Welcome to OLLI @ CSULB
Spring Classes
Classes will be held from April 3 to May 27. We are delighted to be In-Person, on Zoom and in HyFlex mode for OLLI's Spring 2023 session!
For those in need of personal Tech help, the Technology Lab on campus will be open on Fridays from 1:30 to 3:30 pm.
Classes are held Monday through Saturday. Zoom links go out the week before classes start. Contact Lee at 562 985-2398 or at lee.sianez@csulb.edu if you need help.
History of OLLI at CSULB
The History of OLLI at CSULB actually goes back to early 1994 when a group of community members met with Dr. Don Lauda, Dean of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS).
After many meetings, Senior University officially opened its doors in the HSD building in October 1996 with 118 members registered for 9 classes.
Our relationship with the Bernard Osher Foundation began in 2003 when Senior University submitted a funding proposal and a $1 million Endowment was established in 2004. Success in programming, community involvement, and additional endowments made for continued excellence. In 2006 we celebrated our 10th anniversary, A Decade of Learning, and officially changed our name from Senior University to Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University (OLLI at CSULB). In 2016 we observed our 20th anniversary by honoring founding volunteers and supporters on Founders Day. In 2020, despite the Covid19 pandemic, we managed to keep OLLI classes going using Zoom with willing teachers and other volunteers. In March of 2022 we were finally able to celebrate our 25th anniversary.
Register online and Search for available classes for the current session. For help, call the OLLI support line (562) 985.2398 from 11:00 - 4:00 pm and we can walk you through the process.
The OLLI membership fee (now $20 semi-annual) must be paid before you register for classes. Class fees are $15 for any length class. Scholarships for membership fee and tuition are available through the OLLI office. Come join us!
OLLI....
- Is a self-supporting membership organization of nearly 1000 members
- Is a Center based in CSULB's College of Health and Human Services
- Is managed by a volunteer Governing Council in collaboration with an Executive Director
- Offers non-credit classes to adults over age 50
- Schedules a wide range of classes including art, music, health/fitness, history, literature and technology
- Has no tests, no grades – just classes for the joy of learning
More About OLLI at CSULB
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) is a Center in the College of Health and Human Services. With the exception of our Executive Director, Office Administrator, and one part-time assistant, OLLI at CSULB is operated totally by volunteers, from Instructors to committees and office work. There are four eight-week sessions each year. Classes are typically ninety-minutes and meet once per week, Monday through Saturday from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
OLLI offers about 70 different non-credit courses of interest to persons 50 years of age or older. There is no academic prerequisite for membership or to participate in the classes, just a desire to learn. In addition to classes on campus, we offer classes in community locations such as the Long Beach Bridge Center, Whaley Park, St. Isidore Historical Plaza in Los Alamitos and at the Alpert Jewish Community Center.
Established in 1977, The Bernard Osher Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life through support of higher education and the arts. The Foundation endows a national network for adults 50 years and older, The Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, on 125 campuses across the country, including ours at California State University, Long Beach.
OLLI first offered classes in October 1996 as Senior University at California State University Long Beach (CSULB). Then, as now, the goal was to provide an environment for older adults to fulfill the desire to never stop learning. Fifty students enrolled in that first session. Within one year, there were 450 members.
In 2006, in recognition of generous support provided by the Bernard Osher Foundation, Senior University became the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), a Center in the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) at CSULB. Because of demonstrated success, the Osher Foundation provided what is now a $2 million endowment to ensure permanent support for our program.
OLLI at CSULB provides educational opportunities, encourages an active lifestyle, and promotes social opportunities for older adults. We celebrate the positive aspects of aging through a community that fosters personal growth, promotes individual empowerment, and nurtures human potential through lifelong learning.
