Friday   

Over drinks they discuss aging as undocumented Middle Eastern and Asian immigrants in the U.S. They worry about how some 21st-century Americans interpret their teachings, and they cautiously invite us into the conversation as they reflect on love, the Four Noble Truths, the Beatitudes, the Eightfold Path, and other New Testament and Dhammapada verses. It’s not clear who will pick up the tab.

This course will provide an overview of community theater (or "theatre" if you are a snoot) from an old theater hack whose first show was in 1972. (I was single, and it was a great way to meet girls. It worked altogether too well because that's how I met my wife!) Two rules: don't take yourself seriously, and have fun. The rest is the magic you create.

This course brings OLLI and UConn students together to care for the OLLI garden while building connection and intergenerational solidarity. Through hands-on gardening and collaboration with local partners, participants will learn about community engagement and sustainability. Guest speakers and workshops will explore how gardens strengthen community ties and support well-being. The course will be taught on campus, with a couple of classes held at the OLLI garden in Fulton Park, Waterbury.

Please Note: This free course is funded by the Environmental and Social Sustainability Grant funded through the UConn Office of Sustainability. While free, space is limited. Also, students in this course may attend all sessions, but are free to attend any number of session they'd like.

This course uses both Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop, as well as an introduction into AI, to create digital works of art and explores what to do with them upon completion. If you've taken photos on either your cellphone or a digital camera, and want to know what to do next, well, this course is for you. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

We will interpret Ellis Island arrival records, show how they can be used to get info about ancestors, and suggest methods for using them to help discover living relatives in the ancestor's country of origin. Students are encouraged to submit their own ancestors as examples for use in class.

The countries and cities of Europe that draw us to explore them emerged from the great "ages" in European history. Starting with the Greek and Roman Empires, and ending with the modernism of the present day, we'll include The Middle Ages, Renaissance, The Ages of Exploration, Absolute Monarchy, Enlightenment, and Revolution – all while learning the backstories that bring travel to life.

We are delighted to welcome Gomez & Sadlon to OLLI!

Join us for the OLLI at UConn End-of-Semester Celebration on November 13, 2026, with Gomez & Sadlon presenting Jazz Goes to the Movies.

Some of our greatest American jazz standards have originated as songs from classic movies and have become a memorable part of our popular culture. Thom Gomez, guitarist, and Rick Sadlon, saxophonist and flutist, known as “Gomez & Sadlon, will perform musical selections and present a historical perspective and visual, nostalgic program of several well-known American Songbook jazz standards that were either adapted for some of our most iconic scenes on the silver screen, or that were composed specifically for those movies.

The Gomez & Sadlon jazz duo will perform and present selections such as: Blue Skies, As Time Goes By, Pink Panther, The Shadow of Your Smile, Unchained Melody, Misty, and many more historically significant jazz style songs from the movies. Please join us for this unique, entertaining and educational program.

This event was made possible by donations to the OLLI fund.

REGISTER NOW - Advance registration required - space is limited for this members-only event.

Parking

If you purchased a fall parking permit, you have the option to park in UConn's attached parking garage (55 North Elm Street) or the Scovill Street garage (33 Scovill Street). There is a parking attendant in the Scoville Street garage that will need to see the hangtag that UConn Parking Services mailed to you. If you do not have a parking permit, you can pay the attendant and park in the Scovill Street garage or you can use the University's Pay-By-Phone system to park in the attached UConn Waterbury garage. More information about this system can be found at: https://park.uconn.edu/pay-by-phone/.

Explore film appreciation through global gems including An Education (U.K.), The Guide (Ukraine), Persepolis (Iran), and The Story of the Weeping Camel (Mongolia). Each session includes an intro, full screening, and thoughtful post-film discussion to unpack artistic choices and deepen your cinematic insight.

The Sioux Nation signed an 1868 treaty with the United States to establish their Reservation in what is now South Dakota. By 1875, the U.S. was desperate to get parts back, one way or another. They did so in an underhanded manner, leading to Custer’s Last Stand and a Supreme Court case 100 years later.

