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June 2024

In This Issue: Renew Your Membership on June 17! | Fall Catalog Sneak Peek | Conversations With Exceptional Women | New Osher Advisory Council Members | SIGs in the News | A Few Year-End Reminders | Upcoming Partnership and Community Events | Research Study Participants Needed | Juneteenth and Summer Hours

Renew Your Membership on June 17!

Your active participation in the Osher Institute has been rewarding to all of us, and we hope to continue the relationship with you next year! Starting Monday, June 17, you can renew your membership online for another year of great programming from local and national presenters and connect with new friends in the community. Visit the

Log In/Register Online page to renew.


A one-year membership of $100 includes:


  • Access to more than 140 programs annually and many archived recorded lectures and courses.
  • Various attendance options: in person, livestream, hybrid, and recorded.
  • Refreshments provided before and during every program.
  • Complimentary recorded programs you've registered for, now easily accessible through your Osher membership account.
  • Full-year parking permit for the Yanke building lot and on-campus Osher programs.
  • Fun Fridays at Osher monthly documentary viewing.
  • Guest passes to livestream lectures to share the love of learning with others.
  • Livestream Only programs shown in the classroom on large screens for members.
  • Monthly calendar of programs included in the print catalog for easy reference.
  • Monthly social events, an August Open House, a December holiday celebration, and a Spring event.
  • Special Interest Group (SIG) activities.
  • Subscription to the monthly e-newsletter, Osher News.


We offer a full or partial scholarship for members who are in need of support. Visit the Scholarships page for options and to apply.


Your membership is a demonstration of your commitment to lifelong learning. Keep an eye on your email for updates about the Osher Membership Open House on Tuesday, August 6. We can’t wait to see you again this fall!

Fall Catalog Sneak Peek

Fall 2024 catalogs will begin arriving in

members' mailboxes on Monday, July 8.


Here are just a few of the exciting programs to look forward to in the upcoming semester:

McKay Cunningham: Amending the U.S. Constitution by State Delegation

Andrew Lam, MD: The Only Winner in War is Medicine

Oliver Thompson: The Past, Present, and Future of Ladino Culture

Marcia Franklin: Bringing Stories to Life: The Dance of Long-Form Journalism

Dr. Megan Dixon: Revising Russian History

Dr. Robert Suydam: Biology and Management of Bowhead and Other Whales

Rebecca Ingram: A Brief History of Irish Dance

Dr. Asya Pereltsvaig: The Story of the Hebrew Language

Dr. Greg Hampikian: Reason and Error in Forensic Exonerations

Ralph Bild: A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: 1917-2023

Dr. Richard Bell: Fighting Slavery in the Civil War Era

Matthew Nelson, MD: An Avocado a Day Keeps the Cardiologist Away

Special Events include:


Reaching for the Stars with Presidential Medal of Freedom winner Dr. Ellen Ochoa, Dr. Steve Swanson, and Barbara Morgan


Driving Tour of Western Snake River Plain Volcanoes with Brittany Brand


Military Aviation History at the Warhawk Air Museum with Jim Leonard



>> Want to learn more? Join Osher Institute Director Dana Thorp-Patterson for a virtual preview in August to get a glimpse into the programs with featured speakers joining us online. Watch your email for announcements. You won't want to miss this event! 

Conversations With Exceptional Women

Back by popular demand, the Alturas Institute presents the 13th annual Conversations With Exceptional Women: Defending Democracy and Women's Rights. This event showcases an extraordinary and award-winning slate of speakers from a multitude of industries including law, film, arts, journalism, academia, government, and business. Panels and interviews will focus on stimulating conversations about challenges for women, our nation, and democracy.

Dates and times: Wed. and Thu., Aug. 21 and 22, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Location: Yanke building, Room 207

Cost: $115 Early Bird price until June 30; $165 starting July 1 until seats are filled.

To register, click here: Conversations With Exceptional Women: Defending Democracy and Women's Rights

Bonus event: An Evening With U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar

Hailing from Boise, Idaho, Elizabeth Barchas Prelogar is the 48th Solicitor General of the U.S. and serves as the fourth-ranking individual at the Department of Justice. The Solicitor General is responsible for conducting and supervising all Supreme Court litigation on behalf of the country. Solicitor General Prelogar was nominated by President Joe Biden on August 11, 2021, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and received her commission on October 28, 2021. She resides in Washington, D.C., with her husband and two sons. Join Dr. David Adler in conversation with Solicitor General Prelogar and awarding her the John and Abigail Adams Award.

Date and time: Tue., Aug. 20, 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

Location: Boise venue TBD

Cost: $25

To register, click here: Conversations With Exceptional Women: An Evening With U.S Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar

PLEASE NOTE: Details on all speakers will be available on the Alturas Institute website as schedules are confirmed. All program and speaker questions should be directed to the Alturas Institute. No calls to the Osher Institute, please.

This event will sell out, so be sure to register by June 30 to receive reduced rates. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Because of the demand of the program, refunds are not available.

