Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee

We had a GREAT turnout yesterday for the OLLI Gives back project with Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring clean up. About 25 Osher members showed up at Estabrook Park in Shorewood to help with this terrific project. We collected a lot of garbage and then enjoyed some socializing and a yummy cookout! Thanks to our social events committee for organizing this and to everyone who participated. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education

Our last day in Greece! Epic adventures and deep learning experiences plus building great friendships along the way!
We visited one of the centers of contemporary Greek pottery making which follows ancient traditions and enjoyed a filo dough demo which was fascinating! This stop also included delicious baklava treat! Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education Gate 1 Travel

An English anthropologist named Evans found the ancient ruins of the Minoan culture on the island of Greece in the 1860s. It took Evand and his team at least ten years to uncover the Palace of Knossos and the surrounding 15 acres. Vast portions of the ruins remains giving us a glimpse into life 6,000 years ago in this area.
We also toured the village of Archanes and had a lively dinner with local students and musicians. Wonderful food and conversations Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education Gate 1 Travel

The Minoan civilization on the island of Crete dates back 5,000 years. They began as hunter gatherers and then progressed to forming communities. They were fishermen and sailed within the Mediterranean and also settled briefly on the island of Mykonos. The artifacts and history shared in the many museums is stunning. The Heraklion Archeological Museum has over 15 large intact burial vats (they look like a bathtub) which are intricately decorated and look like they were made yesterday and they date to 3,000 BC. Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education Gate 1 Travel

Walking the Sacred Way was physically challenging however to see the theatre and stadium dating to the 4th c BC was extremely rewarding. It is hard for visitors to fathom the true age of these man-made structures. We also enjoyed a guided tour of the Delphi archeological museum on the slopes of Mount Parnassian. This is one of the most important sites to learn about Greek history. Next stop: Crete! Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education Gate 1 Travel

It's 414 for UWM Giving Day! We have only 11 hours left to reach our goal of 60 donors in order to unlock an additional gift of $6,000 from two generous members who organized a challenge to inspire others to support the new OLLI Scholars program. OLLI Scholars are UWM graduate and doctoral students who receive a $1,500 stipend to turn their cutting-edge research into Osher courses. We just selected 16 new OLLI Scholars for the 2026-2027 school year who will be presenting their findings in the fields of art, science, history, and more!

Will you help support this new program with a gift and help us unlock the challenge? Click the link below to donate today!

Bonus: Gifts of $150 or more qualify for a chance to win a 2026-2027 season pass for two people to all 16 new OLLI Scholar courses, a Fall 2026 Golden Ticket for unlimited classes for one member, or a $200 Boswell Book Company gift card! Winners will be announced at the July 7th Annual Meeting.

Thank you for supporting our OLLI at UWM! We greatly appreciate your support!

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Join me in supporting Osher at UWM during 414 for UWM Giving Days!

Some of the competitions of the original Olympic Games held in Olympia Greece in the 8th c BC were running (200 m, 400 m, and 4 K), wrestling and boxing - rules included no biting or taking out eyes - javelin throwing, long jump, discus throwing and chariot races. Winners were awarded free food for life. It was really fascinating to learn the background info about the games, like only men participated and they competed sans clothes, slept outside in the open and have documented instances of cheating!
Our day in Olympia also included a fabulous cooking demo and lunch. Volunteers made tzakiki, fried cheese and a zucchini ball.
And, of course, when in Greece, we had a Greek dancing lesson after lunch - wonderful day filled with learning and fun! Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UW-Milwaukee UWM School of Continuing Education Gate 1 Travel