Redevelopment of Norris University Center’s East Lawn to begin this summer
April 5, 2024
CHICAGO --- The Bernard Osher Foundation announced that Northwestern University will be the new headquarters for the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes.
The Center was previously at the University of Southern Maine. The move is effective Oct. 1 and will be funded through a multi-million dollar gift from The Bernard Osher Foundation to Northwestern University.
There are 119 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at academic institutions across the country. They provide a distinctive array of non-credit courses and activities specifically developed for seasoned adults aged 50 or older who are interested in learning for the joy of learning.
“Northwestern has a strong relationship with the Osher Foundation, and we are excited to host the new National Resource Center here and to help grow and support the vibrant Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the country,” said Morton Schapiro, President and Professor at Northwestern University.
The National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes will be based out of Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies, on the Chicago campus.
The National Resource Center is the "connective tissue" between all of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes and helps the institutes network and share educational programming, best practices, opinions, solutions and experiences. The Center also organizes the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes national conference every 18 months.
“We are confident that Northwestern University will be able to take the National Resource Center, so skillfully launched by the University of Southern Maine, to ever greater heights of educational leadership and service to the Osher Institute network,” said Mary Bitterman, President of The Bernard Osher Foundation.
Northwestern’s current partnerships with the Osher Foundation include the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Osher Reentry Scholarships and the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine.
The gift from the The Bernard Osher Foundation is part of We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern, a $3.75 billion University-wide fundraising initiative. More information on We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern is available at wewill.northwestern.edu.
