Greetings from the NRC........................November 2023 | |
Returning from the 2023 Osher Institutes National Conference our team is amply reminded of the energy, camaraderie, and creativity of your local Institutes. The National Conference certainly revs everybody up! It is an opportunity to gather with 250 like-minded OLLI leaders – half volunteers and half staff members – to compare effective practices, ideas, and to celebrate. It was especially positive this year. With the worst of the pandemic behind us, leaders are optimistic. You are seeing membership growth with more returning members. Plus, we heard many stories of new members post-pandemic, who’ve recently heard about OLLI. It is proof positive that joining learning communities that make it easy to socialize, intellectually engage, and make new friends is still one of the healthiest things we can do as older adults.
If you were not among the Conference attendees, ask your staff or volunteer representative to share some of their top take-aways with you. In a few weeks, Osher Institute directors will be able to show you some of the recordings from sessions at the Conference that were particularly interesting or relevant. Ask them about it and let them rev up your energy, too.
In the meantime, we have a few more interesting items to read about in this newsletter. You’ll see clever ideas and successes from Osher Institutes in California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas below.
Thank you for all you do to make your Osher Institute succeed,
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OLLIS AT THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Collaboration and Co-Enrollment
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Through a course-sharing collaboration, OLLI at Penn State members can join the OLLI at Colorado State University course “Suspense, Danger, and Surprise: The Best of Alfred Hitchcock” via Zoom. Likewise, OLLI at Colorado State University members can join OLLI at Penn State learners for the course “Presidential Doctrines 1823-2011 and the Russian Invasion of Ukraine.”
“Collaborations between programs provide an opportunity for members to meet new people and have a new learning experience”, said OLLI at Penn State director Brynn Rousselin.
The partnership was sparked last spring when longtime OLLI at Penn State instructor Greg Ferro took a trip out west to teach a course at OLLI at Colorado State University. A former High School history teacher, Ferro previously taught a few classes to the Colorado State University audience online, but the trip to Colorado allowed him to connect with the students face-to-face. “I have never done a course like this, to have students in front of me at Penn State and then have an audience at Colorado State that will be with us online. It is going to be interesting because people in Colorado might have a different perspective than people in State College.”
Ferro’s counterpart instructor is Jay Sherwin, a writer and consultant who has been watching, studying, and enjoying Hitchcock films for decades. He created a walking tour of Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco home that attracts fans worldwide, and he loves sharing his Hitchcock obsession with fellow film lovers everywhere. OLLI at Colorado State University director Meredith Naughton said this class exchange will provide an opportunity for members to reconnect with Ferro and meet new people through both courses.
Read the full article from StateCollege.com, written by Vincent Corso, Penn State Outreach - September 17, 2023
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OLLI AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
Talks About Graphic Novels and Comics
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(Right to left): Barbara Glaeser, Irene Bourdon, Jill Patterson, and Andrew Sanchez | |
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Three members of OLLI at Cal State Fullerton’s “Graphic Novels, Comics and More!” book club, Barbara Glaeser, Irene Bourdon, and Jill Patterson, wanted to find ways to make their book club more interesting. So, they enlisted a fellow comic lover and amazing artist, Andrew Sanchez and started asking what OLLI members thought about Graphic Novels and Comics. First, they surveyed members on their experience with comics and/or graphic novels over the course of their lives. Then, they did some follow-up interviews to get more in-depth viewpoints. From there, the team applied to present this research at The Comic Arts Conference at Comic-Con in San Diego (which hosts 100,000 attendees!). It was accepted, and they proudly presented their results last July.
The results were very informative. Eighty eight percent of readers wrote that they liked the unique characters and plots in comics and graphic novels. Sixty percent found graphic novels easier to read and enjoyed the interplay of art and story. As one interviewee stated: “I enjoy the interplay of art and story. I like the different characters and the unlimited possibilities of the comic world (superpowers, different environments, and dimensions). I appreciate and enjoy studying the ‘unwritten’ of the storyline to fully understand the emotions and actions taking place in comics.” Conversely, those who said they preferred traditional texts, found the art distracting and more difficult to read. One wrote that he preferred to let his mind make his own interpretations of what the author is describing rather than looking at detailed pictures on a page.
Two of the five Ranganathan library laws are: Every book has its reader, and every reader has her/his book. The results of the survey showed that most OLLI members read newspaper comics when they were young, and the things they liked about them then are now expanded into the diverse and complex graphic literature available today. There are graphic novels they would enjoy, even if they think that format is not for them. The information gleaned from the book club was illuminating not just for the club, but for the greater audience on the Comic Arts Conference as well!
