From T h e P r e s i d e n t
I hope that you were able to attend Olli's fifteenth year anniversary celebration. Dr. Jean Herron, the founder of our organization, gave a talk on our beginning days. We honored the original members, the past presidents, and the teachers who have taught more than 10 years. Each of our committees had tables set up so that you could walk around and see what they do and decide if you might want to be part of their committee. We gave away a free
tuition for the Winter Term, and Ilene Sparks won. Best of all, we had ice cream sundaes with all the toppings. It was great fun thanks to the work of Nan Case and her Social Committee, Eleanor Carter and her Special Events Committee, and Jim Lindberg and his Membership Committee.
Adapted from Newsletter article by Lorrie White and the Celebration Agenda.
Dr. Jean Foster Herron joined us on September 19, to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and to honor those original members who volunteered their time and ideas into what we know now is our wonderful OLLI.
It all began in 1993, when Dr. Herron, under the directorship of Dr. Mike Oliver, Director of UAH Continuing Education, carefully outlined a program at UAH dedicated to lifelong learning for retired seniors. Over 150 seniors responded to an ad she placed in the newspaper. They attended that first meeting at Spraggins Hall,
and, with determination and purpose, launched the successful Academy for Lifetime Learning (ALL).
The first meeting on August 3, 1993 resulted in the forming of a Steering Committee which soon created a Curriculum Committee. Initially, four committees were established to accomplish the Academy's goals: Steering, under Chair Carl Ziemke; Administration & Finance, under Chair Horace Lowers; Curriculum, under Chair Norman Frederick; and Membership/Promotion (later Marketing and Membership), under Chair Ralph Murphy. Eight courses were offered for the Fall 93 term and 22 courses for the Winter 94 term. In 1994, the Academy added the Long-Range Planning Committee, with Chair June Foley. Each year, under the management of Dr. Herron, the Academy grew in membership as well as the number of courses offered.
In 1996, the Academy established the Executive Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the Social Committee with Terry Schoper as Chair. The Social Committee became the Social and Cultural Committee in 1997, with Rono Prince as Chair. In 1998, the Cultural Committee was spun off, with Rono Prince as Chair, leaving the Social Committee under the chairmanship of Margaret Tegtmeier. 1998 also saw new changes for the Marketing and Membership Committee. Marketing functions were assigned to the new Public Relations Committee, with Ralph Murphy as Chair. Membership (which became known as Member Services in 2002) became a more focused committee, with Jean Gentry as Chair.
In 2001, the Special Events Committee was formed, with Hugh Nicholson and Mary Compton as Co-Chairs. The Academy became affiliated with the Osher Foundation in 2005, and acquired a new name: The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UAH. UAH received $100,000 grants from the Osher Foundation in 2005 and 2007 to support our organization's activities. To further secure funding for support of our OLLI on campus, the Osher Foundation has provided UAHuntsville two $1,000,000 endowments, one in 2007 and the second in 2008.
Today, the original membership of 150 has grown to over 1,000 members and more than 55 courses. Thanks to the direction of Dr. Jean Herron and the perseverance of the original members who built a solid foundation for what was the Academy of Lifetime Learning (ALL) and is now Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI). We are eternally grateful for the legacy of their labor.
Original members still active in OLLI, L to R: Verna Lee Clark, Rono Prince, Jane Prince, Ralph Murphy, Florence Murphy, Ruth Ann Haymes, Bob Crowe, Kay Cox, Horace Lowers, Terry Schoeper, George Thurlow, Dr. Jean Herron, and Charlotte Miller. Not pictured, but still active are: Norm and Norma Bell, Dr. Reese Kilgo, Frances Johnson, Nellie Lebas, Barbara Lucero, Lindy Martin, Joseph Powell, and Margot Swanson.
Academy/OLLI Past Presidents
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Carl Ziemke 1993-1994
Rono Prince 1994-95, 1996-97
Bill Hagen 1995-1996
Etta Mae Swalm 1997-1999
Bill Harrison 1999-2000
Mary Compton 2000-2001
Bill Huber 2001-2002
Jim Lindberg 2002-2004
Toni Reynolds 2004-2005
Hugh Nicholson 2005-2006
Bob Ward 2006-2007
Sue Chatham 2007-2009
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OLLI Presidents L to R:Toni Reynolds, Jim Lindberg, Hugh Nicholson, Rono Prince, Bob Ward, and Sue Chatham.
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Instructors with over ten years service
From L to R:
Bob Crowe (15), Ralph Murphy (15), Florence Murphy (15), Vita French (13),
Clinton Clay (12), George Thurlow (10), Edna Clay (13), and Paul Hays (13).
Instructors not shown:
Reese Danley-Kilgo (15), Bill Young (12 ), and Glenn Nettleton (10)
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At Right:
Sue Chatham hands a happy Irene Sparks
her $50 Winter Term drawing ticket prize
Below L to R:
Kay Magnant, Minnie Moore and Pat Lindberg get acquainted
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15th PHOTO ALBUM
slide show
welcome
three originals
two originals
presidents
teachers
ice cream
sundaes
friends
visiting a table
admin / finance
cultural events
curriculum
long range plan'g
member services
public relations
social activities
special events
busy neighborhood
presidents gallery
back
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TEXT
Handbook