Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - OLLI at Emory

PLAN-A-PARTY WORKSHOP
Delivery Options: Classroom
Instructor: Frances Reed

Tue 10:30AM - 1:30PM
Jul 21, 2026 to Jul 28, 2026

https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7357019

We’ll start at the beginning and plan your party together: In this two-part workshop, we’ll discuss themes, compile guest lists, compose invitations, devise menus, brainstorm décor, and address any particular challenges you might anticipate.

Our second session will be devoted to set-up: preparing the space, arranging flowers, setting the table, presentation and service, lighting, music, and assorted niceties (favors, anyone?)... and then we’ll have a little party of our own!

Please join us! Aspiring and experienced hosts and hostesses welcomed.

Bio: Frances Reed has been entertaining folks at home most of her life. She has worked as a designer of social stationeries, as a teacher of mathematics and English, and as a school secretary. She entertained on her mother’s behalf almost every Friday evening for a decade, when the elder hostess no longer had the physical stamina to do everything themselves but still wanted everything to be just so. Frances cooks, bakes, arranges flowers, and collects pretty things with which to set the table.

National Safety Council Defensive Driving
Delivery Options: Classroom
Instructor: Jim Spano

Mon 9:30AM - 2:30PM
Jul 13, 2026

https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=5589102

National Safety Council Defensive Driving Course: This course emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility in safe driving. Participants will learn the mental strategies and knowledge necessary to become defensive drivers. The class will cover the seven most common driving mistakes and strategies to avoid them, as well as the five key conditions that impact driving skills and reaction time. Completing the course may qualify participants for a discount on their auto insurance.

Rediscovering Optimism in Today’s World
Delivery Options: Classroom
Instructor: Robert Pawlicki

Tue 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Aug 04, 2026 to Aug 11, 2026

https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7180462

In an age overflowing with conflict and uncertainty, optimism can seem naïve - or even reckless. Yet history shows it is precisely this daring hope that lights the path out of darkness. From a mental health perspective, optimism isn’t wishful thinking - it’s wise thinking. It widens our vision, revealing opportunities that pessimism keeps hidden. In this two-session class, retired psychologist Robert Pawlicki will explore how unchecked pessimism can quietly erode well-being, and how realistic optimism has fueled progress in the past—and can do so again today.

Beyond Network Television: The Rise of Cable TV and Streaming Platforms
Instructor: Bill Nigut
Tues. July 14, 2026, 11:30AM-1PM

For decades, Americans relied on a handful of television networks for news and entertainment. The arrival of cable television changed everything, and the growth of streaming platforms reshaped viewing habits once again. Bill Nigut traces this fascinating media revolution and examines how technology, competition, and changing consumer preferences transformed the way we watch television today. Register: https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7460958

Let’s Discuss a Topic We Disagree On
New Format – One-Day Course
Instructor: Alice Huang
Choose the dates you want to sign-up and attend.
Wednesday's 1-3PM
July 8 - August 26, 2026

Prerequisite: Participants must have completed Alice Huang’s introductory one-day workshop, or other previous 4 day class which explains the discussion format and approach. The introductory workshop may also explore topics that could be addressed in future discussion sessions.

This course is designed for those who have previously participated in Alice Huang’s OLLI discussion programs, including the introductory workshop and four-week discussion courses that explore topics on which people often disagree.

In each session, we will focus on a different topic that people tend to disagree about. Through guided discussion, participants will practice engaging constructively, gain insights from those with differing perspectives, and strengthen their skills for having thoughtful and productive conversations.

This course is now being offered as a series of individual one-day classes rather than a four-week course. Each class will feature a different discussion topic. Participants may register for as many class dates as they wish and choose the dates that best fit their schedules. Register: https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7454308 #

Around the World in 60 Minutes on Corroboree
Presenters: Arliss Ryan, EricSponberg
Wed. August 26, 2026, 10-11:15AM

In 2017-2023, Eric Sponberg and Arliss Ryan sailed around the world in their 35’ sailboat Corroboree. The voyage covered 32,000 miles, and their adventures (and misadventures!) include sailing amidst tropical islands on balmy days, dodging hurricanes and lightning storms, encounters with dolphins and whales, and stargazing on magical nights far out at sea. Ashore, they visited rain forests, historic sites, big cities and the Australian Outback. They volunteered at local organizations and went on South African safaris.

