Build Connection, Community, and Belonging |
During every Osher term, new thoughts and ideas are born, friendships are made, and human beings connect with each other. It is a beautiful sight to behold and a pleasure to experience. Fall term is still going strong and there are plenty of new offerings to join and explore this week.
We have brand new special events set up by staff and volunteers, everything from a new cancer support group, to a visit to the Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center, to a rare inside look at the transformation of Utah Athletics over three decades offered by former University of Utah Athletics Director Chris Hill.
Don’t miss a new in-person class offered by one of our beloved long-distance Zoom instructors, Rick Bell. Rick will present a fabulous lecture based on his new book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, in person at our building on November 17. Check out Brad Westwood’s series on the same topic, Reliving the American Revolution, USA250 Anniversary Program which is sponsored by Osher, FREE of charge, and open to all ages at the Salt Lake City Library auditorium.
Lunch & Learn is always free to our community and this week we’ll be learning about the hot topic of Data Centers in Utah. Never a dull moment at Osher and we’re glad you are here to share the fun!
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An electrifying global history of a not-so local war. When we think of the American Revolution, we often picture a parochial drama: thirteen colonies squaring off against the British Crown in a spirited bid for independence. But this version of the story is only half the truth--and perhaps not even the most interesting half. In this riveting program, historian and author Richard Bell invites audiences to rediscover the Revolution as a world war that unleashed chaos, opportunity, and transformation across six continents. From the sugar fields of the Caribbean to the court of the King of Mysore, from refugee camps on the Canadian frontier to political uprisings in Sierra Leone and Peru, the war that gave birth to the United States was never simply America's own. It was a seismic global event that redrew maps, toppled hierarchies, catalyzed migration, and accelerated new movements for liberty--and for empire.
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In this program, Bell traces the far-flung reverberations of the war through the lives of the people it displaced, empowered, or destroyed. Participants will encounter a Native matriarch struggling to preserve a transatlantic military alliance, a Prussian officer reinventing himself in a foreign army, and a Boston schoolteacher shipwrecked thousands of miles from home. Along the way, Bell explores how the Revolution stirred a transoceanic refugee crisis, ignited antislavery activism, and inspired uprisings from Ireland to India. The program offers a bold new framework for understanding the Revolutionary War not as a tidy founding moment but as a sprawling, high-stakes struggle fought on land and sea, shaped by commerce, diplomacy, propaganda, and contingency. This is the American Revolution as you’ve never seen it before: complex, global, and astonishingly relevant to the modern world.
Tuesday November 17 at 1:30 pm IN PERSON!
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Coming to a theater near you! This 2026 series has been built around Warner Bros. Studio's 1936 to 1940 patriotic film series Old Glory—which has recently been restored to its original, vibrant Technicolor--as a springboard for understanding the latest scholarly insights regarding the history of the American War of Independence. Each session includes four parts: a 20-minute screening of an American Revolution-related "short-reel film," a film historian's introduction, a contemporary historian's discussion, and a Q&A interaction between scholars and participants.
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The American War of Independence topics in this film and lecture series include the Declaration of Independence, the story of Patrick Henry, the story of the Sons of Liberty, the Bill of Rights, and Edward Everett Hale's 1863 short story The Man Without a Country. Dr. James D'Arc, retired curator of the BYU Motion Picture Archive, and Brad Westwood, retired senior public historian for Utah, organized this series for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to expose participants to the most recent scholarship in the history of the American Revolution, presented by seven Utah University professors. The series will also seek understanding about how the US film industry interpreted this story during the Great Depression from 1929-1940 and show how accurately interpreting American Revolutionary history can help Utahns to be more informed and more engaged U.S. citizens today. This free series, co-sponsored by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah, is open to all ages. You do not need an Osher membership to participate, but we hope you will join us for Osher classes in the future, especially if you are already age fifty and better!
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Sessions at 6:30 pm
October 21 through November 18 – FREE
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This transformative class explores the profound art of connecting with horses through presence, breath, and mutual understanding. Far beyond traditional horsemanship, this experience invites participants to develop a deep, intuitive relationship with these magnificent beings without the barrier of riding. Class members will each be interacting and connecting with horses (not riding them).
Saturday October 31 at 10:00 am
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Guiliana speaking at PATH International Region 10 Conference
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Oboist, Luca de la Florin, will present a half-hour preview of the music in the November 6 Finishing Touches Rehearsal of the Utah Symphony. The class takes place in the First Tier Room of Abravanel Hall from 9:00-9:30am on Friday, November 6, 2026. Separate tickets are required to attend the actual rehearsal and can be purchased from the Utah Symphony Ticket Office, 801-533-6683; they can also be purchased immediately after the class in the half hour before the rehearsal begins.
Friday November 6 at 9:00 am
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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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Utah is becoming a data center hub — and the Great Salt Lake basin is ground zero. From Utah County, to the Tooele Valley, to Box Elder County, a wave of data centers and the gas plants built to power them are being proposed. If built, they will consume scarce water resources, create pollution, and, in many cases, divert tax dollars, often with little transparency or local oversight. This talk breaks down how these projects threaten Great Salt Lake's wetlands, our communities, our water supply, and iconic bird populations — and outlines what we can do to stop the harm.
Wednesday October 14 from 12:00-1:00 pm
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Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Geraldine E. King Women's Resource Center and learn how it supports women experiencing homelessness. Visit the facility and hear from Community Engagement Manager Kim Morrison about the center's shelter, housing services, and other resources that help women move toward stability and long-term housing.
