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Spring 2026 Sneak Peek

  • Course Registration will begin on Wednesday, March 11
    • Link to register for courses will be sent on Tuesday, March 10
  • Spring 2026 Course Offerings Now Available on our Website
  • Spring 2026 Digital Course Catalog - Coming Soon!
  • Courses begin on Monday, March 30, and end on Wednesday, June 3
  • For information on How to Recruit New Members and Bring a Friend, click here
  • Click on the individual course links to view full course descriptions
    • OLLI recommends reading the full course description before enrolling!

Women artists were frequently overlooked in the Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist movements, overshadowed by their male counterparts, such as Monet and Pollock. Despite the significant contributions of artists such as Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Joan Mitchell, their names are less well-known. These pioneering women challenged male dominance in the art world, creating impactful works from studios in Paris and New York. Unfortunately, they faced critical ambivalence and limited visibility for decades, but their contributions have gained recognition in recent years.

Plato's Republic is a foundational text in Western philosophy, promoting the idea of philosopher-kings to create an ideal society. Philosopher Alfred North Whitehead noted that all Western philosophy is essentially a commentary on Plato's work. Plato examines how to achieve the best lives for individuals, emphasizing internal justice and harmony within the soul over governance. Despite its authoritarian interpretations, the Republic is a complex exploration of human flourishing that significantly influenced Western culture, which we will study in depth.

The Golden Age of Soul" explores the fusion of rhythm and blues, gospel, and pop into soul music during the 1960s and early 1970s. Through a mix of common and rare recordings, the iconic artists like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown are showcased. Highlighting the reciprocal influence between the civil rights movement and soul music, we'll also examine the impact of legendary record labels such as Motown and Stax on the genre's evolution and popularity.

Toni Morrison was the first Black American to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature, celebrated for her powerful exploration of the African-American oral tradition and the lasting impact of history. Her nonfiction essays tackle issues like canon formation, art's political nature, and resistance strategies within the African Diaspora. Our diverse readings will include her essays and novels like "Jazz" and "Home," offering new insights into Morrison's enduring relevance amid contemporary challenges.

The Silver Age of Russian literature and culture, spanning the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, is often overlooked despite being a momentous period marked by three significant revolutions. While the nineteenth century is celebrated as the Golden Age and the Soviet era garners much attention, this time experienced transformative political, philosophical, economic, and cultural changes. We will explore how Russia transitioned from the works of Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky to the tragic events of the Holodomor and the Gulag camps

This equation-free course traces the revolutionary development of quantum mechanics from its origins to its full formulation in the 1920s, exploring how physicists were forced to abandon classical thinking to explain the atomic world. We’ll begin with unsolved mysteries at the beginning of the 20th century, leading over the next 30 years to the emergence of modern quantum mechanics. We’ll examine how concepts like wave-particle duality, quantization, superposition, and probability replaced the deterministic certainty of classical physics. No mathematical background is required; instead, we'll focus on the key ideas, ingenious experiments, and dramatic conceptual shifts that transformed our understanding of nature at its most fundamental level. We’ll discuss how these ideas led to new technologies like lasers, computer chips, and MRI machines, as well as the prospects for quantum computers able to address problems that classical computers cannot solve.

The Basque Country, located between Spain and France, is home to a resilient people with a distinct language, Euskara. This exploration examines the region's origins and how geography, politics, and economic development have shaped Basque society from ancient times to today. Topics include cultural features, rural and urban life, political conflicts, autonomy movements, and diaspora communities, which together help explain Basque history and culture in Europe and the U.S., as well as the significance of small nations and minority cultures globally.

We will explore three common neurological issues: stroke, pain, and the effects of drugs on the brain. We begin with strokes, which occur when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, leading to nerve cell death within minutes. The discussion will include the vascular network, treatment options, and prevention strategies. Next, the course will explore the physiology of pain and how therapies provide relief. Finally, it will examine how various prescription drugs affect the brain and contribute to addiction.

Before becoming Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara Valley was known as the Valley of Heart's Delight, America's largest fruit-producing region. We will examine its transition from a thriving agricultural area in the 1850s, famed for prunes, to a technology hub after World War II,  as the subsequent housing boom priced out the orchards and canneries. We'll analyze how economic shifts have transformed the valley from a regional fruit capital to a global technology economy.

Wildfires are increasingly larger and more destructive, affecting California and beyond. Exploring changing wildfire behavior includes understanding the factors behind rising fire intensity and proven prevention methods, such as prescribed burns used by Indigenous stewards. Participants will learn about advanced detection techniques and gain strategies to make homes ignition-resistant. Additionally, lessons from past disasters, such as the Camp Fire, will be reviewed to enhance community preparedness, alongside emerging innovations for wildfire risk reduction, like lightning-detection grids.

