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



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May 2025

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OLLI Website | Calendar 2024-2025 | Your OLLI Member Account

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• Letter from the Advisory Council
• Getting to Know You: member responses and guest contributor
• The Buzz: News from the Classroom and Beyond
• Member Spotlight
• Thank you, Spring Study Group facilitators
• 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.

Editor's note: due to a technical glitch, this eNews issue will not contain the customary member photo album. Our apologies to all who submitted a photograph, but there will be another opportunity in the fall!

When I first joined in 2008, OLLI was just beginning its journey to the vibrant learning community it is today. I took Tai Chi, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Then I approached my boss at the Illinois State Archaeological Survey about teaching an OLLI course. “Sounds like good outreach. Go for it!” he said. And I was hooked. I continued to teach because I loved the experience of discussing archaeology with mature OLLI students who peppered me with questions and comments. I took classes I’d missed in college in science, art, writing, nature, and music. I added study groups (Writer’s Café, Mystery Short Stories, New Yorker, Art History). And I found my tribe. 

More recently, our OLLI began offering four study group sessions instead of three per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30), and we now have interest groups for members. Online learning, too, has become a popular and convenient option for many of our members. OLLI members now regularly organize a Documentary Film Series each June. A year-round Wellness Program is the most recent addition to our offerings. Of course, free lectures have always been part of the OLLI curriculum, and we now have a series of lunchtime lectures each season. 

What happens at OLLI during the summer, in addition to study groups in July? This year, June is the month for a theater trip to Chicago (Saturday, June 7, registration is open) and a week of documentary films. Most interest groups (e.g. Folksinging, Hiking, Mahjong) continue over the summer and Trivia contests are being arranged for mid-July.

Here is the basic schedule for 2025-2026:  

• July 7– August 15: Summer Study Groups and Wellness Program 
• September 2– October 27: Fall Courses 
• November 3 – December 19: Fall Study Groups and Wellness Programs (no programs Nov 24-28)
• January 5 – February 16, 2026: Winter Study Groups and Wellness Program 
• February 23 – April 18, 2026: Spring Courses 
• April 27 – June 8, 2026: Spring Study Groups and Wellness Program
• June 16 – 20, 2026: OLLI Documentary Film Series

Since I became part of the OLLI community, there have been many changes. If you aren’t experiencing all that OLLI offers, look again! Enjoy every aspect of OLLI!



Sarah Wisseman

Chair, Advisory Council

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

Elizabeth Abraham

I recently watched Ludwig, a British murder mystery series, which I found smart and funny.  A puzzle setter is cajoled by his desperate sister-in-law into impersonating her husband, his twin, after the brother goes missing. The missing man happens to be a police detective and Ludwig finds himself tasked with solving murders, while looking for clues about his missing twin. He uses his expertise as a puzzle creator in his new role as detective, while looking for clues about why his brother has disappeared. His sister-in-law and nephew also engage in the hunt and much confusion ensues. Light and clever. It streams on BritBox.  

Jim Brusatte

NCIS: Origins on CBS is a smart, evocative and well-told story of the series' beginnings. The characters are interesting and their stories are multi-layered. Give it a watch.

Linda Coleman

We’ve binge-watched several British procedurals that I could pick, but I think I’ll go domestic and say the new Matlock with Kathy Bates on CBS. Tethered ever so slightly to the classic show, this version handles serious subjects with a deft touch and just enough humor and warmth to keep it entertaining. And Kathy Bates! Oh, my. She’s still got it!

Suzanne Darby

The Residence on Netflix is an 8-part miniseries who-done-it set at the White House. It has excellent acting, great story lines, and fantastic sets. Such fun from beginning to end! I highly recommend it.

Wanda Haschek-Hock

Dark Winds on AMC. Also most PBS shows, including Wolf Hall, Miss Scarlet, and Velvet.

Carl Jockusch

Elizabeth and I have enjoyed watching the TV series Seaside Hotel, which is available from PBS Passport to WILL contributors. It is in Danish with English subtitles and the plot has many interesting twists and turns. The later seasons are especially interesting because in them the Germans are occupying Denmark and interact with the hotel guests.

Beverly Luetkemeyer

I would recommend the Netflix limited series The Residence. It's a rather delicious whodunit with a side of comedy. Intrigue and levity!

Robert K. O'Daniell

After breaking and replacing my iPhone, I received some free access to Apple TV.

After dipping my proverbial toe into the water, several nice series were found, but we kept coming back to Ted Lasso. What we liked best in Ted Lasso was the constant positive approach of the lead character and his desire to make things better for all of the characters. Lasso, a football coach in the US, was hired to coach an English soccer team. The owner of said team wanted Lasso to fail and ruin the team, which was beloved by the new owner's recently-divorced husband. Lasso took the job because his own marriage was on the rocks and he needed the physical distance. With this backdrop of personal problems and impossible odds, his daily life was to do the best for himself and everyone around him. The upbeat and selfless nature of his empathy for others is so soothing in the bitter atmosphere of the current politics that we now live In.

