You Are Cordially Invited! |
Our annual Red Butte Garden open house and instructor previews will be held August 24 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm with a complimentary continental breakfast and free admission to the garden. You can meet instructors to learn all about their upcoming classes and mingle with fellow Osher members. We will once again collect school supply donations for local children in need, thanks to dedicated longtime Osher volunteer Connie Reed. Invite friends or neighbors to join you to discover our fall term offerings because an Osher membership is not required to attend!
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Please carpool whenever possible! Parking will be limited at Red Butte but our lot at 540 Arapeen Drive will be open to carpoolers who wish to meet and ride up to Red Butte together. We will not be offering a shuttle bus this year; there was not enough ridership in years past to justify the expense.
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Fall Term Classes Are Posted!! |
Fall registration opens at 9:00 am on August 21. Over 140 fabulous fall classes are now posted on our website. We will be meeting 70% in person and 30% on Zoom—so you can learn exactly where and how you like. We are pleased to offer 24 dynamic new courses through Osher Online™️at Northwestern University, giving you even more ways to stay curious and connected. Classes will begin on September 21 and run through November 18. With outstanding instructors, 48 new topics, and five classes at our beautiful Sandy Center, there are countless opportunities to follow your interests. The hardest part will be deciding where to begin!
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This special event, hosted by Tim Palmer, chair of the U's Film & Media Arts Dept and a French cinephile, explores how and what has happened, in an overview of the history of French cinema. You will meet French film's leading makers and most astonishing movies, and come to your own conclusions about what makes France's cinema so frequently fantastic. This event will also include a tour of the Film and Media Arts department, including the brand new DiFiore Cinema.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 8/12/26
Monday August 17 at 10:30 am
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Interested in taking a trip around the world for the cost of a half-gallon of gas? No bags to pack or passport needed, and you can skip the jet lag too. It sounds unbelievable, but it's true at Wanderlust boutique in Holladay City. What started out as a way to bring the world a little closer to home for a local shop owner has grown into something much bigger. Meet the owner and hear her intriguing story about traveling the world as a tourist and also working for the United Nations. Spend a few hours inside this charming, beautiful store to enjoy a day of exploring unique products from across the globe while connecting with fellow Osher members.
Tuesday August 18 at 11:30 am
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Did you know we start losing muscle as early as age 30 and this accelerates after 60? This loss impacts balance, mobility, bone density, and independence. The good news? Strength training can help reverse that trend. Join us for a FREE dynamic session on how building strength supports better health, sharper cognition, and improved quality of life as we age. You'll learn science-backed strategies to safely get started (and stick with it!) - plus enjoy a short demonstration and time for Q&A.
Wednesday August 26 at 10:00 am
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Join the Osher Booker Book Group for our September meeting as we discuss August's book selection, The Life of Pi (2002) by Yann Martel -- a young man finds himself on a lifeboat with an orangutan, a zebra, and a Bengal tiger! We meet monthly at the Osher Building to discuss the previous month's book selection. Everyone is welcome. Perhaps we are "novel" in that we actually discuss the book! Next meeting (October), we will discuss Hotel du Lac (1984) by Anita Brookner.
Please note: Registration is required for each month's meeting you plan to attend.
Friday September 4 at 1:00 pm
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| Osher Special Events in 2026 are brought to you in part from funding from ZAP
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We currently do not have any upcoming special events with fees listed this week. But if you would like to see more special events of all kinds, please read here to learn more about volunteering to help us plan even more fun at Osher!
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New: Osher Special Events Club — Join the Conversation!
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Osher members are invited to a new monthly gathering designed to spark ideas, build connections, and help shape future Osher special events. This informal gathering is an opportunity for members to come together, share ideas, and collaborate on creative possibilities for future Osher events. Following our discussion, we’ll take a leisurely stroll through Red Butte Garden together. Future meetings may rotate to other Osher partner locations and wonderful places that Osher members can enjoy through their membership benefits. Whether you love brainstorming, planning, or simply connecting with fellow lifelong learners, we’d love to have you join us. No registration needed, please just show up and have fun!
Wednesday August 19 at 2:00 pm
Red Butte Garden Plaza
For questions or more information, contact Sandi Greene: sandi@sandigreene.com
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Announcing Our Fall Term Series!
Lunch and Learn will start up again for fall term at noon on September 23, 2026, with another new series of six interesting FREE lectures on Zoom Webinar. These lectures are open to the public, no Osher membership required. So please invite a friend to join you and “test drive” what we do here at Osher. Thank you to Sandy Clark, our volunteer coordinator, for organizing so many great lectures for Osher members and our community at large!
