OLLI

In the past, I've had the pleasure to lecture on topics of my choosing at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI).  OLLI is a organization that provides educational and developmental opportunities to retirement-aged people. They're a nationwide gang, but most members regularly attend a local set.  The Fairfax click meets just off the George Mason University campus.  Not surprisingly, this group is well educated and well traveled. 

When I was working on my Master's, OLLI allowed us to have a presentation series where each week a different student would share his or her philosophical knowledge.  I presented three times over two series, because I had to fill in for a student who couldn't make her date.  My past presentations were on the topics of Cultural Obligation vs. Assimilation, Mountaintop Removal Mining, and  The Affordable Care Act.

Wanting to rekindle old connections, I reached out to one of the Program Associates at OLLI to discuss the possibility of my presenting there in the near future.  I was thrilled to get a prompt response welcoming a return on my part, and directions on submitting for upcoming schedules.  They still have openings for the Spring, and Summer 2016 is wide open.

The topic in the forefront of my mind is youth development.  I don't mean the standard child-rearing or pedagogical approaches.  My thoughts are closer to an almost Aristotelian idea of character/ virtue development through career shifting with age.  The details are still in the embryonic stage, but the core has to do with "youth careers" forging the necessary characteristic(s) for "advanced careers".  For example, a young person serving in the military as a youth career before having an advanced career as a educator.  Similarly, someone working as a firefighter before becoming an entrepreneur. Some jobs are simply easier with a youthful body.  Likewise, other jobs require life experience.  I desire to look into a new American way of doing this.

I'll keep you up to date on the planning of the lecture, as well as the time and place.

Please, let me know your thoughts or ideas on the topic.

Best,

Chris

P.S. I was in no mood for proofreading.  So, deal with it.