Newsletter of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Illinois

February 2025

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In this Issue

Letter from the Advisory Council
Getting to Know You: member responses
Staff Spotlight
The Buzz: News from the Classroom and Beyond
Link to members' photo album on Facebook
Thank you, OLLI volunteers
Upcoming Dates and Deadlines
Photo Credits for this Issue
About Us

Unless otherwise noted, all content in this issue was compiled or written by members of the eNews Committee.

From the Advisory Council

Welcome to 2025 at OLLI! Our line-up of courses, lectures, study groups, and interest groups is exceptionally rich this semester, including a new Wellness Program with additional yoga classes running at the same time as study groups.

My topic for this issue is the OLLI Advisory Council (AC). In addition to serving as advocates for the membership in advising our director, we assist in developing OLLI’s long-term strategic plans, review policies and pricing structures, promote OLLI events, coordinate programming and activities with OLLI committees, and build connections within the community. A full list of our responsibilities can be found here.

Sometimes we have unusual duties. This fall, the AC participated in a search for a new OLLI staff position. In addition to the search committee, the members of the AC, committee members, and members of the Council of Chairs interviewed three candidates for the position. We are thrilled to welcome Beth Kirchgesner as OLLI’s Educational Engagement Director. At OLLI, Beth will work directly with members and instructors and use her expertise in community outreach to strengthen OLLI's community

engagement. Her office is located at the end of the hall in the staff suite. If you have not yet met her, please introduce yourself the next time you are at OLLI or by email. She’s eager to get to know all of our OLLI members.

In March, a nominating committee will be formed to identify new people to fill upcoming vacancies on the Advisory Committee. Would you like to become a member of the AC? The requirements are past and current OLLI membership, experience serving on at least one committee or volunteering in some other capacity at OLLI, and desire to give back to OLLI in a new role. The initial term is two years, with an option to renew for a second term. Being a member of the AC is very rewarding; you gain a “big picture” understanding of how OLLI operates and work with wonderful colleagues! If you would like to volunteer to serve on the Advisory Council, a committee, or any other volunteer opportunity (such as facilitating a study group or serving as a class host), please fill out OLLI’s volunteer interest form.

Questions? Contact our director Kathryn Williams or me, Sarah Wisseman.

Sarah Wisseman, Chair

On behalf of the OLLI Advisory Council:

Kendall Rafter, Vice Chair

Frank Modica, Secretary

Beverly Herzog, Council Chair Emerita

Sally Anderson

John Bennett

Ann Campbell

Frank Chadwick

Barbara Jones

Paula Kaufman

Claudia Reich

Jerry Soesbe

Sharon Williams

Getting to Know You: Beam Me Up, Scotty! If you could be transported to one place in the world for free, where would you go? Why?

Elizabeth Abraham

I am torn: I want to choose the Abruzzo region of Italy, to wander through the mountain villages and explore the Adriatic Coast of my maternal grandparents. However right now, it is cold and snowy there in the Apennine Mountains. I can’t imagine driving the twisting, narrow mountain roads this time of year. So, instead, I will choose a warm island in the Caribbean, a less traveled Paradise. There I will roam the shores of St. Marie and have a drink at Catherine’s beach bar. Maybe, there will be a murder I can help solve. With luck the victim will not be me.

Sandy Camargo

Martin and I would like to go to Oxford, England but getting there is not a problem. A better offer would be a year's lodging. That would be a real gift.

Fred Christensen

Bhutan! As a high school student in 1960, I read a National Geographic article about that Himalayan kingdom's splendid scenery and fascinating culture. That land would be a great place to visit.

Isabel Cole

I love South America and have always wanted to go there: highest capital city in the world (La Paz, Bolivia), which is also the country where Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and Che Guevara met their maker.

Barbara Ford

A beach in the South Pacific. I love beaches, salt water and warm weather.

Susan Garnsey

If I could be instantaneously transported somewhere, I would go back to Kyoto, Japan. I spent a few days there when I was on sabbatical about 15 years ago after spending 10 frenetic days in Tokyo, and it was so lovely and calm in comparison. It was also far easier to get around with its much simpler subway and train system. It has more than enough beautiful temples and gardens to occupy many days. I had taken the intensive 8-week summer version of the first 2 semesters of Japanese just before my sabbatical, and my ultimate fantasy is to return to Kyoto for a few months to take an intensive Japanese course that meets half-day, 5 days per week and then be a tourist the rest of the time. It will almost certainly never happen, especially if I have to sit in coach on flights to get there.