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Wednesday, September 23 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Master Your Landscape: A Strategic Guide to Design and Curb Appeal
By Bruce Maw, Landscape Architect
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Wednesday, September 30 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
The Biology of Skinwalker Ranch
By Ben Woodruff, Biologist, Hutchings Museum
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Wednesday, October 7 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Utah's Changing Demographics
By Mallory Bateman, Director of Demographic Research, Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute
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Wednesday, October 14 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Data Centers in Utah: What's Being Proposed and What Communities Can Do
By Deeda Seed, GSL Activist & Senior Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity
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Wednesday, October 21 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
New Advances in Pharmaceuticals – Blocking Cancer’s Communication Network: A New Approach to Treat Advanced Ovarian Cancer
By Dr. Farzana Alam, Research Assistant Professor in Pharmacology and Toxicology at The University of Utah
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Wednesday, October 28 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm
Amplifying Women's Voices
By Sharon Spaulding, Author of “Women Make History”
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Thanks to Osher instructor and professor emeritus Dr. David Derezotes, we are lucky to welcome three new graduate student interns from the College of Social Work this academic year! Elizabeth Butler, Leah Christensen, and Lindsay Dawson Bedolla will be joining us from August 2026 to April 2027 for their practicums. All will be helping us build community here at Osher and bolster our spirit of volunteerism. As mandated by Mr. Bernard Osher himself when he founded his namesake Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country, volunteers are essential to running this peer-led, member-driven program.
Please stop by the Osher Coffee Lounge in Room 233 to meet these three wonderful women on Mondays and Thursdays when they are in residence holding office hours and getting to know and support our members.
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Elizabeth Butler is a Master of Social Work student at the University of Utah. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology and criminology; that and her background in early childhood education helps her navigate the complexity of human behavior and relationships, and she is excited to expand her experience with all ages. Elizabeth wishes to be a medical social worker and hopes that her experience at Osher will give her the tools to effectively serve people from all walks of life. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys doing taekwondo and staying active, as well as spending time with her pet bunny. Elizabeth will be helping Osher build up our volunteer corps of classroom assistants this year.
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These wonderful volunteers read weekly announcements, manage our whiteboard name tents, and supervise class rosters of attendance so everyone in each class can get to know each other and help Osher grow!
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Leah Christensen is a first-year Master of Social Work student at the University of Utah. She received her BA in Psychology from Chapman University with a minor in Creative and Cultural Industries. She has experience in behavioral intervention, community engagement, and being an ambassador for a mental health app. Leah is an aspiring therapist and also seeks to combine her love of Psychology with creative industries and marginalized communities. Leah loves music, traveling, spending time outdoors, reading, and spending quality time with friends and family.
Leah will be helping our special events volunteers plan more fun outings for fellow Osher members throughout the year!
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Lindsay Dawson Bedolla is a current Master of Social Work student at the University of Utah. She has a background in human development and family studies as well as Spanish language studies. Lindsay is passionate about social-emotional well-being, community connection, and helping individuals and families thrive at every stage of life. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her children, gardening, and walking her dog.
Lindsay will help us build our Osher Ambassadors volunteer program of scheduling greeters to welcome fellow Osher members during the first week of classes at our building and help with large events like the Red Butte Garden Open House, the annual Member Luncheon, and Spring Fling.
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Go behind the curtain and into the creative world of theatrical production design in this engaging conversation with Tony Award–winning designer David Zinn. With over 40 Broadway credits and multiple Tony Awards Nominations for his scenic and costume design, Zinn will share how sets and costumes work together to shape storytelling on stage. Discover the artistic process, from concept to execution, and gain insight into the imagination and craftsmanship behind unforgettable theatrical experiences.
David Zinn is a costume and scenic designer based in Brooklyn. He has been nominated for 10 Tony Awards and is a 3-time Tony winner for his scenery in The Humans, The SpongeBob Musical, and Stereophonic. He works in theater and opera across the country as well as internationally, working in Germany, Switzerland, and the UK where he was recently nominated for an Olivier for his work on the West End. This presentation will be 60 minutes followed by Q&A.
Osher Online Community Events are FREE and available to ALL members of participating Institutes, even if they are not enrolled in an Osher Online course. Events are presented in webinar format. Members are asked to register on a first come, first serve basis through this registration link.
Thursday, August 20 at 3:00 pm MT
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Kaleidoscope Creative Aging Festival
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The Kaleidoscope Creative Aging Festival runs August 22–September 19 and kicks off on August 22 at the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center with a free community event for adults 55+. The day includes arts classes, performances featuring older adult artists, an art exhibit, free lunch, and more. Throughout the following month, partner organizations across Utah will host free arts-based events for older adults in their communities. Please see the full festival schedule on their website.
Learn More: utahcreativeaging.org
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Our previous newsletters and podcasts are saved in an archive on our main website, so you never have to worry about missing a thing.
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Stay Connected by Joining Us on Social Media |
The Osher Instagram and Facebook pages are a great way to stay connected. We highlight the accomplishments of Osher instructors and members. Special Events are updated, posted, and featured here too. Please like us to stay up to date and share with your friends who would enjoy all that Osher has to offer!
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
801-581-6461 | osher@utah.edu
osher.utah.edu
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Continuing Education at the University of Utah | 540 Arapeen Dr Rm 210 | Salt Lake City, UT 84108 US
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