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We hope you enjoy a very happy holiday season! We are very thankful for an amazing year in 2025 with Osher classes, instructors, and enrollments breaking all our previous records for attendance. The Osher office will be closed from December 20 through January 4 for the holidays and a well-deserved break for our staff team of five ladies. We return to work on January 5, 2026 looking forward to serving you as the winter term gears up in the New Year!
Please read below for some upcoming classes and special events that start us off right, a bit early in the winter term. This includes Larry Gerlach’s very seasonal Christmas History Part II: Traditional Customs and Celebrations! Please consider getting involved as a volunteer in the New Year or including Osher in your holiday giving. Participating in Osher is certainly fun, but it’s even sweeter when you are giving back to this wonderful program, in whatever way fits your own personal need for connection and generosity of spirit this season. Thank you for your support!
| | Get Involved as a Volunteer in 2026! | | Do you love Osher and want to give back to this wonderful program by serving as a volunteer? We would love to have you! We are currently seeking volunteers to serve as Osher Ambassadors to help greet and direct people at our annual open house at Red Butte Garden in August, annual member luncheon at Little America Hotel in December, and our Spring Fling held on campus in early March. Osher Ambassadors will help staff with various tasks at these big events and also help host free special events throughout the year, attending as an Osher member who gathers the group at the designated meeting spot, takes roll, and communicates with staff afterwards. | | | |
During our four terms, Osher Ambassadors can also help instructors by taking roll in classes and reading announcements each week before class begins, as well as directing members to our complimentary coffee and tea service and their classrooms during the "first week of school" when Osher members are trying to find the way to their new class. This is a low effort but high impact and fun way to get involved. You can sign up to help at as many or as few events or classes as your schedule allows. Join us to learn more about this opportunity in a fun, free class session.
Thursday January 15 at 10:00 am
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You joined Osher and paid your membership dues for a year of fun. Now what? This single-session free class will welcome new members, provide a "meet and greet" opportunity to socialize a bit with others new to Osher, and show you the ropes of how to get involved. We will cover the material in our Member Handbook, letting you know how you can get the most out of your membership benefits...everything from where to get your U of U student ID card, to where to use it for discounts, to the many campus amenities available to Continuing Education students. Our program becomes stronger with each new member!
Wednesday January 7 at 11:30 am
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Fidelio is a stirring saga of love, bravery, and the quest for justice. In this heroic tale, Leonore goes undercover, disguised as a guard named Fidelio, to infiltrate a corrupt prison and rescue her wrongfully accused husband, Florestan. It's an emotional journey that reflects Beethoven's idealism, echoing his own conviction that good will triumphs over tyranny. With the hopeful Prisoners' Chorus and soaring overture, Fidelio is a testament to Beethoven's musical genius!
Be the first to experience this brand-new production, incorporating modernized dialogue and thought-provoking projections that underscore the power of the human spirit. Utah Opera's preview class will provide insights into the story and the music, as well as the production history of Beethoven's only opera, Fidelio. We will also present fascinating information about Utah Opera's production and its cast. Interested class members can linger after the hour-long class session to observe a rehearsal on-site.
Tuesday January 6 at 1:30 pm
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Hippocrates wrote, "Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also a love of humanity." Literature is an art that best describes illness, the people who are affected by it, and the people who treat it. We will read and discuss essays, short stories, and poems, written by doctors, patients, and by brilliant authors that may include: Sir William Osler, William Carlos Williams, Mikhail Bulgalov, Jorge Luis Borges, Pablo Neruda, WH Auden, Eudora Welty, May Sarton, Lewis Thomas, Anatole Broyard, Denise Levertov, Richard Selzer, John Stone, Raymond Carver, and Perri Klass.
Tuesday January 13 at 9:30 am
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Christmas is widely celebrated as both a religious observance and a cultural holiday with a variety of customs and traditions. But most people do not appreciate why they celebrate the way they celebrate. Why do people kiss under mistletoe? Why are evergreen trees brought into homes and decorated? Why are stockings hung with care? When did sending Christmas cards begin? Why are there candy canes?
