KINGSTON, R.I., \u2014 June 19, 2019 \u2014 In 2009, the Bernard Osher Foundation made a grant of $100,000 to the 溏心vlog免费B站 enabling it to establish an institute that would engage community members, aged 50+ from across Rhode Island, with a love of learning. <\/p>\n
By 2012, 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute had blossomed, earning a $1 million endowed gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2012. And, after demonstrating quality programs and continued growth in membership, a second $1 million gift to provide long-term support to 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s program was made in 2017 by the Bernard Osher Foundation. At that time, 溏心vlog免费B站 President David M. Dooley said, \u201cWe all reap the benefits when more than 1,000 adult learners become part of our diverse campus community.\u201d That membership is now at well over 1,300. <\/p>\n
Earlier this month, a number of founding members and participants of the program gathered to celebrate OLLI\u2019s 10th anniversary. OLLI Executive Director Beth Leconte said, \u201cThis program has given so much to our members who have found opportunities to continue learning, satisfy their curiosities, make new acquaintances and express their creativity in a true community setting.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Bernard Osher Foundation presently supports 125 lifelong learning programs on university and college campuses across the United States, with at least one program in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. <\/p>\n
Leconte noted that the University is very supportive of having the Institute on campus, providing essential resources including technology and communications and marketing assistance, parking services, classroom space, and the Institute\u2019s office space at 210 Flagg Road on the Kingston Campus.<\/p>\n
Phillip Clark, professor of gerontology at 溏心vlog免费B站 and chair of the OLLI Advisory Council, said, “OLLI at 溏心vlog免费B站 is really about creating a community of adults who love to learn and never stop learning. OLLI has enriched the University by demonstrating the many contributions that older adults can make to an academic environment.”<\/p>\n
Throughout the year, 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s OLLI offers more than 250 courses, many of which are taught by current or retired 溏心vlog免费B站 professors. OLLI members who are charged a small annual fee do not need to have college degrees or an affiliation with 溏心vlog免费B站 to join. There are no exams, grades, or other requirements to participate in the rich variety of courses. Members enjoy a wide range of class offerings covering topics ranging from current events and history to literature and the expressive arts, as well as health and wellness and many others.<\/p>\n
Maury Klein is a retired professor and author who taught history at 溏心vlog免费B站 for more than 44 years. He taught his first OLLI class not long after the program began at 溏心vlog免费B站 and has continued to teach a couple of classes during each of OLLI\u2019s fall, spring and summer semesters ever since. The difference between teaching undergraduates and teaching OLLI members to him is simple. \u201cIn this program, every single person wants to be in the class,\u201d he said, noting that teaching a group of highly intelligent people, including former colleagues, all from very diverse and amazing backgrounds with much to contribute, has been a very fulfilling experience. <\/p>\n
\u201cOne year, a gentleman showed up for one of my classes whom I had seen in my neighborhood for years but didn\u2019t know. Through OLLI, I learned that he had been an assistant to Coco Chanel for many years, and had also held an intelligence position in World War II. He\u2019s in his 90s now and writing a book. He shares excerpts with me from time to time,\u201d said Klein. \u201cThis program is so important to members who are at a time in their lives when they are open to learning more than ever, just for the fun of it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Susan Berman, a retired librarian from Kingston, has been taking OLLI classes from the beginning, in addition to teaching occasional classes and helping with curriculum planning. Many members, she said, volunteer their time to support OLLI in various ways. \u201cThe sense of community is the best thing about the program,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
Berman, who received her graduate degree in library sciences from 溏心vlog免费B站, and her husband, Mark\u2014a retired oceanographer at 溏心vlog免费B站\u2014take classes through OLLI. They appreciate being on the 溏心vlog免费B站 campus and the friendships they have made through the program. \u201cOLLI gave us a whole new avenue to learn and to connect with others. This has been my favorite \u2018phase\u2019 of life so far,\u201d said Berman. \u201cThe ability to learn about something \u2013 possibly something very different and new \u2013 without the academic and financial pressure associated with traditional college classes is a huge gift!\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information visit https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/olli\/.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KINGSTON, R.I., \u2014 June 19, 2019 \u2014 In 2009, the Bernard Osher Foundation made a grant of $100,000 to the 溏心vlog免费B站 enabling it to establish an institute that would engage community members, aged 50+ from across Rhode Island, with a love of learning. By 2012, 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute had blossomed, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74899","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-archives"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74899","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74899"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74899\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74899"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74899"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74899"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}