Volunteer for Osher
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

Osher creates a stimulating environment of meaningful educational, social, recreational, and cultural experiences designed specifically for adults ages 50 and better.

We are a community seeking enriching intellectual connections, community interaction, collaborative contribution, and volunteer leadership opportunities to deepen our sense of purpose, connectedness, and well-being.

Simply put, we create opportunities to experience the joy of continuous learning and sharing personal growth together as a community.

As our founders, Bernard and Barbro Osher, wisely set forth for all 124 Osher Institutes, volunteers are essential to fulfilling our mission. Whether it’s a class, lecture, social gathering, special event, or shared interest group (SIG), each program is the result of volunteers working together to plan and deliver meaningful experiences. Our volunteers work closely with Osher staff, who provide support with logistics, communications, marketing, and operations.

• Joy of Lifelong Learning & Curiosity
• Appreciation of Wisdom & Life Experience
• Sharing Knowledge & Meaningful Interactions
• Cultivating Individual Contributions
• Member-Driven Opportunities to Create Community
• Respect for Each Other & the Legacy of Bernard and Barbro Osher
• Intellectual Rigor & Campus Connections at the U

Our vision is to engage, connect, and nurture a synergistic community of seasoned adults who care about continued learning.

Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Osher community. Their unwavering dedication, tireless efforts, and infectious enthusiasm are the driving forces behind our classes, special events, and diverse offerings. Without the invaluable contributions of our volunteers, we simply wouldn't be able to provide the enriching experiences that our community cherishes.

Join us in making a difference and become a vital part of our mission. Your involvement will not only benefit others but will also bring you a sense of fulfillment and joy.

Volunteering with Osher offers a meaningful way to connect with others, build friendships, and enjoy shared experiences. It’s a wonderful opportunity to ease into retirement by applying the knowledge, skills, and life experience you’ve gained over a career and a lifetime in new and fulfilling ways.

As a volunteer, you may find yourself learning about new topics while helping design special events or supporting instructors or classes. You can bring your creativity and insight into the development of innovative programs and events. Most importantly, your contributions help sustain the vitality of Osher and support the needs of older adults in our community.

Volunteering can bring a deep sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, and belonging.

At Osher, we want every volunteer to feel welcomed, supported, and appreciated from the start.

• Staff and committee leaders provide training and support to help new volunteers understand their roles and responsibilities.
• Each committee offers written material outlining how it functions, when and where it meets, and what is expected of its members.
• New volunteers may be paired with a peer mentor to offer guidance and help them feel at home.
• Osher staff host Behind-The-Scenes classes to educate and welcome new members and new volunteers, while fostering community connections.
• We proudly recognize the contributions of our volunteers in a variety of ways, including highlighting them and their contributions at the annual member luncheon in December.
• Plus, by working closely with Osher staff, volunteers are privy to inside information as part of their service and are the first to know about upcoming classes and events each term!

At Osher, volunteers and staff collaborate closely to bring high-quality programs and experiences to our members.

• Coordinate logistics for all classes, including scheduling classrooms, hiring instructors, managing technology and databases, and producing marketing materials.
• Participate in Curriculum, Special Events, and other committees alongside volunteers.
• Communicate with members about their registrations, send Zoom links, and assist with technical or procedural questions.
• Provide financial oversight and budgeting support.
• Promote Osher to the broader community and potential partners.
• Ensure that Osher’s policies and procedures align with the standards of the Osher Foundation and the University of Utah.
• Assist in recruiting speakers, instructors, and facilitators.

Together, volunteers and staff form a dynamic team that makes lifelong learning possible. Each person involved brings their own interests, personal passions, community network, life experience, and unique perspective to enhance the program and make it more vital for everyone!

As a member or volunteer with Osher, you are part of a respectful and inclusive learning community. We ask that all participants:

• Treat differing viewpoints with courtesy and respect, supporting civil dialogue at all times. While disagreements may arise, behavior must remain constructive and never disrespectful or hostile.
• Refrain from using Osher classes or activities to promote personal products, services, or to build client lists.
• Avoid using Osher programs to advocate for political candidates or positions. Osher does not support or oppose any political party, candidate, or issue.

Volunteers are encouraged to help expand Osher’s reach and programming by engaging with individuals and organizations outside the membership. To ensure consistency and clarity:

• Volunteers may contact and recruit external individuals or groups to support Osher programming, in collaboration with their committees and with logistical coordination through Osher staff.
• Casual conversations about Osher with friends and acquaintances are welcomed and appreciated, though these are considered informal and non-binding.
• Osher staff serve as the primary contacts for official communications with University of Utah departments, including legal, financial, and IT services.
• Only Osher staff are authorized to negotiate contracts or communicate on behalf of Osher with the media, the Osher National Resource Center, or other formal entities.

