Our Members

UT OLLI FORUM is a community of active, engaged adults who are enthusiastic about the pursuit of life-long learning. UT OLLI members join FORUM to explore fresh insights, stay current on important topics, and meet new, exciting people. The varied backgrounds and life experiences that our members bring from their professions, travel, volunteer work and communities enrich our program offerings, discussions, and friendships. 

Curriculum

UT OLLI FORUM offers three six-week sessions each year that meet on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. ‒ 2:10 p.m. CT from September to May. Our seminars and lectures are planned by FORUM volunteers with the support of UT OLLI program staff.

Seminars explore one topic in depth for six weeks, and lectures cover a different subject each week. The Seminar and Lecture Committees offer six seminars and six lectures, respectively, for each session drawn from member interests. During registration, members sign up for in-depth seminars and standalone lectures on an array of subjects such as history, religion, health, science, and public affairs. On-campus seminars and lectures are held at the Thompson Conference Center (TCC) located at the corner of Red River and Dean Keeton. A parking permit is included with membership to park in Lot 40 next to TCC. 

Friday Seminar and Lecture Schedule

• Seminar
  • 9:30 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
  • 11:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
• Lecture
  • 1:00 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.

Livestreamed Schedule

• Friday's 1:00 p.m. lectures are hybrid in which UT OLLI FORUM members can attend in-person or remotely.
• Attend online-exclusive classes offered on Thursdays from 11:00 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. and from 1:00 p.m. – 2:10 p. m.
• Remotely attend a class on Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

(Livestreamed classes are recorded and will be available in the video library for the duration of a program year.)

Forum's planned Seminars for the Winter 2026 session include:

• News Media: The Rise and Fall of Accuracy, Objectivity and Trust
• The History of Mystery: From Poe to the Present
• America’s Story: Things We Missed in High School American History
• Artificial Intelligence: Should we be Afraid? Excited? Cautious?

Forum’s planned Lectures for the Winter 2026 session include:

• Age of Central Texas
• Camp Mabry: Its history and purpose
• Journalism and Obituaries
• Fault Lines of the Constitution
• Who Owns the Moon? And other Conundrums of Exploring Space
• Global Energy Trends and Transitions

For more information, please check out UT OLLI FORUM's Course Catalog.

More Than Just a Classroom Experience

Classroom learning is complemented by various Events and Special Interest Groups. Many of these events are designed to supplement seminars and lectures with the aim of providing an energetic social context for enhanced learning.

Events

Members gather at a variety of social activities throughout the year. Tours, field trips, and shows are open to all for a nominal cost. Planned events for the Winter 2026 session are:

• Reduced tickets to Murder at the Orient Express at the Zach*
• I Dissent Concert performance at the Butler School of Music
• Tour of the camp Mabry Museum*
• Vista Supercomputer tour and talk*
• Art after Forum – Islamic art mosaic workshop
• Downwind a UT student-written new Opera
• Tour of the Modern Americanism Collection of Herbert Butt Collection at the Blanton Art Museum
• Lunar New Year visit to the Buddhist Temple for tea ceremony/temple tour/lunch.
• Tour of the Wittliff collection at Texas State University featuring sculptures/murals
• Tour of Lives and Literacy in Ancient Egypt at the Harry Ransom Center
• Pacific War Museum tour

*Content-related seminars/lectures.

Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

A variety of Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are available to members and include conversational Spanish, mahjongg, pickleball, book clubs, and UT online yoga.

Additional Information

UT OLLI FORUM membership fees are paid annually and include all costs and assessments except for optional excursions and social functions.