Lifelong Learning Institute, LLI

The Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) at Ohio State Lima began in 1991. A Road Scholar® program, LLI traditionally offers classes for seniors on four Tuesdays and Thursdays in April and October.

LLI volunteers, in coordination with Ohio State Lima, run our local program. Ohio State Lima provides administrative support, classroom space, audio/visual equipment, and technical support. Volunteer officers and committee members, course participants, and many moderators come from west central Ohio counties surrounding Allen County.

Courses on a variety of subjects are offered each session. Individual classes last one and one half hours and meet at the same time each week. You may sign up for as many or as few classes as you wish. Classes are typically held in the Student Services Center building on the campus of The Ohio State University at Lima.

Tuesdays – April 1, 8, 15, 22

10:00-11:30 a.m.

APRIL 1 | FUTURE SPACE EXPLORATION AND THE WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE 

When the International Space Station retires in 2030 after nearly three decades of research and continuous US human presence in low-Earth orbit, NASA will partner with the private sector to de­velop privately-owned and commercially operated space stations for research and exploration. On one of these projects, known as Starlab, Ohio State is the university leader in a partnership that in­volves Voyager Technologies, Airbus, Mitsubishi Corporation, Hilton Hotels, and more. Learn about Ohio State’s role, the work done to date, the engagement of students and faculty, and exciting ‘com­ing attractions’ for Ohio leadership in the future of low-Earth orbit research and exploration. Then explore some of the key discoveries made or confirmed with the James Webb Space Telescope and talk about how it has revolutionized what we have been able to learn about the cosmos since its launch in December of 2021. 

MODERATORS | John M. Horack, PhD, Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy at The Ohio State University, with tenured, full-professor appointments in the College of Engineering’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department and the John Glenn Col­lege of Public Affairs; and Wayne M. Schlingman, PhD, the ArenSletteback Planetarium director and director of undergraduate studies in the department of astronomy. 

APRIL 8 | RURAL SCHOOL HOUSES OF ALLEN COUNTY 

Take a trip into the past to see what early schools in the county were like. 

MODERATOR | Local author and historian Mike Buettner 

APRIL 15 | LIMA PUBLIC LIBRARY 

We will learn about the Lima Public Library’s collections as well as the new construction. 

MODERATOR | Liz Winhover, head of public relations at the Lima Public Library 

APRIL 22 | THE OIL BOOM IN LIMA 

Learn about people involved in the oil industry in Lima during the oil boom. 

MODERATOR | Karlyn Lauer began volunteering as a docent at the Allen County Museum in 2013. She enjoys reading and study­ing history with a particular interest in helping people understand the people involved in history.

1:00-2:30 p.m. 

APRIL 1 | PROMINENT CITIZENS OF ALLEN COUNTY 

We will hear about many of the who’s who in Lima in the past. 

MODERATOR | Mark Billingsly, Allen County Museum docent 

APRIL 8: BOARD OF ALLEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS – RULES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

We will cover administration and distribution of the county general fund, including revenue services, ownership and administration of county property and operational campuses – present and future; role of the board in economic development, and appointing author­ity to over 18 agency governing boards. The board is also looking forward to answering your questions.

MODERATORS | Brian Winegardner, Cory Noonan, Beth Seibert 

APRIL 15: TRAVELING THROUGH THE GREEK ISLANDS AND EPHESUS, TURKEY 

A presentation on the art, architecture and artifacts of the Greek Islands will highlight a journey from Athens, through the Greek islands, and to Ephesus, the most well-preserved Greek ruin in Turkey. Personal photographs, watercolor paintings, and journal writings will be shared. We will travel to the iconic Santorini blue domes, and on the same island in­vestigate the Bronze Age excava­tions and artifacts at the UNESCO site of Akrotiri. We’ll study the diversity of architecture found in the thatched roof windmills of Mykonos to the towering facade of the Library of Celsus in Turkey, and on to the Holy Monastery of the Apocalypse on Patmos where St. John wrote the Book of Revela­tions. There’s more to Greece than Doric and Ionic columns! 

MODERATOR | Linda Lehman 

APRIL 22: DENTAL HYGIENE 

Learn about the services that the Rhodes State College Dental Hygiene Clinic provides to the community, how your oral health is linked to systemic health, how to do a self-oral cancer screening and other activities including some hands-on activities that provide an insight to the dental hygiene career. 

MODERATOR | Jill Hay, RDH, MEd, Rhodes State College dental hygiene program coordinator.

2:45-4:15 p.m. 

APRIL 1 | BALTIC RESILIENCE – CULTURAL SURVIVAL DURING THE YEARS OF SOVIET OCCUPATION, 1940-1990

Three Baltic countries, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania managed to 7 preserve their languages, their traditions, and their cultures despite the USSR’s heavy Russification and Sovietization policies. Three generations of Baltic people since 1990 keep reevaluating their countries’ totalitarian past in order for it to never be repeated. 

