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“October is a symphony of permanence and change.” – Bonaro W. Overstreet |
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THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL FALL OPEN HOUSE! |
We're deeply grateful for the enthusiastic response to our Fall Open House at the Fort Collins Senior Center. The spirit of Lifelong Learning was truly alive, and it was inspiring to see so many engaged conversations and smiling faces. A warm welcome to all our returning and new members who joined and registered for fall classes—we’re thrilled to have you with us. This vibrant beginning sets the tone for what promises to be an enriching and memorable fall term. |
IN MEMORIAM: DR. NINA AZARI |
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With great sadness, we announce the passing of Dr. Nina Azari on September 6. Nina was a treasured member of our OLLI community, where she shared her wide-ranging knowledge and love of teaching. Her classes reflected her remarkable academic journey, spanning cognitive psychology, theology, science, and the arts. Nina’s life was filled with curiosity and creativity. She was a researcher, professor, musician, writer, and animal lover whose warmth, humor, and passion for learning inspired those around her. |
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| Nina's generosity of spirit and joy in learning left a lasting mark on our entire OLLI community, and she will be greatly missed. You can use this LINK to read Nina’s full obituary. |
🌟TURN OVER A NEW LEAF - OCTOBER CLASSES STARTING SOON! |
NO TRICKS, JUST TREATS - NEW TOPICS, FABULOUS INSTRUCTORS, & NEW FRIENDSHIPS ALL AWAIT! |
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Live Fully, Regret LessInspired by The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, this reflective course invites you to explore what it means to live authentically and stay close to what matters most. Through poetry, writing, and heartfelt conversation, facilitators Manuel Arellano and Veronica Patterson guide participants in transforming regret into clarity and grief into gratitude. |
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A gentle, creative space for renewal and connection.
📅 Enroll Today
Join us for this thought-provoking course. Registration is open now. Register for OSHR 3323. |
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Uncover Your Design Soul: Mood Board Magic Awaits 🎨What does your personal style feel like? Is it soft linen and sun-washed hues, or bold patterns and rich textures?
In this immersive, two-session workshop, you’ll explore the essence of your aesthetic and express it through a beautifully crafted mood board—your visual story of style. |
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Led by seasoned interior designer Denise Koenigs, whose passion for fabrics and furniture has shaped homes across the country, you’ll be guided through the creative process with warmth and expertise. Denise brings over 30 years of design wisdom, with a special love for renovation and the tactile joy of textiles.
Whether you're a design enthusiast or simply curious, this class invites you to play, discover, and create.
📅 Join us and let your style speak in color, texture, and inspiration.
Register for OSHR 2091 |
🎶 Step into the Rhythm of a Golden Era! 🎶Join us for a toe-tapping journey through the vibrant soundscape of the 1950s and '60s—when the heart of Manhattan pulsed with the energy of young songwriters crafting timeless hits. |
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From the Brill Building to the airwaves, this was the age when pop music found its soul, blending multicultural harmonies, social awareness, and unforgettable melodies.
🎼 Through stories, rare audiovisuals, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, we’ll explore how legends like Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach, Phil Spector, Don Kirshner, and more orchestrated a revolution in sound—one that still echoes today in the Great American Songbook.
🎤 Presented by Emanuel Abramovits, a concert promoter and cultural curator with a backstage pass to the world of music. With decades of experience working with icons like Itzhak Perlman, Sarah Brightman, Journey, and Kenny G, Emanuel brings a conductor’s insight to this symphonic celebration of pop history.
🎷 Whether you're a lifelong music lover or just discovering the magic of this era, this course will have you humming all the way home.
Register for OSHR 7052 |
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Journey Within: Exploring Mindfulness & Inner Awareness 🌿We often plan trips to explore the world around us—but what about the journey inward? As author Oscar Miro-Quesada beautifully writes, “The largest voyage you will ever take is the seventeen inches from your head to your heart.”
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In this three-part series, guided by mindfulness expert Dr. Sue Schneider, we’ll explore how contemplative practices can help us navigate our inner landscape with clarity and compassion. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, anthropology, and mindfulness research, each session offers tools to deepen your awareness and connection to self:
🌀 Session 1: Foundations of mindfulness—begin your inner journey
🧱 Session 2: Overcoming internal obstacles
🌸 Session 3: Befriending your inner world and embracing its wisdom
Dr. Schneider brings decades of experience in integrative health and mindfulness, making this series both insightful and accessible. Whether you're new to meditation or looking to deepen your practice, this course invites you to pause, reflect, and reconnect.
📍 Register for OSHR 9087 |
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🧗♀️ Climb Into Colorado's Geologic Story: Explore the Earth's Layers - One Hike at a Time Join geologist and guide Mike Kendrick for a unique OLLI adventure that blends hiking with hands-on geology in Colorado’s stunning Northern Front Range foothills. This three-part course begins with a basecamp-style intro session, followed by two guided hikes that reveal the deep-time story written in the rocks beneath your feet. |
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What You’ll Experience:
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Hike 1: Ramsay-Shockey Open Space (4.1 miles, 652 ft gain)
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Hike 2: Reservoir Ridge Natural Area (2.7 miles, 522 ft gain)
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Learn about ancient formations, faults, folds, and the forces that shaped our landscape
With over 30 years of geoscience experience, Mike brings deep expertise and a passion for teaching in the field. He’s led geology hikes for top organizations and authored a guidebook on Larimer County’s geologic heritage.
