Greetings from the NRC........................... July 2024 | |
Summertime looks different depending on where you are in the Osher Institute Network. Some warmer climate Institutes slow down their in-person programming as members travel to get out of the heat. But northern sites often step it up for the engaged folks who want to experience OLLI activities with their friends in learning.
Do the above photos appeal to your idea of an ideal summer? They represent the perfect summer blend for me. On the downtown Lake Michigan shore I can string my portable hammock and watch all sorts of boats and big city life float by. And “Up North” at the lake homes of my sisters, I can watch eagles float by while my brothers-in-law troll for Walleye.
We want it all, don’t we? The chance to relax is appealing but we also want to stay intellectually active. Many OLLIs can accommodate both the urge to adventure and to relax. Increasingly, you can catch a course or lecture on Zoom in the morning and then catch a nap on the hammock in the afternoon.
This month’s national newsletter features ideas you might ponder while in that hammock. Contributions from Colorado, Florida, and Montana offer us thoughtful ways to increase local dialogue, inspiring creative marketing techniques, and perspectives from fascinating people. They’re all ideas you might consider implementing in the coming terms.
With wishes for an exciting and relaxing July from the Osher NRC team,
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OLLI AT UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
Videos Help Uncover Jacksonville's Best Kept Secret
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How many times have you heard the question “What’s OLLI?” when sharing your enthusiasm for your programs, members, and volunteers? To answer this question, OLLI at University of North Florida (UNF) recently produced videos with the help of Miyuki Watson, Division of Continuing Education’s Marketing and Publications Coordinator, and Victor Ali, UNF’s Media Videographer.
The one-minute video is currently being used on social media. The two-and-a-half-minute video is a powerful promotional tool that can be used in a variety of contexts including outreach and member recruitment activities.
OLLI at UNF Director Jeanette Toohey often remarks, “I get paid to sing OLLI’s praises. I cannot think of anything more powerful than harnessing enthusiastic testimonials from people in the OLLI community. Constituent testimonials are free and provide social proof of OLLI’s value to prospective members.”
Video participants were cast and provided with the following short list of questions in advance. They were also told they were welcome to ignore the questions and speak from their hearts and personal experiences.
- Why OLLI?
- What does OLLI mean to you?
- What value does OLLI bring to your life?
- Imagine you had a bully pulpit that reached everyone aged 50 and better. What would you tell them about your OLLI?
If you haven’t yet embarked on a video project, think about giving it a try. Don’t forget that our treasured Osher NRC has provided an extensive toolkit of free marketing resources to help you get started. The toolkit is available to all OLLI directors on the NRC secure site under “Marketing Resources.”
Submitted by: Jeanette Toohey, Director, OLLI at University of North Florida
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OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Dr. Temple Grandin Speaks about "People Who Think in Pictures"
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On April 23rd, OLLI at Colorado State University (CSU) hosted renowned author, advocate, researcher and professor, Dr. Temple Grandin, to talk about her recent book, Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns and Abstractions. Despite being a professor at CSU for over 30 years, Dr. Grandin had never previously presented to OLLI members. The desire to see her was so overwhelming that 100 seats filled in four minutes on the opening day of spring registration and the entire system crashed due to the high volume of transactions occurring each minute! Luckily, a bigger venue was secured and the ability to stream the presentation live expanded enrollments to 300 members, OLLI at CSU’s largest single lecture event ever. Dr. Grandin was welcomed and introduced by the new CSU Vice President for Engagement and Extension, James Pritchett, who also got to meet OLLI members for the first time. In addition to nearly an hour of Q & A after her presentation, Dr. Grandin graciously signed copies of her book and engaged in individual conversations with OLLI members.
The event was a dramatic success, with member feedback indicating important and inspiring lessons learned about autism, education, and people who think visually. OLLI at CSU looks forward to having her back in the future to talk more about her research and life experiences.
Submitted by: Meredith Naughton, Director, OLLI at Colorado State University
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OLLI AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Community Conversations
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The second Friday of each month, a hundred or more people in Montana’s Gallatin Valley join a discussion about a local or regional issue. These virtual Friday Forums are a regular offering of the OLLI at Montana State University (MSU) and are open to OLLI at MSU members and the public alike. Because the forums are all online and at noontime, more people with full-time jobs can participate during their lunch hour. Often the most revealing questions or comments come from younger people amid busy careers.
Recent forum topics have included affordable housing, the efforts to return passenger rail across the state’s southern and more populated area, downtown Bozeman parking problems and solutions, and the upcoming vote on whether to create and fund a commission to make recommendations of city and county government reforms. The January Friday Forum featured a “Report to Stakeholders” with representatives of the local school system, the Bozeman City Parks and Recreation Department, and the Gallatin County Rest Home who all reported on local projects and programs, supported by recent local mill levies.
