New Osher Lifelong Learning Institute space dedicated at Gulf Park
Special to Long Beach Breeze
Pictured (l to r) at the grand opening of the OLLI Learning Center in Long Beach are Dr. Lance Nail, Southern Miss provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Allyson Easterwood, Southern Miss vice president for finance and administration; Dr. Joseph Paul, Southern Miss president; Steve Thaxton, executive director of the OLLI National Resource Center at Northwestern University; Carol Ann Lewando, OLLI founding member; Dr. Jeff Hinton, associate provost for Gulf Coast and lifelong learning success; and Paula Mathis, Southern Miss OLLI director. The new space is expected to allow for expansion of lifelong learning opportunities for adults in the community, bringing more classes, workshops and connections to Long Beach. (Photo credit: Special to Long Beach Breeze)
Late last fall, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at The University of Southern Mississippi celebrated the opening of its new gathering space at the university’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony. The event also marked OLLI’s 10th anniversary serving members along the Gulf Coast.
The space includes a classroom, library and a spacious social area, with artwork by Mississippi icons Walter Anderson and Alice Moseley adding regional culture and artistic inspiration. The new central location will allow its more than two hundred Gulf Coast members to expand their knowledge in subjects, such as the arts, nature, science, technology, personal enrichment, and health and fitness. Beyond academics, OLLI also fosters lasting friendships and meaningful social connections among members.
Paula Mathis, director of OLLI, said the new space underscores the program’s dual role in learning and social engagement, and expressed gratitude for the university administration’s ongoing support of lifelong learning and its positive impact on coastal members.
“The social impact and sense of belonging will be shaped by opportunities and by having a central gathering place,” Mathis said. “This will benefit all members across the coast.”
Dr. Jeff Hinton, associate provost for Gulf Coast and lifelong learning success, emphasized the broader benefits of OLLI programming.
“I am very excited to dedicate this beautiful and functional space for use by Gulf Coast OLLI members as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of OLLI on the Gulf Park campus,” Hinton said. “The benefits of lifelong learning include improved cognitive health, increased social connections, greater adaptability and improved quality of life. This space will allow OLLI to expand its programming and offer more opportunities to coastal residents.”
Founding members and Southern Miss alumnae Carol Ann Lewando and Dianne Dewees reflected on the significance of OLLI’s growth and the role it has played in their lives. Lewando shared her excitement for having a dedicated space that meets members’ needs and said it will enhance the sense of community.
Dewees added, “The new OLLI space is beautiful, functional and comfortable. It will be a fine asset to the college, the region and our community of senior learners. I am looking forward to spending more time with my friends and peers and learning from them and our instructors. The greatest benefit of being an OLLI participant is having a purpose that enriches my life.”
Steve Thaxton, executive director of the OLLI National Resource Center at Northwestern University, praised the program’s milestone.
Paula Mathis, Sue Pace and Dr. Joseph Paul cut the ribbon to the new OLLI space at the Gulf Park campus. (Photo credit: Special to Long Beach Breeze)
“On behalf of the Osher National Resource Center and the Osher Foundation, we warmly congratulate the Osher Institute at USM on the opening of its new Gulf Coast facility,” Thaxton said. “We’ve seen firsthand how a dedicated space can transform an institute by strengthening operations, deepening connections and inspiring new ideas. May this beautiful new home welcome many new participants and make every learning and social experience even richer.”
Southern Miss is one of 124 institutions nationwide offering OLLI programs and remains the only university in Mississippi to provide high-quality, university-affiliated lifelong learning opportunities. OLLI serves adults aged fifty and older through classes, seminars and field trips designed to promote wellness, personal growth and community engagement.
For more information about OLLI at Southern Miss, visit www.usm.edu/lifelong-learning/.
Registration for spring 2026 OLLI programs opens online and by email on Wednesday, January 14, at 9 a.m.
Those who do not already have an OLLI account can make one, and those who already have an account can sign in at www.usm.edu/lifelong-learning/gulf-park-courses.php. Once registration opens, the option to “Register” will be available, and users can enroll in their preferred courses.
Alternately, registrants can email their class request list to OLLI@USM.edu, and an OLLI staff member will enroll them when online registration opens.
Registration can be made by phone beginning Thursday, January 15, at 9 a.m. Call 228-214-3277 to register.
Those who would like to complete walk-in registration are welcome to stop by the local OLLI office at 212 Friendship Oak Circle/Gulf Coast Library, Room 107, beginning Friday, January 16, at 9 a.m.
To expedite phone and walk-in registration, registrants are asked to have their class request list ready when calling or stopping by.
OLLI membership is valid for one year from the date of joining, so community members can become a member any time of the year and enjoy a full year of membership benefits. Annual membership for Gulf Coast area residents is $40 per person. A Zoom-only membership is available for $30 per person.
OLLI classes sometimes reach maximum enrollment capacity on day one of registration; therefore, to increase the likelihood of obtaining a seat in a preferred class(es), it is recommended that registrants register themselves online or email their class request list to OLLI@USM.edu, so that OLLI staff can enroll them as soon as registration opens. Registration requests sent via email will be entered on a first-received-first-registered basis.
Classes begin on Monday, January 26.
