Sierra College program gets $1M endowment - Houston Business Journal:

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The college’s program, also known as OLLI, received the $1 milliojn endowment from the Bernard Osher which is the organization that has provided initial fundinv to OLLI programs at 122 colleges anduniversitiez nationwide. Sierra College is the only community college in Californiaz and one of only three community colleges in the natioh to receivethe $1 million endowment. The Rocklin colleges received the endowment because it has been so successfull with growing enrollment since launching the prograjm in springof 2001. Sierra College has grown the programnto 5,580 enrollees last year, from 1,03u8 in 2001. Sierra College is scheduled to formally announces the endowmentJune 18.
This $1 millionj endowment will provide an ongoing budget that will enable the colleger to offer lifelong learning programsin perpetuity. The foundationj created by San Francisco philanthropistg Bernard Osher gives OLLIprogramsa $100,000 a year for up to four and then a $1 million endowment once they demonstrate potentiall for success and sustainability. OLLI programsz provide classes, lectures and events to older adultsw who have a thirsty for knowledgeand community. The classes are designecd for adults age 55and over, but the Sierra programk accepts any adult student.
Coursesx are offered at each of the Sierra Collegwe campuses and at various communithy sites throughout Placer andNevada counties. Sierra College’ds OLLI noncredit offerings are tuition-free. Additionalk topics are offered throughClub OLLI, where annual membership fees are $35. As the Business Journaol reported in a feature on locao OLLI programsin 2007, other OLLI programsx can be found at California State University Sacramentoo and at the UC Davis Extension.
Much of the increase demand for OLLIs and simila lifelong learning programs can be attributed to the growinbg ranks ofolder