Institute to hold first classes in Oklahoma City

Friday, September 25, 2009

(Stillwater, OK   September 25, 2009) -- The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is coming to the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City starting Oct. 19 to offer courses each Monday for six weeks for retirees and other adults in the community who have a  desire to learn. 

The institute, called “OLLI” for short, is supported by the College of Education at Oklahoma State University, and its director RuthAnn Sirbaugh promises “no tests, grades, or prerequisites…just the joy of learning.”

“OLLI has already been a success in Tulsa and Stillwater,” said Sirbaugh. “We expect it will do well anywhere that there are individuals who want to enrich their lives through new learning experiences, sharing ideas, opinions and talents.” 

Each of the volunteer instructors have a broad knowledge in a particular area of study and want to share and interact with others, said Sirbaugh.

Courses, which will be held on Mondays through Nov. 23, include:

“First Person Extraordinary: Oklahoma Voices from the 1900s,” will feature a host of re-enactors, who will assist instructor Barbara Byrd from 10 a.m. – noon.

“Lewis and Clark: A Journey Revisited,” will meet from 1 – 3 p.m. and review in-depth, the discoveries and impact made by this group of explorers as well as the native American tribes they met on the journey with instructor Luann Sewell Waters. 

“Geneology: The Family Researcher, ” will meet from 1 – 3 p.m. and include a broad look into the many resources available as well as a tour of the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Research Division with instructor Laura Martin.

“Imagining Oklahoma: Looking at Oklahoma Through the Movies,” will meet from 3 – 4:30 p.m. to look at Oklahoma through movies and films and compare them to reality with instructor Pam Bracken.

For more information and to register for any of the courses, go to http://www.okstate.edu/olli/  and click on “registration forms” or phone 1-800-765-8933.