📍 Space is limited and hike dates are fixed due to permits—please check your registration materials carefully.
🥾 Moderate hiking conditions—come prepared!
Register today for OSHR 8056 |
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🍽️ A Culinary Experience You'll Savor If you’ve ever dreamed of cooking like a pro—or just love a good meal—this is your chance to step into the kitchen and create something truly delicious. Join us at The Cooking Studio for a hands-on culinary adventure led by our talented Chef Instructors, who bring not only expertise but also passion and personality to every class |
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Together, you’ll prepare a mouthwatering menu featuring:
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🥓 Bacon Panzanella Salad – a savory twist on a classic Italian favorite
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🍄 Homemade Fettuccini with Mushroom Cream Sauce – fresh pasta meets rich, earthy flavors
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🍰 Glazed Rum Cake – the perfect sweet finish to your gourmet journey
And here’s the cherry on top: you cook, you eat, and we do the dishes.
Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just hungry to learn, this class is the perfect recipe for a fun and flavorful evening. Come hungry—and leave inspired!
Register for OSHR 1284 |
❄️ Embark on a Wild Adventure Through Glacier National ParkAre you ready to follow your curiosity into the heart of one of America’s most untamed landscapes? Glacier Wonders: A Naturalist’s Exploration of Flora, Fauna, and Geology of Glacier National Park is more than a class—it’s a 3-week expedition into the unknown, guided by naturalist and glacier expert Susan Atkinson. |
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From the moment you step into this hybrid course—whether online or in person—you’ll be transported to a world of alpine meadows, ancient rock formations, and hidden wildlife corridors. With Susan as your guide, you’ll uncover the stories written in stone, the secrets of rare plants, and the rhythms of life in one of the last truly wild places in the lower 48.
Raised in the Flathead Valley and now a seasoned glacier guide and Road Scholar leader, Susan brings a lifetime of exploration and a deep love for the land to every lesson. Her passion is contagious, and her knowledge will ignite your own sense of wonder.
This is your invitation to explore, to question, and to see Glacier National Park virtually through the eyes of a true adventurer.
🌿 Curious minds welcome. Adventure guaranteed.
Register for OSHR 8096 |
REIMAGINING YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY WITH INTEGRATIVE CARE |
Our "cousins" with The Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health invite you to attend their third annual free virtual symposium. Last year, they explored planetary health in the Healthy People, Healthy Planet Symposium. The year before, they covered Longevity and Healthy Aging. The Osher Collaborative is much like the Osher National Resource Center, they are the coordinating organization for the 11 Osher Centers for Integrative Health, embedded in 10 U.S.-based medical schools and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
This year’s event, Reimagining Your Health Journey with Integrative Care, will explore how an integrative health approach can address common questions that arise in both complex, chronic health conditions and today’s increasingly complex healthcare system.
The full-day program on Friday, October 24, will cover the following four sessions:
1. Lifestyle (Movement, Nutrition, Sleep Medicine)
2. Mind-Body Medicine (Mindfulness, Yoga, Therapeutic Breathing/Hypnosis)
3. Connection and Environment (Narrative Medicine, Spirituality, Nature/Planetary Health)
4. Professional Care (Acupuncture, Manual Therapy, Music Therapy)
Learn more and register here. If you are unable to attend the live event (or can only attend a portion of the event), you are still encouraged to register so you can be alerted when recordings are available.
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✈️ LIFELONG LEARNING, GLOBAL EDITION |
OLLI ACROSS THE ATLANTIC: CREATING MAGICAL MEMORIES IN SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND |
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This September, members of OLLI at CSU embarked on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Scotland and England—a travel experience that blended cultural discovery with historical immersion. Over nine days, participants explored iconic cities, walked storied streets, and traced the footsteps of poets, monarchs, and visionaries. |
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From the misty highlands of Edinburgh to the vibrant pulse of London, the trip was filled with moments that sparked curiosity, deepened understanding, and created magical memories that will last a lifetime.
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This spring, OLLI at CSU invites you to create your own storybook adventure with EF Tours as we journey through Spain and Portugal. From Madrid’s lively plazas to Granada’s Moorish palaces, from Lisbon’s soulful fado to Porto’s seaside charm, each day will unfold like a new chapter filled with history, culture, and unforgettable experiences. |
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| With expert guides, seamless logistics, and comfortable accommodations handled for you, all that’s left is to step into the story and make memories that will last a lifetime. |
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Your Passport To Discovery Opens This Spring & Summer
We're headed to Portugal and Spain with EF Tours on April 26-May 6, 2026. |
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Spots are limited, but we need at least 14 members to enroll for the trip to happen, so sign up soon!
