The University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will offer more than 30 free online lectures for adults 50 or older over two weeks beginning Jan. 16.
The January Explorations courses presented by OLLI’s volunteer instructors cover topics ranging from art, nature and history to current affairs, travel, literature and health care. The January Explorations schedule with a complete list of courses is available at www.olli.udel.edu/january/.
Some courses involve a single session, while others comprise two sessions in consecutive weeks. Sessions range in length from one to two hours.
The Zoom-based courses are free, but registration is required. To sign up, visit www.olli.udel.edu/january/.
“We are delighted to invite the public to experience, at no cost, examples of the breadth of OLLI’s courses and the excellence of our instructors,” said Karen Asenavage Loptes, director of the University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. “Our spring and fall semester members know that learning is just one part of an enriching OLLI experience that also includes social events, extracurricular activities and travel opportunities.”
Among several science and nature courses, “The Magic of the Eclipse” will preview the total eclipse of the sun that will be visible across the United States from Texas to Vermont on April 8, 2024. Instructor Gary Letcher, who has experienced three total solar eclipses, will tell the story of how the celestial phenomenon is represented in history and literature. He also will describe the visceral impact of standing in the shadow of the moon.
Those who appreciate art, literature and music will find multiple courses of interest on the January Explorations schedule. In “It’s Not Where You Start: Great Songs from Broadway Flops,” veteran instructor Tom Powderly explores songs composed for otherwise forgettable shows. Some have enjoyed a popular afterlife of their own, and others remain hidden gems.
Courses on life skills and aging include “Ethics of End of Life Care,” intended to help guide the sick and their caregivers through the maze of physical and emotional suffering that can accompany end-stage disease. Instructor Michael Salvatore was a pulmonology and critical-care physician for almost 35 years and directed a palliative care team for another five years.
In addition to January Explorations, the University of Delaware’s OLLI program presents more than 300 five-, 11- and 13-week courses each spring and fall. Classes are held in person in Dover, Lewes, Ocean View and Wilmington; online; and in hybrid format that gives participants the option of learning in a classroom or at home.
Spring classes begin on Feb. 5, 2024. For additional information, visit www.olli.udel.edu.