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Happy Veterans' Day!
A Season of Gratitude
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As we finish fall term, enter the holiday season, and prepare for winter, it’s time to stop and consider how lucky we are here at Osher. Thanks to generosity from The Bernard Osher Foundation and our host institution The University of Utah, we are privileged to enjoy an abundance of academically rigorous classes and educational events—designed by and presented for a thriving community of wonderfully smart and thoughtful people ages 50 and better.
Our passionate instructors continue to show up for us, year after year, teaching for the sheer joy of sharing their knowledge. Thank you, Osher instructors! Our dedicated volunteers support this excellent program, many of them having served for a decade or more. Thanks to their tireless efforts, tuition for our six-week courses has not risen in over ten years!
Our hardworking staff members make the magic happen—a team of four serving 1,600 members, 250 instructors, and 30 volunteers, with the help of one wonderful graduate student intern this year. Thank you, Osher staff! And thanks also to all Osher members for making this very special community mean so much to so many. Many of you are veterans and we sincerely thank you for your service to our country. We have a lot to appreciate and feel gratitude for during this special season.
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Save the Dates!
Osher staff and instructors have scheduled exciting things for you come January to help keep the winter blues away. Winter term will run from January 7 to March 10, 2025. Registration will open on December 2 at 9:00 am. Our annual member luncheon and instructor preview will be held on December 4 at Little America. Please save the dates! Our new classes and registration for the luncheon will be announced on our website around Thanksgiving and a beautiful winter brochure will be arriving in your mailbox soon!
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Oboist Luca de la Florin will present a half-hour preview lecture about the music featured in the November 1 performance of the Utah Symphony. Learn about things to listen for, either during the Finishing Touches Rehearsal immediately after the lecture, or during one of the regular weekend performances. The Finishing Touches series gives audiences an opportunity to observe behind-the-scenes working rehearsals. Selections will be rehearsed at the discretion of the conductor. After the lecture and before the rehearsal, enjoy complimentary brunch bites in the lobby, courtesy of various generous symphony sponsors and donors.
Friday, December 6 at 9:00 am
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Ever wondered how the Osher program operates behind the scenes? Do you love Osher and want to learn how to give back to this wonderful program by serving as a volunteer? We have two upcoming FREE Osher Behind the Scenes classes running in November. Join us to learn how Osher staff and volunteers team up together to create all things Osher. We would love to have you on our team! | |
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Osher Behind the Scenes: Special Events
This single-session free class will give you a behind-the-scenes tour of this very special and unique aspect of our program. Volunteerism is the foundation of Osher and especially of Special Events. We've slowly been gearing up after Covid changed the way events were done in 2020. We're getting back to more in-person meetings at familiar venues and exploring new places too. Come learn how it's done and maybe even plan a new special event yourself for your fellow Osher members or share your ideas for fun places for Osher to visit!
Wednesday, November 13 at 1:30 pm
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Osher Behind the Scenes: Curriculum, Classes, and Instructors
This single-session free class will introduce you to the magic of how Osher staff and volunteers recruit instructors, organize classes, and create four fascinating six-week terms each year. We will outline duties performed by the esteemed Osher Curriculum Committee. Come learn how it's done, share your ideas, and maybe even think about volunteering your time or teaching a course yourself for your fellow Osher members!
