Forever Curious

OLLI provides a diverse array of high-quality classes to foster a lifetime of learning

By Ilene Schneider

Imagine being in a classroom for the pure joy of learning, surrounded by like-minded people — with no tests, term papers, grades or requirements. Whether your interest is Renaissance art, American history, politics, telling your story through song, understanding what makes a great athlete or using an electronic device, there is an OLLI course for everyone.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes range from the aesthetic to the prosaic, from the scientific to the self-aware. This past fall, for instance, you could choose from American Short Stories; Cultivating Resilience During Distressing Times; California, the Melting Pot; Arts of the Middle East; The Fundamentals of AI; The Orange County Grand Jury; and more.

For me, attending an OLLI class was like taking a pressure-free walk back in time and learning about something completely different. While I had never heard of Al Belson: The Man Who Taught Orange County to Love, Create and Collect Great Photography, I came away with admiration for the Ansel Adams protégé who operated the Newport School of Photography near John Wayne Airport and took exquisite photographs by seeing things that ordinary human eyes miss. I appreciated the loving and knowledgeable presentation offered by Belson’s widow and former student, Eve Belson Fudge.

There was a definite buzz among the 50 or so learners in the classroom, which is near Amtrak’s Irvine train station. As my escort, volunteer Linda Robinson, OLLI at UC Irvine vice president of marketing outreach and social sciences curriculum team leader, says: “There is joy, success, camaraderie and a feeling of wanting to be there for high-quality, university-level classes.”

The notion for OLLI at UC Irvine dates back almost three decades. In 1997, a group of mature learners worked with UC Irvine’s Division of Continuing Education to create the Academy of Lifelong Learning. In 2003, with an initial grant from the Osher Foundation, the academy became part of the growing OLLI network — created in 2001 out of philanthropist Bernard Osher’s belief that learning continues beyond college — and OLLI at UC Irvine became official. Three years later, the Osher Foundation presented an endowment that provides annual earned interest for the OLLI program.

Now OLLI operates on 124 campuses nationwide, and OLLI at UCI is “an essential piece of the continuing education puzzle,” says Krissy Collins, UC Irvine’s dean of continuing education. “We’re here to support learners in developing knowledge and skills and keeping their minds sharp. As an open-enrollment division, we welcome everyone, no matter their age, motivation or interests.”

OLLI volunteers — many of whom are experts in arts and humanities, STEM fields or the social sciences — poll the participants, develop the curriculum, create the brochure and even make coffee. They are accountable for keeping the organization running and teach some of the courses. Professors emeriti and retired deans also find “self-fulfillment in volunteering” and lead classes for many years in a row, Robinson says. Courses repeat or rotate based on member feedback.

The only staff employee, Alexandra Garcia, OLLI program manager since June, is pivotal in ensuring that the mechanics of the program are in place. “The community is amazing,” she says. “People want to learn, socialize and help each other.”

In 2020, the pandemic prompted OLLI to temporarily convert to an online experience. Today, OLLI offers a hybrid format that continues to flourish. Most current classes can be streamed, allowing individuals to also enjoy them online. After all, who would want to miss out on the fun of forever learning?

All About OLLI

OLLI at UC Irvine is supported by membership ($235 annually or $160 per semester, which entitles the member to attend all the classes and access more than 700 courses that have been recorded), as well as donations. It is open to everyone. OLLI courses are at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. with no overlap, allowing participants admission to the full lineup. Frequently, there are morning mingles, lunches, social hours and special events, such as trips to SoFi Stadium and the Norton Simon Museum.

For more info, visit OLLI at UC Irvine.

Source: This article was originally published in the UC Irvine Anteater Magazine | Winter 2025.