Marjorie Medress's long connection to OLLI began when she and her late husband, Mark, walked into the first OLLI classrooms two decades ago.
"OLLI was a big part of Mark’s life and our life together. We joined at the very beginning, so we witnessed its growth and change."
When Marjorie moved away from Berkeley after Mark’s passing, she worried she might lose the community they both had cherished. Instead, she discovered something profound.
"OLLI keeps me learning and connected, even as I build a new version of my life from afar. I take as many courses as possible. Faculty like Eric Simon and Richard Bell create such intimate environments, even over Zoom. That kind of experience doesn’t exist other places."
Asked why she and Mark always supported OLLI so generously — and why she continues to — she answered without hesitation:
So many things I care about have lost funding — public broadcasting, public radio, the learning opportunities that keep me going. If people can contribute, even in small amounts, it helps keep programs like OLLI going.
As 2025 comes to a close, we invite you to join Marjorie in making a tax-deductible year-end gift to help sustain the courses and connections that mean so much to lifelong learners everywhere.
If you've already given, thank you! If you haven't — and are able — we'd be grateful for your support.
Learn about other ways to give, including by check and through your IRA.
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