The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Vanderbilt invites the community to a new season of learning, connection and shared exploration with a wide-ranging lineup of spring courses for people age 50 and older.
From science, history and literature to music, writing and wellness, this new term offers opportunities to engage with ideas, develop skills and enjoy thoughtful conversation.
The spring schedule includes many returning favorites. Game-based classes, including bridge and mahjong at multiple levels, will bring members together for learning and social connection, while movement and wellness offerings like tai chi and gentle yoga provide space for balance and relaxation.
Vanderbilt faculty and staff are eligible for a discount on course registration. Email oshervu@vanderbilt.edu for more information.
Registration
Registration for spring classes is open Feb. 10–March 9. Classes begin on March 6. Visit OLLI at Vanderbilt to register.
Music and Performance
OLLI Steel Drum Band — Beginner is taught by Jordan Morrison. Explore Caribbean music through hands-on ensemble playing while learning basic technique. Students meet in person on Fridays beginning March 6 from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at W.O. Smith Music School, 1125 Eighth Ave. S.
OLLI Steel Drum Band — Intermediate is taught by Jordan Morrison. Build on beginner skills with more advanced repertoire, deeper notation work and study of pan culture. Students meet in person on Fridays beginning March 6 from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at W.O. Smith Music School.
OLLI Steel Drum Band — Advanced is taught by Jordan Morrison. Tackle more difficult repertoire and advanced techniques in a challenging ensemble setting. Students meet in person on Fridays beginning March 6 from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. at W.O. Smith Music School.
OLLI Chorale is taught by Mary Combs. Learn blending, harmony and vocal technique while preparing a small performance repertoire in a friendly ensemble environment. Students meet in person on Tuesdays beginning March 10 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at St. George Episcopal Church, 4715 Harding Pike.
Beginner Ukulele is taught by Theresa Romack. Learn tuning, strumming, basic chords and group singing. Students meet in person on Thursdays beginning March 19 from 10 to 11:15 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 3511 Belmont Blvd.
Intermediate Ukulele is taught by Theresa Romack. Expand chord vocabulary, explore new strumming and picking patterns, and build confidence playing in different keys and styles. Students meet in person on Thursdays beginning March 19 from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
Music: Controversies and Curiosities is taught by Emanuel Abramovits. Examine landmark musical controversies and curiosities from classical to pop music using audiovisual examples and case studies. Students meet on Wednesdays beginning April 15 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Games and Strategy
Let’s Mahjong! A Six-Week Beginner Course is taught by Joy Marini. Learn American Mahjong fundamentals including the National Mahjong League card, the Charleston, basic strategy and gameplay in a lively hands-on format. Students meet in person on Tuesdays beginning March 17 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
Mahjong 102: Playing with Strategy and Confidence is taught by Joy Marini. Move beyond the basics with exercises in speed, pattern recognition, Charleston decisions, table etiquette and guided full-game play. Students meet in person on Tuesdays beginning March 17 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
Bridge Basics I — An Introduction is taught by Janice Sardina. Learn bridge mechanics, key vocabulary, basic hand analysis and an introduction to Standard American bidding. Students meet in person on Wednesdays beginning March 18 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
Writing and Personal Expression
Telling Your Story: A Deep Dive into Memoir Writing is taught by Miriam Mimms. Develop memoir techniques including voice, authenticity and structure while working toward a chapter-length piece in a workshop-style class. Students meet in person on Thursdays beginning March 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
How to Write a Memoir is taught by Carole Webb Moore-Slater. Craft a short memoir focused on a single event or period through in-class writing exercises, technique sessions and a writers’ group format for feedback. Students meet on Thursdays beginning March 19 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Writing the Personal Essay: Finding Your Story is taught by Lisa Stolley. Study the form of the personal essay through readings, discussion and writing exercises that help you draft and refine original essays. Students meet on Saturdays beginning April 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Literature, Film and Media
Preventers of Futures: Ray Bradbury and Other Insightful Writers of Speculative Fiction is taught by Jennie Miller. Read and discuss Fahrenheit 451 and short works by mid-20th-century writers who used speculative fiction to provoke questions about society and technology. Students meet on Tuesdays beginning March 17 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Reading Shakespeare with Film 5 — Hamlet in Grief is taught by Russ Heldman. Focus on Hamlet and the theme of grief through text study, film excerpts and group discussions. Students meet on Thursdays beginning March 19 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Delving into Documentaries — How Do They Inspire and Persuade Us? is taught by Sarah Childress. Analyze documentary techniques using clips from recent films to explore how filmmakers make argument, create empathy and shape narrative. Students meet on Wednesdays beginning March 18 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
The Lost Generation is taught by Ferdâ Asya. Examine the cultural transformations in thinking and living that reshaped America and Western Europe between World War I and the Great Depression. Students meet on Wednesdays beginning April 15 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
History, Politics and Global Affairs
Great Decisions 2026 is taught by Brandon Hulette. Discuss six topics from the Foreign Policy Association’s annual briefing book with subject area co-facilitators, reading prepared materials and engaging in roundtable discussion. Students meet in person on Mondays beginning March 16 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at St. George Episcopal Church.
