Where It All Began

In 1991, lifelong learning at Florida State University was just a gleam in the eye of Susan Lampman, who worked at FSU's Center for Professional Development. Susan had learned about a national movement opening the doors of colleges and universities to students of all ages and began working with a small group of future founding members to bring the concept to FSU.

They started from scratch, with no dedicated funding for salaries or instructors. Under the leadership of Mary Pankowski, the Center for Professional Development provided classroom and audiovisual space and supported Susan's work on the new program.

By 1992, nine official founding members had joined the effort: Don Patton, Betty Patton, Margaret Hamilton, Grace Maxwell, Inez Frink, William Gorbett, Mildred Zindler, Vera Morse and Lena Allen.

That spring, the organization offered its first two courses: Critical Issues in the 1990s and The Middle East Unveiled.

By 1993, word had spread. Thirty-five members participated in four classes during the spring and fall semesters, and Dr. Harry Horwich became the first president of the newly established steering committee.

In 1994, with membership approaching 70 and six classes offered each semester, the organization adopted a shorter name: The Senior Academy.

Finding a Permanent Home

As the Senior Academy continued to grow, changes at the Center for Professional Development brought financial challenges. A contribution from the late Don and June Alford provided important support and encouraged innovations to attract new members.

A major turning point came in 1998. Susan Lampman moved to the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy and received permission to bring the Academy and its approximately 80 members with her.

The Claude Pepper Center welcomed what was now known as The Academy at FSU, providing meeting and office space and making the program part of the mission of the Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy.

The new affiliation helped formalize the relationship between the Academy and the university. Bylaws were written, committees were established, and members became increasingly involved in planning and managing the program.

In 2001, Terry Aaronson was hired as program coordinator, and the Academy celebrated its 10th anniversary.

The Academy also received a generous endowment created by the late Ralph Cook, an early and active member who cared deeply about the organization's long-term sustainability.

Expanding Beyond the Classroom

The Academy continued to broaden its reach. Classes were offered at the FSU Reservation and other locations throughout the community, including Westminster Oaks. Local and regional field trips became a regular part of the program.

The organization also entered a new technological era with its first computerized membership database.

By the 2005-06 academic year, the Academy's photo directory listed 156 members. In 2006, the organization celebrated 15 years of lifelong learning at FSU.

As members looked for ways to give back, the program's community impact began to grow as well.

Becoming OLLI at FSU

In 2008, under member President Ramona Bowman, the organization's first scholarship was established. A student from FSU's College of Music became the first recipient.

That same year, Susan Lampman learned about the Bernard Osher Foundation's national lifelong learning initiative. She submitted a request for funding, and The Academy at FSU received a $50,000 grant and a new name: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Florida State University.

The initial award came with an ambitious challenge: grow enrollment from approximately 300 members to 500 while continuing to demonstrate the quality and sustainability of the program.

Members and staff embraced the challenge. OLLI expanded its curriculum and activities while strengthening the organization.

After many years with the program, Susan Lampman retired as director. Corey Livingston briefly took the helm, and in 2011 Debra Herman became director.

Growing at Home and Around the World

With its first Osher endowment secured, OLLI continued to grow its curriculum, activities and scholarship program while expanding into more locations throughout the community.

New opportunities also took OLLI beyond Tallahassee. International travel began with the Semester at Sea Enrichment Voyage in 2012, followed by the OLLI Study Abroad Program in 2013, which focused on FSU campuses around the world.

Travel and Friendship Force Clubs helped open the door to even more national and international experiences.

Meanwhile, another challenge was underway. To qualify for a second Osher endowment, OLLI needed to double its 500-member enrollment, demonstrate a commitment to sustainability through annual fundraising, and continue expanding the quality and quantity of its curriculum and activities.

A Growing Community

OLLI had become much more than a collection of classes. Activities, clubs and member-led programs flourished, giving members new ways to connect through shared interests, friendship and service.

Book clubs, cultural and arts programs, field trips, language clubs, the Men's Group, Walking Club, Writers' Group and many other programs became an important part of the OLLI experience.

In 2019, OLLI expanded its reach to the Florida Panhandle with the creation of OLLI at FSU, PC30A.

The new program was gaining momentum when the COVID-19 pandemic brought in-person learning to an abrupt halt in early 2020.

Adapting, Connecting and Moving Forward

The pandemic changed how OLLI members learned and connected, but it did not stop them. Zoom opened new possibilities for lifelong learning, allowing members to remain engaged even when they could not gather in person.

As in-person programming returned, OLLI emerged with more ways to participate than ever before. In-person, Zoom and hybrid courses now connect learners across Tallahassee, the Florida Panhandle and beyond.

OLLI continues to offer a rich mix of courses, lectures, clubs, activities, travel, volunteer opportunities and community partnerships—all built around the idea that learning and connection enrich every stage of life.