Please note that you must have either a UNC Asheville 2024-2025 annual parking permit or a visitor’s permit to park on campus 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. Visit the Campus Parking for OLLI Members page for instructions on how to purchase an OLLI-subsidized annual parking permit. Daily and monthly visitor permits must be obtained through the UNC Asheville parking site; OLLI does not provide visitor permits.

Summer Catalog

The summer 2025 course schedule and catalog of courses, programs and events are available by clicking on the buttons below. Please be aware that courses, programs and events are subject to change or cancellation, which may not be reflected in the catalog; the online registration system will always include the most accurate locations and other information about our courses, and this page will always include the most accurate information about programs and events. Consult the schedule of upcoming College for Seniors terms (including term dates, catalog availability and registration).

View Summer 2025 Catalog View Summer 2025 CFS Course Schedule

Program Calendar

Unless otherwise noted, programs take place at the Reuter Center and are free and open to everyone.

Please see UNC Asheville’s expectations of mutual respect and care for all for more information/guidance about maintaining a healthy environment for in-person courses, programs and events.

June

Thursday, June 26, 5:30 p.m. | Alzheimer’s Association
Partner Program: “Breaking New Ground: Advances in Alzheimer’s Disease Treatments”
Learn about some of the common triggers for behaviors associated with dementia, how to assess the person’s needs and how good communication strategies and person-centered approaches to intervene effectively. We will also review helpful resources from the Alzheimer’s Association.

July

Friday, July 4
Independence Day holiday
OLLI offices, Reuter Center and UNC Asheville closed
No College for Seniors classes

Thursday, July 10, 4:30 p.m.
OLLI Program: “OLLI Authors” (in-person + online)
Join OLLI Authors to hear readings of original work by Jay Jacoby and Bryson Ley.
Join online via Zoom and read more about the July OLLI Authors program.

Sunday, July 13, 5:30 p.m. | Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Partner Program: “Member Portfolio Presentations” (in-person + online)
Join CNPA for this biannual program highlighting portfolios from three CNPA members.
To join online and for more information, visit the CNPA-Asheville Region’s website.

Friday, July 18, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Saïd Osio from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by visiting the Death Café website, the Third Messenger website, or facebook.com/deathcafeasheville. If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, please contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

Friday, July 25
Last day of summer 2025 CFS classes

Monday, July 28, 6:30 p.m. | Science Book Club
Partner Program: “Rewilding: The Radical New Science of Ecological Recovery by Paul Jepson and Cain Blythe, moderated by Kitty Reynolds”
This book is a primer for rewilding projects that reintroduce native keystone species (or their analogs) to degraded ecosystems to catalyze their transformations into healthier, richer ecosystems. When keystone species interact with other species and modify habitats, the ripple effects could lead to self-maintaining ecosystems. Rewilding projects that introduce large herbivorous animals are emphasized, notably mammals (in Russia and the Netherlands) and giant tortoises (in Mauritius). In Russia’s Pleistocene Park, researchers hope to convert mossy tundra to grasslands similar to those that sustained woolly mammoths 11,700 years ago. Rewilding projects are often controversial but represent a hopeful and innovative approach to counteracting global declines in species and natural communities.

August

Friday, August 1
Last day for course proposals for CFS winter 2026 term
Visit the Forms page to access the live course proposal and a sample proposal.

Wednesdays, August 6-September 3, 9:20 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Life Transitions Program: “The Gift of Time”
The Gift of Time is a five-session course that is designed to encourage you to think about how to plan and communicate your end-of-life wishes to the important people in your life. The workshop takes place as an extended conversation with trained facilitators as well as invited speakers who will address legal, medical and spiritual issues and offer the tools to prepare an end-of-life plan. Registration is open to OLLI members only.
Cost (includes a 2025-2026 OLLI membership, program materials and administration): $175; log into the online registration system to register. If you have questions, email Hilary Schroeder, life transitions and special programs manager, call 828.250.3973. For more information, visit the Gift of Time page.

Sunday, August 10, 5:30 p.m. | Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Partner Program: “Through the Lens of Love” (in-person + online)
You’ve probably chased after images, even images you might have seen searching for inspiration on social media. You may have even created a checklist to be sure you got exactly what you planned for. You have likely gone out with expectations only to be disappointed when the conditions were not right, or you did not find what you had hoped for.
Realizing that photography is a creative art form, presenter John Barclay is constantly exploring new ways to connect with his subject. Over the last few years, he has been learning to fall in love with rather than just photograph what he is drawn to. Love? Really? What does love have to do with it? That is what this presentation will disclose. How does the love of John’s subjects influence his photography? It boils down to this — he photographs what makes my heart sing!
In this presentation, John will share stories and his thoughts from a 20 year journey to where he now looks through the lens of love.
To join online and for more information, visit the CNPA-Asheville Region’s website.

Friday, August 15, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Saïd Osio from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by visiting the Death Café website, the Third Messenger website, or facebook.com/deathcafeasheville. If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, please contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

September

Tuesday, September 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; Wednesday, September 17-November 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Wednesday November 19, 2-6 p.m.
OLLI Program: “Leadership Asheville Seniors”
LAS is in its 39th year, although the program was cut short in fall 2024 by Hurricane Helene. Some sessions take place onsite at the Reuter Center, but most meet offsite in the community. Cost (includes 2025-2026 OLLI annual membership, program materials, lunches and program administration): $500. For more information or to inquire about scholarships, visit the Leadership Asheville Seniors page or email Laurel Jernigan, LAS program manager. Log into the online registration system to register.