Submitted by: Chris Shaw, Vice President Communications, OLLI at California State University, Fullerton
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A Successful 2023 Osher Institutes National Conference | |
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The 2023 Osher Institutes National Conference held October 16th through 18th in beautiful San Diego, CA was a smashing success! We were fortunate to have pleasant California weather and a program full of wonderful presenters, as well as ample opportunities for networking, learning, and celebrating the mission of lifelong learning. Morning walks and outdoor receptions were highly enjoyable in this fall season.
Osher Institute directors, staff, and member leaders from all over the country attended. Almost all of the 125 Osher Institutes sent two representatives: one staff member and one volunteer leader. The 250 attendees included participants, guests, and speakers.
Programming for 2023 included a keynote presentation from Eunice Nichols, Co-CEO of CoGenerate. In her keynote on The Power of Cogeneration, Eunice spoke about the research showing powerful benefits from connection, role modeling, knowledge transfer, and the honoring of history that daily interaction between the generations can achieve. Many were inspired with ideas for beginning or renewing intergenerational opportunities at their Osher Institutes. Fifteen breakout sessions included workshops and content in collaborations, membership recovery, marketing, inclusiveness, fundraising, curriculum, and both staff and volunteer leadership development. Two additional plenary sessions showcased the "Woo-Hoos," celebrating the achievements of OLLIs, as well as tips for managing burnout in a world that still presents many challenges to us all.
The Osher NRC purposefully planned many opportunities for participants to network and share their ideas and effective practices through round table groups. Participants reported particularly enjoying the opportunity to meet fellow OLLIs from their regions, as well as share ideas with those Institutes of a similar membership size. Facilitated table topic discussions and the "Idea Jams" were also popular, giving participants ample opportunities to have focused discussions and idea sharing. It is our hope that these important conversations and collaborations will extend beyond the conference as participants bring their favorite tips back to their own local Osher Institutes for implementation.
Attendees repeatedly expressed their gratitude to The Bernard Osher Foundation for their generous support of the National Conference. Overall, 2023 provided another great conference; the topics were relevant, the food was fantastic, and it was great to network and hear from others in-person.
The Osher Institutes National Conference is a sesquiannual, multi-day meeting that has been held at intentionally varied locations throughout the country since 2003. The Conference is fully funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation and organized by the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at Northwestern University in collaboration with leaders throughout the Osher Network of Lifelong Learning Institutes.
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INNOVATIVE COURSES AND CONTENT DELIVERY
Curriculum Corner
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Girton College, Cambridge
The Girton College Lifelong Learning Summer School
Course Length: One- or two-week in-person sessions
Course Instructors: Various
Course Delivery: In-Person
Course description: Applications are now open for the summer 2024 Lifelong Learning Summer Program at Girton College, Cambridge. This residential summer program gives lifelong learners the extraordinary opportunity to experience Cambridge student life in the context of a program specifically designed for adult learners from around the world.
The program offers academic courses, social activities, and a full on-campus college experience for participants. Participants take two courses each week, each lasting seven and a half hours, with teaching taking place in small classes. The topics offered are varied and include courses in history, literature, art history, and architecture. There are no exams as participants study for the joy of learning.
Many varied social opportunities are offered to help lifelong learners experience Cambridge to its fullest. Activities include visits to museums and libraries, punting on the Rive Cam, architectural tours, and even a visit to the magnificent Ely Cathedral. For those choosing to participate for the full two weeks, this also includes a day trip to London. During their stay, participants live on campus and enjoy meals in the college dining hall.
Visit the Girton College website to learn more about this program or to apply.
Of note: This unique opportunity brings together lifelong learners from around the world. It is open to anyone interested in the opportunity for an on-campus learning experience in Cambridge. A number of Osher Institute members have participated in past years. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in an immersive college experience, though the courses will be designed for lifelong learners. Participants will also have the opportunity both in and outside of the classroom to connect with others from across the world.
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QUICK TIPS FOR HELPING OPERATE AN OSHER INSTITUTE
Quick Tip - Host Member Events in the Off-Season
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As recommended by Fawn Supernaw, director of the OLLI at California State University, Dominguez Hills, host new member events – welcome/registration, OLLI Open House, community outreach/partners events, and semester launch events in the week before the university's undergraduate term begins. During this week, space in larger venues on campus is often available and a quick conversation with university parking staff can often confirm that parking is free or not enforced as many students do not yet have parking tags. | | |
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CAREER OPENINGS IN THE OLLI NETWORK
Job Board
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National Resource Center for Osher Institutes, Northwestern University
Wieboldt Hall, Sixth Floor, 339 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
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