MODERATOR | Dr. Maria Ignatieva, Martha W. Farmer Endowed Professor in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts, and an affiliated member of the Department of Slavic and East Euro­pean and Eurasian Languages and Cultures 

APRIL 8: POLLINATORS 

Butterflies, hummingbirds and other species that help to make the world a better place. 

MODERATOR | Dan Hodges is a natural­ist who has been with the Johhny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District for 10 years. 

APRIL 15: DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS 

MODERATOR | Dr. William Angel 

APRIL 22: WILDFLOWERS 

Explore the wildflowers native to our area. Weather permitting, we will drive to a spot on campus after break to finish the day with a wildflower tour. 

MODERATOR | Marie Walton grew up in the Vandalia area. A graduate of Ohio State, she has volunteered at Johnny Appleseed for 6 years. She is now a naturalist at the park.

Thursdays – April 3, 10, 17, 24

10:00-11:30 a.m.

APRIL 3 | DISCUSSION OF CONTEMPORARY POLITICS 

MODERATOR | Dr. William Angel

APRIL 10 | ALLEN COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT HISTORY AND CURRENT OPERATIONS 

Learn about the establishment of the airport and its growth, how the operations have changed through the decades and how the airport infrastructure improvements and operations are financed. Includes a tour of the airport. 

This tour will meet at the Allen County Airport at 10 a.m. 

MODERATOR | John Pisle 

APRIL 17 | OPPORTUNITIES AND ADVANCEMENTS THROUGH AVIATION 

Speakers will share their career paths beginning at the Allen Coun­ty Airport. A speaker will share how his use of aviation enhanced the growth of his business. 

MODERATOR | John Pisle 

APRIL 24 | LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE FOR THE WHOLE PERSON 

Are you interested in learning some simple ways to combat chronic disease through diet and lifestyle changes? This class will cover a number of areas that can contribute to our overall wellness and equip you with some next steps to take in your own health journey. No matter where you are in that journey, you can begin today to cultivate better personal health outcomes for mind, body and soul. 

MODERATOR | Yvonne Stanovich, MS, RD, LD, has a Master of Science in Human Nutrition. She has worked as a nutritionist with women, infants and children and later in prenatal as a registered dietician. She is now at Mercy-St. Rita’s as part of the Intensive Cardiac Rehab team and at Wayne Healthcare as a dietetic techni­cian. She invites you to check out the free monthly healthy eating support group at St. Rita’s.

1:00 – 2:30 p.m. 

APRIL 3 | 100 YEARS OF AGRICULTURAL INNOVATIONS 

A look back at American agriculture leading up to the dust bowl and how technology has helped farmers adapt to and overcome new challenges since. 

MODERATOR | Clint Schroeder, program manager and farm busi­ness analysis at Ohio State University Extension 

APRIL 10 | LATIN AMERICAN RELATIONS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE 

Look at the history of US Latin American relations starting with the Monroe Doctrine, including the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War and the Panama Canal. Continue with a discussion of the Good Neighbor Policy, the Cold War and changes in US-Latin American relations since the end of the Cold War. 

MODERATOR | Dr. Stanley “Chip” Blake, associate professor of history at Ohio State Lima 

APRIL 17 | LAKEVIEW FARMS 

Learn what types of foods Lakeview Farms creates. 

MODERATOR | Brian Buettner, BPO business process owner warehouse and operations at Lakeview Farms 

APRIL 24: THE BAYEAUX TAPESTRY: HISTORICAL DOCUMENT, WORK OF ART 

The Bayeaux Tapestry is consid­ered the authentic historical ac­count of the 1066 Battle of Hast­ings, which led to the Norman Conquest of England. 

MODERATOR | Judith E. Gilbert

2:45 to 4:15 p.m. 

APRIL 3 | THE EYES HAVE IT … UNTIL THEY DON’T 

All about the eye, how it works and what can go wrong. We’ll discuss the anatomy and physiology of the healthy eye and then explore the most common problems with the eye and how they are treated. 

MODERATOR | Mitchell Romito, MD, is a triple Buckeye. He grad­uated from Ohio State with a degree in biomedical engineering in 2013, graduated from the Ohio State College of Medicine in 2018 and completed his ophthalmology residency from the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center in 2022. 

APRIL 10: RAISED ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION 

Learn what life was like being raised in the Navajo tradition. 

MODERATOR | Sheryl Begay 

APRIL 17: TODAY’S TRAVELING WOMEN 

Learn about river cruises and escorted travels 

MODERATOR | Cindy Nelson, AAA district sale manager, has been with AAA for more than 25 years. 

APRIL 24: CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENTS AT RUDOLPH FOODS COMPANY 

Rudolph Foods has been producing snack foods in Allen County for 70 years. Over the years the company has expanded to multiple locations around the country and internationally while still keeping its hometown roots. 

MODERATOR | Michelle Gardner, VP of human resources and safety; and Traci Bradford, executive administrative assistant and leadership coordinator