June 2026 OLLI Newsletter

Letter from the Director

Hello, OLLI at Iowa State members!

Can you believe it’s already June 2026? It feels like just yesterday I stepped into the role of director for OLLI at Iowa State, how has it been two years already? Since then, we’ve experienced a remarkable period of transition—and through every change, I’ve been continually inspired by your unwavering support. I am truly grateful for all that we have accomplished together.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve navigated several significant shifts, including staff reduction, departmental reorganization, volunteer leadership restructuring, and multiple office moves. We also successfully delivered all in-person classes at locations away from my office space which was a bit more challenging than we anticipated.

On paper, that list might not seem overwhelming—but as many of you know, each of these changes brought its own set of challenges and opportunities. While there were moments that tested our energy and resilience, they also revealed the strength of this community.

Despite it all, I remain incredibly optimistic about the future of OLLI at Iowa State. We’ve continued our quality lifelong learning offerings, explored new social engagement opportunities, built meaningful new partnerships, explored engaging topics, and—perhaps most importantly—continued to foster a sense of community at a time when connection matters more than ever.

And speaking of community, I’m excited to share that, as of this writing, we are in the process of welcoming a new Communications Specialist to the OLLI team. We anticipate this individual will join us in the Sixty Forward office in early June, and I look forward to the energy and expertise they will bring to our organization. Look for more detailed information in the coming weeks.

In closing, I want to again express my sincere gratitude for your continued support. I encourage you to share any course ideas, social engagement opportunities, or feedback you may have—I truly value hearing from you. This is a shared journey, and I am excited to continue building on our momentum and to see how OLLI at Iowa State continues to grow in the months and years ahead.

Heather Bristow, Director of OLLI at Iowa State

To become a Friend of OLLI at Iowa State by a show of financial support, please go to https://isu.foundation/olli and select the Friends of OLLI at Iowa State fund

Membership Renewal Begins in July

Thank you for being such an important part of the OLLI at Iowa State community—we truly appreciate your membership and the energy, curiosity, and connection you bring to our programs. Because of members like you, this past year has been so meaningful, and we’re excited to build on that momentum together in the year ahead.

As we look forward to another engaging year of learning and discovery, membership renewals will begin in July. We’re currently putting the finishing touches on an exciting lineup of benefits for the coming year. While a few details are still being finalized, we’re confident that what’s ahead will offer even more opportunities to learn, connect, and enjoy all that OLLI has to offer.

OLLI at Iowa State membership benefits for 2026-2027 include:

• Connection to a community of enthusiastic learners
• Access to quality non-credit educational opportunities (priced separately)
• Nine OLLI Talk programs with no cost or registration ($225 value)
• Monthly newsletter delivered to your email
• Weekly Friday emails during class sessions about the next week’s activities
• Ames Chamber Artists complimentary pair of concert tickets ($30 value)
• Central Iowa Symphony complimentary pair of concert tickets ($40 value)
• ISU Library card for use at Parks Library for $5 (non-ISU retiree, Iowa residents only) ($15 value)
• Stephens Auditorium Buy One Get One ticket offers to select shows

The form for 2026-2027 memberships will be open on our website beginning July 1.

Building Community with OLLI Cares

Community is an essential part of our lives. As humans, we naturally seek connection and want to belong and feel valued and cared for. With this in mind, OLLI at Iowa State is excited to introduce a new initiative designed to strengthen those connections called OLLI Cares.

This program will bring members together through simple, meaningful gestures. Volunteers will handwrite birthday cards, get well wishes, congratulations, and other notes of encouragement to fellow members. OLLI will provide the materials—we simply ask for your help in sharing celebrations, milestones, or challenges so we can recognize and support one another.

As part of the 2026–2027 membership form, you will see a few new questions related to OLLI Cares. Members will have the opportunity to indicate if they would like to volunteer, if they are open to being a recipient, and to share their birth month.

We hope you will take part in this effort to build and nurture our lifelong learning community. Research shows that personal connections strengthen relationships and enhance both our physical and emotional well-being—and together, we can make OLLI an even more supportive and welcoming place for everyone.

Spring 2026 Course Wrap Up

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again…. time flies when you’re having fun! We have wrapped up the six weeks of our spring lifelong learning classes and are truly grateful to everyone who participated. We had nearly 100 more registrations than last spring which is a great turn out!

Of course, we couldn’t offer the quantity or quality of lifelong learning programs that we do without our fantastic volunteers. First Day greeters, technology assistants, and of course the instructors, are what make OLLI at Iowa State such a wonderful program. If you see any of these folks, please join us in expressing our sincere gratitude for all that they do!

Ice Cream Social

Tuesday, June 9, 2026
2:30 – 4 p.m. CT
Walnut Shelter, Inis Grove Park, 2500 Duff Ave, Ames

Green Hills is once again sponsoring the OLLI at Iowa State Ice Cream Social in June! Please note, we will be trying a new location this year. We hope you can join us at the Walnut Shelter at Inis Grove Park in Ames.

We will once again have the 8-ounce cup servings of ISU Creamery treats (see list below). There is no RSVP for the event this year, instead it is a first-come first-served come and go event.

1858 Chocolate Ice Cream

Better Together: Learning Communities Vanilla flavored ice cream with cookies & cream pieces

Campanile Kiss (egg-free) Strawberry flavored ice cream with strawberry swirls

ChampionCHIP Kyven Dough Dulce de Leche Ice Cream with chocolate chip cookie dough and caramel swirls

Lemon Berry bLASt College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Lemon frozen yogurt with raspberry swirls

We hope to see you there!