Robin Goettel

I want to be "beamed up" to Morocco. This exotic location has always been on my bucket list. I’ve been intrigued by the culture, the architecture, and the Moroccan cuisine. (I wish we had a Moroccan restaurant in C-U). I will enjoy the diverse geographic regions including the Atlas Mountains, dunes of the Sahara Desert, and beautiful coastlines on the Atlantic and Mediterranean. I can’t wait to visit Casablanca, Marrakech, and Fez to visit their mosques, bazaars, and numerous other cultural attractions and traditions. And, who knows, I might even get my first ride on a camel!

Barbara Jones

I could have put 10 other selections here, but my first choice would be to return to Madrid, to the Prado Museum, to see Velasquez, Goya, and El Greco. I would then travel to a small Spanish village and have paella and fresh sardines at a local bar. Then to the White Villages in the South to sit in the sun.

Eileen Kohen

Bill and I have been fortunate to enjoy global travel through the years to many countries in many continents. For practical reasons, if I could go anywhere that takes no travel time and for no cost, I’d choose a return trip to Australia and New Zealand—traveling there is costly, cumbersome, and takes a long time, but once you’re there, the opportunities for enjoying natural beauty and meeting friendly Aussies and Kiwis are numerous. It helps that everyone speaks English!

Maria Cesaria Lancaster

I would like to go to Antarctica, because that is the only continent I have never been to.

Beverly Luetkemeyer

Colorado, specifically Gunnison. It is what feels like home.

Kim Lytle

There are several locations on my travel bucket list, but a cruise down the Rhine River is my most hoped-for trip.

Anna Merritt

I'd like to be dropped on a warm and sunny day into a pretty little town along the Amalfi Coast, with three or four good friends, for a long lunch of fresh seafood and a perfectly chilled white wine.

Barbara Meyer

If I could be transported to one place in the world for free, it would be on a cruise ship through Alaska’s Inside Passage. I’ve taken the trip twice and can never get enough. Here are bald eagles, bears, humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, sea lions, sea otters, moose, mountain sheep and sea birds galore, all in settings that take your breath away.

I’d like to visit Misty Fjord again, with its iridescent green waters, where Dall’s porpoises bow-ride in front of the ship. Or watch the lion’s mane jellyfish rippling just under the surface in Ketchikan’s harbor, or look for the fins of orca breaking the surface like swords in Sitka Sound, then venture into a protected cove where sea otters float, belly up to the sun, some holding hands while others clutch their babies. I want to follow a Tlingit guide through a muskeg swamp on Chichagof Island to watch a massive bear show her cubs how to catch salmon. Chichagof, by the way, has the highest concentration of brown bears in the world. This time I’ll try not to get so nervous when I spot the bear scat on the boardwalk.

It’s common to return from these remarkable Alaskan excursions tired, cold, hungry, and wet. I can’t think of a better way to recover than to return to a comfortable suite on a cruise ship, a hot shower, fresh linens, and a delicious dinner.

Bruce Michelson

The world's longest beaver dam (3000 feet!) is up in northern Alberta — and because NOBODY I know wants to go see it with me, it's perfect for a solo teleport. I admire smart persistent fellow mammals who (unlike most of us) don't worry at all about who they are and what they're here for.

Mike Murphy

The coast of Italy to be closer to the Church and the west of Ireland to be closer to God.

Jean Paley

Assuming round trip teleportation, please beam me up to the uplands of Bali, circa 1991, fully vaccinated and with the body I had that year. A two-week stay would work for me, giving me plenty of time to enjoy hiking and eating, watching the dancers in Ubud, and revisiting the candi at Gunung Kawi. Plus, the last time I visited I never got around to trying that roast suckling duck on the menu at the little place around the corner from my hotel (I have a photo). I won’t make that mistake again. Thank you most kindly for your offer.