Ruth Asawa, a pivotal figure in American modern art, is celebrated for her organic looped-wire sculptures and innovative techniques. Her recent exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art showcased her journey from a Southern California farm to Japanese Internment camps during WWII, and ultimately to a prominent artist and civic leader. Committed to arts education, Asawa founded the Alvarado Arts Workshop and the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts, emphasizing the connection between art and community.

This beginner's birding course aims to deepen your appreciation and knowledge of birds, the most accessible animals around us. Through three lectures, you will learn about bird behavior, identification, ecology, and vocalizations, while also mastering birding apps like Merlin and eBird. Practical skills will be developed for observing birds in the field. The course includes two field trips to local parks, allowing participants to practice their newfound skills and connect with the avian world alongside fellow birders.

Join us for a cinematic journey exploring the drama, adventure, and romance aboard five vessels. Experience the life of a fisherman in Captains Courageous (1937), thrill with Juggernaut (1974), find love aboard with An Affair to Remember (1957), enjoy swashbuckling adventures in Captain Blood (1935), and embark on a journey with The African Queen (1952). Each screening is followed by a lively discussion.  Note: Films may change due to availability.

John Kendall Bailey brings his usual style of combining history with audio and video examples of the music selected to highlight three early 20th‑century giants: Rachmaninoff, Stravinsky, and Prokofiev. Explore Rachmaninoff’s lyrical piano concertos and works; Stravinsky’s groundbreaking ballets and neoclassical pieces; and Prokofiev’s synthesis of modernism and romanticism in ballets, film scores, symphonies, and operas. Emphasis on stylistic contrasts, influence, and enduring resonance.

We explore the moral and legal distinctions between killing and "allowing to die," focusing on concepts like medical paternalism, patient autonomy, and informed consent. Key topics include the balance of state interests with individual rights, decision-making for minors and mentally incapacitated individuals, and international perspectives on euthanasia. American legal restrictions on assisted suicide and the implications of key court cases such as Washington v. Glucksberg will also be discussed, along with practical issues surrounding living wills and advance directives. 

The U.S. Constitution overlooked "founding mothers," assigning them the role of raising loyal, educated male patriots. These women, alongside their daughters, embraced their responsibilities and initiated reforms to improve educational opportunities for women. As the nation evolved, it addressed the social anxieties of its time, continually adapting the ideal of motherhood. We will take a look at the twists and turns, progress, and reversals of the story of American Motherhood just in time for Mother's Day.

Tracing AI's history from 1950s optimism to 2010s deep learning, this course surveys success drivers—data, compute, algorithms—and teaching uses from drafting to personalized tutoring. It emphasizes human judgment, mentoring, and ethics; addresses risks such as cheating and privacy; and explores personal learning with prompts, verification, and AI as a tutor, study partner, and life helper.

Raphael Sanzio, son of a painter and raised in Urbino's refined court, absorbed artistic influences from his surroundings and from the major Renaissance painters. While studying in both Urbino and Rome, his style evolved, resulting in a diverse repertoire that included devotional images, altarpieces, and grand frescoes. He managed a workshop that executed innovative designs for Vatican frescoes and luxurious Roman villas. This introduction to this fascinating and important painter will emphasize close looking to explore his significant contributions to Italian Renaissance art.

The Santa Clara Chorale closes its 3-concert season series on "Light" with Haydn's The Creation,  a radiant, joyful masterwork of vivid imagery and dramatic storytelling.  Scot Hanna-Weir discusses its meaning in this context. Those who attended "Let There Be Light and Stardust" lectures won't want to miss this one to close the circle.  However, this lecture also stands on its own, as The Creation is widely considered Haydn's masterpiece. Don't miss this exhilarating celebration of life, light, and the divine spark of creation.

Etta James and Ray Charles profoundly resonate with audiences through their raw emotional depth, blending jazz, blues, country, R&B, and gospel into a unique soulful sound that transcends genres. Overcoming the challenges of their early years and the struggles of Jim Crow laws, they forged their distinct identities in the music world. This exploration includes in-depth biographies, archival footage, and sing-alongs, providing insight into the lives and legacies of these two iconic soul artists.

Secrets have intrigued humanity for centuries, inspiring authors, philosophers, and psychologists alike. We will explore the psychological significance of secret-keeping, from Freud's "pathogenic secret" to the impact of family secrets in therapy. Recent research has shed light on the nature of secrecy and its role in our lives, addressing topics such as privacy, self-disclosure, and the effects of family secrets across generations, as well as issues related to psychotherapy, healthcare, and end-of-life conversations.

