Honors College, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Initiative a First at Southern Miss

Tue, 09/22/2026 - 09:23am | By: David Tisdale

Honors College undergraduates at The University of Southern Mississippi and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) members share a fervor for learning that transcends age.

That passion for knowledge inspired a new collaboration between the two entities, launched this semester, in which Honors College faculty share highlights of their 2026-27 classroom curriculum with OLLI members.

OLLI at Southern Miss offers adults age 50 and older multiple opportunities to learn, explore and connect through its academic, creative, recreational and wellness programming. It is one of only 124 Osher Institutes nationwide and the only one in Mississippi, with locations at the Hattiesburg campus and Southern Miss Gulf Park campus in Long Beach. OLLI members regularly enroll in noncredit courses offered through the Institute that are taught by topical experts, including Southern Miss faculty.

The joint initiative grew from a 50th anniversary Honors College celebration event that included a panel discussion featuring Honors College Dean Dr. Joyce Inman and former Honors College administrators, faculty and students. One of those panelists was current OLLI Director Paula Mathis, who previously served the Honors College for two decades as an academic adviser and thesis coordinator before taking over leadership duties at OLLI.

“We talked during the panel discussion a lot about the ways an Honors College education encourages lifelong curiosity and learning, and it was a real joy hearing from panelists and the audience about what the Honors College continues to mean to them,” Inman reflected.

Over the summer, Mathis reached out to Inman about the possibility of her conducting an OLLI session in the fall. After agreeing to the offer and planning her session, Inman began considering an idea: Why not ask Honors College Faculty Fellows to also consider presenting classes to OLLI members, incorporating key elements of their courses into their presentations?

“What I had in mind was for these faculty members to incorporate highlights of what we are presenting to our students, but in an intergenerational context,” Inman said.

She broached the idea with Mathis and Honors Faculty Fellows, and a collaboration was born.

This year’s theme for Honors Colloquium is “Patterns,” inspired by the patterns in our daily lives and the rewards of recognizing, studying and understanding them. In this first Honors College and OLLI exchange series, Honors Faculty Fellows will explore the varied topics of their Honors classes, designed in response to this theme, in sessions for OLLI learners. OLLI participants also are invited to informal interchanges with Honors faculty and scholars outside of the sessions.

“Once we begin to recognize the ubiquitousness of patterns as we go about our daily lives, there is a certain pleasure in our ability to recognize, study, recreate, and even disrupt these patterns,” Inman said.

Dr. Jennifer Brewington, undergraduate coordinator for the Southern Miss English program and an Honors Faculty Fellow participating in the OLLI partnership, sees the collaboration as an extension of the Honors College’s “long history of building community across and beyond the university campus.”

Brewington is teaching an Honors Seminar (HON 303) employing the theme “Discovering Our Shared Heritage.” Although her background is in English, she has always been fascinated by the natural world and how it binds people regardless of age, background, socioeconomic status or location, noting that “we can all find wonder in a rainbow.”

Brewington is excited to share the readings from the class in her OLLI session, along with photography books and other inspirational resources, “to share how I wandered into this as a passion outside of my field.”

“The course is designed to explore the natural spaces from our backyard gardens to our national parks to our global natural wonders,” Brewington explained. “I believe this theme is a perfect way to align the Honors College with OLLI, as it demonstrates so beautifully the ways in which generations inherit the natural world as a shared gift, and have a responsibility to pass it on to the next generation as whole and healthy as possible.”

Mathis relished seeing Honors College students discover a true joy for learning while serving as an adviser and coordinator. Now at OLLI, she sees that same spark every day, but instead of meeting requirements to earn a degree, institute participants are “focused entirely on the sheer joy of learning.”

“OLLI is a place for anyone in our community who is curious about the world, whether they attended college or not,” she continued. “In fact, I see a great mix of participants in our classrooms — from the parents and grandparents of our Honors graduates to folks who are the very first in their families to explore university programming."

Mathis believes OLLI’s core mission aligns perfectly with that of Southern Miss in cultivating lifelong learning.

“It’s a beautiful reminder that a passion for learning has no age limit and doesn’t require a diploma or degree — it’s something we can all experience,” she said. “And this collaboration demonstrates that learning is a lifelong journey that connects us all.”

About the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
At the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), active adults come together to learn, explore and connect. Our members share a love of curiosity‑driven learning and enjoy innovative, enriching programs in a welcoming, inclusive community. Many are retired, and our programming is designed especially for adults 50 and better, but membership is open to anyone — no Southern Miss affiliation required. OLLI at Southern Miss is one of only 124 Osher Institutes nationwide and the exclusive home of OLLI programming in Mississippi, with campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach.

About the Honors College
Established in 1976, the Southern Miss Honors College was the first honors college in Mississippi and the sixth-oldest public honors college in the nation. The college is home to almost 500 scholars and administers University Forum, the Drapeau Center for Undergraduate Research, Nationally Competitive Programs and Awards, and the USM Beckman Scholars Program. The Honors College provides enriched academic opportunities for high-achieving students through interdisciplinary learning, research and community engagement.