Wednesday, December 21, 2011

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington offers a wide range of diverse educational opportunities for adult learners in the Cape Fear region. On January 12, OLLI will release its Spring 2012 Pathways catalog, in which members of the local community will find something to suit every intellectual interest.

Each semester, Pathway provides a listing of courses, special events, online offerings and travel adventures specifically developed for adult learners. The Spring 2012 catalog is available in printed and online versions, and will be provided as an insert in the January 12 edition of the Star-News.

"I'm very excited about the course offerings we have for the spring semester," said Shelley Morse, who became UNCW's OLLI director in 2011. "We have speakers, dinner and lunch programs, and courses on topics ranging from philosophers to pirates to artificial intelligence. Our classes are a great way to learn more about a topic that you love as well as to meet people with similar interests."

OLLI will kick off its Spring 2012 semester with a Tea & Scones Spring Pathways Preview Tuesday, Jan. 10 in UNCW's OLLI building at 620 South College Road. The event will offer door prizes, sneak preview copies of the Pathways catalog, refreshments and a chance to make new friends and renew acquaintances. Space is limited, so registration is required online at http://uncw.edu/olli/ or by phone at 910.962.3195.

Online registration will be available for all Spring 2112 OLLI programs beginning Thursday, Jan. 5 at http://uncw.edu/olli/. The online catalog will also be available for review at this same web address. OLLI Lifelong Learner memberships are available for $30 per semester or $50 for the academic year. Membership benefits include discounts on all programs, invitations to members-only events, Randall Library privileges and updates on special UNCW events.

The semester kicks off with two strong cultural events in January. "Operatic Masterpieces," Tuesday, Jan. 17 with UNCW music faculty member Barry Salwen, will provide an overview of the music, composers and stories featured in the spring season of Met Opera Live in HD, helping participants receive the most enjoyment from the productions. "Portrait of an Artist," part of the Dinner Speaker Series, offers a unique and memorable evening with two of Wilmington's most talented artists:  actor, director and painter Steve Bakunas and his wife, Tony Award-winning actress Linda Lavin.

UNCW's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is funded through grants from the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco, which supports a wide range of educational and cultural initiatives focused on adult learners ages 50+. Since 2005, the foundation has awarded UNCW's OLLI program more than $2.25 million to expand its programming, including a second $1 million endowment received in December 2011.

Media contact:
Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508.3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu