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This New York Times #1 bestseller is a must-read for all who are concerned about the state of our democracy. Professor Snyder outlines 20 tenets of authoritarian regimes—and how to push back. Join Terry McAteer for a discussion of this wildly popular book of only 125 pages.

The book is readily available in bookstores, libraries, and online. The first class will focus on the first 10 tenets, and the second will address the remaining 10.

This two-day field trip has a little bit of something for everyone to experience Glorious Sonoma County. The day starts with a narrated bus ride to Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen. There we will meet Cathy, a fabulous docent, who will provide tours of the wonderfully preserved London Cottage (including Jack’s writing room) and his wife, Charmian’s home, which she built following his death in 1916. We will enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the London vineyard before driving to Santa Rosa to tour the Charles Shultz Museum to see all of your favorite Peanut’s characters in this fun museum. A short drive finds us at the Courtyard by Marriott at Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square where we will spend the night. Following check-in, we will be joined by Nathan Westfall, a wine sommelier from Donum Estate Vineyards for a private tasting of Sonoma’s varietals. Dinner is on your own with a number of fine restaurants in the Railroad Square area.

The next day begins with breakfast, which is included, at the Courtyard by Marriott. Following breakfast and check-out, we will travel a few blocks to explore the home and gardens of famed botanist Luther Burbank who created over 900 new varieties of plants (including the Shasta Daisy, Russet Potato and Santa Rosa Plum). His home and gravesite are National Historic Landmarks and California’s Arbor Day, March 7th, celebrates Burbank’s birthday. Our bus ride after the Burbank home leads us to the historic town of Sonoma where you can enjoy lunch on their beautiful square following by a quick tour of the Sonoma Mission, barracks which housed U.S. Grant, and the site of the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846. Our last wine tasting will occur at Robledo Vineyards-- a family-run business started by Grandpa Robledo, a Mexican farmworker who saved his pennies to start this small operation. This concludes our Best of Sonoma County as we head back to Rocklin.

Trip includes transportation, lodging, two wine tasting sessions, picnic lunch and breakfast. Participants are responsible for one lunch and one dinner.

$410 pp double occupancy; $520 single occupancy; 32 on bus

Bus departs from the Rocklin Campus (near the solar panels) at 8:30am.
→ View Campus Map: Click Here!

Refund/Drop Deadline: Thursday, June 4, 2026 for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). 

Field Trip Cancellations and Refund Policy

• If we have to cancel a field trip you will receive a full refund.
• If you cancel a field trip:
  • Day Trip: must be canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip to receive a refund (minus a $10 cancellation fee).
  • Overnight field trips require a 45-day cancellation notice (unless otherwise noted) for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). After this date, if your space can be filled by a wait-listed person a full refund will be given (minus a $50 cancellation fee)

This two-day field trip has a little bit of something for everyone to experience Glorious Sonoma County. The day starts with a narrated bus ride to Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen. There we will meet Cathy, a fabulous docent, who will provide tours of the wonderfully preserved London Cottage (including Jack’s writing room) and his wife, Charmian’s home, which she built following his death in 1916. We will enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the London vineyard before driving to Santa Rosa to tour the Charles Shultz Museum to see all of your favorite Peanut’s characters in this fun museum. A short drive finds us at the Courtyard by Marriott at Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square where we will spend the night. Following check-in, we will be joined by Nathan Westfall, a wine sommelier from Donum Estate Vineyards for a private tasting of Sonoma’s varietals. Dinner is on your own with a number of fine restaurants in the Railroad Square area.

The next day begins with breakfast, which is included, at the Courtyard by Marriott. Following breakfast and check-out, we will travel a few blocks to explore the home and gardens of famed botanist Luther Burbank who created over 900 new varieties of plants (including the Shasta Daisy, Russet Potato and Santa Rosa Plum). His home and gravesite are National Historic Landmarks and California’s Arbor Day, March 7th, celebrates Burbank’s birthday. Our bus ride after the Burbank home leads us to the historic town of Sonoma where you can enjoy lunch on their beautiful square following by a quick tour of the Sonoma Mission, barracks which housed U.S. Grant, and the site of the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846. Our last wine tasting will occur at Robledo Vineyards-- a family-run business started by Grandpa Robledo, a Mexican farmworker who saved his pennies to start this small operation. This concludes our Best of Sonoma County as we head back to Rocklin.

Trip includes transportation, lodging, two wine tasting sessions, picnic lunch and breakfast. Participants are responsible for one lunch and one dinner.

$410 pp double occupancy; $520 single occupancy; 32 on bus

Bus departs from the Rocklin Campus (near the solar panels) at 8:30am.
→ View Campus Map: Click Here!

Refund/Drop Deadline: Thursday, June 4, 2026 for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). 

Field Trip Cancellations and Refund Policy

• If we have to cancel a field trip you will receive a full refund.
• If you cancel a field trip:
  • Day Trip: must be canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip to receive a refund (minus a $10 cancellation fee).
  • Overnight field trips require a 45-day cancellation notice (unless otherwise noted) for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). After this date, if your space can be filled by a wait-listed person a full refund will be given (minus a $50 cancellation fee)

July 4, 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of our nation's Declaration of Independence, marking the establishing of our new nation.  But the road to that event began in much earlier times.  We'll begin with what occurred during the reign of King John of England back in the 1200's and the birth of the Magna Carta.  From there, we'll veture through the times of early colonization and settlement in the "New World," as we peruse the charters, declarations and documents that recognized individual liberties and rights, and that eventually led to the Declaration of Independence.  

In this 250th anniversary year of our nation, let us see how Americans celebrated the 50th in 1826, the 100th in 1876, the 150th in 1926, and the 200th—an anniversary many of us lived through. This will be a fun romp through American history.

America’s Chernobyl details the controversies, decision making, and actions that led to the fourth and fifth atomic detonations at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in August 1946. The nation’s leaders did not understand the power that they possessed. In testing these devices, they unleashed a nuclear catastrophe that had a disastrous effect on thousands of US Navy personnel. This course presents a cautionary tale about the consequences of government and scientific arrogance that we can view from the distance of eighty years.

Last fall, we focused on banned books for young adults. This summer, we will explore popular books for beginning readers in preschool and primary grades that have been banned in public schools and libraries across the nation. Most are available at your public library, local bookstore, or online.

Our six books are: And Tango Makes Three, Something Happened in Our Town, In the Night Kitchen, Where the Wild Things Are, I Am Jazz, and Captain Underpants. We will discuss the first three in our first class and the latter three in our second class.

Is anyone listening? Explore and practice listening skills that can lead to: better relationships; increased confidence and self-esteem; and respectful conversations. Learn 7 Keys to effective listening and eliminate habits that prevent listening. There will be time to practice with others and to experience respectful listening.

Is anyone listening? Explore and practice listening skills that can lead to: better relationships; increased confidence and self-esteem; and respectful conversations. Learn 7 Keys to effective listening and eliminate habits that prevent listening. There will be time to practice with others and to experience respectful listening.

In this 5-week course we'll use anecdotes, stories, humor and strong support of audiovisuals to explore the works and the legacy of influential performers who gave technical brilliance, richness of tone and showmanship another meaning, on piano, violin, cello and other instruments. Contrasting performers who base their art on acrobatics, but find a balance with intensity, passion and bold elegance. Performers whose impressive ability, charisma and distinctive sound have impressed audiences in the last 150 years, like Arthur Rubinstein, Jascha Heifetz, Vladimir Horowitz, Yuya Wang, Itzhak Perlman, Ara Malikian, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lang Lang, Mischa Maisky and future talents, like Alma Deutscher.

For this class we will listen to chamber music, songs, overtures, symphonies, and the Slavonic Dances by the great Czech composer of the late 19th century.

For this class we will listen to chamber music, songs, overtures, symphonies, and the Slavonic Dances by the great Czech composer of the late 19th century.

Let's continue with our recent theme of "Feel Good Films" and expand it to include MUSICALS.  In this class we will watch the following movies: Singin' in the Rain (1952) with Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, & Jean Hagen, nominated for 2 Oscars; The Music Man (1962) with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett, Hermione Gingold & a VERY young Ron Howard, nominated for 6 Oscars, winning 1 for Best Scoring of Music; Swing Time (1936) featuring the fantastic dance couple, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, winning an Oscar for Best Original Song, "The Way You Look Tonight" by Jerome Kern;  OKLAHOMA! (1955) starring Shirley Jones (her first major motion picture role) and Gordon MacRea, Gloria Graham and Eddie Albert with musical score by Rodgers and Hammerstein, nominated for 4 Oscars, winning 2 for Sound & Music. Each of these movies features a show stopping combination of songs and dance routines sure to please.  Alone each is an audience favorite and combined they represent some of the BEST in film musical history. 

Drawing from a variety of time-tested disciplines, this class offers effective, results-producing movements designed specifically for the OLLI student at whatever your level is. These exercises will add strength and elasticity to your muscles and frame while protecting and strengthening your back. You will also work your heart in a very gentle way and achieve freedom in movement and less pain. Best of all, we're doing all this to the music we know and love: '50s, '60s and '70s. It is not too late to rejuvenate your body! Wear comfortable clothing.

The Grand Canyon is unmatched in the world for its geology.  We'll see how it came to be and why its geology is so unique. Then, we'll explore how its formation led to trails to mining claims, and trails for tourists.  The Canyon is home to 5 of the 7 Life Zones and we'll learn about some of the animals and plants in those Zones.  Then, we'll compare the geography of Grand Canyon to other places in the world with unique geography.

In our death phobic culture we avoid one of our most significant life events. Conversations about death, dying, and grief are an alternative to the silence and shame around death, a balm for our personal and cultural fears, an aid to normalize the process of dying and prepare us for making end-of-life decisions. Applying effective listening empowers us to get comfortable with talking about our mortality.

In our death phobic culture we avoid one of our most significant life events. Conversations about death, dying, and grief are an alternative to the silence and shame around death, a balm for our personal and cultural fears, an aid to normalize the process of dying and prepare us for making end-of-life decisions. Applying effective listening empowers us to get comfortable with talking about our mortality.

The life and work of Japanese-British author Kazuo Ishiguro, 2017 Nobel Laureate in Literature, will be explored. His novel The Remains of the Day and its film adaptation will be the primary focus of the course. 

The life and work of Japanese-British author Kazuo Ishiguro, 2017 Nobel Laureate in Literature, will be explored. His novel The Remains of the Day and its film adaptation will be the primary focus of the course. 

The Mexican film series (2024-2026) adaptation of Laura Esquivel's 1989 novel Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) expands upon the 1992 film, focusing on the historical context of the Mexican Revolution. Musical voices of contemporary Latin musicians strengthen the imaginative interpretation of this classic tale documenting the spirit of Mexican women. The film series is performed in Spanish with English subtitles.

The Mexican film series (2024-2026) adaptation of Laura Esquivel's 1989 novel Como Agua Para Chocolate (Like Water for Chocolate) expands upon the 1992 film, focusing on the historical context of the Mexican Revolution. Musical voices of contemporary Latin musicians strengthen the imaginative interpretation of this classic tale documenting the spirit of Mexican women. The film series is performed in Spanish with English subtitles.

Come and play Classical Chinese Mahjong as codified by the British Mahjong Association. Some experience playing Mahjong would be beneficial, but not necessary. Bring your Mahjong set, if possible.
Membership required - no course fee.

Join us! Learn and play American Mahjong in a friendly, social setting with other Club OLLI members. Members meet and practice on a regular basis. All skill levels are welcome. No supplies needed.

Membership Required - No course fee

Discover the transformative connection between your breath, body, and heart in this holistic course designed to promote calm, balance, and resilience. Through a combination of powerful breathing techniques, gentle meditative movements, and deep relaxation practices, you’ll learn how to release tension, improve circulation, and support your heart’s natural rhythm. This course also invites you to explore the profound power of stillness through meditation and visualization, offering tools to harmonize your heart and mind, cultivate emotional balance, and find inner peace. Each session is crafted to help you activate your relaxation system, ease stress, and recharge your energy, leaving you feeling renewed, centered, and deeply connected to your well-being.

Join us for a field trip to the de Young Museum in San Francisco where you will explore how Venice’s canals and reflections inspired Claude Monet—a master of light and lifelong painter of water.  This special exhibition highlights Monet’s only visit to Venice, showcasing over 100 works, including his iconic Water Lilies and stunning cityscapes. You’ll also see works by artists like Renoir, Sargent, and Canaletto, offering a broader perspective on Venice through different artistic lenses.

A docent-led tour will guide you through Monet’s unique vision—where the city appears quiet and dreamlike, bathed in soft, hazy light. Afterward, enjoy time exploring the museum at your own pace.

Lunch is available for purchase at the museum café, with indoor and outdoor seating options.

We will provide roundtrip transportation on a Sierra College bus from the Rocklin Campus. We will meet at the Dietrich Theater and leave promptly at 8:00am. Price includes bus transportation and entrance fees (both docent and general). Wear comfortable shoes for walking.

Field Trip Cancellations and Refund Policy

• If we have to cancel a field trip you will receive a full refund.
• If you cancel a field trip:
  • Day Trip: must be canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip to receive a refund (minus a $10 cancellation fee).

Was Sir Francis Drake the first European to arrive in northern California in 1579 during his circumnavigation of the globe? What happened to over 100 colonists who disappeared from Roanoke Island in North Carolina in 1590? Why did almost 100 colonists starve to death at Jamestown during their first winter in 1608? What caused the hysteria that led to the Salem Witch Trials in 1692? These questions will be addressed with a variety of evidence from the past as well as modern scientific and archeological evidence that may reveal some answers to these enduring questions.

Our trip begins with the bus ride to the remote Donner Party encampment north of Truckee for a morning walk to better understand this tragedy of this 1846 fateful event. From there, we drive through the spectacular Sierra Valley to Clio for lunch at the Frank Lloyd Wright designed clubhouse at Nakoma. Our afternoon takes us through the cute lumber town of Graeagle and a sweet tooth break in the Sierra Lake Basin before arriving at Sierra Pines Lodge in Sierra City overlooking the peaceful headwaters of the Yuba River. In the evening, we will have cocktails overlooking Sardine Lake and the Sierra Buttes before heading to rustic Sardine Lake Lodge for a scrumptious dinner. The morning finds us having a hearty breakfast at the Sierra Pines and a leisurely morning soaking up brisk morning air high in the Sierras before heading to historic Downieville and a picnic lunch along the banks of the North Fork of the Yuba River before heading home. 

Note: Because the lodge is small (it is the largest lodging in Sierra County), we can only accommodate double occupancy, so if single— find a friend to share a room or let us know and hopefully there is someone else that needs a roommate. (All meals, transportation and accommodations included; except bar costs at Sardine Lodge).

Sierra College bus will pick up registered members at 9:00am in Rocklin and then head to Colfax Train Station to pick up members at 9:45am. You will be dropped off at each location on the way home.

Field Trip Cancellations and Refund Policy

• If we have to cancel a field trip you will receive a full refund.
• If you cancel a field trip:
  • Day Trip: must be canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip to receive a refund (minus a $10 cancellation fee).
  • Overnight field trips require a 45-day cancellation notice for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). No refunds given after that date.

Monthly gathering to discuss books ranging from historic fiction to non-fiction and classics. Short presentation focusing on facts about author, historical setting or other aspects of the book sets the tone for informal discussion of book. Members will need to obtain their own books. Opening selection is "The Lion Women of Tehran" by Marie Bostwick. Reading list will be provided upon registration.

Monthly gathering to discuss books ranging from historic fiction to non-fiction and classics. Short presentation focusing on facts about author, historical setting or other aspects of the book sets the tone for informal discussion of book. Members will need to obtain their own books. Opening selection is "The Lion Women of Tehran" by Marie Bostwick. Reading list will be provided upon registration.