Cele Otnes

I recommend Detectorists, a British comedy about two men who spend most of their non-working hours engaged in the hobby of metal detecting. It is a gentle but often-hilarious comedy about life in the small (fictional) English town of Danbury and the members of its Detectorists Club. Great stars: Toby Jones, Mackenzie Crook (who also won a BAFTA for writing it), Diana Rigg, and her real-life daughter, who plays her daughter. It currently streams on Apple TV.

Sam Reese

My wife, Susan, and I have really enjoyed the current PBS Masterpiece production of Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. The acting is Shakespearean in depth and weightiness, and the plot is full of fascinating aristocratic English history. The costume and settings are glorious also!

Kathryn Valdes

We were drawn into two HBO/Max series recently, The White Lotus and The Pitt. We awaited the release of each episode and were sorry to see them both end. The White Lotus has three seasons with quirky characters and a murder mystery at a different posh resort each season, with every location stunningly beautiful. The Pitt stars Noah Wiley of ER fame and is an action-packed hour by hour shift in a Pittsburgh emergency room. It is on HBO/Max and has a lot more graphic realism than the original ER series on network television, but similar in having a large ensemble cast of characters on both sides of the stethoscope.

We just started watching the follow-up to Wolf Hall, The Mirror and the Light on PBS. The acting is excellent and I look forward to enjoying the series, even though I know it is not going to end well for Thomas Cromwell.

Tony Welsh

The Last Kingdom on Netflix – 5 seasons, Vikings invading England. I couldn't stop watching it!

The eNews Committee asked long-time OLLI member and occasional film and TV study group facilitator Casey Sutherland to weigh in on this issue's question: What TV series have you watched recently and would recommend?

OK, it’s true. I watch more TV and films than I read books as I’ve gotten older. I usually blame my aging eyes, but I’ve also been a media lover for my entire life, so I make no apologies for this behavior.

This reply will depend on your definition of “recently.” During the pandemic lockdown era, like many people, we started binge watching streaming TV series to pass the time. A favorite new find back then was the British series Last Tango in Halifax, which ran for 5 seasons on the BBC from 2012 through 2020, and currently streams on Apple TV. This series introduced us to two amazing actresses, Sarah Lancashire and Nicola Walker, as well as the series creator and head writer Sally Wainwright. Since then we’ve been gobbling up anything we can find that these women have been involved with. Lancashire examples are Happy Valley, Rose and Maloney, and Julia, in which she does an amazing job portraying Julia Child. Walker examples include police procedurals Unforgotten, Scott & Bailey, and Annika. Favorite Wainwright series include several of these titles, plus the historical drama Gentleman Jack. All of these series feature superb writing and acting, and the mysteries are very interesting whodunnits.

If by recent you mean shows that I have watched recently, then my reply would have to be Call The Midwife. I suspect that many of you will have already seen this terrific British period-piece series that has run on PBS on this side of the pond, but I only started watching the first 13 (!) seasons on Netflix a few months ago. Again, great acting and writing, and I found escaping to the 1950s and ‘60s East End of London to be very cathartic in our chaotic times. The series is centered around a group of Anglican nuns and secular National Health Service midwives, and tackles a wide range of social topics, including poverty, teen pregnancy, birth defects, abortion, religion and faith, and racism. Season 14 aired in Britain earlier this year, and is just now beginning to be shown on PBS. I’m hooked! And just in case you are wondering, I do also watch and enjoy American TV series, as well as shows from other countries. But the Brits are particularly good at this drama thing!

OLLI activities inside and outside of formal classes and study groups abound! We have two Buzz entries for this issue, written by members of the eNews Committee, with photo credits below.

In February, OLLI offered a marvelous talk by David Leventhal, the Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD® founding teacher and program director. As many of you may know, Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder that is often accompanied by impaired balance, difficulty walking, and reduced quality of life. Recent studies indicate that dance may be an effective alternative to traditional exercise for addressing these areas of concern to individuals with PD.  

The weather that day kept many of our OLLI members hunkered down at home. However, here is an opportunity to see a bit of what you missed. Please click on this link to a video in order to get a taste of the work done by this excellent international program and get to know its gifted Director.

Boneyard Arts Festival

Our CU community offers so many opportunities to engage in the arts that it is hard to choose. This year was a good year to explore the Boneyard Arts Festival at the venue hosted by OLLI. The Boneyard Arts Festival is sponsored by the Champaign Arts Council, 40 North/88 West. It is a 3-day exhibition of performance, literary, and visual art in a variety of venues, from private businesses to public spaces. It is not juried; artists and venues decide what is included.

