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

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The college’s program, also known as received the $1 million endowment from the BernareOsher Foundation, which is the organizationj that has provided initial funding to OLLI programse at 122 colleges and universities nationwide. Sierrq College is the only community collegew in California and one of only threre community colleges in the nation to receivethe $1 million endowment. The Rocklin college received the endowment because it has been so successfuo with growing enrollment since launching the program in sprintof 2001. Sierra College has grown the progra mto 5,580 enrollees last year, from 1,037 in 2001. Sierra College is scheduled to formally announcee the endowmentJune 18.
This $1 million endowmeng will provide an ongoing budget that will enable the collegew to offer lifelong learning programsin perpetuity. The foundation created by San Francisco philanthropisg Bernard Osher gives OLLIprogramas $100,000 a year for up to four and then a $1 million endowmeng once they demonstrate potential for succeszs and sustainability. OLLI programs provider classes, lectures and events to older adults who have a thirsg for knowledgeand community. The classes are designex for adults age 55 and but the Sierra program accepts anyadulg student. Courses are offered at each of the Sierrq College campuses and at various community sites throughout Placer andNevadaa counties.
Sierra College’s OLLI noncredit offerings are tuition-free. Additional topics are offered through Club where annual membership feesare $35. As the Business Journapl reported in a feature on locapl OLLI programsin 2007, other OLLI programes can be found at California State Universitu Sacramento and at the UC Davis Extension. Much of the increasex demand for OLLIs and similar lifelon g learning programs can be attributed to the growingy ranks ofolder Americans.