Most of all, they met generous people from an array of cultures and from all walks of life who helped and enlightened them along the way. They present their talk as a way to pay forward these many kindnesses and to inspire others to travel and learn about all the amazing people and places in our world. They welcome questions following their talk. Ask away!
Register: https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7454075

The Road to the Isles
Instructor: Judith Costello
Thurs. July 23, 2026, 1-3PM

Recently, OLLI at Emory offered a four-week Zoom course, called “Music of the British Isles.” This course offered both traditional and more recently-composed musical selections depicting parts of England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Ulster (Northern Ireland). If you took that course, we hope you were reacquainted with familiar tunes, and perhaps introduced to a few unfamiliar works as well.

Regardless of your participation in “The British Isles in Music,” we think you’ll enjoy this new, one-day exploration of the traditional songs of the Hebrides, Shetland, the Orkney Islands, the Scilly Isles, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands — the smaller islands and archipelagos surrounding Ireland and Great Britain. Please join us on the legendary “Road to the Isles.”
Register: https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7449389

Unlock the Mysteries of the Mind with Dr. Stuart Zola

Join renowned neuroscientist and Emory University leader Dr. Stuart Zola for a fascinating three-part series exploring how the brain influences our decisions, memories, and even what happens while we sleep. Drawing on decades of groundbreaking research in memory, cognition, and brain health, Dr. Zola combines scientific insight, engaging stories, humor, and audience interaction to make complex topics accessible and entertaining.

Thurs., August 6 | 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Decisions...Decisions!! A How-to-Make-Better-Ones Workshop
Discover how your brain makes choices, why some decisions are harder than others, and practical strategies for improving everyday decision-making. https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7286370

Thurs., August 13 | 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
What? We Have Two Different Memory Systems in the Brain?
Explore the surprising ways our brains store memories and learn why remembering an event and remembering how it felt are controlled by different systems. https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=3485887

Thurs., August 20 | 11:30 AM–1:00 PM
Really Strange Things People Do While Sleeping: The Science of Sleep
From sleepwalking and sleep talking to other unusual nighttime behaviors, uncover the science behind some of the brain's most fascinating sleep phenomena. https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=7286132

Smart Tax and Investment Strategies for Retirement
Delivery Options: Classroom
Instructor: Angela Rehkop

Wed and Thu, 10AM - 12PM
Aug 19 & 20, 2026

https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=5964158

Day 1: "Tax Planning in Retirement – Understanding How Taxes Really Work"

How different types of retirement income are taxed (Social Security, pensions, IRAs, etc.)
Tax brackets in retirement and their impact on withdrawal strategies
Managing Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)
Roth conversions, charitable giving, and other tax-savvy tools
Avoiding common tax pitfalls that reduce retirement income
Day 2: "Investment Fundamentals – Building Confidence and Clarity"

Understanding the basic types of investments: stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs
The role of diversification, risk, and return in a retirement portfolio
Balancing income needs with long-term growth
Simple strategies to stay informed and in control

Bio: Angie Rehkop has spent over 30 years in financial services, and her background makes her uniquely positioned to help her clients organize themselves financially and plan for retirement on their terms. At Financial Care Providers they've weathered market cycles, closed estates, transitioned businesses, and navigated unique situations. They develop and recommend the right solutions for our clients because they are empowered to be independent thinkers based on decades of personal experience, an extensive resume’ of professional practice, a broad base of industry relationships and a host of strategic contacts serving your specific needs as they arise.

Music and the Holocaust - Tragedy, Hope and Legacy
Delivery Options: Online (Instructor-led)
Instructor: Emanuel Abramovits

Tue 1:30PM - 3:00PM
Aug 04, 2026 to Aug 25, 2026

https://register2.ece.emory.edu/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=4443179

Music was heard in many ghettos, concentration camps, and partisan outposts of Nazi-controlled Europe. For many victims of the Holocaust, music was an important way of preserving and asserting their humanity. Learn the role that music played in the struggle for hope in the darkest of times. With support from audiovisuals and anecdotes, we'll learn stories about the artists who died in the Holocaust, those who survived, the fate of the instruments that have been restored and how the musical world was affected by WWII and the Holocaust.