Mark Petty

Denali, Alaska. It has the most vertical height in the world. On Everest, you start at 15,000 feet. On Denali (McKinley), you start at 2,000 feet so the vertical is almost 20,000 vs. Everest at about 14,000. Beautiful scenery. Close (sort of) to roads and civilization.

Casey Sutherland

Australia has been on my bucket list since I was a kid, long before I even knew what a bucket list is. I loved learning about the different animals that evolved there, and I wanted to see them in person. As an adult, flying is not very enjoyable to me, so if I could snap my fingers and be transported anywhere, it would be to Australia. And I’d have to add New Zealand while in the vicinity, as the more I know about that country, the more I admire the people — and their wines.

Kathryn Valdes

Beam me up to: the gardens of Villa Carlotta. Years ago, my husband had a conference in Tremezzo which is on the opposite side of Lake Como from Bellagio. We stayed at the elegant Grand Hotel Tremezzo and while he conferenced, I wandered. On one of my wanderings, I discovered the Villa Carlotta and the botanical gardens with trees and plants from all over the globe. Overlooking the beautiful mountain lake and absent of any other persons but me, the gardens were quiet and peaceful as if the villa were my own.

I just looked and saw the hotel rooms are about $1,000 a night and the villa is closed according to Google maps. So, please, do not just beam me up but also beam me back in time.

John Zatarski

Since I am not able to visit other planets, “A long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away” (pardon the Star Wars reference since you had a Star Trek quote!).

If I could be teleported to any place on this planet, I would go to Australia!

Reasons:

1) I could avoid the extremely long (and expensive) flight to Aussie land.

2) When in graduate school at UIUC, I had a (room)mate from Australia as well as one of my favorite professors who lived there. I would be happy to see them again!

Staff Spotlight: Beth Kirchgesner

OLLI members are delighted to welcome Elizabeth (Beth) Kirschgesner, who joined our staff on January 13, 2025 as our new Educational Engagement Director.

Beth’s professional experience is in public engagement coordination, and she comes to us from a program administered jointly by outreach units in the University’s colleges of Engineering and Education. Its purpose is to engage and prepare pre-college students, their families and K-12 teachers in STEM education.

The switch from working with pre-college students to helping facilitate “lifelong learning” seems like a perfect progression for Beth, and she is excited about using her experience in community engagement to share the OLLI concept with the wider community. And she also looks forward to helping OLLI learners work through the technical difficulties we sometimes meet during our senior learning adventure.

Born and raised in Petersburg, Illinois, Beth is a U of I grad with a B.S. in Psychology—and an ardent fan of the Illini hockey team! She and her partner volunteer regularly with the Peoria German American Central Society, a social and cultural club. Beth lives in Champaign with her dog, Bongo, and cat, Myka.

The Buzz: News from the Classroom and Beyond

The summer travel season is over now, but there were lots of fall and early winter fun and educational opportunities here in Central Illinois! We have three Buzz entries for this issue, written by members of the eNews Committee, with photo credits below.

Dinner and a Movie with OLLI

OLLI members enjoyed an evening of "Dinner and a Movie" on Friday, November 22, 2024. Over 20 OLLI members and guests gathered at Big Grove Tavern for great conversation and dinner before heading to the Virginia Theatre to see Rushmore, the 1998 Wes Anderson comedy that included Bill Murray in the cast. It was an enjoyable social gathering, with attendees meeting both new and old members at dinner.

We look forward to another social evening with OLLI friends in the future!

Going Places: The Abraham Lincoln Museum

Kathy and Van Bowersox were more than willing when asked to discuss the OLLI trip to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. They are fans, having visited several times previously, bringing family there to experience an exceptional place. Another trip there was attractive as they knew the Museum always had something new for them to learn. Being chauffeured there on a bus was a bonus, while having Museum Volunteer and former OLLI member Tom Rozanski, along with a microphone, was over-the-top helpful. Tom grew up in what is now Harristown, Illinois, attending Niantic High School. He knows Central Illinois, a place we all call home. During the bus ride he shared historical information about Central Illinois, Abraham Lincoln, his times, and about the Museum.