This course will teach you about basic perspective, the relationships of objects to each other, how to energize a drawing by use of light and dark dynamics, how to explore different drawing instruments to achieve various effects, how to best express volume, and how to work with outlines alone. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Homer's Odyssey, one of the most captivating stories ever told. Together, we’ll explore epic adventures, unforgettable characters, and timeless questions about home, identity, and resilience. This course offers a welcoming space to connect literature with life’s own journeys – whether you're revisiting a classic or encountering it for the first time. Please Note: This course has recommended supplies.

In this class, we will experience the vitalizing effects of humming, toning, and chanting together, including a kirtan kriya chant shown to improve brain longevity and function. Creating a powerful circle of group sound has been shown to raise physical and emotional well-being. Join me for a refreshing sound immersion and autumn sonic pick-me-up!

You are already familiar with many works of classical music because they've been incorporated into the musical scores of some popular movies. We'll learn about the composers who originally wrote these masterworks, how and why they were first composed, and how they've been reimagined as music for the cinema. You'll find that you know more than you realized but that you don't know the whole story!

This course offers a historical voyage into the opera world. We'll start with the reformation of opera with Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. Then, we'll go to the age of bel canto with Bellini's I Puritani and to the age of romanticism with Verdi's Il trovatore. We'll end in the Verismo age with Adriana Lecouvreur. The last two weeks will be dedicated to the class' favorites arias.

This course offers a lively, supportive workshop for anyone who wants to write a mystery or thriller novel. Learn how to build suspense, plant clues, shape twists, and create unforgettable characters. This course will be taught in clear, accessible terms by an author with eight published mystery thrillers and two more releasing this year.

This course is designed to help students understand and get the most out of their Windows or Mac-based laptops. It'll cover the basics of setting up both Mac and Windows machines to your preferences - from creating and changing passwords to changing the appearance of the screen. We'll also work on understanding the apps that come with it. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

This is the second part of a class given during the Spring 2026 semester. We started our journey in the Pacific Northwest, and now we will be finishing up on the Northeast Coast. In between, we will examine the Southwest, the Southeast, and anything we missed in the spring! We may look at modern Indigenous artists as well.

This is an ideal class for those curious to explore an ancient and unique language. It will incorporate mythology, history, folklore, and geography with an emphasis on conversation. This course requires only paper, a pen, and enthusiasm.

This course will teach you how to play the typical Latin American instruments such as bongos, guiro, claves, and maracas. You will also learn very basic rhythms and how they are used in different styles of Latin American Music such as Mambo, Son, Rumba, Guaguanco, and Bembe. From there, you'll learn the origin of Latin American music, especially from the Carribean.

The ancient game of Mahjong, very popular in the USA in the 1950s and ‘60s, has made a big comeback in recent years. Interested in its history? Want to learn how to play, but you've heard it is difficult and/or confusing to learn? This course will get you going!

This relaxing course is presented in an individualized style. Come and express yourself artistically, exploring with a variety of art materials. No artistic experience is needed, only the desire to experiment, create, and relax!

This course will be based on the biography Madame Fourcade's Secret War. We will read the book over a five-week period, discuss the book, and look at the background events that influence Maire-Madeleine Fourcade and her resistance group. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

This course explores the principles and practices of meditation and breathwork as tools for mental, emotional, and physiological well-being. Students will explore historical and scientific foundations, with an emphasis on evidence-based applications, for stress reduction, attention regulation, emotional resilience, and self awareness while cultivating a sustainable personal practice.

This will be a compassionate, practical workshop based on The Alzheimer’s Survival Kit. In clear, highly researched layman’s terms, learn early signs, what to expect, and how to stay connected through Alzheimer’s or dementia. This course offers supportive, pressure-free space for anyone facing memory loss personally, through family history, or as a caregiver.

Your body communicates health, energy, and well-being. In this interactive course, we'll explore the four key areas of the body - Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual (MEPS) - through simple movements, body awareness, and practical techniques. Enjoy a lively, supportive environment filled with laughter, connection, and tools you can use immediately to enhance balance, communication, and energy.

Group singing helps us feel great in mind, body, and spirit. Let's make a joyful sound with harmonies that emerge easily by singing rounds and simple songs in parts. This class is for those who participated in the spring, and for newcomers, with new and familiar songs. As a bonus, we'll sing in-the-moment songs such as Bobby McFerrin's circle songs, which are easy and fun! Everyone is welcome.

