OLLI at UK

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Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from OLLI at UK, College & University, 658 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY.

The Mission of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at University of Kentucky is to engage the minds, elevate the spirit, and enrich the lives of adults aged 50+ through educational, social, and community activities.

10/26/2026

Charitable nonprofits play a vital role in every Kentucky community - providing essential services, strengthening local economies, and improving quality of life. Danielle Clore, founding CEO of the state association of charitable nonprofits - Kentucky Nonprofit Network - joins us for a look at Kentucky’s nonprofit sector. We’ll learn how it works, why it matters, and the impact it has on communities and lives across the Commonwealth, including the scope and economic influence of charitable nonprofits, how public policy shapes their work, and how individuals can engage in supporting organizations to strengthen their impact.

Free to attend! In-person and Zoom spots available. Register at: https://bit.ly/kentuckynonprofitnetwork

(OLLI account required, but you do not have to pay for membership to attend, registration guides available at https://bit.ly/olliatuk-guides )

10/22/2026

All aboard! We had a terrific turnout for our latest OLLI social at the Bluegrass Railroad Museum in Versailles this past Saturday. Members got to enjoy a ride on the Pumpkin Express, rolling out right into the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass countryside, watching as the hills shifted from green to gold, amber, and rust during a scenic October afternoon. They passed through thoroughbred horse farms, limestone cuts, and open pastures — the same route that has carried passengers through this corner of Kentucky since the Louisville Southern Railroad first laid these tracks in the 1880s.

It was a truly enjoyable, educational social that was also entrenched in Kentucky history, and such a great experience for our lifelong learners!

10/19/2026

At this week's Forum, learn how wh***ey waste can be used as a valuable source of energy! Marcelo I. Guzman, Dr./Professor of Chemistry will present on the recent work of University of Kentucky's Department of Chemistry in conducting this research, and how it can also create new enviornmental and economic value in our community.

Free to attend! In-person and Zoom spots available. Register at: https://bit.ly/donovanforum-wh***eywaste

(OLLI account required, but you do not have to pay for membership to attend, registration guides available at https://bit.ly/olliatuk-guides )

10/12/2026

The Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame is a joint project of the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning and the Kentucky Arts Council. It was created to recognize Kentucky writers whose work reflects the character and culture of our commonwealth, and to educate Kentuckians about our state’s rich literary heritage. Since 2013, 77 writers have been chosen for the Hall of Fame. For this week's Donovan Forum, Tom Eblen will speak about the amazing stories of some of these great Kentucky writers.

Free to attend! In-person and Zoom spots available. Register at: https://bit.ly/donovanforum-kentuckywriters-carnegie

(OLLI account required, but you do not have to pay for membership to attend, registration guides available at https://bit.ly/olliatuk-guides )

10/08/2026

Community Event Highlight: Music on the Lawn at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Fridays and Saturdays, October 2 - 31, 5:30 - 8:30 PM | Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd, Harrodsburg, KY 40330 | Free & Open to the Public

A fun weekly combination of live music and casual food in a farm-fresh setting! Enjoy an evening on the lawn between the historic 1839 Trustees’ Office and the Shaker Village garden. Music on the Lawn features live music, outdoor dining and drinks around the fire pit.

View the full schedule athttps://shakervillageky.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/2026_MOL_PerformanceSchedule_AR07-1.pdf

10/07/2026

OLLI Members got to enjoy a great trip over to McConnell Springs a few weeks ago! During this scenic social, members took a guided 90-minute walking tour through the park's winding paths and an iconic boardwalk overlooking the wetland pond, home to turtles, ducks, fish and other wildlife. They also visited the Educational Center and got to see Ambassador Turtles, along with artifacts, a variety of pictures and information on the walls displaying the history of McConnell Springs. Members also got to enjoy an included lunch at the end of the leisurely walk.

It was a terrific social free to our membership. Just one of the many great perks of being a lifelong learner with OLLI at UK!

(Photography: Norma Wirt)

10/06/2026

Our Monthly Member Highlight is from Brenda Mannino.

"Do not regret growing older. It's a privilege denied to many." - author unknown

"I have an inquisitive mind and an interest in lifelong learning which meshes very well with OLLI's philosophy of aging in a positive learning environment. I have enjoyed taking many OLLI classes over the years which have included: political science; biological and physical science; cooking classes; computer classes; bridge and others. I always enjoy learning new things, making new friends and connecting with others who have similar interests. With OLLI, we take classes by choice and everyone seems motivated to learn and share their life experiences and their careers. This is a stress-free environment where there are no examinations or grades. We are learning for the Joy of learning!

I really like the catalog of interesting and challenging classes that OLLI offers. There is something for everyone. I will continue to sign up for OLLI classes that I can fit into my schedule. Unfortunately many of the classes I have wanted to take are offered at the same time. I have also enjoyed the one-time lectures through the Donovan Forum Series on a wide variety of topics. The day trips and monthly socials also provide great opportunities for social engagement. In the future I hope to be a Donovan Scholar and explore a new field of study as well as travel internationally on one of their trips that are offered to OLLI members."

From our latest October newsletter available at https://bit.ly/ollinewsletter-october2026

10/05/2026

This week's Donovan Forum covers a timely topic: elections in Kentucky. Our guest, Cory Skolnick, will discuss the Kentucky State Board of Elections and the role that it plays in Kentucky's elections. This presentation will touch on the ABC's of voting in Kentucky, including nuts-and-bolts issues from access, to security, to methods of voting.

Free to attend! In-person and Zoom spots available. Register at: https://bit.ly/donovanforum-kentuckyvoting26

(OLLI account required, but you do not have to pay for membership to attend, registration guides available at https://bit.ly/olliatuk-guides )

10/02/2026

An instructor’s view of the OLLI experience by Janinne Johnson

"I began considering teaching an OLLI course after taking over 50 different courses. But I did not have a talent or knowledge that I could easily transform into an interesting class—I did not think many people would be interested in my background and the joys of hospital and physician administration management.

I wanted to contribute because of the excitement I experienced from the many classes and people in OLLI after retirement. During my undergraduate and graduate work at Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky, respectively, I had taken the required classes but did not have time to take courses just because I was interested in them. With OLLI, the opportunity to learn about so many different subjects was thrilling.

And so about four years ago I began researching a few topics that interested me to consider if there may be information that others may enjoy. After reviewing several, I found a subject that both interested and excited me—Pirates!

I had never created a PowerPoint presentation and had not taught formally before. Talk about a learning curve! But with technical help from my husband Dave and a lot of encouragement from several instructors, I was hooked (pun intended!) on pirates. I found that doing the research and finding multiple “rabbit holes” to explore, I wore out my friends and family with new and exciting facts and revelations. While it involved a lot of hours, I was finally ready for Penny Lamb’s class on how to teach an OLLI class. I taught my first class about 3 years ago. I incorporated ideas about teaching from Penny and other OLLI instructors like Diane Vance and Susan Bottom and found that teaching and sharing ideas with OLLI students was fun.

The OLLI teaching environment is truly unique in that there is no one in the classroom that does not want to be there. Instructors are not compensated and are only teaching because they are interested/excited about a subject or activity. Students are in the classroom just because they want to learn. What a fantastic atmosphere for a novice instructor.

Since my initial foray into teaching, I have prepared and taught another class (History of New Orleans) and hope to teach a third subject for the 2027 spring semester (Vikings). I began this adventure to give back to OLLI but have found that teaching is just another way that OLLI enhances my life."

Address

658 S. Limestone
Lexington, KY
40506

Website

https://olliatuk.uky.edu/

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