OLLI RU at Rutgers University

08/21/2026

What makes an action morally right—or wrong?

This fall at OLLI-Rutgers, take a thought-provoking look at some of today’s most challenging ethical questions, including war, capital punishment, euthanasia, abortion, self-defense, and more.

No philosophy background needed—just curiosity and a willingness to think, question, and discuss

Course: Contemporary Moral Issues I
Registration: https://ce-catalog.rutgers.edu/courseDisplay.cfm?schID=98077

Wednesday 10:30 AM - Noon: September 9 to November 11
Location: Online, ZOOM

Instructor Alison Brown taught philosophy at Union County College for 25 years. She is involved in making philosophy’s value, methods, and areas of focus accessible and translatable to our everyday lives. She is honored to be the recipient of the Marlene M. Pomper Teaching Award.

08/11/2026

Have you ever doubted yourself? Have you ever thought that your decision wasn’t quite the best one? Yeah, Shirley Jackson knows you. As the days get shorter and the nights get chillier, let’s read some new stories together that show us the “dark fiction” centered on America’s ambiguous fear of the unknown and the horror that
may happen when you break the rules. We will read Jackson’s
“The Lottery;”
“Louisa, Please Come Home;”
“The Possibility of Evil;”
“The Daemon Lover;”
and the story that Stephen King called “the scariest story ever written,” “The Summer People.”

Make good choices. We will also create some original art based on what we’ve read.

Registration: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/
Date and Time: Tuesdays, Sept. 8 – Oct. 6 (1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m)

Location: in-person in New Brunswick at the Lifelong Learning Center

Instructor: Maureen McVeigh-Berzok

Fall Preview at the Lifelong Learning Center on August 12!Hear about upcoming courses, meet fellow students and register on-site!Details coming soon...

07/27/2026

Click here to register for the FREE preview of OLLI-Rutgers fall courses https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/uxqtdfe?source_id=e5de32ec-f5ca-47f4-97e7-60752ffdf869&source_type=em&c=6GOoKL-ipTXbWEvKZ4NeiEuQY1tcLH0FnXVZFvjBEI64oCj701yJgw==

07/23/2026

Constantine the Great is considered to be one of the greatest Emperors of Rome – but was he? Rome was never the same after his rule. He moved the Capital from Rome to Constantinople, which became the foundation of Byzantium. He achieved many military victories over barbarian tribes that threatened the Empire. He ended the persecution of Christians and allowed them to worship freely. His laws favoring Christianity laid the foundation for the Holy Roman Empire, which ruled over Western Europe for centuries. Let’s discuss Constantine and his place in Roman history.
Registration: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

Thursdays, Sept. 10 – Sept. 17 (2 weeks) 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Location: Online

Instructor: Barbara Griffin

07/22/2026

Step into the shadowy world of classic Hollywood crime cinema in this engaging course exploring the origins and evolution of the film detective. Focusing on the 1930s and 1940s—the formative years of film noir and detective storytelling on film—this course examines the iconic sleuths, gripping narratives, and stylistic innovations that
define the genre. We will encounter legendary figures such as Sam Spade, Sherlock Holmes, Charlie Chan, Nick and Nora Charles, Philo Vance, Hildegarde Withers and Philip Marlowe. Through selected film screenings and discussion, the course highlights how these characters reflect the social tensions, moral ambiguity, and
changing cultural landscape of pre- and post-war America. Special attention is given to Film Noir style, including moody cinematography, urban settings, and complex protagonists. The tentative list of movies, subject to change, is: The Thin Man, The Saint in NY, Think Fast Mr. Moto, The Penguin Pool Murders, Sherlock Holmes in the Scarlet Claw, Charlie Chan in Paris/ Charlie Chan on Treasure Island, The Maltese Falcon, Laura, Murder My Sweet, the Blue Dahlia, and others. (course code NBT51)

Register at: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

Thursdays, Sept. 10 – Nov. 12 (10 weeks)
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Location: in-person in New Brunswick

Instructor: Jerry Wichinsky

Fall Preview at the Lifelong Learning Center on August 12!Hear about upcoming courses, meet fellow students and register on-site!Details coming soon...

07/21/2026

Four of five classes will be on Jazz Giants, describing their lives and music. A fifth class will inform students about young rising stars who will become tomorrow's Jazz Giants. The four Jazz Giants featured this fall will be:
Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton,
Trumpeter Clark Terry,
Vocalist Betty Carter,
Tenor saxophonist Jimmy Heath

This class combines lecture and video as we will watch/listen to select performances for each giant together. Whenever possible, classes will also include special guests. Previous guests have included pianist/vocalist Champian Fulton, guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli, tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon, and bassist Todd Coolman.

Registration: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

Tuesdays, Oct. 13 – Nov.10 (5 weeks) 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Location: Online

Instructor: Sanford Josephson

07/21/2026

This course explores monster in literature and the role of the supernatural. Who is a monster and what does he say about what we are as people? What is the role of the supernatural and how does it impact our sense of reality? What is the relationship that monsters and ghosts share with our daily lives? The readings for the course are Frankenstein by Mary Shelley; Dracula by Bram Stoker; Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson; The Turn of the Screw by Henry James; and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.
Registration: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

Wednesdays*, Sept. 9–Nov.18 (10 weeks ; *no class 10/21 ) 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Location: in-person in New Brunswick at the OLLI RU Life Long Learning Center

Instructor: George Schroepfer

Fall Preview at the Lifelong Learning Center on August 12!Hear about upcoming courses, meet fellow students and register on-site!Details coming soon...

07/21/2026

Registration is now open for fall courses at OLLI Rutgers. Classes begin on September 8, offering a variety of new experiences to explore. Click here for more information https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

07/12/2026

It began with a single shot. By the time it ended, millions had been killed. In between, everything had changed. We know so little about and often overlook this horrendous tragedy. Together we will read, discuss and learn from selected writings, films and other sources to understand how the First World War of over 100 years ago continues to shape our world today.

Join this class on-line with Zoom or In-Person at the Lifelong Learning Center at Rutgers University

Wednesdays*, Oct.14–Nov.18 (5 wks - *no class 10/21) 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Registration: https://olliru.rutgers.edu/

Instructor: Steve Yacik

07/04/2026

The OLLI RU Fall Catalog is Here! Registration begins July 21st. Fall session opens Sept. 8 with classes starting throughout September and October. Review the catalog here https://a9hm6veab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oc7INPEzFxKgT_nawHmWLqZeSWkag0zJ4YUxSvlXZ9mKNDbP_ahsuRGfT-JQqr8mpCmObD6uultfjWusCNRNQLRgGmY_RXkZJLXJsHZn8xIo0zb0FJZ57S8Ro_txjRXVjsGYZsOfQL5xIDct8P5PkY2eOL2t3A3mTHG7crq1TzYgIvmiAG0MxMEBYihcQrSZJBNuJJpJD0oklVsGARK3OdzilnwVo96R9VtsOEVwa0x0UFsooykWYA==&c=B89fSZjLBrTA6jK2tBFKKWUiC7N_asHDpr7spWZs2Ovo1R_u8FkdPQ==&ch=XjWLN174Hy7AFm9EqPCQZ42D-ZdaRSOniXBv9k_2k9TytbyCZ0Vcjg==