Keep Growing and Learning at the Lifetime Learners Institute

“Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.” – Albert Einstein

Members of Weston Kiwanis heard Glen Osberg speak about his passion and curiosity to learn. Osberg, in 2017, took a class at the Lifetime Learners Institute called "Walking on the Wild Side," and became hooked by the unique educational experience.

Osberg is now president of the Lifetime Learners Institute (LLI). He was the first in his family to obtain both a college education and an officer’s commission at Norwich University. He had an illustrious forty-four-year career at IBM in various management and leadership positions.

The Lifetime Learners Institute housed at Norwalk Community College is a community of working and retired adults over 50 who have a desire to learn and have a broad range of lifetime experiences to share. Members come from all over Fairfield County.

Whatever your interest, courses range from hands-on fun with ukuleles, writing and watercolor, to the more esoteric subjects on art, history, the Bible and investments. Friday’s free brown bag lunch and learn programs offers captivating topics including Mount Rushmore, presented by a descendant of the chief carver of the monument, to Connecticut’s role in the Civil War.

Osberg told Kiwanians that the Lifetime Learners Institute has eight hundred members, whose average age is seventy-four. Over fifty percent have graduate degrees. There are sixteen volunteer committees that keep things running with one paid staff person. The 28 year-old Institute runs yearlong with 22 Friday free lunch and learn programs and 39 courses.

Examples of courses include the World of Advertising to the Writer’s Voice or You Want to Speak Yiddish. Osberg said, “there are no tests and no finals. Just fun meeting other people interested in learning."

The 2020 Lifetime Learners Institute catalog and registration will be available in mid-December.

To become a member, you must be 50 or older. Dues are $50 per membership that includes four consecutive terms. Membership includes Lifetime Learners' catalog, newsletters, invitations to special events, certain free winter programs, free lunch and learn classes, plus access to Pitney Bowes Fitness Center and the library. Course fees are $30 per class.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young,” said Henry Ford. So, keep learning and check out http://lifetimelearners.org/lli-management/.

You too can hear great speakers at the Saturday weekly Kiwanis breakfasts that are held at the Norfield Parish Hall. Weston Kiwanis a great way to connect with members of your community and get involved. See: https://www.westonkiwanis.org.