The Museum hosts many traditional exhibits as well as several immersive ones, giving you the opportunity to experience what the Lincoln era was like. For example, the reconstruction of Lincoln’s boyhood home provided food for thought regarding growing up in a small log cabin in the 1800’s. A display of newspaper articles and campaign posters from the 1859 Presidential Race was displayed, shocking with their crudeness and misinformation. Beside exhibits, Kathy noted the availability of many well-done videos that made history easier to access and understand. Kathy mentioned that an area of the Museum is reserved for temporary exhibits, often highlighting the arts. Currently, the work of Richard Hunt, an Illinois sculptor, is showcased and is very worthwhile.

After time in the Museum, trip participants visited Lincoln’s Tomb, which Kathy described as a quiet and moving experience. It reminded her of what was lost with Lincoln’s assassination. Tom fielded a variety of follow-up questions on the way back to CU. Van and Kathy felt that the trip was a great choice for our CU OLLI chapter, as it highlighted a pivotal time in our history, and clearly shows how intensive divisiveness once fractured our country to the point of Civil War. We are fortunate to have the Museum so close at hand.

A 'Taste of OLLI' Offers an Appetizing Sampling of Study Groups and Lectures

During the week of December 9-13, OLLI gave members and non-members the opportunity to attend, free of charge, four interesting lectures and three engaging study groups. Almost 200 people registered for the ‘Taste of OLLI.’ Of those 200, approximately 27 were non-members.

Various observations were shared by participants of the week’s offerings. Kate Dobrovolny said, “Taste of OLLI always provides an interesting and stimulating array of topics.” Ann Campbell, who attended most of the lectures said, “All of the speakers were good, so that should have been a strong draw.”

After attending the lecture History Shall Shift: The Meaning of a Second Trump Presidency for the United States and Its Place in the World, Kendall Rafter noted, “Richard Tempest always has such an incredible grip on the effect of our elections and the effects of Trump’s presidency on the relationship of our country with the rest of the world. In this lecture he described charismatic styles and the effectiveness of charismatic leaders.”

Debbie Chew, a non-member who also attended Richard Tempest’s lecture, found it very interesting, as it provided her with additional perspectives about the election and Donald Trump, in particular. Debbie gained more understanding about the topic as Dr. Tempest shared historical background. “It is good to open up these learning opportunities to non-members,” Debbie said.

Members' Photo Album

For this issue, we asked OLLI members to submit a photo that they took of a machine. Above are some of the submissions; the full photo gallery can be found in our Facebook album.

NOTE: You do not need to have a Facebook account to follow the link above and view the photo gallery. Depending on the device you are using to view the photos (desktop computer, phone, tablet, etc.), you may have to click the "Not now" option when prompted to log in to Facebook, in order to clear that message and proceed to the photo album.

Thank You, OLLI volunteers!

Our sincere thanks to the members who volunteered to be facilitators for the winter study groups, which help to keep us all lifelong learners!

Upcoming Dates and Deadlines

February 24: Spring courses begin (8 weeks)

March 7: Spring study group proposals due

March 19: Spring study group schedule posted

March 26: Spring study group registration opens (9:00 a.m.)

April 11: Fall course proposals due

April 19: Spring courses end

April 28: Fall course proposals' final deadline

April 28: Spring study group session begins (6 weeks)

Photo Credits for this Issue

Eileen Kohen, Sarah Wisseman, Wikipedia, Cecile Steinberg, Sandy Camargo, Linda Coleman, Elizabeth Abraham, Bonnie Hudson, Jerry Soesbe, Janet Summers, University of Illinois College of Education.

About Us

OLLI at Illinois is a member-driven community of adult learners that is supported by the Bernard Osher Foundation, the University of Illinois Office of the Provost, and the generous donations of OLLI members and friends. It is part of a network of 125 OLLI programs across the United States, and there are more than 170,000 members nationwide.

OLLI at Illinois was launched in the fall of 2007, and since then, it has offered hundreds of programs to engaged residents of Central Illinois, fifty and older, representing a wide range of educational opportunities developed by OLLI’s volunteer Advisory Council and committees. In addition to courses in the fall and spring semesters, OLLI offers a dynamic schedule of programs and activities that have included lectures, study groups, member-led interest groups, educational travel opportunities, and collaborations with the Illinois campus and communities in and around Champaign-Urbana.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Illinois

217-244-9141 – web: olli.illinois.edu – email: olli@illinois.edu