 

Osher Online

- To get to these courses, you will log into a portal, where you will find the Zoom link and other course materials (instructions will be provided to those enrolled)

- These courses will be presented via Zoom and will not be recorded. Space is limited.

Have you ever wondered who writes presidential speeches? This course examines the changes in presidential speechwriting, from the earliest speechwriters in George Washington's administration to contemporary speechwriters. Yes, Hamilton did help Washington write his Farewell Address. But, no, Lincoln did not write the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope. We will examine the process used by a wide range of presidents and look at copies of speechwriting drafts from FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, and George H.W. Bush. We will view video and audio clips from speeches and from former White House speechwriters describing the process.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1114279947

In July 1925, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, and a supporting cast of fascinating characters converged upon Dayton, Tennessee, for what became known as The Scopes Monkey Trial.  Religion. Science. Public education. Free speech. Textbooks.  Participants fought about all of these for eight days in an epic battle that was broadcast to the nation. One hundred years later, we are still fighting about these same issues. This course will be a deep dive into the trial, including why it was held in Dayton, Tennessee, how Bryan and Darrow got involved, what actually went on in the courtroom, whether Inherit The Wind accurately depicts what occurred, and who won and lost the case. Perhaps most importantly, we will discuss why we should care today.
Course Introduction Video: https://vimeo.com/1120922495

Comics, the combination of words and pictures to tell stories, has been a part of human communication for far longer than many realize, stretching from cave paintings on stone walls to the Bayeux Tapestry to the latest adventures of Batman and Spider-Man. Comics are an incredibly malleable medium, a literary artform that has too often been limited by the public perception of comics as merely a platform for four-color super-heroics. This course will trace the history of comics as a way of telling intimate and epic stories, exploring social and political issues, and capturing the cultural climate via the deceptive simplicity of panels, word balloons, and lines drawn on paper or displayed on device screens. And yes, we will also take a look at superheroes. Readings will include Understanding Comics, Watchmen, Maus: A Survivor’s Tale, Fun Home, and Persepolis.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1122466838

Art in the streets (including graffiti, murals, stickers, paste-ups, and other public installations) offers powerful means of expression for marginalized voices, shapes urban environments, and presents competing visions of community life. Unlike art made for museums or the commercial market, street art is often counter-institutional, engaging social issues from critical perspectives. This course examines graffiti and street art in the US and beyond, exploring their histories, motivations, and global connections. Participants will consider the rise of the mural movement, strategies for preserving and presenting street art, its increasing institutionalization, and its potential to foster social change.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1124849337

Science is full of surprises. Dyes, accidentally discovered, launched the modern pharmaceutical industry. A failed experiment opened the door to new physics. A geologist studying Earth’s age ended up taking on the oil companies to ban leaded gasoline. These stories remind us that discoveries are never just dry facts. They are moments of creativity, struggle, and chance, with consequences that ripple far beyond the laboratory. In this course, we will explore the human side of science, situating breakthroughs in the context of their times and tracing how they reshaped both knowledge and society. Along the way, we will tour centuries of discovery across biology, chemistry, physics, and more, asking not just what was found, but how it was found, and why it still matters today.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1119213821

California is more than a state. It is an idea, a dream, and a contradiction. It is where snow-capped peaks rise above sun-drenched deserts, and where misty coastlines and ancient forests stand alongside cities built on myth, ambition, and reinvention. In this immersive course, we will journey through California's sweeping history - from its earliest Indigenous cultures and diverse ecosystems to its transformation under Spanish, Mexican, and American rule. We will uncover the people, events, and forces that shaped the Golden State into a global icon of migration, innovation, and cultural change. We will explore the missions, the Gold Rush, the railroad, Hollywood's allure, and Silicon Valley's disruptive genius, while also challenging myths and amplifying voices too often left out of mainstream narratives. We will gain a deeper understanding of what it has meant to be Californian across eras, enriching how we experience the state today.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1124214794

Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was one of the most influential architects of the modern era, designing nearly one thousand buildings over his prolific career. This course surveys the breadth of Wright’s practice, from his iconic Prairie style houses and celebrated works like Fallingwater and the Guggenheim Museum, to lesser-known projects in affordable housing and utopian city planning. Participants will explore how Wright’s designs were shaped by, and responded to, the sweeping cultural shifts of modernism, including the industrial revolution, new technologies, scientific advancements, and progressive social movements. Through visual analysis and historical context, the course offers a deeper understanding of Wright's enduring impact on American architecture and design.
Course Introduction video: https://vimeo.com/1126003125

How to access the course recordings: the OLLI office will email the link to the recording 24-48 hours after the course session. The recording will be available for viewing for two weeks after it is published.