Melissa Hayes Connolly
Quick recap
The meeting focused on creating lasting impact through club activities and featured a presentation about OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) by Melissa Hayes Connolly, who has been the director for six months.
The club held its regular meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance, Happy Dollars where members shared updates on various causes and personal matters, and announcements about upcoming events including Nikki Klein's remembrance service, an off-site meeting at the Center for People on October 2nd, and the Rotary Salute to Business honoring Clark and Enersen Architects on October 27th. The conversation ended with a reminder about dictionary labeling on September 29th at St. Paul's Methodist Church and a challenge to bring guests to upcoming events to support membership growth.
Melissa Hayes Connolly provided a comprehensive overview of OLLI OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, explaining that it offers non-credit courses, social events, travel opportunities, and interest groups to 1,700 members across Nebraska, with courses delivered through multiple formats including in-person, Zoom, and pre-recorded programming at senior centers. She detailed OLLI's structure as a member-driven organization with volunteer instructors, explained the pricing structure of $75 annual membership and $10 average course costs, and highlighted popular offerings including cooking classes, travel experiences through Star Destinations, and special events like the upcoming America at 250 Symposium on October 24th. She detailed OLLI's structure as a member-driven organization with five six-week terms per year, highlighting how classes are developed through member suggestions and taught by volunteer instructors. OLLI has diverse interest groups covering topics from biking to book clubs. She explained that members who facilitate classes receive one free class enrollment, and highlighted recent improvements to their website and social media presence including new Instagram and Facebook accounts. She also mentioned hiring a digital native as webmaster to make the website more user-friendly.