New Osher Advisory Council Members

Please welcome our incoming Advisory Council members whose terms begin on July 1:

Linda Butler has been an Osher member since 2017. She serves on the Track Five Curriculum Committee, the Marketing Committee, and the Catalog Proofreading Committee.

Rick Ogle has been an Osher member since 2012. He was a past Advisory Council Chair, is the current Chair of the Faculty Grant Committee, and serves on the Volunteer Committee.

Deb Silva has been an Osher member since 2022 and serves on the Track Four Curriculum Committee.

Steve Villachica has been an Osher member since 2022 and is Chair of the Volunteer Committee.

SIGs in the News

The Personal Writing SIG welcomes the opportunity to share selected works of its members. This month's featured writing is from Marian Thomas.


After teaching for 30 years at various grade levels, the last 15 with the Boise State First Year Writing Program, Marian retired in 2022, and realized there was now time to write beyond the research-based papers, lesson plans and examples, and analyses of student writing that had been so important during those years. She joined the Personal Writing SIG and has found the sessions to be truly freeing in allowing experimenting with topics and genres that are more personal in tone and subject. The positive atmosphere of the class allows the writers to find meaning in their lives while sharing their experiences and thoughts on a variety of topics in a supportive environment.  


You can read Marian's piece Sharing Spaces on Osher on Demand.

The Chit Chat Club SIG will continue meeting throughout the summer on Thursdays at 9:00 a.m. at Elmer's Kitchen, 1385 S. Capitol Blvd., Boise. Led by SIG facilitator Mark Eubank, Osher members are welcome to stop by, grab a bite to eat, and visit with each other in a fun, casual setting. There are no set discussion topics for the summer meetings.


Be sure to register for the SIGs you'd like to join when you sign up for your Fall 2024 programs on July 8.

A Few Year-End Reminders

We hope you've been enjoying the recording links from the Fall 2023 and Spring

2024 Osher programs for which you were registered! The links will expire on Sunday, June 30. New archived options will be available for the Fall 2024 semester when registration opens on July 8.

Now Osher members can access

their program recordings from their Osher account!

Once you log in to your account, go to the top menu bar and choose "My Course Links" (see right). All the recording links that you've registered for will be listed here.

If you haven't had an opportunity to support the Osher Institute financially this year, it's not too late. The Osher Excellence Fund was established by members to demonstrate support and appreciation for the great programs offered through the Institute. Visit the Support Your Osher Institute page, or mail your check to the Osher Institute at 220 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Boise, ID 83706. This year, 25% of Osher members contributed to the Excellence Fund.

Thank you to all our Osher members who generously donated items to the Boise

State Campus Food Pantry throughout the semester. We also appreciate the

volunteers who helped us drop off donations at the facility on campus. Donations

will resume in August with the start of fall classes.

Upcoming Partnership and Community Events

First Friday Astronomy Lecture

In the Shadows of Asteroids: Stellar Occultation Observations at the College of Southern Idaho

Chris Anderson, Observatory Coordinator, College of

Southern Idaho

Friday, June 7, noon MT

Liberal Arts Building, Room 106 and via livestream


To view the livestream, visit the Astronomy at Boise State Physics YouTube page.

Courage and Compassion: A Community Conversation About the Japanese American WWII Experience

Shelley McEuen Howard, Professor of English, College of Southern Idaho

Saturday, June 22, 1:00 p.m. MT

Idaho State Museum, 610 Julia Davis Dr., Boise


For more information, visit Idaho State Historical Society.

Research Study Participants Needed

Dr. Shawn Simonson and Ayla Gabel, who recently presented the Osher lecture Resistance Training for Older Populations, are asking for participants for a research study on declining strength throughout the lifespan. The study aims to identify the type of muscle contraction that declines the most with aging. The study results can help exercise professionals prescribe appropriate training to older populations to lower their fall risk.


If you are interested, please scan the QR code above or email aylagabel@u.boisestate.edu. If you have any questions, please contact Ayla or Dr. Simonson at shawnsimonson@boisestate.edu.

Juneteenth and Summer Hours

The Osher office will be closed on Wednesday, June 19,

for the Juneteenth holiday.


Staff will be taking vacation and working remotely intermittently throughout the summer. If you need assistance, you may contact the office at (208) 426-6554 or osher@boisestate.edu.

Our thanks for the continued support from our Community Sponsors and Partners:

The Osher Institute is a proud underwriter of
Boise State Public Radio.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Boise State University

Phone: (208) 426-OLLI (6554)

Email: osher@boisestate.edu

Website: boisestate.edu/osher


The Osher Lifelong Learning 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 programs designed for intellectually curious adults age 50 and over.



Support the Osher Institute here.

Osher Institute Advisory Council

Chair: Bae Emilson | Tom Baerwald | Michael Bixby

Chuck Folkner | Bob Fontaine | Dennis Hall | Rod McLean | Sharon Moses

Rainey Pieters | Dr. Chuck Robertson | Diane Ronayne

Osher Institute Staff

Director: Dana Thorp-Patterson | Assistant Director: Laura Mehlhaff

Senior Communications Specialist: Jill Chmelko

Administrative Assistant II: Cherie Ellingson


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