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National Resource Center
for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes Newsletter
April 2014
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In this month's newsletter we welcome a new director at Clemson University, celebrate 50 years of lifelong learning at U Kentucky and enjoy film clips from U Delaware and Carnegie Mellon, while drooling over a writing retreat in Illinois. In this busy pre-national-conference month, a retreat sounds particularly nice!
And once again, the Smithsonian American Art Museum will be offering a menu of live interactive videoconferences to OLLIs across the country!
We look forward to seeing some of you at the National Conference this month, and others at the Regional Conferences that are coming up in June and July. In the meantime, enjoy your Spring classes!
Best regards, Kali
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OLLIs -- Toot Your Horns!
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Toot your horn! Does your OLLI have news that you are proud of and would like to share with the network? The NRC newsletter is looking for articles about those
special happenings that you know will inspire and excite others. So, keep the network newsletter in mind as a place to "toot your horn!" If you have a story to share, please send it (with photos if possible) to Fran or Anne at the National Resource Center.
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The OLLI National Conference "Virtual Resource Table"
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The 2014 Virtual Resource Table
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What is the Virtual Resource Table?
It is a page on osher.net with links to a fabulous range of OLLI network catalogs, newsletters and many other helpful and inspirational items.
Why do you call it the Virtual Resource Table?
Well, we used to have a Resource Room at OLLI national conferences with long tables that carried stacks of OLLI catalogs, flyers, newsletters and other goodies. Then we realized just how expensive it was for OLLIs to ship their materials to each conference location! We also found that people could not carry many printed materials away with them especially when flying. Finally, the hardest piece was recognizing that following each conference we would be left with boxes and boxes of unwanted material which we then had to haul off for recycling! Now, with our Virtual Resource Table OLLIs can send in course catalogs, flyers and newsletters as digital documents that can be made available to everyone all year round on our web site.
Where will I find the Virtual Resource Table?
What else is in the National Resource Center's Document Archives?
What will I find in Conference Workshops & Papers?
You will be able to view (and download) handouts and PowerPoints from previous OLLI National Conference Workshop Sessions. We have items from the following conferences: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012. (If you are wondering why we have nothing for 2010 it is due to the fact as we switched over to an18 month cycle instead of a 12 month cycle and this caused us to skip 2010.)
Will you be adding Workshop Materials from this year's conference?
Yes, we will post these to the document archives after the conference.
Why is there a different decorative 'O' on each Virtual Resource Table?
Fran Myers, Director of Conferences, has designed a special pin for attendees of recent OLLI National Conferences. The 'O' found on each of our 3 Virtual Resource Tables echoes that particular year's conference pin design.
I want to see more information about this year's conference!
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The University of Kentucky (UK) is Celebrating 50 Years of Lifelong Learning this Year
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Lexington Mayor Jim Gray presenting proclamation to Mike Smith, Executive Director, OLLI at UK
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The University of Kentucky (UK) is celebrating 50 years of lifelong learning this year. In 1964, UK began offering forums for lifelong learners and an academic tuition waiver for adults 65+. By 1966, enrichment courses had been added; these courses grew and evolved into the OLLI at UK
Members combed through 50 years of documents, photos, and records of UK's vibrant history and tradition of lifelong learning, and planned a "Celebration of Learning" event. The event included historical and interactive displays, Member art exhibit, and performances by the OLLI Chorus, Dulcimers, Actors, Line Dancers and Instructors. The Mayor of Lexington presented a proclamation commending the university for 50 years of innovative lifelong learning opportunities.
 | | OLLI at UK Chorus |
Other anniversary year events include: UK Faculty Spotlight Forums, interactive UK Physician TeleHealth presentations to our other locations in Kentucky, a summer Health and Fitness Camp, popup recreations of Martha Washington and historical figures at a local Founder's Day, and demonstrations by OLLI Instructors at farmer's markets and outdoor performances to engage the community. The year will culminate with a special luncheon to launch an exciting future and another 50 years. We can't wait to see what our Members come up with next!