Wednesday October 14 at 10:00 am
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This group is for Osher members who are affected by cancer. We are offering a safe, compassionate, and judgment-free space to share and connect. Topics of discussion can include diagnosis and treatment experiences, the emotional highs and lows, support systems built, and more. While everyone's navigation is unique, this group will bring together those who truly understand the journey.
Thursday October 15 at 12:00 pm
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Join us for a guided tour of the Bountiful Davis Art Center (BDAC), where we will explore the current exhibitions and learn more about the artists, ideas, and creative processes behind the work. Our tour will feature the Statewide Emerging Artists Annual (SWEAA), showcasing the work of emerging artists from across Utah, as well as Artists Who Teach, an exhibition highlighting the creativity and perspectives of artists who are also educators. The guided tour will focus primarily on BDAC's Main Gallery and will offer an engaging opportunity to look closely at the artwork, learn about the exhibitions, and share observations and conversation with fellow Osher members.
Friday October 23 at 11:00 am
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In Thirty-One Years in the Front Row, former University of Utah Athletics Director Chris Hill offers a rare inside look at the transformation of Utah Athletics over three decades. Hill shares candid stories about legendary coaches like Rick Majerus, Urban Meyer, and Kyle Whittingham, revealing the humor, tension, and humanity behind college athletics. These are the personal stories behind the big story.
Thursday November 5 at 11:00 am
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Learn why the red poppy has become a symbol of remembrance for veterans. Discover the history of Flanders and the lasting devastation left by the Great War. Explore how the poppy became an enduring symbol of remembrance and reflection.
Monday November 9 at 11:30 am
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| Osher Special Events in 2026 are brought to you in part from funding from ZAP
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Join us for a behind-the-scenes visit to HK Brewing Collective, a welcoming community taproom and bar featuring craft alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, creative experiences, and Han's Kombucha, brewed on-site. During this one-hour guided experience, we'll learn more about the brewing process, the story behind HK Brewing Collective, and the craft that goes into making their beverages. The tour includes a guided tasting and plenty of opportunities to ask questions and learn more about the process. After the tour, participants are welcome to stay and enjoy the taproom. Each participant will also receive a pint glass to take home.
Thursday October 22 at 2:00 pm
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at Pioneer Theatre Company’s production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS through their new Insider’s Access program. This exclusive experience, led by Pioneer Theatre Company’s Props team, will give Osher members a rare glimpse at how the show’s iconic carnivorous plant, Audrey II, is brought to life on stage. Based on the 1960 low-budget Roger Corman horror movie (starring Jack Nicholson!), this cult classic musical is a perennial favorite and is currently enjoying a hugely successful Off-Broadway revival in New York. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS is the story of a beleaguered flower shop assistant who discovers a strange carnivorous plant that thrives on (gulp) human blood! With a score by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid fame) and featuring hit songs like “Somewhere That’s Green,” “Suddenly Seymour,” as well as the title song, it’s a monster hit!
The Insider’s Access experience lasts approximately one hour. Your $15 special event fee covers the Insider’s Access experience. The LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS performance is not included in this fee.
Saturday October 24 at 11:00 am
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Written by Laura Munts (with Reb Fleming and Elaine Jarvik), directed by Julie Jensen, and starring Reb Fleming, this one-woman play is about aging in plain sight—a subject avoided, disguised, or lied about. Sophia is a septuagenarian actor figuring out what she is supposed to be doing between now and when she dies. She is funny, cringeworthy, and ruthlessly honest. She is the wrong person in the right place. The right talent at the wrong age. This stunning and thought-provoking 45-minute performance is followed by a conversation among guests who share in the experience of exploring creative aging, together with the actor who brings it to life.
Tuesday November 10 at 3:00 pm - New Date!
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Do you love Osher and want to give back to this wonderful program by serving as a volunteer? We would love to have you! We are currently seeking volunteers to serve as Classroom Ambassadors throughout fall term in classes where they are already enrolled.
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Classroom Ambassadors help welcome fellow class members, take roll in classes, encourage everyone to use and clean our whiteboard name tents so we can all get to know each other, and read announcements each week about five minutes before class begins. Class Ambassadors choose a few announcements that they would like to share from our weekly email newsletters.
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Having a friendly face greet you during classes and announce Osher happenings out loud goes a LONG way, especially for folks new to our program. This is a low effort but high impact, easy, and fun way to get involved by helping in classes you are already attending! Sign up using this Google Form and our graduate student intern Elizabeth Butler from the College of Social Work will follow up with you. Thank you for taking the time to help us start the Osher school year with a smile. And all Ambassadors get one of our cool t-shirts!
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Unique Opportunity for Opera Lovers or Those Interested in Attending a Vocal Competition
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The Utah District round of the prestigious Metropolitan Opera (Eric and Dominique Laffont) Competition will be held in SLC on Saturday October 31st. Witness the finest young vocal talents from Utah and beyond compete for a chance to advance to the national level. Visit UtahMONCAuditions.org for additional information, including judges and artist biographies. A detailed schedule of singers and estimated performance times will be posted after October 24. There will be two sessions: You are welcome to attend either or both. The afternoon session will be followed by a reception. Longtime Osher instructor Dr. Carol Anderson will be the official accompanist!
Libby Gardner Concert Hall, University of Utah Campus
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM and/or 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday, October 31, 2026 – Free!
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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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