Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston

07/24/2026

OLLI Reads: They Called Us Enemy: August 4 and 6

OLLI Reads is a community reading project created by OLLI’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. OLLI members, friends, and neighbors are enthusiastically invited to read one book over the summer, then gather (in person or on Zoom) to share ideas and enjoy each other’s company.

The OLLI Reads' choice for the summer of 2026 is the New York Times bestselling graphic memoir, They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, illustrated by Harmony Becker. This stirring memoir tells the story of George Takei’s childhood in a Japanese detention facility in Arkansas. The story comes to us through a child’s eyes, but the questions Takei wants us to consider are grown up: What does it mean to be an American? And who gets to decide?

Nonmembers - please call or email us (617 287 7312, [email protected]) to register - these dates are part of our free summer programs and open to all
Tuesday, August 4 in-person at the Adams Street Library in Dorchester
Thursday, August 6 online via Zoom
Both discussions will start at 10:30 a.m.

06/30/2026

Below is a recording link for our open house event last week.

Our fall course listings are online at the top link below. Course registration starts July 1 at noon

https://www.campusce.net/umb/course/course.aspx?catid=114

https://umassboston.zoom.us/rec/play/hfv_FGCsgvPRHekhR5Hn-Rt_BSAoqf8_dt8jAlTXPfQe_z1fH9rQQiv_zZfgGITRgsigkfM6GfpldJ3J.tQreCxLCPZRiRetC

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06/23/2026

𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗗𝗔𝗬. 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗜.
𝟮𝟰 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴.
𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲.

Help OLLI at UMass Boston celebrate 27 years of providing lifelong learning to the greater Boston community! We are more than halfway to our fundraising goal of $5,000 and need about 30 more donors to reach our donor goal of 60 individuals!
June 23, 1999 was the first open house for UMass Boston’s lifelong learning program and the start of what eventually would become the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UMass Boston.
Take a moment and donate any amount to help support OLLI’s mission to engage its members both socially and intellectually! Consider giving $27 for each of the 27 years OLLI has been around.

https://www.givecampus.com/schools/UniversityofMassachusettsBoston/one-day-one-olli

06/23/2026

It's not too late to register for our open house on Thursday - please just email the office with your location (UMass Boston, Braintree library or Zoom). ([email protected], 617 287 7312). Thursday 6/25 at 10:00 AM

Note, if you are planning to come to campus, the open house event is in the Integrated Sciences Center building, not in McCormack Hall where our courses are usually held. It's just across the street from the West Garage parking building

06/18/2026

Our free summer event series is open to members and the general public - you can find a full list at the link below. (Please note, if you are replying about the open house on June 25th, we need to know where you're attending)

We are still adding new dates as we confirm them. Recent additions:

Summer Outings to Different Places of Worship
Judaism - Temple Israel (Sharon) on July 7
Catholicism - St. Cecilia Church (Boston) on July 16
Islam - Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center (Roxbury) on July 24
Eastern Orthodox - Holy Cross Chapel (pictured, Brookline) on July 28
Members are encouraged to use the OLLI online registration system to sign up for these events. Sign-in using your OLLI username and password. Once you are logged in, all summer events will be listed under the Courses & Events section (look for Other Programs).

Not an OLLI member? Simply email ([email protected]) or call (617.287.7312) the OLLI office with the program titles you would like to register for.

OLLI's summer events are free and open to members, former members, and nonmembers alike! Summer events and programs are on a first-come, first-served basis. Zoom details for online summer programs will be sent to participants the day prior to the program.

05/28/2026

OLLI Summer Open House Set for June 25
Spotlight on OLLI to Feature Mini-Classroom Experiences
Satisfy Your Curiosity!

Designed for prospective members to get a sense of what OLLI offers, Spotlight on OLLI will feature mini-classroom experiences, plus general details about our vibrant learning community.

Naturally, current members are also invited to enjoy this event. Consider bringing a friend or family member with you as knowing a current OLLI member is the number one reason new members join!
This program will be offered at three locations: online via Zoom, in-person at Thayer Public Library, and in-person at the UMass Boston campus. Each location will offer a specific learning experience for those attending at each site. Plus, there will be one common presentation for all to enjoy by former OLLI Scholar Tess Andrekus on cyber security. After the classroom presentations, all participants will learn more specifics about OLLI at UMass Boston.

Refreshments will be served at the two in-person locations, and for those joining us at UMass Boston, you’ll be able to enjoy a Boston Harbor cruise after the event has ended. Presenters and session titles for each location will be announced shortly.

05/15/2026

OLLI Excursion: Duck Boat And Top Of The Pru
End-of-Semester Outing for OLLI Members
(Open to members and guests of members)
Wednesday, May 27
OLLI has arranged a Duck Boat for OLLI members to explore Boston by land and water! Hop on board and enjoy historical tidbits and get to know your fellow OLLI members. The tour time is 10:30 a.m., with boarding beginning at 10:00. The street location is 43 Huntington Avenue.
After the Duck Boat experience, you’ll have the chance to have lunch on your own at numerous places in and around the Prudential area.
We will re-group at 2:00 p.m. and head up to the Prudential Building’s 52 Floor and experience View Boston: three floors of different viewing and learning opportunities.

This program is an OLLI excursion which means transportation and lunch are not provided. Members must secure their own transportation to the site. Directions and parking options will be provided for those that sign up.
Cost: $60. Registration Deadline: Wednesday, May 20.

04/10/2026

Daughter of the Regiment
Boston Lyric Opera Production
Sunday, May 3 at 3:00 p.m.
Open to all current members

Love, liberty, and laughs— a revolutionary comedy for America’s 250th. Laughter meets revolutionary spirit in Boston Lyric Opera’s staging of Donizetti’s glorious comedy. Inspired by the life of Deborah Sampson, the Massachusetts revolutionary who disguised herself as a man to fight for independence, this production transports us to Revolutionary-era Boston, telling a heartfelt tale of love and loyalty to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. With a new English dialogue by Kirsten Greenidge, it’s a patriotic toast to America at 250—and to the rebels who shaped it.

Ticket price: $32 (limit two per OLLI member)
Runtime: 2 hours and 50 minutes, with one 20 minute intermission.

04/03/2026

Our OLLI program has several trips coming up. Book your spot now on OLLI's fall trip to the Canadian Maritime Provinces in September! A regional trip to Philadelphia is also scheduled for this October. Several overnight trips have been planned for both 2026 and 2027. Check out the flyers for trip details to:

Canadian Maritime Provinces (Sept. 18-17, 2026)
Philadelphia (Oct. 18-22, 2026)
France (Nov. 3-19, 2026; two spots remain!)
The Adriatic (Dec. 31, 2026-Jan. 16, 2027)
Ireland (Oct. 2 - 16, 2027) (Just announced)

To look up the full details, click here -- https://conta.cc/4v6u7IG -- to view our Connections newsletter online and then click on one of the the links under this image

There will be an online info session for the Ireland trip on April 24th at 1:00 PM. If you want to attend, please contact the office at [email protected]. (We will be recording the session and will send that link out afterward)

**All participants must be a current UMass OLLI member at time of travel.**

03/27/2026

Yes...the spring semester just started, but the planning for fall 2026 has begun! Next week, the online submission link will be available for people to submit their ideas for courses, OLLI Talks, walking tours, and other programs. OLLI facilitators come from a variety of different backgrounds: from retired professionals with expertise to community leaders with first-hand knowledge to people with a passion for a specific topic. We hope you will consider teaching for OLLI or encouraging folks you know to share their knowledge with curious OLLI members.