The Bernard Osher Foundation has awarded Towson University (TU) $1 million to establish an endowment for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at TU. OLLI at TU offers adults age 50 and older opportunities for continued learning, along with programs and activities for social and cultural enrichment.

Since its founding, OLLI at TU has grown to more than 500 members. Each spring and fall term, the institute offers more than 40 courses in the fine arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. In addition to its on-campus program, OLLI furthers its community outreach mission through partnerships, offering courses at area retirement communities and senior centers, and lectures and a book club at the Towson branch of the Baltimore Country Public Library. Members contribute more than 4,600 hours of volunteer service through OLLI annually.

The Osher Foundation provided the endowment funding after awarding three consecutive annual $100,000 grants to help grow the decade-old program’s course offerings and membership. The endowment will provide a source of permanent support to augment membership and tuition income.

Founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, the Bernard Osher Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life through support of higher education and the arts. Since 2001, the Foundation has provided grant funds to foster the growth and development of 120 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes currently operating at universities and colleges across the country.

Tags: May 2009

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 7:00 am