All Life is Learning - May 2024

Bring A Friend  

If you plan to take a course this semester that isn’t full, consider participating in our Bring a Friend program, which allows you to invite those who are curious about lifelong learning to sit in on a course with you for free! This is a great way to introduce your friends and family to OLLI and encourage them to join. You must contact the office beforehand to let us know that you will be bringing a friend so we can know who our guests are. 

Course Spotlight 

Collective awareness about attempts by the United States government in previous decades to force America’s indigenous people to give up their lands and their cultures for the benefit of the European settlers who operated under the concept of eminent domain is growing, and OLLI and Western Michigan University are both doing their part to educate our community about this shameful chapter of our country’s history.  

OLLI’s “Land Acknowledgement” class on April 8 was sold out. A week later, WMU’s College of Health and Human Services hosted “Truth & Healing,” an awareness-raising event that featured a panel of Native Americans who talked about the experiences they endured while trapped in federally funded boarding schools that operated in the United States from 1879 until the 1980s. 

On May 30, OLLI will host “The Truth about Indian Boarding Schools.” This class will feature a conversation with four Native American survivors of the Holy Childhood of Jesus boarding school that operated in Harbor Springs, Michigan, from 1884 to 1983. These panelists will share the heartbreaking truth about their childhood experiences at that institution; attempts by school administrators and teachers to force their assimilation into European-centric culture; and the innate resilience of Native Americans that empowered them to preserve, protect, and deeply cherish their cultural traditions despite repeated attempts to destroy them.  

Summer Course Registration

Get excited—summer course registration will open on May 15, 2024! Below are some at-a-glance facts about the upcoming semester we would like to share:  

What Members Are Saying... 

The success of OLLI’s courses is due to our wonderful volunteer instructors—and it shows! See some of the comments shared by our members about their experiences below. 

Land Acknowledgement with Leeanne Seaver and the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi:

“Well-prepared participants sharing their work to raise awareness of the indigenous people and their lives. I am thankful for this opportunity to hear directly from them. I am deeply touched by their willingness to share their time and their culture with us.” 

“It was wonderful to meet at the tribal community center and to hear from members of the tribes. I found it especially valuable to hear directly from tribal members on this issue and to also have young people answering our questions. The tribal members went to so much extra effort, giving us gifts and making wonderful food for us. I am so encouraged to hear about all that is being done to educate members about how to eat a more healthy diet and extend that to growing and producing their own food. This was an especially meaningful OLLI class.” 

The Next Frontier of Combustion with Giselle Rajabikhorasani: 

“Instructor's resources and research into this topic are exemplary—she was very receptive to our questions and provided superb handouts which will be useful, especially for those of us who weren't at all familiar with this topic! It was FUN!” 

Introduction to Phenomenology with McGwire Hidden: 

“McGuire is an excellent teacher. Students were intellectually challenged and kept engaged. Close reading of text, great questions, and discussions. I love to watch McGuire’s mind work and love how he gets my mind working in his classes. He is passionate and smart. I feel very lucky and grateful to have had him as a teacher and would take any class that he taught.” 

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Join OLLI or renew your membership now to get ready for another exciting year of travel, learning, and fun! The good news is that if you join or renew after May 1, 2024, your membership will not end until June 30, 2025. What a deal! Let's make OLLI at WMU bloom this spring with new and renewed friendships, interesting courses, exciting trips, and special events. In the spirit of "blooming," we look forward to welcoming our beautiful "perennial" members and those who are experiencing "new growth" during this time of renewal. Just click here to quickly find the membership form and payment information.

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The OLLI Staff would like to express our thanks and gratitude for all that our wonderful volunteers do, so we are planning a special Volunteer Appreciation End-of-Year Open House! Volunteers should have received an email invitation; if you didn’t receive an email invitation, please call the OLLI office at (269) 387-4157. 

Did you know that 30% of OLLI members volunteer for OLLI?    

Volunteer opportunities abound within our lifelong learning community, but this month the focus is on the Curriculum Committee. Are you interested in developing unique, dynamic courses that will appeal to your fellow OLLI members? Do you enjoy engaging productively with other bright, enthusiastic lifelong learners? A robust curriculum is OLLI’s greatest asset, and building that curriculum is crucial to our success and is a key volunteer pursuit. 

Curriculum Committee volunteers build on ideas suggested by OLLI members, brainstorm potential course topics and instructors, reach out to prospective instructors to encourage them to teach, and explore community news and events to identify content experts. Some members contribute their local networking connections, subject expertise, or relevant experiences to the committee. Others bring creative ideas, planning skills, or an enthusiasm for making new connections. The Curriculum Committee benefits from the varied backgrounds and perspectives of its members, who take pride in producing a diverse and stimulating roster of courses each semester. 

Currently, the Curriculum Committee meets on a monthly basis. If you are interested in joining this important team of volunteers, please call (269) 387-4157 or email Shannon.Huneryager@wmich.edu. 

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Adult Wellness Programs 

Have you heard about WMU’s Adult Wellness Programs and the low-cost care options they provide for seniors in Kalamazoo County?  

Jillian Frazer, Senior Marketing Specialist of the Unified Clinics at WMU, writes: 

“The Center for Disability Services and Adult Wellness Programs has Kalamazoo Senior Millage funding available for scholarships to attend their community-based day program for older adults. WMU Senior Day Services is an accredited adult day program designed to serve individuals 65+ with cognitive or functional impairments that need special assistance or supervision during the day. Their approach to adult day programming is a combination of social interaction and rehabilitative activities that encourage using the individuals’ strengths to improve health. Daily activities and services are planned to meet the social, sensory, cognitive, and health needs of their participants residing in Kalamazoo County.” 

Find Out More

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