How Old School Is The New School: The Osher Lifelong Learning Center

It is never too late to learn new things, and for many, it is a passion. Osher Lifelong Learning Center (OLLI) at Cal State East Bay’s Concord Center gives its students the opportunity to explore their curiosities, holding classes on everything from creative writing to kaleidoscopes. 

OLLI has operated at East Bay for more than two decades and is one of 124 similar programs across the country, including six others in the Bay Area. Their goal is to create a learning environment for mature learners that fosters creativity, self-discovery and peer education. The program, led by director Cristen Newman, is open to primarily those aged 50 and over. Though, as Newman put it, there is no “carding at the door.” Membership, acquired through a $60 yearly fee, provides access to one free lecture a month, ranging from subjects like the history of Art Deco and Broadway to the finer points of fantasy sports and Old Hollywood stardom. Although OLLI has around 400 members and 50 volunteers, the group manages to stay a tight-knit center for learning, and that remained true for the Fourth of July holiday event. 

The special event, held the day before Independence Day, was a celebration of American history and culture. The lecturers, two familiar OLLI guests, gave two separate, albeit equally patriotic, talks. Dr. Richard Bell, author, and history professor from the University of Maryland, is an expert in the field of American and 18th to 19th-century history, making him the perfect guest to talk about the legacy of the Declaration of Independence on its 248th birthday. Meanwhile John Kendall Bailey, a conductor and music director in both Oakland and San Francisco, led in discussing the history of America’s most patriotic music. These guest lecturers and the event itself were an example of an important aspect of OLLI: the passion for learning and a community to do just that. 

OLLI is unique in many ways including how it structures classes. While traditional Cal State East Bay students know the cycle of writing essays, preparing presentations and studying for hours on end for a grade, OLLI members enjoy the pleasure of no homework, tests or grades. It is the entertainment of attending class, talking with peers and learning new things, minus the extra work when you get home. This environment encourages members of OLLI to engage in discussion freely, a task many professors know can be like pulling teeth with most students. A big reason many professors enjoy working with OLLI is because members are there to learn and listen to what they have to offer for enjoyment rather than obligation. 

As its many members are diverse and unique, ranging from former trade workers to former healthcare professionals and homemakers, from first-time students to Ph.D. holders, OLLI has been able to use that knowledge to not only better its members, but also younger generations. Having older members around, who are both excited to learn and have the experience of their professions in their back pocket, has shown to be an invaluable asset on campus. For example, OLLI recently teamed up with a nursing cohort, allowing many of their members, former nurses themselves, to share their experiences and knowledge with those who will soon be in the same field. The intergenerational learning aspect of OLLI is something the program hopes to explore further as it continues its goal of sharing information with an older audience.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Center here at East Bay has shown the power of learning for learning’s sake. Members are able to engage in subjects they may have never thought of before, talk and meet with new people of all ages, and engage in interesting discussions, all without having to worry about a report card. Learning is a lifelong quest, and who better to share it with than Osher Lifelong Learning Center? 

Information on membership and courses can be found at OLLI’s website.