Registration Open for OLLI at Ringling College Spring Semester, March 16-May 8, 2026

Registration is open for the spring 2026 semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs March 16-May 8, 2026, features more than 50 classes, events, and programs covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Semester highlights include A Brief History of the Civil Rights Movement in Sarasota with Judge Charles E. Williams; The Other Italy: A Journey Through Italy’s Hidden Treasures with Robert Gaglio; Jazz Appreciation; The Role of Islam in a Divided America; Pollinator Paradise: Designing Gardens That Attract Butterflies;Financial Wellness: Foundations, Life Transitions, and Fraud Prevention; and Current Controversies Before the Court. OLLI at Ringling College is located in the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. To register, or for information about becoming an OLLI member, visit OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.

Highlights of the spring 2026 semester include:

Pollinator Paradise: Designing Gardens That Attract Butterflies – Learn how to transform your yard into a vibrant haven for butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. This class covers the best plants, simple design tips, and easy ways to create a colorful, low-maintenance garden that supports wildlife year-round. Monday, March 16, 10-11:20 am

Jazz Appreciation – This course looks at the history of jazz music, its evolution, who practiced the art, and the audience that appreciated it from its inception to the present day. Students will listen to the music and artists who led to its mainstream adoption. Mondays, March 16-April 20, 2-3:20 pm

The Other Italy: A Journey Through Italy’s Hidden Treasures with Robert Gaglio – Since meeting his family in Sicily in 2012, Gaglio has set out to explore the Italy few travelers ever see. Join Gaglio as he takes you off the beaten path, from the soaring peaks of the Dolomites and the Marmolada Glacier in Trentino-Alto Adige, to the rich culinary traditions of Le Marche, to wandering among ancient wonders in Sicily. Tuesday, March 17, 2-3:30 pm

Financial Wellness: Foundations, Life Transitions, and Fraud Prevention – This three-part seminar series provides a practical refresher on essential financial topics including key investing principles and market trends, financial preparedness for women and caregivers, and tips on how to recognize and avoid common financial scams. Tuesdays, March 17, March 31 and April 7, 11 am-12:20 pm

Science Wednesdays – Science Wednesdays is a series of lectures dealing with a broad range of sciences, including physics, biology, health, and medicine, including: AI in Medical Research, Environmental Conditions and Challenges of Sarasota Bay and its Urbanized Watershed, Exciting Destinations in the Milky Way Galaxy for Adventure Travelers, and How SpaceX Has Changed Commercial Space. Wednesdays, March 18-April 8, 2-3:20 pm

Current Controversies Before the Court – This course examines some of the major constitutional issues currently confronting the courts. Each week will focus on a different topic, including the Second Amendment and the right to bear arms, abortion and the right to choose, immigration and birthright citizenship and the 14th Amendment, impeachment, and the First Amendment’s protections of free speech and a free press. Wednesdays, March 18-April 22, 12-1:20 pm

How to Successfully Self-Publish Your Book – The publishing landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade or so. Self-publishing is no longer frowned upon. Anyone can self-publish books and get distribution online and in stores. The challenge is understanding that your book must look professional, which means assembling a team to help with editing, cover design, interior design, uploading files, and promotion and publicity, including choosing the right categories for Amazon and using social media to spread the word about your book. Fridays, March 20-April 3, 10-11:20 am

The Role of Islam in a Divided America – This course will present the truth about Islam from an Islamic perspective and explore the deep reasons behind the fear of Islam by many Westerners. The course will hopefully stimulate a productive and respectful dialogue about the role of the three Abrahamic religions in a time of political upheaval and conflict. Thursdays, March 26-April 9, 2-3:20 pm

Use Your Brain for a Change – Science is telling us daily about the mind-blowing power of the brain. But science is not telling us how to apply that knowledge so we can actually enhance the quality of our lives. By combining the latest information in the fields of neuro-plasticity, epigenetics, and psycho-neuro-immunology into easy-to-understand information, you will be armed with the knowledge and practical action steps you need to make your desired changes. Thursdays, April 16-30, 11 am-1 pm

A Brief History of the Civil Rights Movement in Sarasota with Judge Charles E. Williams – Although not as well-known historically as other cities and towns during the modern Civil Rights Movement, Sarasota had its own version of what occurred in Selma, Birmingham, and other iconic civil rights battlegrounds. Taken in the context of the three landmark civil rights cases that defined citizenship for African-Americans in this country, Plessy v. Ferguson, Dred Scott, and Brown v. Board of Education, this session will examine the impact these cases had on the African-American people who lived in Sarasota County during these turbulent times and its continuing impact today. Friday, April 24, 2-3:30 pm

A History of Silver with Andrew Ford –This class willprovide a historic overview of when the world’s thirstfor silver bullion grew to epidemic proportions from thelate 16th century to the latest fashion amongst today’smaster silversmiths. Learn about silver hallmarks and how to distinguish between early masterpieces and laterreproductions. This session will also feature acollection of over 100 objects ranging over six centuries of sterling silver accoutrements from Andrew’s personalsilver collection. Thursday, May 7, 2-3:30 pm

Special presentations offered by OLLI at Ringling College this spring semester include The Power of Perfume: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Creation with Sue Phillips, March 18-April 8, 2-3:20 pm; and Only Hope: My Mother and the Holocaust Brought to Light (on Zoom) with Irv Lubliner, April 13, 2-3:30 pm. Admission costs vary.

To register, or for more information about becoming an OLLI member, visit OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.