SPRING SEMESTER IS HERE!– Come celebrate spring with us as we greet the new semester that begins today.  Please stop by the lobby during the first week of spring semester (Apr 6 -10). We encourage you to share your thoughts and reflections on our idea board that will be in the OLLI lobby for the week’s entirety.  Some small treats will also be on hand to help fuel your ideas.  We will collect your responses and share common themes that emerge with the greater OLLI community. 

SPRING REGISTRATION IS ONGOING! – Click Here to browse the online catalog. Click Here to log into your OLLI account and register for classes or feel free to give us a call in the office at 401-874-4197. You can also visit us at 210 Flagg Rd or download and complete the Registration Form and include a check (made out to URI).  

NEW SPRING CLASS ADDITIONS (not listed in the catalog) –

Beginner French for Travel – 4 Sessions with Kathyrn Zimmerman beginning Wed, May 27 11:30AM-1PM Click Here to Register

Art in the Courthouse – 1 Session with Retired Justice Gilbert V. Indeglia at The McGrath Judicial Complex. Friday, June 5, 1:30PM-3:00PM. After a welcome by Hon. Gilbert V. Indeglia (Ret.) and Kara Picozzi of the Rhode Island Supreme Court, our tour will include a look into the current photography exhibit featured as part of our community art initiative “Art in the Courthouse.” The visit includes a conversation with the artist. The 90-minute tour includes a short walk and a Q & A with a judicial officer. Free parking onsite. Click for More info

The History of Modern Architecture and Urbanism, Part 2 – 3 Sessions with Richard Levy, beginning Thurs, May, 7 3-4:30PM $40 Click Here for More Info

Fostering Safe Spaces for Members of the LGBTQ Community – 1 Session with Gerri August & Annmarie Vaccaro, Thurs Apr 23, 10-11:30AM Click Here for More Info

Click Here to check out the virtual previews for some of OLLI’s spring classes. 

OLLI NEW MEMBER WELCOME – Are you new to OLLI @ URI? or returning after being gone awhile? Both current and new members are invited to attend and learn about all OLLI has to offer. We’ll review our current programs, and our special interest groups, all while exploring and becoming more familiar with our OLLI website and registration software. Plenty of time for Q & A. Coffee & refreshments too! Join us! Bring a friend! Non-members welcome! If you are not a member and need a temporary parking pass, please call the OLLI office at 401-874-4197.Wed, Apr 8, 11:30AM Click Here to Register

CLASS SPOTLIGHT – 

Meditation: An Old Practice for Renewed Wellness Have you ever wondered what “meditation” is all about and if it is right for you? People of all cultures have meditated for thousands of years. Come to this very relaxed program and learn about the health and wellness benefits that can be gained from this age-old practice. This program is appropriate for established practitioners, or those new to meditating. You will have the opportunity to learn several different ways to meditate, look at ways of integrating mindfulness into daily life, and leave feeling relaxed and renewed. Please wear comfortable clothing. 6 Sessions with Linda Morse beginning Fri, Apr 10, 1-2:30PM Click Here to Register

CANCELED CLASSES – the following classes have been canceled and refunds have been issued:

-Let’s Juggle – for Beginners & Beyond

-Understanding Climate Change

-Voting: Why is it so Difficult (ZOOM)

-Cancer Essentials: Understanding and Navigating the Cancer Journey

-Blood Diamonds: The Search for an Ethical Alternative

PARKING – OLLI Members continue to enjoy FREE parking (with permit) in the Plains Rd Lot (#25). Click Here for more information about parking and disabled parking or call the office at 401.874.4197 with any questions.

THIS WEEK AT OLLI 

Monday

• 9:30AM Beginning Italian
• 11:00AM Violinists: Performers & Composers (Osher Online)
• 11:30AM Square Foot Gardening: Taking to the Next Level
• 11:30AM Walking in RI: Spring Hikes
• 3:30PM Wicked Big Puddles: A Naturalist Explores Vernal Pools
• 5:00PM World War II in the Pacific: 80 Year Retrospective

Tuesday

• 9:30AM Barns & Animal Pounds of RI
• 1:00PM Game On!
• 1:00PM Food Banks – Hunger Relief
• 1:00PM Place Memory & Environmental Psychology (Osher Online)
• 1:30PM Historical Plagues & Epidemics
• 3:00PM Of Earth & Sky: Intro to Astronomy
• 5:00PM From Leo XIII to Leo XIV (Osher Online)
• 5:30PM Thewliss Lecture

Wednesday

• 9:30AM Food Banks: Hunger Relief (off-site)
• 9:30AM Kinetic Knowledge: Let’s Capture the Power of Dance
• 9:30AM Praised But Controversial: John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men
• 11:00AM History of Street Art (Osher Online)
• 11:30AM New Member Welcome
• 12:30PM Bowling
• 1:00PM Siberia: Russia’s Frozen Wasteland (Osher Online)
• 1:00PM Hiking
• 1:30PM Cinema Classics: The Best of Foreign Films – Part 2
• 2:00PM Cribbage
• 3:00PM Short Stories From England II (ZOOM)
• 3:30PM The Great Gatsby: A Revisitation

Thursday

• 9:00AM Let’s Skate!
• 9:30AM Explore Watercolor I (Beginner)
• 10:00AM Creativity & Play
• 10:00AM Beginner Mahjong
• 11:00AM A Beautiful Brain (Osher Online)
• 11:45AM Explore Watercolor II (Advanced)
• 1:00PM JFK’s Quest for Peace (Osher Online)
• 1:00PM Mahjong
• 2:00PM Painting Set Free: JMW Turner
• 3:00PM James Baldwin & Toni Morrison: Banned at Westpoint
• 3:00PM Movie Group
• 7:00PM AI For Regular People (Osher Online)

