Sharing Life Experiences

Sharing life experience collaborations range from a one-time talk about some aspect of their lives that is relevant to what the class is learning to full time participation with the students for an entire semester.  Students are moved by some of the stories they hear and are impressed by the OLLI members giving the talks.  We often hear students say things like “I want to be like you when I’m retired,” or I’m going to get my parents/grandparents to join OLLI."

• Ten OLLI members participated in a guided autobiography class.  They attended all the class meetings, did the homework, helped the students plan their interviews, were the subjects of the interviews and helped the students improve their reports of the interviews.

• Two OLLI members discussed their experiences growing up in the segregated South with a Sociology class studying effects of racism and socioeconomic differences on life and career success.

• Sixteen OLLI members were focus group subjects for students in a class on marketing to the 50+ market.

• Geriatric nursing students attended OLLI classes and interviewed OLLI members to gain an appreciation of the capabilities of active older adults. In the report of his experience, one student wrote that he now realizes there is life after 60!

• Other OLLI members read books in the university’s preschool for the children of faculty, staff and students.