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Learning Never Retires!
Sept ember 2 012
Vo lume XXII , I ssu e 1
OLLI AT CSU, CHICO
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSU, Chico Aymer J. Hamilton 118B, Chico, CA 95929-0792
(530) 898-6679 www.rce.csuchico.edu/osher
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR by Jerry Dunham
The OLLI Welcome/Fall Class Preview Meeting was
very well attended. Especially impressive was the number
of first time attendees. I would like to thank the peer
leaders for making themselves available to meet and an-
swer questions from potential students and the AC com-
mittees for their planning and organization. Special
thanks also goes to peer leaders Brooks Thorlaksson,
Mary Brashears, Sydney Wilde, and Scott Perry, and to the
OLLI guitar and dance classes. Their presentations and
performances not only demonstrated the variety of
courses available in the upcoming term but made for an
entertaining event as well. At the meeting’s end, there
was an air of excitement and a “positive vibe” in the
room that is sure to be carried over to the fall semester’s
classes.
As the long awaited fall semester finally begins Sept. 4,
on behalf of the OLLI Advisory Council I welcome you
with the hope that all of your classes exceed your expecta-
tions and that your OLLI experience is filled with oppor-
tunities to learn, with the creation and strengthening of
friendships, and with FUN.
Greetings Everyone,
I will begin by reflecting on sev-
eral important events that have
occurred since the end of the
spring semester in May.
First of all, Ann Nikolai began
as OLLI’s new program director on
July 9th. I would like to express
my appreciation to Dean Debra
Barger and Associate Dean Clare Roby of Regional and
Continuing Education for including me in the interview
process. A background in higher education and not-for-
profits will serve Ann well as she guides OLLI’s growth
while maintaining the quality of the organization. She is a
quick study, a hard worker, and enthusiastic about her new
position. We are lucky to have her.
On July 24th Advisory Council (AC) Membership Chair
Ali Sarsour, Ann Nikolai, and I met with a group of Oro-
ville area residents who are excited about the prospect of
OLLI classes in there. Many ideas about possible classes,
class sites, and sources of peer leaders were explored. If
successful, the establishment of an Oroville Chapter ap-
pears to be a win-win for the residents of Oroville and for
Chico. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for Tuesday,
September 25th at 1 pm in the Oroville Library. Oroville
OLLI members are welcome to attend.
As part of the strategic planning process, the OLLI
Board was restructured into a more streamlined Advisory
Council or AC. The AC is composed of six elected OLLI
members and the Program Director. Although the AC’s
first official meeting was August 1st, several of its com-
mittees were busy long before to prepare for the Wel-
come/Fall Class Preview Meeting. The Curriculum Com-
mittee met throughout the spring and summer to explore
ways to better support and recruit peer leaders. New and returning OLLI members looking forward to fall classes at the Aug. 2 welcome meeting. Photo by Marian Milling
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NEW THIS FALL….
In the last newsletter, we said
farewell to longtime OLLI Program
Coordinator Linda MacMichael. Now
we’d like to give a warm welcome to
Ann Nikolai. Some OLLI members
may have had the pleasure of meeting
Ann already at the Welcome Meeting
or in the OLLI office. For those of you who haven’t yet,
here’s an introduction.
Ann’s story is a familiar one. Her husband, Bruce,
graduated from Chico State (BS ‘85) and yearned to return
to Chico. It took but a few trips to convince Ann that the
North State offered some wonderful advantages (less traf-
fic!) and many of the same cultural opportunities as the
Bay Area. Landing the OLLI job was the final factor in
confirming the family relocation and in June, Ann, Bruce,
and their two young girls, unpacked their bags near town.
Prior to becoming OLLI director, Ann worked with
academic grants dedicated to improving educational op-
portunities for underserved student populations. She com-
pleted her undergraduate degree at the University of Penn-
sylvania and later earned a master’s degree in Public Ad-
ministration from San Francisco State University.
In addition to excellent experience and education, Ann
brings enthusiasm and energy to her new position and a
commitment to preserving the quality of the original
OLLI experience. “What a pleasure it is to work alongside
so many people motivated by their learning experience,”
Ann observed. “I look forward to facilitating new oppor-
tunities on campus and off by engaging members in an
ongoing dialogue about what makes OLLI work.”
There’s another new face in the OLLI
office: Susan Levine as interim program
assistant.. Well, new to some but famil-
iar to many due to her role as the OLLI
Cribbage instructor for the past few
terms. She may also be known to OLLI
members from her years lived in Chico,
having been here since 1968. A Chico
State graduate, Susan has worked in local businesses and
also as a library aide and teacher’s assistant in our public
schools. She is an active leader with Girls Scouts, belongs
to a book group, uses electronic devices to keep organized,
and has previously volunteered in the OLLI office and is
undaunted by its demands.
A WARM WELCOME TO THE NEW OLLI STAFF!
The homey-looking building pictured below (and at Point
A on the map) is the new location for some OLLI classes
this fall. Located at 14 Hillary Lane, the Chico New
Thought Center for Spiritual Living has agreed to share its
pleasant, spacious building with OLLI in the upcoming
year. Its big central room will be the venue for some of
OLLI’s largest classes: American Wars, Part 2, Jukebox Phys-
ics, and Geology & Natural Resources. Tucked away in a north
Chico neighborhood, this new location is easily accessible
and has parking on site, plus spill-over parking, if needed.