We’re always looking for new ways to engage our members. Here are a few areas where we hope to grow in the coming terms and years:

• Developing Other Sources of Funding – Help identify and implement fundraising strategies to support Osher’s long-term sustainability. Help steward and appreciate our existing generous donors.
• Membership Growth and Outreach – Assist in spreading the word about Osher and welcoming new members into our community.
• Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) – Organize informal, member-led groups that meet outside of class time for shared interests and social connection. SIGs operate outside of any staff support or reservations for limited classroom space.

You joined Osher and paid your membership dues for a year of fun. Now what? This single-session free class will welcome new members, provide a "meet and greet" opportunity to socialize a bit with others new to Osher, and show you the ropes of how to get involved. We will cover the material in our Member Handbook, letting you know how you can get the most out of your membership benefits...everything from where to get your U of U student ID card, to where to use it for discounts, to the many campus amenities available to Continuing Education students. Our program becomes stronger with each new member!

Did you ever wonder about how the Osher program operates behind the scenes? This single-session free class will introduce you to the magic of how Osher staff and volunteers recruit instructors, organize classes, and create four fascinating six-week terms each year. We will outline duties performed by the esteemed Osher Curriculum Committee. Our founder, Bernard Osher, intended his Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes to be member-driven and volunteer-led within a community of peers, ages 50 and better. Every single member, instructor, and volunteer brings their wealth of life experiences and knowledge to the classroom, building a very special community of curious adults who value education and class discussions highly. Come learn how it's done, share your ideas, and maybe even think about teaching a course yourself for your fellow Osher members.

Do you love attending Osher Special Events each term? Are you curious about how we select and organize our many varied fun events and who is responsible for planning them? This single-session free class will give you a behind-the-scenes tour of how Osher staff and volunteers run this very special and unique aspect of our program. Volunteerism is the foundation of Osher and especially of Special Events. We've slowly been gearing up after Covid changed the way events were done in 2020. We're getting back to more in-person meetings at familiar venues and exploring new places too. Come learn how it's done and maybe even plan a new special event yourself for your fellow Osher members or share your ideas for fun places for Osher to visit.

Do you love Osher and want to give back to this wonderful program by serving as a volunteer? We would love to have you! We are currently seeking volunteers to serve as Osher Ambassadors to help greet and direct people at our annual open house at Red Butte Garden in August, annual member luncheon at Little America Hotel in December, and our Spring Fling held on campus in early March. Osher Ambassadors help staff with various tasks at these big events, and host free special events throughout the year—attending as an Osher member who gathers the group at the designated meeting spot, takes roll, and communicates with staff afterwards. During our four terms, Osher Ambassadors can also help instructors by taking roll in classes, reading announcements each week before class begins, directing members to our complimentary coffee and tea service, and showing learners to their classrooms during the "first week of school." This is a low-effort but high-impact and fun way to get involved. You can sign up to help at as many or as few events or classes as your schedule allows. Join us to learn more about this opportunity in a fun, free class session.

Greeters say hello to members, help them find their classes, show them to the Osher Lounge for coffee and tea, and much more during the first week of each term.

• Commitment: minimum of one shift during the first week of a term
• Shifts: 9-9:30 am, 11-11:30 am, 1-1:30 pm, and 3-3:30 pm (the last of which is a lower-attended class time session, so not as needed)

Classroom assistants read announcements from our weekly email newsletters, take roll, and set up name tents in our in-person classes 5 or 10 minutes before class begins.

• Commitment: minimum of one shift in one class for the length of the term (4-6 weeks)
• Shifts: 9:20-11:00 am, 11:20 am – 1:00 pm, 1:20-3:00 pm, and 3:20-5:00 pm

Zoom classroom assistants start Zoom classes, transfer hosting to the instructor, provide basic tech support, read announcements from weekly email newsletters, take roll, and report attendance back to the Osher staff.

• Commitment: minimum of one shift for the length of the term (4-6 weeks)
• Shifts: 9:15-11:00 am, 11:15 am – 1:00 pm, 1:15-3:00 pm, and 3:15-5:00 pm, and occasionally 5:00-6:30 pm
• Requirements: must have a computer, a stable internet connection, and attend a training with Osher staff.

Brochure distributors take our term brochure (and other printed materials) to various locations around Salt Lake City and the county.