Friday

• 9:00AM QiGong for Vitality (Studio at Mariner Square)
• 9:30AM The History and Evolution of Evidence-Based Medicine
• 10:15AM QiGong for Vitality – Deepening Practice (Studio at Mariner Square)
• 11:30AM QiGong – Tian Gan (Studio at Mariner Square)
• 1:00PM Meditation – Old Practice for Renewed Wellness
• 1:00PM Legends of Country Western Music

2026 THEWLIS LECTURE – Optimism and Kindness: Ingredients for a Long and Healthy life Tuesday, April 7, 2026 5:30 PM Doors open, light refreshments 6–7 PM Lecture followed by Q&A Edwards Hall, Kingston Campus The 2026 Malford Thewlis Lecture on Gerontology and Geriatrics will feature social psychologist Laura Kubzansky, PhD, professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She will share her perspective on aging and longevity, focusing on how personal attributes such as optimism, gratitude, kindness, and a positive outlook relate to living a long and fulfilling life. This event is free and open to the public.  Free parking available in Briar Lane Lot behind the Visitors Center.  Registration is encouraged but not required. Register Here 

BIKING GROUP IS BACK – The first meeting of the Biking Group 2026 will be Tues, Apr 7 at 11AM. Park in the Southeast corner of Lot #25 on URI campus to access the URI Bike Path (Nearest the Ryan Center). Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start time. (Times may be seasonally changed for the comfort and safety of the group). Co-facilitators are Art Schloth and Liz O’Brien.

CYBER SENIORS – Stop by the lobby to get help with all your technology questions on Wednesdays, 10AM-12PM and Thursday 10AM-12PM. No appointment necessary.  

RHODY OUTPOST- URI’s principal basic needs pantry for students experiencing food insecurity.  The Outpost provides fresh and non-perishable food and personal care items at no charge to students. Click Here to view the updated list of all urgently needed items. You can also purchase items directly from Amazon on the Rhody Outpost Wish List.  

URI BROWN BAG SERIES: The “Knowledge Business”- Humanists have failed, according to many humanists (e.g., Louis Menand), to offer a persuasive case for their disciplines making a substantive or simply significant contribution to “the knowledge business” (New Yorker). What could be a more damning failure of the defenders of the humanities than what is manifestly a rhetorical failure? To praise themselves for being able to teach argumentative and communicative skills and, then, to fail to make this very case seems singularly damning. What significant contribution do disciplines such as history, literature, and classics make to the “knowledge industry”? What indispensable “tools” are acquired or at least highly refined by taking courses in the humanities? Dr. Colapietro’s thesis is that these disciplines, tout ensemble, offer an integrative and critical approach to any field whatsoever: it is the combination of the synoptic and critical functions which most dramatically distinguishes the humanities from other modes of understanding.Vincent Colapietro, Philosophy Department, Wed, Apr 8th, 12pm Galanti Lounge, Carothers Library & Livestreamed Click Here to Register

URI THEATER PRESENTS: RIDE THE CYCLONE– In this hilarious and outlandish story, the lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. This popular musical is a funny, moving look at what makes a life well-lived! Music, Lyrics, and Book by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell Apr 17-18 and 22-25, at 7:30PM Apr 19 & 26, at 2PM Robert E. Will Theatre, URI Fine Arts Center Click Here For Tickets

URI MUSIC PROGRAM: Performing is an integral part of the University of Rhode Island Music program, with a wide range of ensembles for you to choose from. There are performances by bands, orchestra, choirs and opera, jazz ensembles and all sorts of chamber music groups Click Here for More Info and for Tickets for a full schedule of recitals, concerts, festivals and more.  

URI PHYSICAL THERAPY DEPT – Shoulder Motor Control Study: Rotator Cuff Seeking study Participants between 18-64 yrs old with or without shoulder surgery with no mobility limitations. Compensation $20 email: tyler.foster@uri.edu for more information See Flyer For Details

URI DEPARTMENT OF KINESIOLOGY (HIPLAB) – COPD Study Seeking study participants with COPD, 45 years or older, no hospitalizations or antibiotics in last 3 months Compensation up to $120  email:hiplab@uri.edu or call 401-874-5541 for more information See Flyer For Details

WESTERLY ARMORY EVENTS: An Afternoon with Chef Terranova – Chef Terranova returns to the Armory for an afternoon of cooking and fun. The Westerly-born Chef will answer questions after his demonstration. Sumptuous snacks included (you might want to skip lunch??). Ticket:  $25 prior to event: $30 at the door.Tickets available at the Armory or by mail at PO Box 614, Westerly RI 02891. Sat, Apr 18, 2PM

IF YOU ARE ATTENDING CLASSES AT OLLI, YOU MUST HAVE A PARKING PASS! If you are not sure if your permit is current, please call the office at 401-874-4197. Parking is FREE with membership but you must register your vehicle if you are taking classes in 2026. If you get a ticket you will be responsible for appealing it with the URI parking administration.

OLLI IN THE NEWS- Check out the recent article featuring OLLI in Rhody Today and this essay in WBUR.org written by an OLLI member about her experience with OLLI’s Learn to Skate program.

If you would like to view past This Week At OLLI weekly newsletters go to https://web.uri.edu/olli/news/