Steven Savage is the Executive Director of Blue Bear School of Music and holds a Ph.D. in musicology. An active record producer and recording engineer, he has worked on seven Grammy-nominated recordings.
Winter term is off and running! Let's raise a glass in celebration at a Happy Hour mixer organized by OLLI's Member Engagement Committee on Wed., Jan. 21, 3:30–5:30 PM, at Zino (2086 Allston Way, Berkeley) in the Hotel Shattuck. Come solo or bring a friend. New members and longtime members who've never attended a Happy Hour are encouraged to attend. The welcome will be warm! This is a no-host (but yes-fun) gathering. No need to RSVP. Hope to see you there.
When longtime member Bob Brewer first retired — “for the second or third time” he laughs — he found himself wondering what came next. His daughters were grown, and life had slowed down.
“I needed something to engage me," he says. "Something to challenge me."
Each New Year invites us to commit to change — yet the sheer number of options and expectations we face can leave us stalled, second-guessing ourselves, or abandoning resolutions altogether. Join us for this month's Vital Aging gathering as professor Barry Schwartz explores why decision-making so often breaks down at moments of intended change, how too many choices can undermine motivation and follow-through, and what we can do to make clearer, more purposeful decisions that lead to meaningful action.
Barry Schwartz is the Dorwin Cartwright Emeritus Professor of Social Theory and Social Action at Swarthmore College where he taught for 40 years, and a visiting professor at Berkeley Haas. His work focuses on the intersection of psychology and economics. A popular lecturer, his TED Talks have been viewed by more than 25 million people.
Ice skating at Rockefeller Center in the 1950s
One in four Alameda County residents is experiencing — or at risk of — hunger. It’s a sobering reality, but one we can help address together. Please join fellow OLLI members on Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 12:30–3 PM, as we roll up our sleeves as a group to sort and pack fresh produce at the Alameda County Community Food Bank’s Oakland warehouse — no heavy lifting or special skills required. It’s a simple, hands-on way to support neighbors in need and show up for our community.
👉 Use this link to register directly with the Alameda County Food Bank. The Food Bank will track registrations and keep OLLI staff updated as to who has signed up.
Join us for a docent-led tour of Berkeley's Latino Community: A Story of Pride and Resilience (1900–2025), an exhibit presented by the Berkeley Historical Society & Museum that celebrates the vital role Latinos have played in shaping Berkeley’s social, political, and cultural landscape. Spanning more than a century, it traces the resilience, activism, and creativity of the Latino community — from early migrant laborers and railroad workers to student organizers, artists, educators, and community leaders.
[For members only]
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."
Our Rituals: We all have them — not just the big holiday traditions like what we serve with the turkey or the customary meals for Passover and Yom Kippur, but also the everyday ones, from Saturday-morning doughnuts to annual family camping trips.
In this month's in-person-only Vital Aging gathering led by Sara Orem, we'll reflect on the big and small rituals of both our families of origin and our current circles — partners, children and grandchildren, close friends, even pickleball groups — and share the traditions we love as well as those that have sparked tension, whether in interfaith families or between differing partner or friendship traditions.
Please join us at OLLI HQ (1995 University Ave., Suite 365) on Thursday, Dec., 11, at 3:30 PM, to share, listen, and learn about one another’s cherished practices during this rich season of holidays and ritual.
Limited to 40 members.
'Tis that time of year! Join us for our annual OLLIday Party & Open House on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 1:30–3 PM, at OLLI HQ (1995 University Ave., Suite 365, Berkeley.) Enjoy good cheer and great company as you meet and mingle with members, faculty and the OLLI team. Please bring a nosh (sweet or savory) or beverage to share, if possible. All are welcome!
RSVPing isn't necessary, but appreciated!