Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of North Texas

The latest installment of OLLI at UNT's Authors Out Loud interview series is now available to watch online! Our co-hosts Dr. Jean Greenlaw and Susan Supak spoke with bestselling author Kate Quinn about her writing process, inspirations, favorite themes and even her dogs!

All of our author interviews are available to the public for free on our website: olli.unt.edu/aol.

OLLI at UNT Authors Out Loud: Kate Quinn Note: This interview was recorded on June 12, 2026.The OLLI at UN...

Did you miss our Virtual Kickoff last week? Watch the recording now to get a preview of our fall schedule before enrollment opens on Monday, August 10 at 10:00am!

Then head over to olli.unt.edu for all the information you need to get involved with OLLI this fall, including details of our fall schedule, membership options, and registration instructions. If you have questions, contact [email protected].

OLLI at UNT Fall 2026 Virtual Kickoff The OLLI at UNT staff and special guest Sara Wilson give a presenta...

Our summer semester concluded last week with a visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum. Members took a VIP guided tour of the museum's powerful and immersive exhibits, learning about the lives of Medal of Honor recipients whose artifacts are currently represented in the museum's collection. Our guides also explained the history of the medal itself, including its origins and the efforts made to ensure that all who are deserving of this honor receive recognition.

Photo Credit: Patrick Parson, Patricia Parson, & Jordan Williams

This week, members learned from modern-day armorer and UNT Department of Dance and Theatre costume design faculty Alex Heder as he guided them through the evolution of European medieval armor and the historical influences that shaped it. He brought examples of historical armor to support the lecture which members were free to examine up close!

Enrollment for our Fall 2026 semester will open on Monday, August 10. To learn about our membership options and preview our fall schedule, visit olli.unt.edu.

Scott Kiester, an Audubon Master Birder and founding member of Friends of LLELA, enjoys bringing natural science topics to OLLI. This summer, he spoke to members at CC Young Senior Living about turkey vultures. "This is the only group of larger birds whose migratory patterns really control the identity of the subspecies," he told Donna Ledbetter of our volunteer Storytelling Team. "That is unique and something the 'bird nerds' like me appreciate learning about."

Scott's lecture also appealed to those who were learning about the birds for the first time. "I wanted to come to this class because I didn't know anything about turkey vultures and wanted to learn about them," Edgar Dunn said. "I was surprised to learn how birds breathe, inhaling oxygen into their lungs and their air sacs, and how that enables them to fly. I enjoy OLLI because there are so many things that I have no idea about and I appreciate the learning opportunity."

Our Fall 2026 schedule will be announced tomorrow afternoon on July 30. Go to olli.unt.edu for details!

Last week, we closed out our Debbie & Neal Smatresk OLLI After Five Series for the summer with a visit from Ben Franklin Live! In this immersive lecture, Dr. Franklin brought his journey to life, revealing how curiosity and determination carried a boy with only two years of formal education from obscurity to global influence as a philosopher, scientist, diplomat, and statesman. He also reflected on the enduring ideals that launched the world's longest-standing constitutional republic.

This summer, members enjoyed a presentation by Amon Carter Museum of American Art docent and retired journalist Jane Scholz. Jane explained what modernist painting is and walked members through the life and career of Georgia O'Keeffe. Some members met at the Amon Carter to experience her presentation alongside the "Georgia O'Keeffe and the Carter" exhibition, which is on view through September 2027.

Photo Credit: Patrick & Patricia Parson

Denton County is collecting the personal narratives of
Denton County Veterans to illuminate the unique experiences and perspectives that shape our local history.

Interested in being interviewed?
[email protected]
940-349-2850

In addition to presentations by UNT faculty and staff, OLLI members have the opportunity to learn from other educators in our community. Lynne Kelsey is a retired teacher who taught 12th grade literature to 175 high school seniors in her former hometown. Now, she teaches seniors in OLLI. "These topics are so interesting to me and I hope the way I present them makes them also interesting to other people," she said. This summer, she led members on a journey through the development of the English language.

Charla and Jim Kracht attended the presentation at CC Young Senior Living. "I have a background in history and geography and I never connected the impact of the black plague and migration on the English language," Jim said. Charla mentioned that the lessons they learn in OLLI stay with them after class. "We are constantly learning something new and we take some nugget of the presentation home and talk about it."

Thanks to Donna Ledbetter of our volunteer storytelling team for capturing this classroom experience!

This summer, members learned the remarkable story of how Texas became the central legal battleground of the 1950s Civil Rights Movement that led, ultimately, to the far-reaching successes of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. The session was led by Dr. Andrew Torget of The University of North Texas History Department, a Distinguished Teaching Professor, 2021 finalist for Dallas Morning News' Texan of the Year, and Guinness World Record Holder for the world's longest history lesson!