The OLLI at MSU Friday Forum committee selects program topics which are of local relevance and that, when possible, inspire participants to get involved in the issue under discussion. Once the committee selects a topic, a committee member becomes responsible for that program, including recruiting the speaker(s) and moderating the online Forum.
“We were concerned about community building,” says Dick Young, a retired physician and active member of OLLI at MSU. “We thought one of the things we should try was bringing more of the community together with a monthly gathering to discuss important issues, using university faculty and staff as resources.” He adds that in addition to the university resources, expert speakers come from local think tanks, government, and municipalities.
The Friday Forum, which often sparks significant engagement and healthy debate, is a long-standing and well-respected public service program that provides visibility to OLLI at MSU in the media and on and off campus.
Submitted by: Marjorie Smith, member volunteer and Friday Forum Committee Chairperson, OLLI at Montana State University
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Mark your calendar for the next Osher NRC webinar on Wednesday, July 31 beginning at 2pm Eastern/1pm Central/noon Mountain/11am Pacific/10am in Alaska/9am in Hawaii. This webinar is open to all staff, volunteer leaders, and members within the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network. Register for the webinar here.
Pinching Pennies: Budget-Friendly Solutions for your OLLI
In today's economic landscape, Institutes are looking for ways to save a buck. Effective budget management is crucial for sustaining and enhancing an Osher Institute. In this webinar, five Osher Institute leaders will share quick and easy tips they have used to trim their budgets. They will delve into practical approaches and innovative solutions designed to stretch every dollar further. Join this webinar to learn valuable strategies for optimizing financial resources with practical tips for trimming expenses.
Presenters:
Jascenna Haislet, Director, OLLI @ West Virginia University
Jacqueline Wyant, Executive Director, OLLI @ University of Denver
Nancy Kennedy, Director, OLLI @ Furman University
And others…
If you have interest in being a presenter or have ideas for future webinars, please contact Kevin Connaughton (kevin.connaughton@northwestern.edu).
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INNOVATIVE COURSES AND CONTENT DELIVERY
Curriculum Corner
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Osher Institute at Southern Oregon University
"See Like a Geologist: Coastal Landscapes"
Course Length: Four Weeks (four sessions)
Course Instructor: Karen Grove has a PhD in geology from Stanford University. She is Professor Emerita at San Francisco State University, where she taught courses in geology and oceanography, including coastal processes. She has lived near coasts and studied how they work for many years.
Course Delivery: Hybrid
Course Description:
In the US, nearly 40% of the population lives in coastal counties. Even those who do not live near the coast often travel there for rest and recreation. As the boundary between land and sea, our coasts are uniquely dynamic. This course will explore the geologic and oceanic processes that interact to create the ever-changing coastal landscapes we enjoy. Some of the questions the course will address: Why do coasts around the world look so different? What is the role of weather and climate in shaping coastlines? How do waves work and what do wave-dominated coasts look like? How do tsunami-type waves work? How do tides work and what do tidally-dominated coasts look like? What causes the tidal range to vary so much from place to place? What is the role of plate tectonics–for example, the Cascadia subduction zone–in forming coasts? To explain their variations, we will travel virtually to coasts around the world; our primary focus will be the west coast of the US.
Of Note:
OLLI at Southern Oregon University offers a large variety of courses in the sciences from nuclear energy and physics to the science behind electric vehicles.
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QUICK TIPS FOR HELPING OPERATE AN OSHER INSTITUTE
Quick Tip - Chapter Mark Your Videos
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When producing trainings, presentations, or class videos for your OLLI, chapter marking is an effective way to improve the viewer experience (and thus, potentially increasing views). These markers allow you (the video producer) to divide a video into distinct sections or chapters with specific titles. Viewers can then see these titles displayed on the play bar as they hover over or navigate through the video timeline. Chapter markers make it easier for viewers to jump to different parts of the video based on their interests or needs, enhancing usability. This feature is particularly useful for longer videos, where viewers may want to skip directly to relevant sections without watching the entire video. When chapter marking videos ensure each section title is clear and descriptive, maintain consistency in formatting and placement, and organize chapters logically based on the video's structure or key points. By implementing well-structured chapter markers, you provide viewers with a user-friendly way to explore and engage with your video content efficiently. | | |
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CAREER OPENINGS IN THE OLLI NETWORK
Job Board
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National Resource Center for Osher Institutes, Northwestern University
Wieboldt Hall, Sixth Floor, 339 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
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