ABOUT US |
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A Gathering of OLLI Literati - Kathy Bruin
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Welcome to
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Editorial and Publishing Team
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Vistas & Byways
History and Mission On July 15, 2015, twelve classmates in a summer writing class at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State University met and, inspired by founding member, Mike Lambert, the group of lifelong learners decided to embark on a new adventure to publish an online magazine. Our mission: to shine a light on the amazing literary work written by members of OLLI at SF State. On October 15, 2015 the first issue of Vistas & Byways launched, featuring 43 pieces of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, as well as background and accent photographs of San Francisco Bay Area landscapes taken by members of the V&B staff. The following spring, Vistas & Byways expanded the second edition to include visual arts, adding four exhibits of photographic and fine art to the 50 literary works in the issue. Photographs of Bay Area vistas and byways, this time of waterways and shorelines, provided backgrounds and accents. Vistas & Byways is published semi-annually, in May and November. Our administrative, design, editorial, and technical staff is entirely volunteer. We receive limited material support from OLLI at SF State. With each new issue, the Vistas & Byways staff seeks to improve the quality of both content and our website venue, never losing sight of our original purpose to shine a light on the writing of the talented creative community of OLLI at SF State. We welcome OLLI at SF State members to contribute work and volunteer on the V&B staff. We invite the rest of the world to read our magazine, and then let us know what you like and your ideas for how we might improve. OLLI at SF State
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State University (OLLI at SF State) is part of a national educational program targeted toward mature students, age 50 and older, who want to learn for the joy of learning without exams or grades. In 2001, the Bernard Osher Foundation, based on models of lifelong learning already established at two universities, gave its first grant to the University of Southern Maine to establish a “Senior College” whose name was then changed to “Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.” At present, the Osher Foundation supports 124 lifelong learning programs on university and college campuses across the country, with at least one grantee in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Osher Foundation considers renewal of grants for two or more years to each lifelong learning institute and may provide an endowment gift of no less than one million dollars if the institute is able to demonstrate potential for success and sustainability. OLLI at SF State, founded in 2003, has four paid positions, a program director and three part-time assistants, but is run by volunteers who decide on curriculum and staff committees. Stimulating and provocative six-week courses are offered in five terms throughout the year. They are taught by SF State professors and other experts. At present, some classes are taught online, others in-person and some are a combination of the two, or hybrid. OLLI at SF State welcomes new members. All memberships are valid for one year from your membership start date. Please contact Kathy Bruin, Program Director, at [email protected] with inquiries. |
