By Nicole Gregory, contributing writer
On Jan. 13, The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Cal State Fullerton will present a preview of the many noncredit spring classes for older adults. These include classes on personal finance, great classical composers, line dancing, the history of Broadway, drawing, the Supreme Court and U.S. Constitution, history of rock and roll, poetry — even one about the gorillas at the San Diego Zoo — among others.
“We have about 110 classes that we put on each year on average,” said Ellie Monroe, who is vice president of programs and an instructor.
The OLLI program was started at Cal State Fullerton 45 years ago to serve Orange County’s older population. According to the Orange County Office on Aging, about 14% of OC residents are 65 and older, and this number is predicted to grow steadily.
Bernard Osher, a successful businessman and native of Maine with a passion for lifelong learning and the arts, founded OLLI as a nonprofit, self-supporting organization. Through his generous support, the OLLI program at Cal State Fullerton has a $2 million endowment; programs also exist at about 125 other universities throughout the U.S.
Open to adults who are retired or semiretired, Cal State Fullerton’s OLLI program requires purchasing a $275 yearlong membership. No previous college education is necessary. Membership allows people to take as many classes as they wish, though some may require extra fees if, for instance, travel expenses are involved.
“We currently have approximately 1,100 members,” Monroe said.
Within this robust program, a subcategory of classes called Transition in Retirement is also available. These are designed specifically for members who are thinking about retiring or have already retired and need to make some adjustments for this transitional time of their lives.
“Transition in Retirement covers subjects that a new retiree would want to know about,” Monroe said, including income tax planning,…
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