Osher@Mizzou is a lifelong learning program that provides a variety of non-credit classes and other educational, cultural and social opportunities designed for individuals age 50 and over, all for the joy of learning. Thus it was with our beloved lifespan learning program. Launched on a shoestring by a courageous administrator as the Lifespan Learning program, it advanced through the whirlwind ene
rgy of an educator. On the edge financially, MU was uncertain of Lifespan Learning's future financial viability and success -- until late in the day on July 5, 2005. An unpretentious telephone call came in from California bearing news of an award from the Bernard Osher Foundation. I took the call, walked down the hall to the associate vice provost's office to convey the news. The emotion unleashed by the news in her office put me in touch with the force energizing my own pounding heart. Seemingly in seconds, Lifespan Learning had gone from rags to riches -- and even undergone a name change, reborn as the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MU. But it would be nine more months before we would come to comprehend the vision underlying the obligatory name change. Yes, we had felt a bit like orphans before the award -- older folks sitting university classes specially designed for their developmental stage in life; universities, in our time, were populated by the young. Osher had bought us legitimacy. We wondered about the giver, initially half-assuming he no longer walked the earth. Few foundations are led by live, hale and hearty philanthropists. Then came the invite to our first of the foundation's annual meetings. An epiphany awaited us in San Jose , where representatives from all 73 universities blessed with the Osher largesse would be gathered. Picture a well-attended plenary session in which group after group stands to announce: "I'm an OLLI"-- from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, University of Hawaii at Hilo, University of California at Davis, UC Riverside, University of Vermont, Oklahoma State University. By the time it was our turn to stand to make our identity known, we were part of the culture. There was recognition of the fact that we had been inducted into a force -- the OLLI Force! Soon thereafter, a member of the group introduced himself simply as Barney Osher. Barbro Osher took to the platform to address the assembly: "I'm speaking to you at my husband's request -- he's shy. Go forth in strength, and do well as you do good," the elegant Mrs. Osher essentially urged in her lilting Swedish intonation. The Force had evolved into family. "Don't stay with them what brung ya," was Kali Lightfoot's appeal. "Get to know every OLLI." Kali is CEO of the Osher Foundation's National Resource Center established at the University of Southern Maine (USM). We are members of a national family force that is always only an e-mail away, ready to answer questions, resolve problems and give advice. The USM staff no longer takes it on alone, however. An automated e-mail distribution list now connects all 93 OLLIs -- yes, the Force continues to grow. It's an awesome collective intelligence! The Man, his accomplishments, his mission listed in Forbes magazine as self-made and among the "world's richest people," financier Bernard Osher co-founded Golden West Financial, a profitable thrift. Subsequently, he took over Butterfield and Butterfield and built it into one of the nation's largest art auction houses, which he sold to eBay for millions in stock in 1999. In 2005, Mr. Osher's net worth was reported as $1.1 billion. In 2002, the charitable foundation he established 25 years earlier began offering $100,000 annual grants -- now in four-year cycles culminating in endowments of $1 million -- to learning programs that serve to keep aging populations cognitively and socially active and contributing to society. Grants are offered in four additional categories besides OLLIs:
- To college students with academic promise and financial need
- Re-entry scholarships for students ages 25 to 50 returning for a bachelor's after a break in their pursuit of a college education
- Programs in integrative medicine that feature research, education and clinical care in complementary or alternative medicine -- offered through the National Institutes of Health
- Local arts and cultural programs in San Francisco and the state of Maine -- where Mr. Osher grew up. In addition to our OLLI, MU Extension is the recipient of an Osher Foundation Re-entry Scholarship gift. The Oshers have indeed been good to us. The foundation likely will have invested $1.45 million in our Osher@ Mizzou by the year 2010. In return, we are obliged to demonstrate that our program is financially secure and capable of carrying on its educational mission far into the future. Drawing on his financial wisdom and his vision, Bernard Osher advises that financial security for all OLLIs lies in a viable all-membership organization. We welcome your membership! For a fee of $240, students may become annual members. Benefits of annual membership:
- An Osher @ Mizzou membership card: a non-transferable photo ID that secures your access to member benefits. We also recognize that annual membership may not appeal to every student. With that in mind, we continue to offer our usual course fees per semester. Students who wish to enroll on a per-semester basis will pay just $60 per course for the winter and summer intersessions and $80 per course for the fall and spring semesters. Our two “potpourri” courses of Critical Issues and the Arts are available to per-semester participants for a fee of $25. Please join our Academy of the Willing! Learners' comments:
"The classes put me in small group learning situations with experts in the field and in instances such as this course targeted to my place in the life cycle." "Reconnect with other retirees -- excellent topics!"
"All of us need to continue to learn. It keeps us involved in our community and exercising our brains." "Your program is excellent -- a real service to the community. Cheers to the staff!"
"The classes have opened doors to information and ideas that continue to enrich my life. I am so grateful for those instructors who share their deep understanding and knowledge and give us seniors new things to think about." "It keeps my mind active and in great shape -- it is exercise for the mind." "I love the variety of new subjects that one can study and enjoy." "A widening of knowledge on all of these subjects enhances the value of everyday living."