With 38 artists participating at OLLI, representing poets, writers, and visual artists, our venue offered a varied experience, as well as an appreciative audience. While OLLI generally lets us experience members’ intelligence, it does not readily provide a window into human emotion. With the Arts, we get the chance to do that. We can feel things.

The visual art was varied and well displayed. One striking piece was a painting of the artist’s sister. It spoke of a connection forged with love, and of understanding that comes with time. Studies show that infants find the human face visually special. We seem not to lose that as we age. Another artist’s work was full of light and brightness. Viewed, it offered excitement and provoked smiles; maybe offered a sense of hope. How wonderful that an artist can create and we can then experience something over and over again. 

In another room, poets and writers presented their works, offering humor and short anecdotes between. It was clear that the group was a safe haven for ideas and critique. We were told that the one rule for writing is “don’t be boring.” This includes “if it doesn’t contribute to the piece, it detracts.” Listening to someone reading original work can indeed stop the world. It was clear that the audience was truly engaged. You may love OLLI because you love history and science and knowing things. Well, the Arts let you know things but also feel things. We should resolve to give the Arts equal time. It is such a pleasure.

OLLI member Mary Emmons displays her artwork during the Boneyard Arts Festival

Guests admiring varied types of wood-working

In high school, Bev liked science and considered a chemistry major. Life happened and during a stint as a camp counselor she was blown away by a colleague, who could answer all of the kids' questions. The know-it-all was a geology student. The experience led Bev to take a geology course in college and she discovered that she loved it. She decided on a career that used science to answer questions. With an advanced degree in hydrogeology, from Stanford no less, she fulfilled this objective. With a successful career as a scientist and leader, Bev presents as knowledgeable, which she is, but also as still curious, enthusiastic, and eager. She says that OLLI is a perfect fit: a place to meet fascinating people, stimulate your brain, and make friends with curious people like herself, who studied other things, and want to know more. 

Bev prefers work that makes a difference. She finds herself, still, wanting to make the world better. This includes agreeing to leadership roles at Altrusa International, the Red Cross, and OLLI. She laughs and says, “I can’t say no.” During her professional career, she frequently found herself the first or only woman involved in a project. She is proud that she was able to open doors for others, while noting while it was hard work, it did not feel like a struggle. Her colleagues were supportive. It only occurs to her in hindsight that she may have blazed trails. So why stop now? 

On thing sure to light Bev up is talking about Craig, her life partner of nearly 43 years. They were a perfect match. The more gregarious one, he, nevertheless, always listened carefully, then enthusiastically cheered her on. She notes a milestone they achieved with OLLI: she and Craig are the first couple to have both chaired the OLLI Board/Advisory Committee. What else can she do but smile? 

Our sincere thanks to the members who volunteered to be facilitators for the spring study groups, which help keep the lifelong learning rolling!

May 23: Summer study group proposal deadline

May 26: OLLI office closed for Memorial Day

May 27: Annual and Fall Memberships available (9:00 a.m.)

June 4: Summer study group schedule posted

June 9: Spring study group session ends

June 11: Summer study group registration opens (9:00 a.m.)

June 16–20: Documentary film series (but not on June 19)

June 17: OLLI Annual Meeting and dinner

June 19: OLLI office closed for Juneteenth

June 30: OLLI Annual Membership expires

July 1: OLLI Annual Membership year begins

July 4: OLLI office closed for Independence Day

July 7: Summer study group session begins (6 weeks)

July 9: Fall 2025 course registration opens (9:00 a.m.)

July 10: Summer Trivia Thursdays begin (3 weeks; July 10, July 17, July 24)

August 15: Summer study group session ends

September 1: OLLI office closed for Labor Day

September 2: Fall semester courses begin (8 weeks)

September 26: Fall 2025 and winter 2026 study group proposals due

Eileen Kohen, Sarah Wisseman, Google images, Linda Coleman, Mark Morris Dance Group, Elizabeth Abraham, Bev Herzog via Princess Cruise Lines, Janet Summers, University of Illinois.

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

OLLI Staff: 

Kathryn Williams, Director

Beth Kirchgesner, Educational Engagement Director

Janet Summers, Membership Coordinator

OLLI at Illinois eNews Committee:

Eileen Kohen, Chair

Barbara Meyer, Technical Consultant

Casey Sutherland, Technical Specialist

Chris Clark, Technical Specialist

Elizabeth Abraham

Robin Goettel

Bonnie Hudson

Frank Modica

Jean Paley

Cecile Steinberg

Jerry Soesbe, Advisory Council Liaison

Kathryn Williams, OLLI Director

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