CONWAY, SC (WBTW) The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Coastal Carolina University is one of just 120 in the country.
OLLI classes are held for a variety of subjects like writing, technology, cooking, knitting and the most popular, history. The classes average about $5 an hour after a membership fee.
In addition to classes, OLLI students are also eligible for day trips and international travel.
Today there will be a group of students going to the Darla Moore Botanical Garden, this while another group of students is on a trip in London for the rest of the week.
In any given semester there are between 1,500 and 1,700 students at a Conway, Pawleys Island and Georgetown campus. Kelli Barker, assistant director of academic and community outreach at CCU, says those enrollment numbers can swell in the winter as “snowbirds” come to the Myrtle Beach area for the colder months.
Barker tells News13, all classes are without a syllabus and there is no homework; the classes are for enrichment and often lead to lifelong friendships.
“If you’re a writer and want to be with people who can you know look at your work and critique your work,” Barker said. “You know we see that often, those friendships that are built around maybe an interest become life long friends.”
The catalog for next semester’s classes will be released on December 16 and in January they will host a “Taste of OLLI” for people to come and learn more about how to get involved with the program.
“You can come in, meet the instructors, talk one on one with them, find out more of the benefits of being a life long learner here at Coastal because there are some perks for that,” Barker said.
The Taste of OLLI will happen on January 7th and 9th.
For more information about OLLI at CCU, click here.