Our New-Member Welcome event is for anyone who is new to OLLI at UConn. This is an opportunity to come to the UConn Waterbury campus before in-person classes start. Spend the morning with us and find where your Friday classes are located, where to attend OLLI Café, how to get a parking permit, and more. Meet the OLLI staff and volunteers and get all your questions answered before your first day of classes.

Our New-Member Welcome is a great way to meet other members so you know a few faces on your first day. At OLLI, you don’t have to feel like the new kid!

Join us on Friday, September 4, 2026

10 A.M. – Welcome, coffee, OLLI overview, and your questions answered

11 A.M. – Campus tour

Please register for the OLLI Café Lunchtime series if you plan on attending some or all of the presentations. Registration for OLLI Café entitles you to a seat for each event, even if you cannot attend every café lecture! OLLI Café is a venue for the exchange of ideas and experiences focusing on improving the quality of life. The goal of OLLI Café is to present a potpourri of presentations and activities that provide information and new knowledge to OLLI members. The events feature a guest speaker followed by a short question and answer session. For information on each OLLI Café presentation, please visit: https://olli.uconn.edu/olli-cafe-lecture-descriptions/.

If you were invited to OLLI Café by a friend as part of the "Bring A Friend to OLLI Café" program, then please register for this OLLI Café section. Please Note: you can only attend one free OLLI Café session as part of this program.

OLLI Café is a venue for the exchange of ideas and experiences focusing on improving the quality of life. The goal of OLLI Café is to present a potpourri of presentations and activities that provide information and new knowledge to OLLI members. The events feature a guest speaker followed by a short question and answer session. For information on each OLLI Café presentation, please visit: https://olli.uconn.edu/olli-cafe-lecture-descriptions/.

Delve into the world of acrylics creating works of art of the subject of your choice. Use a photo of an item or location that is of significance to you. This class is for everyone from beginners to more experienced artists. Class is hands-on and each student moves at their own pace. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

This course will be a continuation of Parliamo Italiano II. All who can speak little-to-moderate Italian are welcome. Students will prepare a short story at home (around 5 minutes of conversation) and will tell the story in class. The rest of the class will ask questions about the story, and the student will respond - all in Italian! We will learn some elementary grammar, some Italian culture, and some history.

This course is designed to teach anyone who has a camera or a cellphone how to get the most out of their equipment. Don't feel intimidated; come and have fun while learning in this course!

Ranked Choice Voting is a new, improved method of voting that assures that candidates must be elected by a majority. Learn how it works, where it is currently being used, its strong points, its criticisms, and recent proposals for its use in our Connecticut legislature.

Based on his America Trends podcast, Larry Rifkin invites active class participation on a wide range of subjects in our current-day politics and our society. Actual podcast audio is used to stimulate the discussion and live guests are brought into the discussion as well.

We'll review the basics of organizing pictorial space to help us master painting in acrylics or oils by mixing primary colors and diluting them with white to contrast loud and muted values. We'll use still-life models/photos and study Old Master paintings for reference to create a dynamic work of art. Please Note: This course has required supplies.

In this course, during America 250, we will explore the lives, contributions to our freedom, and failures of five interesting women, including Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Eliza Hamilton, and Peggy Shippen Arnold.

Come learn the story of how Benedict Arnold went from becoming an American hero to a betrayer of The American Cause of Independence and what happened to him after the American Revolutionary War ends. We will discuss Benedict Arnold's life in detail including how he spent the years after the war and his final days in London. This will be a wonderful two-week class for those interested in American history!

Come learn the story of how Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt became one of the most talked about and controversial presidential couples of the last century - from the earliest days up until the White House years and afterwards. This will be a class that will cover their lives in more detail that any traditional history class.

Come learn the story of how Lafayette not only had an influence on American history, but also on French history. The material in this course will cover his early years as well as the years after the American Revolution. These are topics not usually covered in traditional American History classes.

In this introductory course, we will examine the differences between bacteria and viruses and how viruses take over host cells. We will also explore a few DNA and RNA viruses in some detail. In addition, we will look at how the body responds to infection, how vaccines work, and touch upon epidemics and pandemics.

This course will be a supportive, engaging workshop for anyone who wants to write a biography or life story. Learn how to research, interview, structure, and bring real people to life on the page. This course will be taught in clear, accessible terms by an author with two published biographies and a third currently in progress.