All Life is Learning - July 2025

Why I Teach for OLLI 

Written by Gillian Stoltman

Teaching an OLLI class is fun and enlightening. I was not a teacher in my pre-retirement life, but I really have fun teaching OLLI classes. OLLI members are interested in and conversant in so many topics and disciplines, and we are not reluctant to share our views in class or ask for clarification—all in the pursuit of a greater knowledge and understanding of the topic. It’s an enjoyable and stimulating social activity.

Preparing to teach an OLLI class is, for me, an exercise in self-indulgence. The first class that I taught outside of my professional work was about life in Antarctica. For possibly the first time in my adult life, I could spend considerable time reading and researching something outside of my career interest that really fascinated me—things that are key to understanding how wildlife adapted and survived in the frigid environment, but which I knew little about, such as prehistoric climate change and ocean currents. I did not need to be an expert on Antarctic life to share the incredible things I learned with others, only a real passion to know about it.

But that was not the only enjoyable thing about teaching an OLLI class. A real pleasure was talking with other OLLI members, learning from them, and hearing their perspectives. The discussions in class raised questions that I had not even thought of. Our OLLI members have so many fascinating backgrounds and interests which we are largely unaware of until discussions about these unexpected questions arise in our classes.

OLLI classes are not bound by curricula with tests and grades; we choose a topic that we find fascinating and explore it with others who feel likewise. We can go in any direction we want to and even go down a few proverbial “rabbit holes!”

Finally, in my experience as an instructor and class participant, I am confident in stating that everyone who takes an OLLI class is so appreciative of the work that instructors put into each course. They know that it takes considerable time to do it well and that, like most OLLIs around the country, our instructors don’t get paid or compensated. They do though appreciate that it is the love of learning and sharing that knowledge that gives OLLI classes their unique qualities and, for me, it is that sharing of a passion that keeps me enjoying the learning experience that I get being an OLLI instructor.

I would urge you to consider what interests you would like to share with others, so you too can add richness and pleasure to others in OLLI experience, while at the same time reaping the rewards of that sharing. Even if you have no previous experience teaching, OLLI has materials and people who can assist you and support teaching and engaging with an older population. If you have taught previously but your students have been younger, you will find teaching seniors a different experience as it is unhampered by grades and exams, but you will have the freedom to explore topics with a wholly engaged and interested group of people!

Highlighting OLLI Instructor Randy Schau 

Written by Tom Dietz

Randy Schau has been a popular instructor for OLLI since its beginning, and his courses have covered a wide spectrum of topics—from history to sports to birds to popular culture. His passion for the knowledge he shares is demonstrated by comments from past students. As one student noted, “I've taken many classes from Randy on an amazing array of topics and they've all been great.”

His recent class on the Beatles was well-received. “We had so much fun in this class! Randy had so many film and audio clips to illustrate the history of the Beatles,” wrote one participant. As his course evaluations agree, Randy is always well-prepared, shares his knowledge freely in his other courses, and sometimes even goes the extra mile by incorporating fun quizzes! 

Behind the scenes, Randy has been an active member of various OLLI committees. For years, he chaired the Advisory Council that met monthly and provided guidance on all of OLLI’s activities, from classes to field trips to special events. Randy’s dedication to our lifelong learning community has helped make it a success.

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Michigan OLLIs Travel Together

Recently, our OLLI at WMU joined forces with the OLLIs at Aquinas College and University of Michigan for a group outing to attend a Tigers baseball game. We had such a fun time traveling together, we decided to plan three more adventures around the globe with our travel partner, Premier World Travel. This exciting opportunity is a great way to meet other lifelong learners from across our state, all while seeing the world together!

Below are links to the trips that are planned across the three OLLIs:

• Switzerland and Christmas Markets of the Rhine
• National Parks and Canyons of the Southwest
• Music Cities – New Orleans, Memphis, and Nashville 

If you have specific questions about the trips, please contact Premier World Travel directly. If you want to know more about the collaboration across the three OLLI Institutes, please feel free to contact Toni Woolfork-Barnes, our OLLI director, by sending an email to toni.woolfork-barnes@wmich.edu.

Happy Travels!

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