The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Connecticut in Waterbury has announced that local residents, Nunzio DeFilippis, Philip Benevento, John Damico, Sue Matsuki (from Brooklyn, formerly of Waterbury), Rosalie Griffin, Jean Hosier, and Paul Marino (Wolcott) will be leading programs in the upcoming session. The fall courses and special events will take place from September to November, 2013.


OLLI at UConn is offered at the Waterbury campus and is one of a national network of Institutes associated with the prestigious Bernard Osher Foundation. Bernard Osher, a New England native, is ranked among the top fifty most generous philanthropists in the United States. In its seventh year, OLLI currently provides non-credit courses, special events, author talks, research lectures, and current events forums to over 700 adult participants (usually age 50 and up). Since its inception in 2007, OLLI has served over 900 individuals from over 80 cities and towns in Connecticut representing five of Connecticut’s eight counties.


Nunzio DeFilippis will offer a 10-week language course on Fridays from September 13 to November 15 called, Italian: Vita e Lingua, Part 1 (11:40 AM – 2:45 PM). He will also offer a 10-week opera course on Fridays from September 13 to November 15 called, Precisamente Puccini: A Love Fest (3:00 – 4:30 PM).


Philip Benevento will lead an 8-week course on Fridays from September 13 to November 1 entitled, Make Believe Worlds: The Works of Tennesee Williams (1:15 – 2:45 PM, 4 classes end at 3:30 PM).


John Damico will lead a 5-week course on Fridays from September 13 to October 11 (3:00 – 4:30 PM), called Roman Architecture from 300 B.C. to 365 A.D.


Sue Matsuki will lead two 5-week courses on Fridays from October 18 to November 15. The first class, Life is a Cabaret (for beginners) is from 10:00 – 11:30 AM, and the second class, Advanced Cabaret Performance – the Show!, is from 11:40 AM – 1:00 PM.


Rosalie Griffin will offer two 5-week courses on Fridays from 1:15 – 2:45 PM. The first class, Exponential Growth, is from September 13 to October 11, and the second class, Pineapple, Pyramids, and Pentagons, is from October 18 to November 15.


Jean Hosier will offer a 5-week course on Fridays from September 13 to October 11 called, What Are Your Cells Saying? (3:00 – 4:30 PM).


Paul Marino will lead a 10-week course on Fridays from September 13 to November 15 entitled, Five Decades of Stanley Kubrick Films (8:15 – 9:45 AM).

 

This innovative and fast-growing, community-based program offers non-credit learning experiences (courses,  lectures, and special events) for older adults who want to engage socially and intellectually with their peers as teachers and learners. OLLI at UConn is the only program of its type in Connecticut and one of 115 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes in the U.S.


Most classes are held at the Waterbury campus. The program will offer approximately 65 courses in the upcoming fall session. In addition to class offerings, there are university research lectures, author talks, special events and discounts offered by community partners such as The Palace Theater, Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, Mattatuck Museum, and 7 Angels Theatre.


Dr. William Pizzuto, Waterbury campus Director comments, “Our University has been delivering academic degree programs to the community for over 60 years. The Osher Institute at UConn has become a great way for citizens of the Waterbury region and five surrounding counties, to take a step into college life for the first time, to reconnect with higher education, or to come back to UConn.”  Dr. Brian Chapman, Director of OLLI at UConn, has stated, “We are pleased to be reaching out to the community and engaging course leaders and new participants—it is great to see them reach back with enthusiasm and a zest for learning!”


The annual membership cost is $60, allowing participants to sign up for courses (average $25 – $50 each), to participate in OLLI Café lunchtime presentations, university research lectures, receive discounts to OLLI partnership events, attend special OLLI events, obtain an OLLI membership card and a UConn Waterbury parking decal for OLLI classes. Membership is “first come, first served” and courses fill up quickly.


For additional information, please call 203-236-9924, 203-236-9925 or e-mail Osher@uconn.edu. To view

a list of courses and membership registration information, visit the UConn OLLI website at www.waterbury.uconn.edu/osher.