The school year has kicked off in the metro area, but it’s not just tots and teens who are heading back to the classroom. The over-50 crowd is also signing up to learn about history, art, literature and science without tests or tutorials.
Emory and Kennesaw State universities are home to Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes. They’re two of 125 across the country that support adults with a passion for learning, whether it’s hearing about the latest Social Security programs or mastering the basics of American Sign Language. OLLI classes run the gamut as broad as the students’ interests because many are created by volunteers willing to share their enthusiasm or expertise on a topic.
Lawyer Jeff Milsteen took several OLLI classes after retiring in 2017 from the Georgia attorney general’s office. His love of taking pictures led him to design a travel photography class in 2019. He’s also tapped into his curiosity to create classes in history, the culture of the Olympics, iconic photos of the 20th century, constitutional law and the Supreme Court.
“They’re oddball classes of things I’m interested in,” said Milsteen. “But they’re also a learning process for me. The Emory OLLI program has so many smart, retired professionals, and they can really challenge you. We’ve had great discussions.”
Stephanie Tarpley, Emory’s OLLI program manager, said the student body ranges in age from 48 to 88 and come from across the metro area to its space off Clairmont Road in DeKalb. The pandemic addition of online classes has also increased the geographic reach.
“A lot of people like to drive here one day a week to take a class, see friends and go to lunch,” said Tarpley. “But with online, they can take something else from home. We also record classes, too, that we can send out to students.”
About 1,250 adults are enrolled at Emory for an array of classes, with history, literature and science being the most popular. A $50 annual membership gives them access to the catalog that includes a mix of free and nominal-fee sessions.
Kennesaw’s OLLI, housed off Busbee Drive, runs a year-round schedule of about 65 classes each quarter. Along with foreign languages, history, writing, art and music, the lineup features yoga, Pilates, tai chi and personal finance. Fees range from $49 up to $200 for a 10-week session. Students who opt for the $60 annual membership receive tuition discounts and access to a club room where they can join bridge and mahjong games.
“Our classes are noncredit, so these students come here just for the love of learning,” said manager Melissa Conners.
The University of Georgia also offers OLLI courses, and the three schools frequently collaborate, said Conners.
“We’re not in each other’s backyards, so there’s no competition,” she said. “If UGA is offering a trip to Scotland, we share that with our people. We’ve run trips to Italy, Ireland and Alaska, and are looking to go to Iceland, Spain and Portugal. We’re even hoping to get to Australia and New Zealand in 2026.”
Information about OLLI programs are online at olli.emory.edu and cpe.kennesaw.edu/olli.
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