UA News

The UA-affiliated OLLI is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to meeting the learning needs of individuals 50 and older.

University of Arizona students aren't the only ones back in school. Early last week, classes also began at the UA's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The institute, known as OLLI, is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to meeting the learning needs of people 50 and older. The organization is affiliated with the UA Outreach College.

OLLI was founded in 1989 as a peer-directed, learning-in-retirement membership organization whose mission is to offer learning, teaching and social opportunities to seniors, with members creating their own teaching/learning environment.

Currently, the group has 600-plus community members, who can be both lifelong learners and teachers (or, as the organization refers to them, study group leaders).

"People involved with OLLI include PhDs, CEOs and even housewives. We are people of varying degrees of backgrounds but the aim is to offer courses with an academic foundation," said Sandee Binyon, outgoing OLLI president and one of its 12 voluntary board members.

The group was established as a nonprofit in 2005 and through the Osher Foundation was awarded an initial grant of $100,000 in 2005 and a second grant of $100,000 in 2008. The grants were applied for on behalf of OLLI by the UA. 

The grants have helped the organization expand from its original learning site in Tucson. Today there is a site in Green Valley as well a a site in Marana, a new group getting its start at Heritage Highlands in March, and a site at the retirement community Splendido in Oro Valley.

"It's always great when people can learn and be excited about life. It was wonderful to observe the excitement in the development of the new Heritage Highlands Marana site," Binyon said.

Cost for enrollment varies but membership includes an unlimited choice of courses. In Tucson, enrollment is $250 a year and enrollment for the Green Valley site is $125 a year with both locations offering half-year memberships and an array of topics of study.

OLLI study groups typically are held in two 14-week semesters, one beginning in September and the other in January. Some study groups run seven weeks and there also are one-day "short courses." In general, study groups meet once a week, Monday through Friday, for two hours but vary in schedule according to site.

During this month's Tucson OLLI membership meeting some 80 new and current members of the Tucson group met to vote on new board members, discuss finances and review the spring 2009 course offerings.

"Your membership entitles you to participate in as many OLLI study groups as you wish, subject to availability. As a practical matter, because of the amount of reading and preparation involved, most members limit themselves to two or three study groups per semester," Binyon added.

For the development of courses and site offerings, OLLI depends on the interest and volunteerism of its membership base.

UA adjunct lecturer Stephen Stillwell is an OLLI group study leader and board member. Stillwell is part of the Tucson group and helped start the Green Valley group when he moved there after retiring from teaching history at The University of Texas in Arlington and learning about OLLI during a health and wellness fair in Sahuarita.

His background provides an excellent resume for leading an OLLI study group but impressive credentials are not a prerequisite.

"With OLLI, you take the courses you want to take and you don't necessarily have to be an expert on the topic to lead the study group either," Stillwell said.

Many courses are built simply on a member's interest to learn more and lead a class of other interested members.

"My job as a group leader is to help other people in the group look at the topic. Sometimes it is a pure laboratory setting where we break down the topic and assign tasks to one another providing insight through reports or presentations," Stillwell said.

Spring 2009 course offerings for the Tucson site include Latin American Politics in Fiction, Tax Reform, Trials of the Centuries and The Arabian World. Most classes began Jan. 12 but there are other classes set to begin in March.

The Green Valley and Marana courses begin Feb. 2.

Green Valley is offering courses that include topics on photographic composition, challenges of Hispanics in the U.S. and Muslims in Europe, women writers and French conversation.

Marana will offer courses on many topics including community planning, Tucson area geology, coronary artery disease and life writing at the new Heritage Highlands location in March. Oro Valley courses are currently in development but also are set to begin in March.

Looking ahead, Julie Camp Adamcin, the organization's membership and development specialist works with the membership and fundraising committies to expand into retirement communities in and beyond Tucson to expand the membership base.

One idea for expansion is to spread the word of the program and increase enrollment through the UA alumni.

"I'd like to see us more involved with the UA Alumni Association. I think former students ending their professional careers would appreciate the courses offered but I also think younger alumni would appreciate knowing about this learning opportunity for their parents," she said.