community members to celebrate 75 years of the Renne Library building during the 2025 Open House. Attendees will enjoy food and beverages, music by Woodsmoke Jazz, and the opportunity to explore the services offered by MSU Library and its Open House partners. Fantastic door prizes will be provided, and there will be a cash bar. The décor, activities and food are centered around an old Hollywood-style red-carpet event. 

Judges Are Needed for the Science Olympiad Tournament Tuesday, March 4. The Montana Science Olympiad needs judges for the annual Science Olympiad tournament. Judges (also called event supervisors) are needed for the following events: Robot Tour, Dynamic Planet - Glaciers, Materials Science, Microbe Mission, Fossils and Astronomy. Please email mtscioly@montana.edu if you are interested in being the event supervisor for any of these events or other ways to be involved in MTSO. 

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.