OLLI Prairie Walk

Tuesday, June 16, 2026
10 – 11:30 a.m. CT
Cost: $25.00 (register online)
In-person: 20267 580^th Ave, Milford TWSP

Join us in early June to walk in a local prairie on the Mike and Linda Meetz property located northeast of Ames in Story County. You will learn about Iowa’s Tall Grass Prairie Ecosystem and what is involved in a Prairie Reconstruction project. This is a follow-up to the Iowa’s Prairie Habitats; Remnants, Renovations, and Reconstruction course recently offered this spring. (Participation in the spring course is not required to attend the Prairie Walk.)

You will want to take precautions to protection yourself from the sun, dress for the weather, and include drinking water as a part of your kit. Mosquitos, chiggers, and ticks are present in the prairie. Long pants, sturdy shoes, and repellents containing “deet” are recommended. Shorts, flip-flops, sandals, and open-toed shoes are not recommended.

Mike Meetz retired after 35 years from the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. An amateur naturalist, Mike volunteers for numerous outdoor organizations, including the National Park Service, Iowa DNR, and Story County Conservation Board. In 1992, Mike and his wife Linda, reconstructed a 38-acre prairie, originally a tall grass prairie, that was converted for agricultural uses in the 1890s and row crop farmed for the next 100 years. They have received numerous conservation awards including the Lawrence and Eula Hagie Heritage Award presented by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in recognition of their efforts.

Course Term Changes to Come

In her letter above, Heather Bristow references several changes that have happened recently, including the shift to six-week course terms. After piloting this model, staff and the curriculum team have determined this was not a great fit for the OLLI at Iowa State program.

Looking ahead to the 2026–2027 fiscal year, we will return to eight-week terms, with two classes offered per day, Monday through Thursday. This structure allows us to maintain the same number of class periods across the year while also preserving valuable office time for staff to support daily operations and program quality.

The updated schedule will include a fall term (September–October), winter term (January–February), and spring term (May–June). We recognize that the spring term will now extend beyond the traditional academic year. While this is a shift, it also provides new opportunities to better balance workloads for both volunteers and staff, it will also allow us to stay engaged with OLLI members more consistently throughout the year.

We are excited about the flexibility and sustainability this updated structure offers and look forward to continuing to enhance the OLLI experience for our community.

New Feedback Process

Another exciting update for 2026–2027 is the introduction of a new, year-round Feedback Form on our website. This form will replace the traditional course evaluation process while still giving you the option to share input on specific courses if you choose.

In addition to course evaluations, the new form creates more opportunities for you to share feedback at any time throughout the year. We welcome a wide range of ideas and input, including:

• Social engagement ideas
• Event suggestions
• Course topics and/or instructor recommendations
• General comments of support
• Concerns you feel should be addressed
• Suggested improvements

This list is just a starting point—there are no limits on the types of feedback you can share. We truly value hearing from our OLLI members and are committed to building a lifelong learning community that reflects your interests and needs.

Your feedback plays an essential role in helping us grow, improve, and continue creating meaningful experiences for everyone involved.

Sneak Peek for Fall

Here is your first peek at the Fall 2026 course lineup for OLLI at Iowa State! As mentioned previously in this newsletter, we’re excited to introduce a new course format this term which consists of two classes per day, four days a week, over an eight-week term.

While the number of courses below may appear smaller at first glance, this is due to an increase in multi-week offerings—more than we typically feature. These extended courses provide a deeper and more enriching learning experience for our members.

Considering the new two-class per day format for OLLI classes, we were able to secure a full schedule for this fall. That’s right—we’re completely filled across all time slots! This is a testament to the strength of the course offerings and the dedication of the curriculum team in thoughtfully building a full schedule.

We’re looking forward to a dynamic and engaging fall term and can’t wait for you to join us! Be sure to check the Course Information page of our website for more information as it becomes available.

Mark Your Calendars!

First Friday Coffee in June

June 5, 2026
9 a.m. CT
In-person: Beran Room, Sixty Forward (205 S. Walnut Ave., Ames)
Online with Zoom

No First Friday Coffee in July

We will be closed on July 3, and there will be no July First Friday Coffee.

30th Annual Senior Variety Show, “Starstruck: Stage and Screen”

August 14 and 15, 2026
Ames City Auditorium, 520 6^th St.

Please read the following note from our friends on the Senior Variety Show Committee.

The planning of the 30th Annual Senior Variety Show is well underway, cast with 29 amazing acts! As it is a milestone year, we are inviting all seniors in the community, aged 60+, to join us in the show opener, “There’s No Business Like Show Business.” If this is something you would like to explore, call Director Phyllis Schrag at 515-337-1713 and come practice with us on Thursday, June 18, 1 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church at 1416 20^th Street (followed by July 16, 23, 30 rehearsals if needed). Nearly 650 senior performers have participated in this show through the years, we would love to add your name on that list as well!

OLLI at Iowa State Advisory Council & Teams 2025-2026

The OLLI at Iowa State Advisory Council includes the executive team and coordinators of the Advisory Teams. OLLI staff and Project Team Coordinators serve in an ex-officio capacity. Feel free to visit with any of these individuals about course ideas, volunteer opportunities, and any additional programming comments.

MISSION

OLLI at Iowa State nurtures a joyful community of lifelong learning for adults of all ages. We offer non-credit educational courses and social experiences that spark curiosity, connection, and personal growth, specially designed for mature learners.

VAULES

Adaptability, Curiosity, Integrity, Knowledge, Passion