Fall registration opens at 9:00 am on August 21. Over 120 fabulous fall classes will begin on September 21 and run through November 18. Please read below to meet some of our new fall instructors, as well as our new graduate student interns. We will welcome three interns, Elizabeth Butler, Leah Christensen, and Lindsay Dawson Bedolla in August for their College of Social Work practicums during the academic year 2026-2027. And we will offer another series of six FREE Lunch & Learn lectures via Zoom webinar, starting Wednesday, September 23 from 12 to 1 pm. Fall is already off to a great start!
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You Are Cordially Invited!
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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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Meet Our New Instructors! |
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Victoria Alleman is a feminist scholar, caregiver, and PhD student studying gender and sexuality fluidity, whose work bridges academic theory and lived experience. As a mother, nana, and survivor, she brings a deeply human, intersectional perspective to conversations about sexuality, power, and healing. Her work explores the intersections of gender, aging, disability, mental health, pleasure, and systemic inequities, with a particular focus on how cultural narratives shape identity and agency. Victoria's approach is rooted in radical honesty, compassion, and critical inquiry. She challenges dominant frameworks around sexuality and invites students to engage with both scholarly research and their own lived experiences as valid sources of knowledge.
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Drawing from her background in caregiving, advocacy, and education, she creates learning spaces that are inclusive, reflective, and transformative. Through her teaching, writing, and podcast called Witches Were Right, Victoria empowers others to question norms, reclaim their voices, and approach sexuality as both a personal and political force.
She will teach Exploring the Themes of "Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive" on Fridays at 9:30 am on Zoom.
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Sergio Frias is a classical guitarist, educator, and program builder with over 20 years of experience in higher education. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Classical Guitar and two Master's degrees in music performance, including graduate studies at Utah State University, where he was awarded a full scholarship. He has served as Professor, Head of the Guitar Department, and Deputy Director at Mexico's National Conservatory of Music. His students have won national and international prizes, reflecting his commitment to high-level teaching and artistic development.
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At Utah State University, he founded the Classical Guitar Weekend, an event that brings together performers, students, and the community through concerts, masterclasses, and competitions. An active performer, he regularly appears as a soloist and chamber musician. Upcoming performances include appearances with orchestra and solo recitals in Utah, including concerts with the West Jordan Symphony, the Nova Chamber Music Series, and appearances at Utah State University and regional summer festivals. His work combines artistic excellence with a strong dedication to community engagement and lifelong learning, inspiring students of all ages to experience music as a meaningful and enriching part of life.
Sergio will be teaching Classical Guitar Level 1, Classical Guitar Level 2 and Acoustic Guitar Made Simple: Pick, Patterns, and Play.
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Guy Lebeda is a retired writer and arts advocate with a lifelong passion for the humanities. He holds a degree in English from the University of Wyoming, which led to a diverse career dedicated to the written word and public service. He has served in various roles, including grant writer, arts administrator, public information officer, and editor. He has a deep appreciation for how storytelling shapes our understanding of the world. In his retirement, he remains active in the arts. An avid reader and dedicated writer, he is currently focused on exploring the "Great Books" canon and the Socratic method of inquiry. When not immersed in a text, he spends his time in meditation, drawing, and cooking—pursuits that reflect his commitment to lifelong learning and creative discipline. He is eager to share his love for classic literature and meaningful dialogue with the Osher community.
Guy will teach Putting the Great Books on Trial on Thursdays at 1:30 pm.
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Linda Rios is a Certified Zentangle Teacher. She discovered the Zentangle Method in January of 2016. Through her daily practice she regained her focus and love of life after the loss of her husband to cancer. She knew that she had to share the benefits of Zentangle with others. In the spring of 2017, she traveled to Providence Rhode Island to become a Certified Zentangle Teacher. Now she shares this fun, healing art form whenever possible, teaching classes at libraries, community centers, kitchen tables, and online, to groups both large and small. If she is not teaching, she is taking Zentangle classes from other wonderful teachers. In addition to her love of Zentangle, Linda enjoys gardening, traveling, music, and spending time with friends and family.
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She looks forward to sharing Zentangle with you in Tangled Up in Color on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm.
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Dr. Denise Rose (Ph.D.) is a sociologist and passionate, enthusiastic educator who has taught whole food, plant-based (WFPB) nutrition for several years. Now 74, Denise so far has defied her family's history of chronic disease and believes her embracement of a WFPB diet and other critical lifestyle medicine behaviors has created this outcome.
She will teach Eat Plants: Prevent and Reverse Chronic Disease with a Whole Food Plant-Based Lifestyle! on Tuesdays at 1:30 pm.
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As writer, editor, and photographer, Stephen Trimble has published twenty-five award-winning books during nearly fifty years of paying attention to the landscapes and peoples of the Desert West. First published in 1989, The Sagebrush Ocean won the Ansel Adams Award for Photography and Conservation from the Sierra Club and the Earle A. Chiles Award from the High Desert Museum. Stephen is thrilled to have the chance to revise the text and venture into the Great Basin once again to photograph for this thirty-fifth anniversary edition.
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He speaks and writes frequently as a conservation advocate and has taught writing at the University of Utah, where he received a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at the Tanner Humanities Center during the centennial of Stegner's birth. In 2019, Stephen was honored as one of Utah's fifteen most influential artists. He makes his home in Salt Lake City and in the red rock country of Torrey, Utah
He will teach The Sagebrush Ocean: A Natural History of the Great Basin on Thursday September 24 at 3:30 pm.
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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 August meeting as we discuss June/July's book selection, The Luminaries (2013) by Eleanor Catton. The novel examines the world of shipping, banking, and the gold rush in 1800's New Zealand. At 800 pages, we need two months to read it! 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 (September), we will discuss The Life of Pi (2002) by Yann Martel.
Please note: Registration is required for each month's meeting you plan to attend.
Friday August 7 at 1:00 pm
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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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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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