This Week at OLLI – January 22, 2024

Week of January 22, 2024

WEATHER REMINDER: OLLI follows URI’s policy of canceling classes. Use the URI Alert page to find factual and timely information related to emergency situations, power outages, weather alerts and other campus notices. You can also call our office (401-874-4197). If classes are canceled, we will leave a message on our phone.

CANCELED CLASSES: Caring for the Caregiver

CLASS SPOTLIGHT: Register online or call 401-874-4197

Compassionate Conversations: Learn to Communicate Better with Anyone- 6 Sessions with Kathy Black on Thursdays, starting February 1, 1:30PM-3:00PM  

Here’s what members who previously enrolled in this class had to say:

  • “This was an outstanding and very much needed course, especially in today’s society of violent conflicts.”
  • “I learned a great deal and will continue to practice this new way of relating with others!”
  • “Best course I ever took at URI!”

Communication can be very tricky and challenging. How do we talk with someone who just won’t listen? How can we connect with others who see the world differently than we do? Understanding the skills needed to listen deeply and really connect with people makes all the difference. We will discuss the four basic components of Compassionate Communication and how to use them in any conversation. We’ll practice true empathic listening and uncover behaviors that impede our ability to be present with others. Learning to communicate with compassion for others will enhance and improve all of your relationships!

Required Text: Marshall B. Rosenberg, PhD, Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life (PuddleDancer Press,2003). Assignment for the first class: Review chapters 1 & 2 and bring a photo of yourself with other people to share in class.

Kathy Black holds a B.S. in social work and a comprehensive certification as a life-empowerment coach. She has over 18 years of experience leading personal growth workshops and retreats, coaching women to own their power and use their voices, and instructing students in the art and practice of compassionate communication. A life-long student herself, Kathy has studied meditation with Buddhist monks in Prague, bhakti yoga with Hare Krishna devotees in New South Wales, and mindfulness practice with new thought leaders across the U.S.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday

  • 10:00AM Digital Photography (Zoom)
  • 10:00AM Pirates, Privateers and  Buccaneers
  • 11:30AM Three Chords & the Truth (1st Session)
  • 1:00PM Three Chords & the Truth (2nd Session)
  • 1:30PM History of the English Language

Wednesday

  • 10:00AM DIY Watercolor Notecards
  • 10:00AM Events Committee
  • 10:00AM Democracy (1st Session)
  • 11:00AM Fabulous Fingers (URI Keyboard Lab)
  • 12:30PM Bowling
  • 1:00PM The Four Harriets
  • 1:00PM Hiking Group
  • 2:00PM Corals and Barrier Reefs
  • 3:00Pm Button Up: Get Your Personal Affairs in Order (Zoom)
  • 4:00PM Advisory Council

Thursday

  • 9:00AM Let’s Skate @ Boss Arena
  • 10:00AM 1984: Fiction or Prophecy
  • 10:00AM Raptor Encounter
  • 11:00AM Current Events Group
  • 1:00PM Mahjong
  • 3:00PM World in an Uproar (Zoom)
  • 3:00PM Program Committee

Friday

  • 1:00PM Take a Breath

RHODY OUTPOST– We are still collecting donations for Rhody Outpost. Click here to view the updated Winter wish list. High demand items include Raisins and dried fruit, nuts and seeds, crackers, and cookies.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: Proposals for summer semester are due by January 30. Please fill out a course proposal form online. The Curriculum committee will review all proposals on February 8. If you have any questions, please contact Beth Desrosiers (401-874-4197).

COFFEE DONATIONS NEEDED: We are in need of both decaf and regular coffee pods and members have expressed an interest in hot chocolate pods. Donations can be dropped off in the office. We are only able to offer coffee through donations of products and cash. Thank you! 

CLASS CANCELATION POLICY REMINDER: 

  • To withdraw from a class and receive a full refund or credit, you must notify the OLLI office at least two weeks before the start of the class. Call the office at 401-874-4197 or email olli@uri.edu.
  • No-shows forfeit their course fees.
  • Day trips and special tours are prepaid so there are no refunds for cancellation or withdrawal.

OLLI RIT (Rochester Insititute of Technology) IS SHARING THEIR THURSDAY LECTURE SERIES. Click here to view the PDF, which includes all the information including how folks can register to get the Zoom meeting information.

VIRTUAL PROGRAM- SIX OF THE FIRST, BUT FAR FROM THE LAST: ABOLISHING SLAVERY AND RE-INVENTING SERVITUDE IN RURAL NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK. Monday, February 12 at 6:00 p.m-  In 1743, six women, Yallah, Morandah, Mowoorie, Simboh, Burrah and Yearie were among the human cargo aboard the slave ship “Jolly Bachelor” when it ran aground and sank. These women are some of the earliest recorded Africans to have been brought to the shores of Newport County, Rhode Island. Join Artist Jean-Marc Superville Sovak and Jamestown, R.I. resident and historian Peter Fay, to hear about the inspiration, research, and untold stories behind Jean-Marc’s poignant sculpture “Six of the First”, which stands as a monument to these women. Jean-Marc and Peter will tell their tale within the context of the complex webs of oppression surrounding their legal trial and enslavement and the profound African culture where these women originated. Please follow this link to purchase tickets: https://my.historicnewengland.org/17425/six-of-the-first