Lunch & Learn Lectures
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

If you're 50 or better you are invited!

Osher lunch and learn eventsLunch and Learn lectures are wonderful opportunities to experience a sampling of the Osher program firsthand. All six lectures will be held via Zoom Webinar. We will be broadcasting the lectures at 540 Arapeen Drive from 12 PM until 1 PM, for those who would like the option to gather in person to watch the Zoom Event. Grab your brown bag lunch, invite a friend, and join us for these informative, interesting, free lectures!  

In Salt Lake City We will be broadcasting the lecture at 540 Arapeen Drive from 12 PM until 1 PM, for those who would like the option to gather in person to watch the Zoom Event.

For our St. George Learners We will be broadcasting the lecture at the St. George Graduate Center in Room 101 from 12 PM until 1 PM. The Graduate Center is located at 1071 E 100 S, St. George, UT

Register Now!

Did you miss a lecture or hope to watch one again? View our archives.

Spring 2024 Lunch and Learn Lecture Series

Avoiding Scams and Fraud
March 27, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Alan Ormsby, Director, AARP, Utah

Avoiding scams and fraud is harder than ever as the bad guys get more sophisticated. AARP has great resources to help you spot and avoid fraud. Alan Ormsby leads AARP Utah with a strong background in advocacy for Utah's older adults and people with disabilities. His education is in law, with a focus on health care law, long-term care, home and community-based services, HIPAA, Medicare and Medicaid. Prior to joining AARP in 2011, Alan served as the Director of the Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) leading Utah’s efforts to provide the best possible services for people with disabilities. Before serving as the DSPD Director, Alan was the Director of Aging and Adult Services at the State of Utah, and in this role was responsible for statewide home- and community-based services for Utahns 60 and over. In addition, he worked with the local Area Agencies on Aging, and was instrumental in drafting legislation to initiate Utah's Commission on Aging of which he is currently a member.


Southern Utah's 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre and Its Aftermath
April 3, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Barbara Jones Brown , Director, Signature Books Publishing

On September 11, 1857, a group of Mormon militiamen in southwest Utah coaxed a group of California-bound emigrants from the bulwark of their encircled wagons and then massacred them. The slaughter left the bodies of more than a hundred men, women, and children strewn across a highland valley called the Mountain Meadows. This presentation will elucidate the historical factors that led to the horrific crime as well as how healing and reconciliation can be achieved after such atrocities. Barbara Jones Brown was previously the executive director of the Mormon History Association, historical director of Better Days 2020, and content editor of Massacre at Mountain Meadows (2008).


Securing the Games: Ensuring the Safety, Security and Spirit of the Games for All
April 10, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By David Schwendiman, Adjunct Professor, SJ Quinney College of Law

Having worked for FBI security during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, David Schwendiman will discuss the challenges a major event like the Olympic Games pose for host cities. Drawing from his experience helping to plan for and execute security preparations for the 2000, 2002, and 2004 Olympic and Olympic Winter Games, he will present a candid but hopeful examination of the costs and the concerns involved in making the upcoming Games in Salt Lake City safe. He will also take into account the challenges of a second iteration of the Games that were not faced in 2002.


How to Decrease Your Risk for Alzheimer's Disease/Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body
April 17, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Debbie Hall, Director, Neighborhood House Adult Day Program

Debbie Hall will discuss the services provided at Neighborhood House for people who have a loved one who needs assisted care during the day. She will also feature a presentation specific to the Alzheimer's Association and outline steps seniors can take to decrease our risk through healthy living for our brain and body. Debbie has a passion for working with seniors and other underserved and marginalized populations.


Serving Both Ends of the Leash
April 24, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Kristina Pulsipher, Co-Executive Director, Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering

Ruff Haven’s mission is to provide a temporary safe haven for companion animals to keep pets and their people together in times of crisis, and to decrease the number of animals entering the shelter system. Ruff Haven helps with emergencies that include domestic violence, hospitalization, medical treatment, eviction, and natural disasters. Ruff Haven is the only organization in Utah that provides this service in the State. Because Ruff Haven’s focus is on pet retention, the organization offers many programs that differ from a traditional animal shelter or rescue. Kristina Pulsipher and three friends founded Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering in 2020 after seeing the need for a temporary shelter for the pets of people who were experiencing a crisis. In 2022, Ruff Haven was instrumental in passing HB175, which allows pets to be included in protective orders. Protecting all family members, which include pets, Ruff Haven is able to serve “both ends of the leash.”


Happy 20th Anniversary to Osher: Yesterday, Today, and Into Our Future
May 1, 2024, 12:00-1:00 pm
By Jill E. Meyer, Director; Fred Esplin, Instructor; and Sandy Clark, Volunteer; Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Thanks to the inspired ideas of Bernard and Barbro Osher, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah is celebrating 20 years since its founding. We received our first starter grant from the Bernard Osher Foundation in March 2004. Fred Esplin was Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the U and his friendship with Osher Foundation President Mary Bitterman helped launch our Institute. In fall 2004, our very first catalog was only 13 pages. We had 49 members, 14 instructors, and 12 classes. By contrast, in fall 2023, we had over 1,500 members, 70 instructors, and 80 classes. Join us for a trip down memory lane as we discuss how this wonderful program began and help brainstorm what our future may hold in another 20 years!


Bernard Osher set up the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute to be member-led and volunteer-driven. We would appreciate any suggestions for future topics of interest to you for Lunch and Learn Lectures. We especially appreciate recommendations of speakers who could present topics for us in future terms. Thank you for your participation and support!

osher catalog