Registration now open for Fall 2023 session of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute courses

Friday, August 18, 2023

Media Contact: Kirsi McDowell | Senior Communications Specialist | 405-744-9347 | kirsi@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute fall courses for adults ages 50 or better begin on Sept. 18 and run through Nov. 11.

OLLI offers continuing education courses, travel and social activities to enrich participants’ quality of life. Topics range from cultural arts to science and history, as well as fitness, food and more.

Courses are offered in-person in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Bartlesville and Stillwater. OLLI also provides a selection of online courses that meet via Zoom in order to reach members throughout the state and beyond.

“We offer non-credit classes in person and online for two reasons. We try to give as many options for participation as possible so that our students can enjoy OLLI from wherever they are in the world,” said OLLI Director Robbin Davis.

“We’ve had people join us online while they’re on vacation from as far away as Hawaii and as close as from across the street.”

Volunteer instructors include current and retired OSU faculty, Oklahoma museum and facility directors, authors, historians, musicians, artists, astrophysicists, medical professionals and other subject-matter experts.

This session, there will be new “ed-ventures'' available, combining educational enrichment with adventures such as day trips, tours and overnight travel.

A sampling of this fall’s regularly scheduled classes includes:

Cognitive Stimulation Program: Train Your Brain
The Family Caregiver
Movies: Living in America, the Immigrant Perspective
Get to Know Your Apple Tech
Let’s Do Lunch: Restaurant Crawl (OKC and Tulsa)
Tour of OSU Gardens
Self-Defense Basics
Theatre Games and Improvisation
Famous Civil War Battles
History of Jazz: From its Origins to the Swing Era

Longtime OLLI member Mona Long said the classes give people a different focus.

“They think further, more deeply, than they did before — even discussions are different. As we get older, learning creates excitement for life and wakes up the mind. It allows you to engage with people and the world around you,” Long said.

Also on the itinerary for the year ahead are two specialty trips hosted by Collette Travel.

This December, participants will have the chance to experience the charm of New York City during the holidays. In the spring, another trip takes members back to the east coast to enjoy Washington, D.C. in peak cherry blossom season. Both trips include meals, activities and a slew of cultural attractions and historical information.

Looking ahead to fall 2024, another specialty will be revealed during a Sept. 5 video call at 6:00 p.m. (link available by request).

Memberships range from $40 — for an a la carte annual membership where you pay a nominal fee for each course you select − to $200 for a premium annual membership with unlimited courses. All programming is funded through memberships and donations.

“Our members are friendly, welcoming and fun to be around. Everyone is invited to join us as we learn together and enjoy each other’s company,” Davis said.

The membership year runs from July 1 to June 30 and includes fall, spring and summer sessions. Individuals can join OLLI any time throughout the year.

To view the full course catalog, visit olli.okstate.edu. For questions about membership or enrollment, email olli@okstate.edu or call 405-744-5868.