OLLI Program Joins Efforts with Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston, a program for people 50+, boasts more than 1,000 members from a broad spectrum of Eastern Massachusetts towns. Sponsored by UMass Boston's Gerontology Institute, OLLI was established in 1999 and has since been successfully attracting older learners to its educational courses, lectures, social events, and travel opportunities. This fall, OLLI UMass Boston formed an alliance with Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI), a Boston-based non-profit serving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered seniors. The Stonewall Communities program has offered classes and lecture programs to its more than 200 members throughout eastern Massachusetts for the past 4 years.

“OLLI is excited to collaborate with Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute this fall in offering courses to the LGBT community with the benefit of OLLI's resources, and giving OLLI the opportunity to further diversify its student body,” says Wichian Rojanawon, PhD, Director of OLLI.

“OLLI provides a great service to older adults who want to continue to grow socially, culturally, and intellectually, and collaboration with Stonewall Communities Lifelong Learning Institute will enhance our ability to do that,” he adds.    According to Ed Ford, president of Stonewall Communities, “In challenging economic times, organizations like ours are looking for creative ways to continue serving our members. With our collaboration with OLLI, Stonewall not only has the opportunity to continue our LLI programs but to expand learning opportunities through this new partnership. Everyone wins!”

While many offerings take place on the harbor front campus, courses are also offered at two satellite locations-the Hingham Public Library and Cordage Park in Plymouth. A small sampling of the 70 non-credit courses to be offered this fall includes Intermediate French Conversation through Cinema; How Our Brain Works; Introduction to Opera; Edward Albee and the Theatre of the Absurd; Introduction to African Cinema; Longevity and Medical Thought (an online course); Acting for the Fun of It; Learn Chinese Modern History through Documentary Movies; Culinary Italy from North to South; Native American Two-Spirit LGBT Poetry and Short Fiction; and National Issues Forum: Non-Partisan Discussions of International Relations and Security Issues. In addition, nearly 40 lectures are offered this fall on a wide variety of topics.   

To learn more about the OLLI UMass Boston program, visit www.olli.umb.edu or call 617-287-7312.