• Commitment: variable; typically a few days in March, May, August, and/or December.
• Shifts: variable; typically 1 or 2 hours on 1 or 2 days in March, May, August, and/or December.
• Requirements: must have your own transportation and the ability to drive or go with a driver

Event supporters help with our three big events of the year. There are multiple roles: greeters; member and instructor check-in support; name tag printing, stuffing, and alphabetizing; organizing syllabi at tables with corresponding instructors' map; showing instructors to their tables; setup and cleanup.

• Events: Fall Open House (early August), Member Luncheon (early December), and Spring Fling (early March).
• Commitment: variable depending on the role; typically 3-4 hours the day of the event

Contact the Osher Office at 801-585-5442.

Special Event Hosts attend, greet, and gather the group, take attendance to report back to the Osher team, and ensure all goes well during the event or tour, including that the speaker is loud enough for everyone to hear.

Special Event Planners arrange all the details with a contact person at each venue or location and submit the necessary information (contact name, phone, and email; parking information, exact meeting location, etc.) to Osher via a Google Form. Special Event Planners have the option to host the event or arrange for an alternate host (i.e. find another volunteer to host it in their place).

• You can visit our Google Form and apply to be a Special Event Planner!
• Requirements: submit Google Form at least 4-6 weeks before the event for marketing and promotion
• Timelines: Special Events are usually planned for when classes are not in session, so Osher members can stay connected and enjoy activities between terms.
• Fall Term
• Classes run from mid-September to mid-October
• Proposals: due May 1
• Courses & Special Events Posted for Registration: early August
• Winter Term
• Classes run from mid-January to mid-February
• Proposals: due Oct 1
• Courses & Special Events Posted for Registration in early Dec
• Spring Term
• Classes: Late March to early May
• Proposals: due Dec 1
• Courses & Special Events Posted for Registration in early March
• Summer Term
• Classes: Late May to end of June
• Proposals: due March 1
• Courses & Special Events Posted for Registration in early May

Contact the Osher Office at 801-585-5442 or email us at osher@utah.edu and include "About My Special Events Committee Application" in the subject line.

• Attendance at monthly meetings in the Osher offices and on Zoom
• Email and phone availability between meetings
• Review the course proposal packet for each of the 4 terms
• Continuous outreach, support, and recruitment of instructors
• Review of course survey data to monitor quality

Fall Term

• Classes: mid-September to October
• Proposals: due May 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early August

Winter Term

• Classes: mid-January to mid-February
• Proposals: due Oct 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early Dec

Spring Term

• Classes: Late March to early May
• Proposals: due Dec 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early March

Summer Term

• Classes: Late May to end of June
• Proposals: due March 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early May

Submit course proposal

Be the first to know about upcoming courses, become part of the process of selecting courses and instructors, and help bring new ideas, topics, and outstanding teachers to the community!

Apply to join Osher Curriculum Committee

Contact the Osher Office at 801-585-5442 or email us at osher@utah.edu and include "About Curriculum Committee Application" in the subject line.

• 90 minutes, once a week, usually meeting for 6 weeks (i.e. one class during one term), but shorter and single sessions are also welcome.
• Most classes run for 4-6 weeks (usually not longer than 6 weeks)
• Email and phone availability leading up to and between classes

Fall Term

• Classes: mid-September to October
• Proposals: due May 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early August

Winter Term

• Classes: mid-January to mid-February
• Proposals: due Oct 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early Dec

Spring Term

• Classes: Late March to early May
• Proposals: due Dec 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early March

Summer Term

• Classes: Late May to end of June
• Proposals: due March 1
• Courses Posted & Registration: early May

Submit course proposal

Instructors have the option to audit an Osher class without paying tuition, during the term in which they are teaching (to encourage community building); special fees still apply

Contact the Osher Office at 801-585-5442.

Osher staff are happy to provide contact information for current committee leaders or can ask them to reach out to you directly. You’re also welcome to attend a committee meeting as an observer before deciding whether to get involved.

Many committees offer hybrid or virtual participation options, making it easy to stay involved from wherever you are.

Absolutely. Osher offers one-time, occasional, and project-based volunteer opportunities. See "Opportunities" section for ideas that fit your schedule and interests.

You can join a committee at any time during the year. We welcome new voices and perspectives year-round.

Life happens! If you need to step back from a commitment, just let the committee leader know and provide as much notice as possible.

Yes! Osher welcomes fresh ideas from all members. Simply email your suggestion to our team at Osher@Utah.edu with the subject line “I have an idea.” Include a brief description (50 words or less), your name, and contact information. A staff member will follow up with you within three to five business days.