Ghosts in the White House: The People Behind Presidential Speeches is taught by Diana Carlin. Trace the evolution of presidential speechwriting from the nation’s founding to the present using drafts, clips and reflections from former speechwriters. Students meet on Mondays beginning March 30 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
The Scopes Monkey Trial: Then and Now is taught by Douglas Mishkin. Explore the 1925 trial’s courtroom drama, principal figures and enduring cultural impact while assessing dramatizations such as Inherit the Wind. Students meet on Tuesdays beginning March 31 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. online using Zoom.
Siberia: Russia’s Frozen Wasteland or Economic Heartland? is taught by Asya Pereltsvaig. Consider Siberia’s geography, indigenous cultures, economic role and strategic significance amid climate change and geopolitical shifts. Students meet on Wednesdays beginning April 1 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. online using Zoom.
JFK’s Quest for Peace: Lessons for Turbulent Times is taught by Charles Blum. Evaluate John F. Kennedy’s diplomatic initiatives, speeches and policy choices to draw lessons for leadership in complex times. Students meet on Thursdays beginning April 2 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
From Leo XIII to Leo XIV: History of 20th and 21st Century Popes is taught by Olivia Espin. Survey the lives, perspectives and global impacts of the last 10 popes, tracing continuity and change in papal leadership. Students meet on Tuesdays beginning April 7 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
California Uncovered: A Journey Through Time, Place and Identity is taught by Anthony Antonucci. Journey from Indigenous history through the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley while centering overlooked voices and challenging myths about the Golden State. Students meet on Fridays beginning April 10 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Science, Technology and the Natural World
An Astronomy Sampler is taught by Billy Teets. Survey telescopes, the science of light, astrophotography, sky motions and springtime objects visible with a small backyard telescope through lectures and demonstrations. Students meet in person on Tuesdays beginning March 17 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at St. George Episcopal Church.
Nashville Native Orchids: Astonishing Science and Mysterious Folklore is taught by Soraya Cates Parr. Explore the biology, pollination, conservation and regional folklore of tropical and terrestrial orchids. Students meet in person on Wednesdays beginning March 18 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
AI for Regular People is taught by Hod Lipson and Melba Kurman. Gain an accessible introduction to how AI works, current applications and societal implications with timely examples. Students meet on Thursdays beginning April 2 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Place, Memory and Environmental Psychology is taught by Fernanda Blanco Vidal. Reflect on how physical environments shape identity, memory and behavior. Students meet on Tuesdays beginning April 7 from noon to 1:30 p.m. online using Zoom.
Health, Wellness and Mindfulness
Tai Chi for Health, Balance and Relaxation is taught by Peter Hodes. Practice gentle tai chi sequences focused on alignment, breathing and balance to support mobility, relaxation and well-being. Students meet in person or online on Wednesdays beginning March 18 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church or online using Zoom.
Gentle Yoga is taught by Staci Smith. Enjoy slow, flowing movements and gentle stretches designed to promote flexibility, balance and mindfulness for all levels. Students meet in person on Thursdays beginning March 19 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church.
Meditating and Relating: You, Me, Us and Our Parts is taught by Gordon Peerman. Combine meditation practice with contemporary approaches to intrapersonal and interpersonal psychology. Explore how individuals relate to themselves and others in a reflective, experiential setting. Students meet on Mondays beginning March 16 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. online using Zoom.
All class meeting times listed are Central time. For more information, visit vanderbilt.edu/olli or call 615-343-0700. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is part of Vanderbilt’s Division of Government and Community Relations.