The T'ai Chi forms teach the practioner to keep his or her body balanced and in a central position; erect and well postured. When the body is erect every bone and inner organ is in the proper place. Keeping the spinal cord erect is the first step toward rejuvenating the body. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is beneficial to both mental and physical health. T'ai Chi can rid all parts of the body of spiritual and physical defects; it clears the mind and strengthens the brain, benefits the heart, promotes good digestion and sound kidneys. It also helps to lower blood pressure, soften blood vessels.

Continuing students are introduced to further sequences of the Yang Long form and will learn the intricacies of articulation, timing, breathing and the purposes behind the moves and advanced fluidity.

Tai Chi is a centuries old practice of gentle and graceful movements known as postures which are designed to build better balance, coordination, focus, stress relief, and mind/body connection. Students are encouraged to wear loose comfortable clothing. Our program features the Yang Long form. 

Practice and review of the Yang Long Form.

Jesus was a master storyteller. Rather thank speak in abstract theology, he often used parables - short, simple stories drawn from everyday life to reveal deep spiritual truths. In this class we will examine his teaching style and the ways many of his stories have been reinterpreted by artists. 

The Colonial Period ended with the conflagrations of the brutal Civil War of the American Revolution. At first only a small minority of colonists supported independence, but with the burning of their cities more and more citizens embraced the rebel cause. 

Have you ever wondered “What IS jazz, anyway”? That’s where we’ll begin. In the first half of the Twentieth Century, jazz was the dominant form of American popular music. We will hear jazz from when it emerged in the 1920s up until it faced the challenge of rock ‘n’ roll in the 1960s. We’ll listen to Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and other greats. There will be audio and video excerpts from various sources. Students will get links to online sources for more great music. Join us and listen to great music! 

Southern California's Mojave Desert is not a wasteland or empty space.  It's filled with fascinating terrain, unusual plants and animals, and a history, ancient and modern, that intrigues us.

Meet J. Parker Whitney, who was 17 when he arrived in San Francisco in 1852 with 10 cents in his pocket. For 20 years he explored the U.S., trying his hand at various business ventures, eventually returning to Rocklin where he developed an estate that covered nearly 29 square miles. 

Join Terry McAteer as we travel to the Deep South—Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi—to revisit the region’s history, from the brutality of the Civil Rights march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma to the inhumanity of the Andersonville Civil War Prison in Georgia.

Join us at Wild Groves in Newcastle for an immersive olive oil and balsamic vinegar tasting experience. Discover the world of extra virgin olive oil and traditional Italian balsamic vinegars as you sample a variety of flavors. Along the way, you’ll learn about the entire process—from harvesting and milling to processing and bottling. We will provide roundtrip transportation on a Sierra College bus from the Rocklin Campus. 

Field Trip Cancellations and Refund Policy

• If we have to cancel a field trip you will receive a full refund.
• If you cancel a field trip:
  • Day Trip: must be canceled at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip to receive a refund (minus a $10 cancellation fee).
  • Overnight field trips require a 45-day cancellation notice (unless otherwise noted) for a full refund (minus a $50 cancellation fee). After this date, if your space can be filled by a wait-listed person a full refund will be given (minus a $50 cancellation fee)

This class is designed to support strength, mobility, balance, and mindfulness at any stage of life. Through gentle yet effective movement, breath work, and relaxation techniques, we cultivate resilience in both body and mind. Rooted in the wisdom of yoga, this class emphasizes joint health, core stability, flexibility, and nervous system regulation. Whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, Yoga for All provides a welcoming space to honor your body’s needs, improve overall well-being, and move with greater ease in daily life. Expect a practice that is mindful, adaptable, and empowering.

Create a timeline of your significant events and losses for reflection, clarity  and legacy.  Reviewing your past can remind you to celebrate your joys and growth, illuminate losses that influenced your actions, and bring insights about patterns and possibilities for the next stages of your life. There will be time for pairs to practice deep listening to each other’s insights.

Create a timeline of your significant events and losses for reflection, clarity  and legacy.  Reviewing your past can remind you to celebrate your joys and growth, illuminate losses that influenced your actions, and bring insights about patterns and possibilities for the next stages of your life. There will be time for pairs to practice deep listening to each other’s insights.