Registration Now Open for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

September 18, 2024 | Sarasota

Registration is open for the 2024 fall semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs Sept. 30-Nov. 22, 2024, features more than 60 courses, lectures, workshops, and special presentations covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Semester highlights include Women and the White House; Opera Insights with Martha Collins; The Generative AI Revolution; On the Aisle with Peter Rothstein from Asolo Rep;andCONNECTIONS, the documentary film series. Classes are offered at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; and online via Zoom. To register, or for information about becoming an OLLI member, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.

Highlights of the fall 2024 semester include:

Women and the White House – For decades, nations have been led by women — from Canada and the United Kingdom to Germany and France. This course reviews the history of women seeking America’s highest office and the gendered nature of politics, and also focuses on how the role of First Lady has evolved and how several of them, as well as other women, played an integral role in shaping the presidency and influencing policy agendas throughout history.

Opera Insights with Martha Collins – Examine immigration policy in America with emphasis on the period from 1965 to the present. Major topics include types of immigration, government organizations dealing with immigration, family reunification, refugees and asylum, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the undocumented, and the future of immigration policy in the U.S.  

The Generative AI Revolution – Explore the fascinating and sometimes frightening world of generative AI and its transformative impact on art, design, and creative writing. We’ll demystify the technology behind powerful tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E and explore provocative examples of AI-generated creativity. Discover how generative AI is democratizing artistic expression, enhancing human creativity, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the creative realm.

On Oct. 17, 3:30-5 pm, OLLI presents a conversation with acclaimed chef and restaurateur Christopher Covelli of Sage Restaurant and the Bijou Garden Café. A preview of OLLI’s trip to Rome and the Amalfi Coast scheduled for May 11-20, 2025, Chef Covelli will provide insight about the tour’s itinerary, including Rome, Montecassino, the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and Pompeii. A seasoned world traveler, Chef Covelli’s extensive knowledge of Italy is sure to pique your curiosity about the local cuisine, wine, culture, art, and history. Free and open to the public; reservations are required. 

OLLI launches a new series this semester, On the Aisle, which will feature members of the theatre community as guest speakers. These one-hour, informal sessions provide the opportunity to get an exclusive sneak peek into theatres’ upcoming seasons and to ask questions from the artistic directors. Peter Rothstein, Asolo Repertory Theatre’s artistic director, kicks off the series on Nov. 1, 11 am-12 pm. General admission is $10.

CONNECTIONS, the documentary film series, returns for the fall term. Jim Henson Idea Man, Oct. 15, 2:30-4:30 pm, is a journey through the motivation, relentless work, perseverance, and great talent of an artist who always sought to surprise, innovate, and change the possibilities that television and film offered. Tell Them You Love Me, Nov. 15, 2:30-4:30 pm, tells the extraordinary story of a problematic relationship between a married white professor and a black man with cerebral palsy. This complicated relationship leads to a criminal trial that challenges our perceptions of disability and the nature of consent. Both films will be shown at the Ringling College Museum Campus; general admission is $15 each.

Additionally, OLLI at Ringling College offers four lectures and a special presentation during the fall semester. Lectures include LBJ and Florida’s Civil Rights Movement on Oct. 8, 3-4 pm; The Generative AI Revolution on Oct. 25, 2-3 pm; Adapting Creative Pursuits for the AI-Augmented Future on Nov. 1, 2-3 pm; and Bias, Fairness and Transparency: Addressing Ethical Concerns in AI on Nov. 8, 2-3 pm. Lectures are $15 general admission. Handbells: Music to Your Ears!, a presentation and performance by the RingSide handbell ensemble, is on Oct. 29, 2:30-3:30 pm, $12 general admission.

To register, or for more information about becoming an OLLI member, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.