This extensively illustrated course will examine the history and evolution of the celebratory activities commonly associated with Christmas, including trees and ornaments, wreaths, wassailing, Advent calendars, cards, creches, stockings, nutcrackers, presents, seasonal foods and drinks, outdoor lighting, parades, commercialization, and much more. The course will conclude with survey of unusual Christmas customs and traditions around the world.
Tuesday January 20 at 9:30 am
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We are pleased to offer 21 new Zoom courses through our esteemed partnership with Osher Online™ with Northwestern University. This special program allows members from over 50 of the other 124 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country to participate in shared online courses, thanks to the generosity of The Bernard Osher Foundation. Osher Online™ allows Osher members from different states and institutions to learn with and connect to each other while maintaining membership at their own local Institutes. We hope you will enjoy being a part of the fun!
Registration Deadline: December 31
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Muscle strength and balance are critical to maintaining health and independence as we age. Without additional strength training, most older adults will suffer a loss of muscle mass and strength that can negatively impact their balance and mobility. Vivo, a live, online, interactive strength-building course customized to your fitness level, helps you attain physical fitness.
Vivo exercise sessions consist of cognitive, balance, and strength exercises informed by the latest science and research on exercise for older adults. Certified personal trainers provide modified exercises to meet each student's fitness needs. Whether you are new to exercise or exercise regularly, Vivo will help you build your strength and improve your fitness and mobility. Classes meet once a week for 45 minutes. For best results, sign up for two class sessions per week and choose which days best suit your individual time preference and schedule.
Mondays through Fridays starting January 20
Registration Deadline January 6
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This class is an introduction to qigong and simple stretching patterns. Movements will be taught both as physical and energetic exercises and as methods for improving present moment awareness and mindfulness of subtle perceptions. No special clothing or experience is required, come as you are, and be ready to move about comfortably in your home space and have fun with others!
This course is offered in conjunction with several other Osher Institutes across the country. We will be meeting over Zoom, and the class will include social time with other class members. The instructor will offer supporting resources of a suggested DVD available for purchase, free videos to view on YouTube, and ongoing virtual classes between Osher terms.
Tuesday January 13 at 10:00 am
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Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour of Shriners Children's Hospital SLC and see firsthand the extraordinary care provided to children and families across the Intermountain West. You'll visit their prosthetics and orthotics clinic, wheelchair and seating clinic, and comprehensive therapy department which includes occupational, speech, physical therapy, and the recreational therapies. Visitors will see patients and families, as well as care providers in action and will hear inspiring stories about the children whose lives have been transformed through the care.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 6
Thursday January 8 at 2:00 pm
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There is actual published research demonstrating improved cognitive function among those who play board games! Thousands of new board games are published each year, and an afternoon at Game Night Games will introduce you to a few of them. Whether you like strategy or cooperative games, those for two persons or groups of 20, you will find something to your taste. Join fellow Osher members in exploring a Salt Lake City location dedicated to playing board games, learn how to play a new one, and get tips for learning how to play other games!
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 9
Tuesday January 13 at 1:00 pm
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The NHL Utah Mammoth team is the hottest game in town. Come watch a hockey game in style as the Mammoth take on the Chicago Blackhawks. Osher has arranged for members to watch the game in our own skybox on Level 6 at the Delta Center! In addition, before the game a Mammoth representative (who played college hockey) will give us a tutorial on hockey. The $99 special fee covers your game ticket, lunch, game time snacks, and drinks. Space is limited so reserve your spot right away. Please note: Osher special fees are non-refundable as we will be reserving the skybox in advance.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: February 23
Sunday March 1 at 12:30 pm
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| Lunch and Learn lectures are wonderful opportunities to experience a sampling of what the Osher program offers, firsthand and for FREE! These lectures open to the general public, as part of our service to the community. If you have a friend who might be interested in Osher, please encourage them to attend and give us a “test drive”. | | |
How to Participate in the America250 Celebration!
January 21, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Ronald Fox, Co-Chair of Utah America250, Former Director in the Office of Presidential Advance for Six U.S. Presidents, and Author
This presentation will outline planned events for the America250 celebrations. We will highlight opportunities to participate and discuss events being held across the country. Mr. Fox will also speak about American history and Utah's history.
