Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College Announces its Winter Semester: Jan. 12-March 6, 2026

Registration is open for the winter 2026 semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs Jan. 12-March 6, 2026, features more than 80 classes, events, and programs covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Semester highlights include A Guided Tour Through the Universe; The First Amendment; Forgotten Operas; On the Road to Health in 90 Days; Ballet: Beyond the Curtain; the seventh annual Listening to Women; Fragrances Through the Decades; and a screening of “Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire.” OLLI at Ringling College is located in the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To register, or for information about becoming an OLLI member, visit OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.

Highlights of the winter 2026 semester include:

A Guided Tour Through the Universe – This five-session course will tour our home territory in space, the solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, the James Webb Telescope’s journey to the beginning of time, and the great beyond – plus a look at what's visible in Sarasota’s skies. Tuesdays, Jan. 13-Feb. 10, 11 am-12:20 pm

The First Amendment – The First Amendment guarantees us certain freedoms, like freedom of speech and freedom of the press. What do those guarantees really say or mean? This course explores how the First Amendment really works, dispels some myths about it, and offers ways to critically look at First Amendment issues of the day. Wednesdays, Jan. 14-Feb. 4, 2-3:20 pm

Forgotten Operas – Not every opera becomes a beloved part of the standard opera repertoire. For every “La Boheme” or “Rigoletto” there are countless operas that have fallen by the wayside. Some were fixtures of opera houses for decades before disappearing from the stage. Some occasionally resurface, briefly, as curiosities. Some are just forgotten. This course examines seven such operas by Bellini, Verdi, Puccini, Boito, R. Strauss, Menotti, and Barber. Wednesdays, Jan. 14-March 4, 12-1:20 pm

On the Road to Health in 90 Days – Learn how to take charge of your health and replace unhealthy habits with new ones that will serve you better. This interactive session will cover lifestyle changes you can make that will last, and how to set long-term goals and break them into short-term steps. Participants leave this class with a personalized action plan to develop a healthier lifestyle. Tuesday, Jan. 20, 11 am-12:30 pm

Aging as a Spiritual Journey – Research suggests that spirituality is one of the key factors in aging well; it contributes to having greater optimism, longevity, and a more meaningful life. But what is spirituality, how do you experience it, and how does it fit into the complexities of aging in today’s anxious, complicated world? This class explores growing older from psychological and spiritual perspectives, including insights from researchers, poets, artists, religious leaders, and researchers. Tuesdays, Jan. 27-March 3, 11 am-12:20 pm

Ballet: Beyond the Curtain – Go beyond the stage and into the rarely seen world of ballet dancers. A former professional ballet dancer will discuss the origins of ballet in opera, its evolving traditions, and its present-day realities. The instructor will share her personal experiences and interview a current ballet dancer to compare the dance world of then and now. Wednesdays, Feb. 11-25, 12-1:20 pm

OLLI presents its seventh annual Listening to Women, a six-session series that recognizes women whose brilliance and fortitude have reshaped industries and who are making a difference in today’s communities. The series takes place on Thursdays, 2-3:30 pm, from Jan. 22 to Feb. 26. General admission registration for the complete series is $90.

OLLI’s CONNECTIONS documentary film series features “Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire” (Jan. 20, 2:30-4:30 pm). This film seeks to understand the man behind the searing and widely read memoir, Night, and is told largely through his own words and eloquent voice. The second film of the semester (Feb. 17, 2:30-4 pm) profiles the much-beloved ethologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. A discussion about the films’ content and impact follows each screening. General admission is $15.

OLLI at Ringling College presents three lectures during the winter semester. Dachau First, Dachau Last, Dachau Jamais Plus with Liz Coursen is Jan. 23, 2:30-3:30 pm. Pirates of the Florida Coast with Robert Jacob is Feb. 25, 2-3:20 pm. Shade in the Sunshine State: Reflections on Segregation in Florida with Liz Coursen is March 6, 2:30-3:30 pm. General admission for each lecture is $15.

OLLI at Ringling College also offers seven special programs this winter semester: Learn to Lawn Bowl, Jan. 5-15, 1-3 pm; An Evening of Broadway Cabaret featuring Valerie diLorenzo, Jan. 9, 4-6 pm; What Everyone Needs to Know About Sleep with Meir Kryger, M.D, Jan. 27, 2:30-4 pm; Fragrance Through the Decades with Sue Phillips, Jan. 30, 11 am-12:30 pm; The Security Series with Thomas P. Vartanian, Feb. 3-17, 2-3:30 pm; The Roots of Black Music in America featuring Karlus Trapp, Feb. 6, 2-3:30 pm; and Georgia: Where History and Wine Flow Together with Leo Chubinishvili, Feb. 11, 3-4:30 pm. Admission costs vary.

To register, or for more information about becoming an OLLI member, visit OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.