Starting price of $3,829
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Learn more HERE and download the itinerary HERE -
Watch the EF Launch Presentation HERE and see the PowerPoint HERE -
Call the EF team to register at: 1-800-438-7672 & reference "OLLI Colorado State 2026 Portugal and Spain Trip"
Travel opportunity with OLLI at DU!
Discover America's 250th Anniversary: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, and DC
- Starting price of $4,299 for 9 days
- See the itinerary, extensions, and pricing details HERE
- Call Collette at (303) 871-3090 for more information or to book |
WELCOME OUR NEW STUDENT INTERN AT OLLI |
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My name is McAllister Johnson, and I am beyond excited to be interning for OLLI this semester! I am originally from Denver, CO, and I am studying Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) with minors in Gerontology and Leadership. I studied abroad last semester in Ireland, and I am excited to get back to Fort Collins!
I love to read, travel (I spent a month traveling Europe by train this past summer), and hang out with friends. |
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Drake Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 4.p.m., Monday through Friday. Our address is 2545 Research Blvd. Fort Collins, CO 80526.CONTACT INFORMATION:
• Email: OLLI@colostate.edu
• Phone: (970) 491-7753
Classroom EtiquetteEducation is rooted in the pursuit of intellectual, personal, and social growth. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment that fosters thoughtful dialogue, intellectual integrity, openness, and mutual respect. Thank you for helping us keep both our virtual and in-person classrooms positive, inclusive spaces—free from divisive or polarizing remarks—where all voices can be heard and valued. |
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Please consider bringing a water bottle and a coffee cup from home. And if you do, please add your phone number to the bottom of your cup so we can call if it is accidentally left in one of our classrooms. We appreciate any effort you can make to keep our costs down both financially and environmentally. And of course, there is no judgment if you forget to bring a cup and need to use one of the disposable cups provided on the coffee station. It happens to all of us!
We have saved a seat for YOU! In fact, all our classroom seats are specifically reserved for one of our very valuable members. |
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Please do not invite guests to class without getting prior approval, and do not give your seat away if you are unable to attend class. Everyone attending a class should be registered for the class. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Feeling under the weather? Out of respect for other members and the OLLI staff, please stay home until you feel well again. We know it is disappointing to miss class, so thank you for making that considerate choice.
Is a schedule change preventing you from attending a single-session lecture or field trip? Please email OLLI@colostate.edu so we can offer your seat to the next person on the waitlist. This is especially important in the case of Bonus classes with a long waitlist, but appreciated for all classes. Please note that while we do not offer refunds, we are happy to transfer you to a different class if you notify us before your scheduled class meets.
Disappointed that the class you wanted to take was already full? Always get on the waitlist when this happens. You won’t be charged unless a spot opens, and you are invited to register for the class. More importantly, your spot on the waitlist is a vote to offer that class again next term, or if possible, to open a new section during the current term. If we can open a second section, the waitlist always receives advanced notice and priority registration.
Do you sometimes struggle to hear the lectures in our classrooms? Great news! Thanks to a very generous donor, our classrooms are equipped with a T-coil system, which works with T-coil-equipped hearing aids or with headphones that are available to borrow at the front desk. Please ask a staff member for more information if this is something that would be helpful to you.
🌻 Help Lifelong Learning Bloom This Fall
At OLLI, every season brings new growth—especially fall, when ideas ripen and curiosity turns golden. Our classrooms are like fields of sunflowers, stretching toward the light of discovery, rooted in community, and blooming with purpose. But this radiant harvest doesn’t grow on its own. It flourishes because of you.
Your support is the sunlight and soil that sustains our learning landscape. It helps us welcome inspiring instructors, offer scholarships, and keep classes accessible to all. Like sunflower seeds scattered with care, even the smallest gift can yield a vibrant return—nurturing a place where minds and friendships grow strong.
Join us in cultivating this field of possibility.
Make your gift to OLLI today—and help lifelong learning thrive.
Click here to support OLLI at CSU or call Thea Barela-Rounsaville at 720.327.0132 for more information. |
JOIN US IN TENDING THIS GARDEN OF POSSIBILITY. MAKE YOUR GIFT TO OLLI TODAY. |
Make a difference for OLLI at Colorado State University and save on taxes!
A Special Opportunity for Those 70½ Years Old and Older
You can give any amount (up to a maximum of $108,000) this year from your IRA directly to a qualified charity such as OLLI without having to pay income taxes on the money. Gifts of any value $108,000 or less are eligible for this benefit, and you can feel confident knowing that you are making a difference. This popular gift option is commonly called the IRA charitable rollover, but you may also see it referred to as a qualified charitable distribution, or QCD for short.
Why Consider This Gift?
If you are required to take minimum distributions, you can use your gift to satisfy all or part of your obligation.
You pay no income taxes on the gift. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you benefit even if you do not itemize your deductions. Since the gift doesn’t count as income, it can reduce your annual income level. This may help lower your Medicare premiums and decrease the amount of Social Security that is subject to tax.
Click here to support OLLI at CSU or call Thea Barela-Rounsaville at 720.327.0132 for more information. |
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Until Next Month,
Your OLLI Staff |
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This email was sent by: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
2545 Research Blvd Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA |
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