Monday, November 18 at 1:30 pm
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Our founder, Bernard Osher, intended his Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes to be member-driven and volunteer-led within a community of peers, ages 50 and better. Every single member, instructor, and volunteer brings their wealth of life experiences and knowledge to the classroom, building a very special community of curious adults who value education and class discussions highly. | |
Did you miss a fall term Lunch & Learn lecture or would you like to rewatch a previous lecture? Never fear! We record almost every lecture. You can watch the recordings in our archives, going back to February 2021. Thank you to Osher volunteer Sandy Clark for organizing this FREE community service for Osher members and for those who want to experience a bit of Osher firsthand. Enjoy listening in and please share this link with friends who may be interested in what we learn here at Osher! | |
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The University of Utah's Marriott Library is constantly reinventing itself. As part of ongoing revitalization efforts, in 2019, hundreds of books were relocated from the second floor to the first floor, clearing 16,000 square feet for an innovation center dubbed ProtoSpace. Located on level 2, this space contains: a virtual reality (VR) arena, featuring an open lab for immersive VR experiences and game research and development; data visualization wall and equipment, including eight high-performance computers equipped with computational analysis software; geospatial information systems (GIS) services, software, and support; and much more. Digital Matters is a joint venture among Marriott Library, the College of Humanities, College of Fine Arts, College of Architecture and Planning, and School for Cultural and Social Transformation. T.J. Ferrill, Assistant Head of Creative Spaces, and Mark Howell, the ProtoSpace Program Coordinator, will show off their department's services by introducing our group to all of these wonderful resources.
Friday, November 22 at 1:30 pm
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An early bird premiere of the new episodes of the Sweepstakes series, to be shown with the first episode. An entertaining thriller series, Sweepstakes was created to help build awareness about the important issue of elder fraud. There will be a Q&A after the screening with Writer and Director Stephen Williams, lead actress and longtime Osher member Anne Cullimore Decker, and Director of AARP Utah Alan Ormsby.
Thursday, November 14 at 2:00 pm
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Caputo's can be an overwhelming experience - hundreds of chocolate bars, dozens of cheeses, tons of tins, and oodles of bottled goods wait patiently to be taken home to a pantry near you. The paradox of choice can be paralyzing in a store like Caputo's and the willingness to spend hard earned cash on something we might not be familiar with can be risky. This tasting class will explore the most decadent, most intimidating, and most worthy foods begging to be explored. We'll taste, talk about their uses and unique stories, and help make shopping at Caputo's more delightful and less overwhelming.
Sunday, December 8 at 5:00 pm
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Thursday, December 5
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Witness the beauty of lush greenery and delicate mosses thriving within. Capture the essence of nature in a stunning glass bowl with an exquisite terrarium. An expert instructor will guide you through the process of creating your own miniature ecosystem encased in a crystal-clear glass container. All materials are included.
Monday, December 9 at 9:30 am
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: November 24
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A Special Partnership with Vivo Fitness for Seniors
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. Osher is proud to be offering Vivo, a live, online, interactive strength-building course again for winter term, starting January 27.
Vivo classes are customized to your fitness level and help you attain physical fitness. Sessions consist of cognitive, balance, and strength exercises informed by the latest science and research on exercise for older adults. Vivo is the recipient of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to study its science-based training strategy and personalized online small-group format. Certified personal trainers, skilled in working with older adults, provide modified exercises to meet each student's fitness needs. Try Vivo for a free test drive and see for yourself in this series of online videos!
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Meet Our New Graduate Intern:
Welcome Lisa West!
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Lisa West holds a BA in Religious Studies from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Social Work while interning with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. As a passionate lifelong learner, Lisa not only looks forward to participating in classes but is also dedicated to fostering a sense of community and volunteerism at Osher. Lisa is committed to diversity and social justice and is eager to contribute to expanding special events and shared interest groups, welcoming your ideas to help bring them to life. Whether you're looking for support within Osher or beyond, she is a valuable resource for connecting you with the right opportunities. Lucky for us, Lisa will be with us for the upcoming 2025 winter and spring terms.
Lisa’s interests include people, dogs, family, reading, nature, and thought-provoking ideas. Look for her on Mondays and Thursdays in the hallways before and after classes and in the Osher Lounge area in Room 233 where we serve complimentary hot beverages in the mornings and offer a book exchange and bulletin board. Lisa likes to call this room the “Osher hub” so be sure to stop by to say hello!
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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!
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
801-581-6461 | osher@utah.edu
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