Cal Poly Awarded $100,000 Grant for Continuing Education Program

For the third straight year, Cal Poly Continuing Education has been awarded a $100,000 grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation.

The grant will fund operation and expansion of the Cal Poly Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The institute provides a variety of classes and programs to those 50 and over who are retired or semi-retired.

Cal Poly Continuing Education's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is part of the international learning in retirement movement, and offers university-level intellectual opportunities to San Luis Obispo County's senior population.

"The Osher Learning Community is part of our commitment to offer more learning opportunities to the area's growing population of retired and semi-retired men and women. This grant enables us to provide exceptional university-level programs," explained Cal Poly Continuing Education Dean Dennis "Skip" Parks.

The Osher Foundation grants partially fund the institute. Cal Poly Osher Learning Institute participants pay a small membership fee to cover other program costs. Institute programs and classes are taught by Osher members with special expertise and experience and retired and current university faculty and staff. Programs are offered on campus and in various locations in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute has scheduled an extensive variety of programs for those 50 and over during fall quarter, including short courses, discussion and book groups, study circles, leadership development, lecture series, special events, and travel study. For details call (805) 756-2053 or e-mail osher@calpoly.edu.

About the Bernard Osher Foundation
California businessman Bernard Osher created the Bernard Osher Foundation of San Francisco in 1977. It focuses on education and healthcare. The Foundation collaborates with university programs nationwide to offer intellectually stimulating learning in retirement programs. In the year 2000 alone, the Osher Foundation made gifts of $5 million to education.

Media Contact: Jeanene Robinson, (805) 756- 7136, jlrobins@calpoly.edu