Second annual winter session of online programs keeps older adults connected and engaged through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston

Enjoy seven weekly films that look at a wide variety of family dynamics, with discussion sessions afterward, from the comfort of your home. Learn about the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, a volunteer infantry unit of African Americans famous for their courage and prowess during the Civil War. Hear from an author who traveled the country, interviewing people about their experiences during the Great Depression.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UMass Boston is offering these and other online opportunities in January and February 2022 as part of its Winter Programs session. The programs are free to OLLI members and nonmembers on a first-come, first-served basis (a few programs have associated costs, noted in the descriptions).

OLLI staff are offering this second winter session after members embraced the institute’s first Winter Programs session in 2021 during the first winter of COVID precautions.

“The pandemic has made us realize the importance of offering programs that keep people connected,” says OLLI Director Jim Hermelbracht. “Winter months in New England are tough enough, with cold and icy conditions that can make it hard to get out. People are already isolated by the pandemic, so we want to offer ways to stay engaged. And our members are so appreciative of any efforts to bring programs to them.”

Browse Winter Programs offerings

Members can register for the programs at the OLLI registration site. Nonmembers can write to the OLLI office with the titles of the programs you’d like to attend and the staff will register you. The programs will be held via Zoom, with Zoom links sent out a day prior to each event.

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About OLLI at UMass Boston

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston is an inclusive, member-powered organization that offers educational and cultural programs to inspire adult learners ages 50+. Our non-credit courses are facilitated by volunteers with no homework, tests, or grades. The organization is funded by The Bernard Osher Foundation and is part of a nationwide network of 125 OLLI programs. At UMass Boston, OLLI is housed in the Gerontology Institute, a part of the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies.