The Athenaeum Renamed Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at RIT

The name has changed but the mission of this organization remains the same—to offer a diverse repertoire of intellectually stimulating classes for individuals 50 and over.

Rochester Institute of Technology’s Athenaeum has been awarded a grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation and will be renamed The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at RIT (OLLI at RIT).

“This is another exciting milestone for our organization,” says RIT Vice President for Government and Community Relations Deborah Stendardi. “The news couldn’t come at a better time since The Athenaeum, now OLLI at RIT, commemorates its 20th birthday in the 2006-2007 calendar year. We will have much to celebrate.”

OLLI at RIT, located at 150 Research Blvd., Henrietta, joins a network that includes more than 90 Osher institutes in 39 states and is one of two in New York state. The grant of $100,000 will help expand the organization, which now boasts 375 members.

“We appreciate the Osher Foundation’s confidence in RIT and their invitation to a roster of lifelong learning programs on prestigious campuses such as Tufts, Rutgers, Northwestern and Carnegie Mellon,” says RIT President Albert J. Simone. “In New York State, the Foundation has awarded grants to only two higher education institutions—New York University and RIT.”

As Bonnie Salem, OLLI at RIT council chair, explains, Osher grants have been awarded to universities with existing lifelong learning programs and those in start-up programs as well. “We’re ahead of the game because we’ve been doing this for 20 years, so we have a history, we have pride, and we have members who have remained committed.”

OLLI at RIT offers a fall, winter and spring series of classes, which are developed and conducted by members in a variety of fields—from arts, literature and sciences, to history and government.

“Our members can teach, learn and remain active in their retirement years,” says Julie Blowers, OLLI at RIT program director. “Since Osher began in 2001, they have set a goal with each of the higher education institutions who have received grants—challenging us to increase our membership size to 500. We have no doubt we’ll meet their challenge at RIT.”

For more information about upcoming classes and membership at OLLI at RIT, call (585) 292-8989.