Submitted by - Diana Lockridge. OLLI at the University of Kentucky
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Julie Vidotto Named Director of OLLI at Clemson University
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 | | Julie Vidotto is the new director of OLLI at Clemson |
Julie Vidotto is the new director of OLLI at Clemson University. Julie comes to Clemson after a 20-year career in museum and public garden education program administration, serving as director of education for the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, N.C. and director of visitor education/services at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She held positions at the Hillwood Museum and Gardens in Washington, D.C., and the Callaway Gardens/Ida Cason Callaway Foundation in Pine Mountain, Ga.
Julie holds a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from Western Carolina University, a Master of Arts in teaching degree from George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in ornamental horticulture from the University of Maryland. Her professional interests lie in understanding how organizations support complex partnership endeavors, with her most recent research exploring successful multi-agency collaborations in community colleges.
Part of the university's Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management department, OLLI at Clemson has grown from 85 to more than 1,000 members since it began in 2000. The institute holds approximately 215 classes each year in interest areas that include technology, fine arts, culture, travel, nature and fitness, among others. The program is housed in the Charles K. Cheezem Education Center at Patrick Square in Clemson.
Submitted by - Amanda Turner, OLLI at Clemson University
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2014 Southern Regional Lifelong Learning Meeting:
Asheville, North Carolina July 30- August 1, 2014
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 | | Visit OLLI at UNC Asheville conference website for more information! |
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Poet Laureate Addresses OLLI at Bradley Writers' Retreat
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OLLI at Bradley University recently offered its inaugural overnight retreat, when participants of the Study Group Writing the Stories of Your Life met at Starved Rock State Park for the opportunity to "run away and write."
Ten OLLI members joined facilitator Carla Rich Montez for three days in this beautiful setting where participants were asked to develop beliefs and habits to sustain their life story writing.
The featured speaker was Dr. Kevin Stein, Illinois Poet Laureate and a Bradley Caterpillar Professor of English, who talked to the group "writer to writer." Bee Gibson, one of the participants, said at the end of the retreat, "Today I declare myself a writer."
OLLI at Bradley University was thrilled to offer this unique and inspiring event.
Watch this video about the retreat created by one of the participants.
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OLLI member Doortje Shover's documentary film PLAYING ON, highlights lifelong benefit of playing music
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Friends Doortje Shover and Buna Fletcher playing a duet
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A short film by Doortje Shover, a member of University of Delaware's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute in Wilmington, is gaining attention for its focus on the role of music in helping Alzheimer's patients maintain their quality of life.
"I feel a great hope from this story, that even if a time comes when we cannot communicate in other ways, that music can be a nonverbal language where we will be able to connect with each other and experience joy." - Doortje Shover
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OLLI at Carnegie Mellon create a "Review Movie" for new members
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 | | Watch the movie above to see Osher@CMU 2013 Year in Review |
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Study Art with the Smithsonian - FREE video conferences for OLLI
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The Smithsonian American Art Museum recently contacted the OLLI NRC with a proposal to repeat the 2013 program that offered OLLIs the opportunity to visit the Smithsonian American Art Museum from the comfort of their OLLI classrooms via real-time videoconferences. The 2013 programs were very well received and this year, the museum has the ability to work with sites that don't have access to room-based videoconferencing equipment, as long as they have a computer, wide-angle webcam, and (most important) a microphone capable of picking up an entire room of people talking, rather than one person at a time. We hope this will allow more OLLI sites to consider signing up for one or more of the offerings. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is the nation's first collection of American art, home to one of the largest and most inclusive collections of American art in the world. As part of an OLLI course or a stand-alone session, you can join their live corps of presenters as they explore images from the museum's permanent collection and discuss art that celebrates the aspirations, character and imagination of the American people throughout three centuries, with the following topics: To See is To Think: In this single session OLLI members will learn the language of art and consider the many choices artists make when creating their works. The 1930's and the War Era: This single session will focus on the interplay of art and national sentiment during times of crisis. Picturing America: Three sessions will explore how artists give us a unique window on American Life in Early America, Wars at Home and Abroad, and Contemporary Life. These interactive 60-90 minute videoconferences are available to all OLLIs FREE OF CHARGE, 9:00AM to 5:00PM (Eastern), Tuesday through Thursday from June 2 through September 26, 2014. Please click here for more detailed program information and instructions for scheduling a videoconference.
Submitted by - The NRC staff and the Smithsonian
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Additional Upcoming Lifelong Learning Conferences
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