Members on a tour of Gilchrist Forest Products, November 2022

A popular, long-standing education program for seniors in Central Oregon recently completed a successful transition to hybrid class (both in-person and virtual participation) offerings. Hybrid classrooms connect cohorts of program participants from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Oregon’s (OLLI-UO) two locations in Bend and Eugene with offsite participants using the Zoom videoconferencing platform. OLLI-UO is part of a national network of university-based learning communities for adults aged 50 and over that offers noncredit college-level courses, lectures, study/discussion groups, and social events. OLLI-UO has offered intellectually curious seniors a pathway to engagement in educational and social opportunities since the mid-1990s. OLLI-UO’s location in Central Oregon was founded in 2003, making 2023 its 20th anniversary.  

 

Longtime Central Oregon member Helen Pruitt, 91, affectionately referred to as the “matriarch” of this learning institute by her peers, has been part of OLLI-UO since its inception. Helen discovered the nascent learning community after retiring from 20 years at Central Oregon Community College. She says that her favorite classes revolve around history and cites the current Thursday morning history class, Understanding Russia, as thought-provoking. 

 

A pandemic-era benefit of embracing enhanced technology for program delivery is the connections Central Oregon members have formed with those dispersed throughout the state—as well as the nation and world! One such connection is with Bill Taliaferro, who is a favorite lecturer and member of OLLI-UO’s location in Eugene/Springfield. Bill came to OLLI-UO in 2015 after a second career serving with the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. Bill is currently leading the Understanding Russia class that Helen and many of her fellow OLLI-UO members are raving about.

 

One recent Thursday morning, an in-person audience in Bend watched Bill, beamed onto a large screen via Zoom, with rapt attention. Bill delivered insightful and clever commentary on the three “False Dimitris” of Russia and explained how Catherine the Great orchestrated the coup d’état that ultimately killed her husband, Peter the III. To the Russian masses, Bill says, Peter the III died of a “stomach problem.” Throughout his narrative, chuckles could be detected from participants from across the state: Bend, Eugene, Portland, and many points in between. 

 

OLLI-UO in Central Oregon member Maggi Machala, 70, challenges herself by taking and facilitating classes in subjects that are entirely new to her. This past fall, she co-led a class about Mongolian history. Maggi and her husband Tom moved to Bend in 2009 for jobs in public health. About five years ago, while “slowing from warp to retirement speed,” they discovered OLLI-UO and thought it was just the breath of fresh air they needed. The lifelong learning organization provided opportunities for both learning and meeting a new group of interesting people. Class discussions were (and continue to be) lively. “No matter the topic, there always seemed to be an OLLI member who had expertise in the area!” she shares. Maggi values the history classes because, she says, “studying the past is fascinating, but it helps me understand the present.” Member Bruce Sharp echoes Maggi’s sentiments: “I love how all the stories of the past relate to today’s world and current politics. It’s interesting how people get into—and keep—power.”

 

Helen Pruitt muses on the transition of OLLI-UO since March 2020: she is thankful for Zoom and all the programming possibilities it offers, but she truly enjoys the in-person opportunities for discussion during breaks and after class. Member Sandy Hinz brings a different perspective: she has appreciated the expanded opportunities Zoom participation provides. Sandy is interested in offerings hosted by counterparts in Eugene, namely foreign language classes. While traveling in Arizona, Sandy was able to log on to participate in a three-week writing workshop. She welcomes the chance to engage while not being tethered to a single location.

 

Central Oregon residents have an opportunity to attend a free Experience OLLI-UO event on Wednesday, February 15, 1:00–4:00 p.m., in-person at the Bend Elks Lodge or online via Zoom. This half-day sampler features sought-after presenter Bill Taliaferro speaking about Putin’s War on the Future and a condensed investigation of Pollinators We Cannot Live Without. More information on OLLI-UO and a list of Central Oregon offerings can be found at osher.uoregon.edu.