HELPFUL HINTS FROM OUR CHAIR FOR
SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY CLASSES:
Due to member sensitivity to odors, refrain from wearing perfume
Turn off cell phones before class begins Use the suggestion box located in the Craig
Hall classroom Help save on mailing costs by receiving OLLI
communications by email
Chico New Thought Center for Spiritual Living, 14 Hillary Lane
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Janet Henninger Logan passed away on April 27, 2012. She is remembered as the eminent
tour director for Prime Timers, the predecessor of OLLI. Her husband, Milon, was Prime Timers’ President, too. Janet lived in Paradise and was active in many things—AAUW, Prime Timers, and most of all, her family. A celebration of her life took place on Sunday, May 27, 2012.
Morey Fuqua, active OLLI member and a local lawyer passed away on August 10, 2012. He worked very hard as Prime Timers’ 1st Vice-President to promote the Re-Entry Scholarship
and was on the Curriculum Committee at one time, always willing to meet and offer to help out. A grave-side service was held on August 16. A full obituary appeared in the Chico Enterprise Record on Tuesday, August 14. Phyllis Lindley, OLLI member and active conservationist/naturalist died June 28, 2012. She attended OLLI classes recently. A Celebration of Life for her was held on August 19 at Chico Creek Nature Center. A lovely trib-ute to Phyllis giving a biography can be found at mountlassen.cnps.org/images/Phyllis_lindley_obit_photos.pdf.
Newsletter Information For New and Returning Members
OLLI newsletter is published monthly,
September-December and February-May
Deadline for each issue is the 1st of the
month prior to publication (Sept. 1 for Oct. issue, for example)
Articles, news items, information and photos
can be submitted to Marian Milling, news-
letter editor at [email protected]. 530-864-2269
Newsletters are delivered about the 1st of
each month by email for those with email
addresses and by US mail for those without.
Contributions, suggestions, and ideas for newslet-
ter content are welcomed! Photos of OLLI class
activities with members identified are always needed.
Contact Marian or OLLI office to share information.
IN MEMORIAM
FALL 2012 OLLI CALENDAR
CLASSES BEGIN TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
GENERAL MEETING, OCTOBER 10
VETERANS’ DAY HOLIDAY, NOVEMBER 12
THANKSGIVING BREAK, NOVEMBER 19-23
HOLIDAY LUNCHEON, DECEMBER 12
FALL CLASSES END, DECEMBER 14
FROM THE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE… Working closely with your new Curriculum Committee has been an absolute pleasure and an education! This is my first opportunity to work with fellow committee members Mary Brashears, Nancy Fern, Myron Flindt, Jim Kirks, Ann Stewart, and Sydney Wilde. Our focus has been on getting organized and in creating a Peer Leader Handbook as a resource for peer leaders. The Handbook, distributed at the Peer Leaders’ Orientation offers helpful background information about the organization and CSU, Chico, plus Frequently Asked Questions. There is no better demonstration of our passion to learn than volunteering to teach. And to maintain a high level of stimulating courses we must continuously recruit peer leaders. Keeping eyes and ears open for interesting topics and potential peer leader candidates will improve our ability to diversify curricula so there is always some-thing for everyone. And spring term is not far off! Course proposals for spring are due October 15. Forms can be downloaded from the OLLI website or picked up at the OLLI office. Your proposals should be returned to the office no later than 15 October.
By William Tefteller
SO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO TEACH?
By Ann Nikolai
OLLI will introduce a series of workshops in the spring designed to demonstrate teaching and facilitation processes for those of you thinking about becoming peer leaders. Learn steps involved in submitting course pro-posals, structuring presentations, and leading or facilitat-ing classes. Discover available resources, including men-tors, co-facilitators, and training opportunities. I am working with the Curriculum Committee to give more shape to this idea and welcome your input!
LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED!
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Learning Never Retires!
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
California State University, Chico
118B Aymer J. Hamilton
Chico, CA 95929-0792
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CSU, Chico
Aymer J. Hamilton 118B, Chico, CA 95929-0792 www.rce.csuchico.edu/osher Hours: Mon.-Thurs., 9 am– 1 pm Program Director: Ann Nikolai, 898-5858, [email protected]
Interim Program Assistant: Susan Levine, 898-6679, [email protected]
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS: General Chair: Jerry Dunham 899-8393 Events Chair: Sherri Faroky 636-4940 Communications Chair: Gayle Womack 332-9414
Curriculum Chair: William Tefteller 879-0231 Membership: Ali Sarsour 893-1768 Program Director: Ann Nikolai 898-5858 Scholarship/
Fundraising: Kathryn Hogue 343-0445
Ready and eager for fall classes to begin—On left: Peer Leaders Jim Smith and Robert Main. Center: Peer Leader Gloria Hyl-
ton and Advisory Council Chair Jerry Dunham. On right: Communications Chair Gayle Womack with Events Chair Sherri
Faroky and her niece, Elika Mahony.
Newsletter Editor: Marian Milling
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