Last month I wrote about nearby recreational opportunities for seniors. This month I want to share educational opportunities that are open to adults age 50 and older. The University of Washington has a little known program, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, which began in 2006 with a handful of classes. It has now grown into a large program offering 15-20 classes each quarter. In the early years, the classes were offered on the Seattle campus and at the Trilogy retirement community in Redmond. Residents at Trilogy helped the University’s extension program staff develop the Osher Institute after learning that several other colleges around the country had an Osher-funded program with classes for seniors.
Currently the Osher program holds classes in several locations in addition to the UW campus and Trilogy. These sites include the University House retirement community in Wallingford, Horizon House on First Hill and Mirabella in South Lake Union.
To participate in Osher there is a yearly membership fee of $35. Each class you register for in an additional $30-45. Members can enroll in as many classes as they wish at any of the locations. The classes usually have 3-7 two-hour sessions. They are scheduled during the day and evening.
A sampling of the classes that are currently scheduled for Winter Quarter include:
- History of Early Seattle
- Understanding Your Immune System
- A Hemingway Sampler
- Middle Eastern History
- Colonial America: 1700-1776
- The World’s Greatest Art and Architecture
- Folk Music
- Geology of the Pacific NW
- Comparative Religion
- Ecology of the Pacific NW
- Life in a Crowded Cosmos
- McBeth.
Over the 7 years since the Osher Institute started I’ve taken more than 2 dozen classes. I have enjoyed most of the very much, Some of my personal favorites were:
- A weekend-long class at the UW marine laboratory in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island
- Antarctica
- Current Issues in East Africa
- The Power of Advertising
- Politics and the American Media
- History of Jazz.
As you can see, the classes cover a huge range of subjects and interesting topics. It’s fun to take classes with no tests or texts required. The class discussion is often lively and entertaining as well as educational.
You can find out more about the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on the UW’s website: http://www.osher.uw.edu/.
Julee Neuhart, Pres.
Montlake Community Club
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