Senior College in
Maine Founded
by
Visionaries
OLLI started as Senior
College in 1997 at the University of Southern Maine. It began
with a vision—a simple idea, really: to provide a stimulating
program for older learners. Thanks to dedicated community and
university leaders and volunteers, OLLI has now expanded into
one of America’s fastest growing and leading programs in
lifelong learning.
A very generous endowment
gift from the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2000 encouraged
expanded programming opportunities. In recognition of the Osher
Foundation’s gift, the organization’s name was changed to
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, or OLLI. OLLI
at USM also houses the Maine Senior College Network and serves
as the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning
Institutes, a
national network of lifelong learning institutes, designated and
funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco.
The network of OLLIs is expected to expand to 100.
The program reaches out to
all Maine older learners and is now an integral part of the
lives of thousands of Maine people through Senior Colleges at
locations all over the state. The staff and key volunteers at
the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of
Southern Maine provide resources and assistance to launch
similar programs. Contact us at 207-228-8336 to explore
starting a program in your area.
Contact info/links to Maine
Senior Colleges:
http://www.maineseniorcollege.org
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