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Shared Interest Group (SIGs)

SIGs are another way for OLLI@SCU members to continue lifelong learning beyond the classroom. Meeting regularly, SIGS not only provide new and enriching opportunities to form friendships with other members, but they also provide continuity with the OLLI@SCU program over the summer break in the class schedule. A SIG is formed by a nucleus of people with a shared interest in the same subject, and who are willing to participate as active, rather than as passive, learners. Shared Interest Groups are independent and self-directed, with members deciding where and when they will meet and how the group will function.

1. SIGs are one of the benefits of your OLLI@SCU membership. Make sure your membership is up to date.
2. Go to the individual SIG home page to find the contact information for the group's facilitator and ask to be put on the email distribution. It's that simple.

 

SIG Proposal Form

We will announce the proposed SIG to the OLLI membership and in the monthly e-bulletin.  When 5 or more people have expressed an interest in the proposed topic, the OLLI office will put you in touch with one another. Once a SIG has formed we will post an announcement on the program's Home Page with the name and contact information of the Group's facilitator.

  • Come join us for a relaxing chat and breakfast at Bill of Fare Restaurant, 1069 Saratoga Ave, San Jose, CA 95129.  We will meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 8:30 a.m. - 10: 00 a.m.  Everyone is welcome.

  • Would you like to learn a new language? Are you interested in practicing conversational Spanish? OLLI is introducing a new Special Interest Group that will meet starting on February 5, 2024. We will meet every 1st Monday of the month at 3:15 p.m.

  • The Everything is Energy SIG is a monthly discussion focused on leading a happier, more fulfilling life by shifting energy frequency. The goal of this SIG is to explore how to successfully navigate rapid change and global evolution through conscious energy transformation. Participants will be introduced to the concept that, while many believe life simply happens to them, anyone can actively create the life they desire with awareness and practice.

  • The Evolving World 2.0 SIG is focused on understanding the latest technologies, how they may be used, and the potential influence in our daily lives. Each session will explore a single topic such as flying cars, Artificial Intelligence (AI), 3D printing or biotechnology.

  • The Osher Genealogy SIG provides a supportive atmosphere to those wishing to search for family roots and relationships. Our members have all levels of genealogical participation, from those just getting started to seasoned veterans who want to share their knowledge and experience.

  • Happy Hour Conversations will meet in person monthly at various locations for Happy Hour drinks and discussions about any topic of interest. Topics might include current events/world affairs, social trends, sports (especially local teams), movies, music, weekend getaways, and more.

  • The Bridge SIG meets on the third Tuesday of each month on the Santa Clara University campus. The group can accommodate 4 full tables of players for each meeting, first come, first served. Sign-up is required. Up to 16 players can be accommodated. We welcome players with different levels of experience. No partner is necessary.

  • Are you interested in joining other OLLI members to explore the rich history of our own home, Santa Clara County? From the indigenous peoples whose land this was to the Valley of Hearts Delight agricultural heritage to Silicon Valley, there is much to explore and learn about right here.

  • The Mystery Book Club meets once a month, except in December, to discuss mystery books or crime fiction, a genre that fictionalizes crimes, detection, and their motives.

  • The OLLIWOOD Shared Interest Group will meet in person once a month to watch a film selected by the group. Enjoy a fun and lively outing, and join members afterward to discuss your thoughts about the movie.

  • The OLLI Plays SIG is a group that meets monthly on Zoom and is dedicated to reading plays, with a focus on those from the 20th and 21st centuries. Members will read or watch award-winning classic and contemporary plays and discuss their analysis of the readings or dramatizations.

  • OLLI Reads is a book group that meets ten times per year -- monthly January through June and September and October, with combined meetings for July/August and November/December.

  • The Photography SIG goes on an expedition once a month, and then meets later in the month to review pictures and talk about various techniques and tools for digital cameras.

  • Retired Old Men Eating Out (ROMEO) Groups are groups of men who meet periodically for a meal with basically no rules. The potential SIG group would meet periodically for breakfast or lunch for a general conversation on life, politics, or whatever.

  • Time of Our Lives SIG (Memoir Writing Group) Our group is growing and having fun expanding as writers. We have discovered that focusing on a simple moment, whether long-treasured or just an everyday occurrence, leads to many personal discoveries and enjoyment.

  • You’re invited to join a new Shared Interest Group focused on visiting local gardens. We’ll travel to local gardens to enjoy the beauty that’s all around us.

  • The Wine FUNdamentals SIG meets in person once a month for educational wine tastings and visits to local wineries. There are over 50 wineries of every size and shape in the Santa Clara Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) alone, all the way from long-established century-year family operations to smaller newcomers.