The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Arkansas Lifelong (OLLI) opened classes for its Fall season at an open house on August 18th at its headquarters, 481 S Shiloh Drive in Fayetteville. Over 80 people attended the event, signing up for over 250 courses.
“What a way to kick off the year,” said Josh Raney, OLLI director. “We’ve worked very hard to build back up after the pandemic, and seeing these numbers tells me OLLI is back!”
OLLI offers open houses at the beginning of each semester to showcase the semester’s offerings and to provide attendees an opportunity to learn about the benefits of OLLI membership, including the fellowship of a vibrant community of lifelong learners. “I’ve been a member and committee member of OLLI for 7 years,” Judy Unruth explained. “I make sure to come to the open houses to get registered for the courses I know will be popular, like the hikes, tours, and lectures. It works! I haven’t been shut out of a course I wanted to sign up for yet.”
Open house attendees can register for courses at the event and get a head start on registering for courses. Fall 2024 open registration began the next day, August 19th, and will run until classes end on December 5th.
The open house also featured several OLLI instructors who mingled with the crowd and shared information about the classes they were scheduled to teach. Open house attendees competed to win $50 class certificates by participating in a meet-and-greet game with the instructors and a scavenger hunt for clues about courses.
“I love seeing everyone enjoying themselves,” said Sandra Sawyer, assistant director of OLLI. “This is what all the work is for. It’s for our members, and it gladdens my heart when members are happy.”
For information about this semester’s OLLI classes, see the fall 2024 OLLI catalog at https:\olli.uark.edu.
