Osher at Mizzou expands learning opportunities across Missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The golden years just got a bit more golden for seniors 50 and older in outstate Missouri. University of Missouri Extension’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute announced that learning opportunities extend from the Mizzou campus to five rural regions this fall.

“Osher at Mizzou offers noncredit learning opportunities for seasoned adults,” said Lucille Salerno, director of the outstate program. Classes cover subjects ranging from literature to travel to technology to encourage lifelong critical thinking and reasoning skills and socialization, Salerno said.

Beginning Sept. 9, two eight-week classes begin in Trenton, Kahoka, Hermitage, Galena and Poplar Bluff. Numerous classes are also available at Osher’s new Columbia location at the Moss Building, 1907 Hillcrest Drive.

The outstate classes are taught through video streamed from the Columbia campus and interaction is encouraged among participants. Classes meet this fall at extension centers, libraries and community colleges.

Retired educator and Trenton Republican-Times columnist Anna L. Martin will teach “Researching Your Family History.” A longtime genealogist, Martin will talk about heritage societies, how to publish a family history book, how and where to research, and helpful online technology.

Sharon Kinden teaches “Travels with Sharon.” Raised in rural America and the product of a one-room schoolhouse, she learned about the world through reading. In 1997, her husband died of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). She changed her priorities and began traveling the world.  She has visited 67 countries and seven continents. She is a master travelogue writer and photographer. She talks about travel in France, China, Burma, Laos, Spain and Portugal.

For more information on the classes, call 573-882-2585 or 573-882-8189, or email [email protected].

Registration information also is available at http://extension.missouri.edu/learnforlife.