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Type 2 Diabetes: Causes, Prevention, and Management
January 28, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Sarah Zou, MPH, RDN, CDCES, Clinical Dietitian, University of Utah
This presentation serves as an introduction to type 2 diabetes, including a review of the underlying physiological cause, risk factors, prevention strategies, and lifestyle management.
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100 Women Who Care: Small Donation, Large Impact!
February 4, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Lisa Evans, Member, Community Activist, Musician, and Singer Songwriter
This presentation will explore the history of 100 Women Who Care, a charity group started by a woman named Karen Dunnigan in Jackson, Michigan. There are now 700 chapters, or giving circles, called 100 Women Who Care located across the US and Canada. Today, Lisa Evans, the woman responsible for bringing this charity to Salt Lake City in 2014, will discuss the efficient, high-impact way their group raises thousands of dollars in one hour, four times a year, and what happens at their meetings. Their average collective donation, made together to benefit one chosen group, is $25,000. Lisa will share some heart-warming experiences the group has had that make them love serving our community and how they appreciate the way service unites us all in community. She will also compare the donations made by 100 Women Who Care to donations to other well-known donors and philanthropists in Salt Lake City and Utah.
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FBI Salt Lake Outreach Program
February 11, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Muhammad Khan, FBI Community Outreach Specialist, Salt Lake City Division
The presentation will provide a baseline overview of the FBI's role as a federal law enforcement agency, an overview to the Salt Lake City Division, and details about the FBI's Community Outreach Program. Presentation will further highlight details about the role of community outreach in the FBI and efforts to mitigate evolving threats impacting the community to include concerns with cyber, fraud, hate crimes, etc.
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Unearthing Alta: The Lost Stories of a Mining Boomtown
February 18, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Ian Wright, Utah's Public Archaeologist, State Historic Preservation Office
Recently, the mining ghost town of Alta, Utah, was excavated for the first time after a construction project uncovered thousands of artifacts that hadn’t seen daylight in more than 150 years. The State Historic Preservation Office partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to document the site and recover as many artifacts as possible before winter storms shut down access. This presentation explores the remarkable history of a once-booming mining town through the objects its residents left behind and the stories those artifacts still have to tell.
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Lessons Learned in a Blessed Life of Sharing Utah and American Stories
February 25, 2026, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Craig Wirth, ABC Channel 4 Feature Reporter
Craig Wirth has been blessed to discover that the history of Utah (and America in general) is the history not just of buildings, cities, or places (although they are cool), but of people...and what those people have done in daily life. Some stories are amazing feats, some humorous, but most are just someone doing something unique or being that rare person who actually does follow their dream. Craig’s dream was to meet them, observe them, and be the lucky guy who gets to tell their stories.
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Most lectures from our previous terms were recorded and will be kept in our archives for re-watching. Enjoy them anytime and feel free to share the link with a friend! | | Did you know? Our online brochure each term features a handy calendar at the end! Our team of graphic designers and Osher staff carefully creates this calendar every term to help you schedule your classes. Click the link below, scroll to the bottom, and take a look! | | In this season of giving, please consider donating to help keep our Osher Institute growing and thriving. The University of Utah provides administrative support, our Bernard Osher Endowment funds 35%, and 65% comes from your Osher memberships and tuition. Every dollar helps us create outstanding new courses, support our dedicated instructors, plan exciting special events, grant scholarships, and so much more! Your contribution shows us that you value Osher in your life and ensures that we can continue to grow, offering 350+ courses each year, building a vibrant community of curious adults, ages 50 and better, who bring a wealth of life experiences to our very special program. Your donations make all the difference, particularly to those members who receive generous scholarships to attend our classes. Thank you to all our many donors, supporters, and volunteers who make this outstanding and unique program so special! | | Stay Connected by Joining Us on Social Media | | The Osher Instagram and Facebook pages are a great way to stay connected. We highlight the accomplishments of Osher instructors and members. Special Events are updated, posted, and featured here too. Please like us to stay up to date and share with your friends who would enjoy all that Osher has to offer! | | |
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
801-581-6461 | osher@utah.edu
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