News

Various OLLI at UK members from both Lexington and Morehead campuses at activities throughout the 2024-2025, including lectures, Forums at the Lexington Senior Center, cooking classes, playhouse trips, and more.

Fall 2025 Open Houses - Lexington & Morehead

Both free & open to the public!

Jul 16, 2025

We will be kicking off the new OLLI at UK Membership year with Fall 2025, with over 80 different courses educational and enrichment courses for our wonderful lifelong learning community, and what better way to start than with some free Open Houses in both Lexington and Morehead! See below for details on both events: Fall 2025 Lexington Open House Friday, August 1, 1 - 2:30 p.m. Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Rd, Lexington, KY 40517 Free! No RSVP required

Lexington's 250th Anniversary: The Founding of Lexington (1775 - 2025) June 9, 2025 | 1 - 2:30 PM | Free to Attend | Farish Theater, 140 E Main St, Lexington KY | Background displays Fort Lexington in the late 1700s on one side, and a photo of Lexington, Kentucky's downtown skyline on the other side.

Free Event! Monday, June, 9: Lexington's 250th Anniversary: The Founding of Lexington

May 23, 2025

Lexington's 250th Anniversary: The Founding of Lexington (1775 - 2025) Monday, June 9, 2025 | 1 - 2:30 PM | Free, No Registration Required | Limit: 128 Celebrate the Founding of Lexington at this Historical Event! For the 250th anniversary of Lexington’s founding, we will discuss the actual founding and naming of Lexington in 1775 and the subsequent settlement of Lexington four years later. Our city was named after the first battle of the American Revolution and Lexingtonians were involved in the last conflicts of the war.

OLLI Chorus Concert - This Saturday!

Apr 28, 2025

The OLLI Spring Chorus concert is this Saturday, May 3, 2 PM at Frederick Douglass High School auditorium. Early American folk songs, traditional spiritual tunes, and even a piece by Robert Frost will all be featured. The Hot Cookies ukulele ensemble will also make an appearance, performing a few wonderful tunes for us. We sure hope to see you there! Free & Open to the Public, no registration required!

Dr. John Huang gives a presentation to participants of the Fall 2024 Donovan Forum Series in September 2024, at the Lexington Senior Center.

Spring 2025 Donovan Forum Series

Feb 4, 2025

Our long running Donovan Forum series returns with an exciting lineup of community lectures for this Spring. Since 1970, the Donovan Forum Series has offered educational and entertaining presentations on Thursdays every Fall and Spring. These forums are free and open to the public, although registration prior to each forum is required.

An early Donovan Scholar painting a portrait of a girl in a painting course. The Donovan Scholarship pays tuition and mandatory course fees for adults who are 65 years and older, taking academic courses at UK. Photo courtesy of UK Office for Lifelong Learning.

UKNow Feature: UK Office of Lifelong Learning celebrates 60 years

Nov 13, 2024

Read our latest feature in UKNow, commemorating 60 years of lifelong learning at the University of Kentucky. "One of the first programs of its kind in the country, it was not long before the Donovan Program gained national attention. While most of the early Donovan Scholars were from the Lexington area, the national publicity resulted in inquiries from every state and many foreign countries." Read the full article here!

Early Donovan Scholars participate in radio drama readings. Students performed pieces including A Christmas Carol, The Ghost of Benjamin Street and original manuscripts. Photo: UK Donovan Scholarship program

Donovan Scholars Program Featured on Kentucky Living!

Aug 12, 2024

Ahead of our 60th anniversary of lifelong learning at the University of Kentucky, the Donovan Scholars program has been featured on Kentucky Living's website. "Age is an asset for UK’s Donovan Scholars" highlights not only the history of the program, but also some of our current scholars and the various fields they are currently exploring, such as Brewing Science and Music Composition. Thanks for featuring us, Kentucky Living! Read the full article here!

Fall 2024 Open Houses in Lexington & Morehead

We're kicking off our Fall semesters in both Lexington & Morehead beginning this week!

Jul 31, 2024

We're getting geared up for a big Fall semester, and what better way to kick things off with 2 open house opportunities! On Thursday, August 1, we'll start things off with the Lexington OLLI at UK Open House, which will be hosted at the Central Bank Field Club at Kroger Field. For Morehead members, we'll host the Morehead OLLI at UK Open House on August 14 at Morehead United Methodist Church.

Pictured left: Jim Adams in coal mining gear, Pictured right: Jim Adams in University of Kentucky Graduate cap & gown

Donovan Scholar Jim Adams Feature in UK Now "From the coal mines to the classroom: Donovan Scholar’s dream of college degree comes true"

Apr 30, 2024

"Jim Adams loved his nearly 40-year career as a coal miner, following in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great grandfather before him. He never regretted his decision to go into mining despite his lifelong dream of attaining a college education." Read the full story from UKNow here!

OLLI instructor Jack Furlong facilitating a shared interest group for OLLI students in a Transylvania University classroom.

Feature on Transylvania University Blog OLLI at UK Feature on Transylvania University Blog Jack Furlong's "Conscious Creatures" SIG was featured on the Transylvania University's blog!

Feb 16, 2024

Our "Conscious Creatures" SIG was featured in an article from Transylvania University! Facilitated by OLLI at UK instructor and Transylvania alum, Jack Furlong, "Conscious Creatures Everywhere?" is a discussion group going over Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ed Yong's book, "An Immense World".

OLLI Director, Joey Conrad, and OLLI Advisory Board Members, Kempa Turner and Princess Nelson, in front of the Gatton Student Center on the University of Kentucky's campus

Feature on LEX 18

Nov 28, 2023

"There are lectures, concerts, social events, history and art classes, even lessons on how to get the most out of your smartphone." Check out our latest feature on LEX 18 here.