Volunteer with OLLI at SOU

Our vibrant volunteer culture springs from a sense of belonging and engaging with the OLLI at SOU community. Volunteers are a vital part of our organization, enabling us to fulfill our mission and maintain our affordable all-inclusive membership fee.

SOU OLLI volunteer

Match Your Skills & Interests

We can help you match your interest, skills, and experience with an opportunity that fits your schedule. It’s all about doing what you love and loving what you do. To learn more, contact Program Specialist Megan Rutherford at olli@sou.edu or call 541.552.6583 . Browse all of our volunteer openings below.

Urgent Volunteer Openings

Committee Chair/Co-Chair Vacancies

The Communications Committee develops promotional strategies and materials to ensure OLLI at SOU has consistent branding and messaging. The Membership Committee recruits new members, engages existing members and works to meet goals for membership growth and retention. Click to learn more about becoming a Communications Committee Chair/Co-Chair or Membership Committee Chair/Co-Chair.

Membership Commitee

The Membership Committee creates and implements plans for recruiting, orienting and retaining members. This includes distributing course catalogs, developing programs, participating in community events and encouraging members to volunteer. Click here to learn more about Membership Committee.

Office Support Team

The Office Support Team greets and assists OLLI members who visit or call the OLLI at SOU office. Team members also provide administrative support to staff. Willingness to learn about OLLI’s mission, programs, events, and activities is required. Click to learn more about joining the Office Support Team.

Programs and Activities Committee

The Programs and Activities Committee recruit and support presenters and hosts for a variety of programs and activities. These include facilitated discussions, field trips, interviews, lectures with Q&A and shared interest groups (SIGs). Click to learn more about joining the Programs and Activities Committee.

Be on a Team

Volunteers who prefer practical, hands-on experiences often choose to serve on an OLLI at SOU team. One team tends the garden at the Campbell Center, another team assists staff at the OLLI office, and a third provides volunteers for our various social events.

The Events Team assists at various OLLI at SOU events throughout the year, including receptions, the annual meeting, and the summer Open House.

  • 1–3 hours per event
  • Members are contacted on an as-needed basis

The Garden Team tends the Campbell Center courtyard and adjacent garden area. Tasks include planting, pruning, fertilizing, and weeding.

  • 1–4 hours per month
  • Four team workdays per year
  • Option to “adopt” a garden bed and manage it on your schedule

The Office Support Team greets and assists OLLI members who visit or call the OLLI at SOU office. Team members also provide administrative support to staff. Willingness to learn about OLLI’s mission, programs, events, and activities is required. Competence with online programs, applications, databases, and Google Sheets/Gmail is desirable.

  • 8–16 hours per month
  • Monthly fluctuating shifts
  • One-year commitment
Meet OLLI Committee Chairs

Join a Committee

If creating programs and working collaboratively is appealing, consider joining a standing committee. Committees focus on projects pertaining to a particular goal, such as membership, programs, technology, and communications.

The Communications Committee supports other OLLI at SOU committees and staff by collaborating on the development of promotional strategies and coordinating publicity and promotional materials and other communications to ensure that OLLI has consistent and coordinated branding and messaging.

  • 2–8 hours per month
  • 11 committee meetings per year
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Curriculum Committee recruits and supports instructors, develops curriculum and prepares each term’s curriculum for publication. Committee liaisons in each subject area help craft course proposals and work one-on-one with instructors. The committee is currently looking for liaisons in Personal Exploration and STEM.

  • 2–8 hours per month (May, August, and December being the busiest months)
  • 11 committee meetings per year
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Finance Committeee financial guidance and oversight for OLLI at SOU, with the goal of ensuring the longterm financial stability of the organization. No current openings.

The Fundraising Committee supports the annual and long-range financial goals of OLLI at SOU through member and public charitable giving and fundraising events. They help to set annual fundraising goals, assist in planning fundraising events and promote fundraisng opportunities to members.

  • 2–4 hours per month
  • 4 committee meetings per year
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Leadership, Development and Recruitment Committee identifies and recruites volunteers to assume leadership roles as Council directors and standing committee chairs, oversees the Council candidate nomination and election process, implements ongoing leadership development and collaborates with the vice president in providing orientations for new Council directors and standing committee chairs.

  • 2–4 hours per month
  • 4 committee meetings per year
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Membership Committee creates and implements plans for recruiting, orienting and retaining members. This includes distributing course catalogs, developing programs, participating in community events and encouraging members to volunteer.

  • 5 hours per month
  • 11 committee meetings per year (plus work group meetings)
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Programs and Activities Committee recruit and support presenters and hosts for a variety of programs and activities. These include facilitated discussions, field trips, interviews, lectures with Q&A and shared interest groups (SIGs).

  • 5 hours per month
  • 11 committee meetings per year (plus work group meetings)
  • Two-year commitment desired

The Venue and Technology Committee trains volunteer OLLI at SOU instructors. Instructors of in-person courses receive training on how to use the classroom audio/visual equipment. Instructors of online courses are trained on how to be effective on Zoom. Support is provided to everyone who joins the Venue and Technology Committee.

  • 1–4 hours per month (busiest in September, January, and April)
  • One committee meeting per year
  • One-year commitment desired
Meet OLLI Council 2025-26

Become a Leader

Members who wish to apply their leadership skills to the OLLI at SOU organization can join the leadership team. By serving on the OLLI at SOU Council or as a Committee Chair, you will enjoy a particularly rich experience, with opportunities to apply a lifetime of expertise in new ways.

The Communications Committee Chair/Co-Chair are responsible for developing promotional strategies and materials to ensure OLLI at SOU has consistent branding and messaging. Leaders of the Communication Committee collaborate with staff to coordinate publicity strategy and promotional materials, and they also lead quarterly meetings.

  • 7–8 hours per month
  • Four committee meetings per year
  • 10 Council meetings per year
  • Two-year commitment

The Leadership Development and Recruitment Committee Chair/Co-Chair are responsible for ensuring that OLLI at SOU has the policies, procedures and programs needed for successfully recruiting, developing and training OLLI Council Directors and Committee Chairs.

  • 7–8 hours per month
  • Four committee meetings per year (plus work group meetings)
  • 10 Council meetings per year
  • One-year commitment

The Membership Committee Chair/Co-Chair are responsible for promoting OLLI at SOU in the Rogue Valley and Southwest Oregon. This committee works to recruit new members, engage existing members and meet goals for membership growth and retention. Co-chairs oversee the work of committee members and lead committee meetings.

  • 7–8 hours per month
  • 11 committee meetings per year
  • 10 Council meetings per year
  • Two-year time commitment

The OLLI at SOU Council consists of nine directors, with three directors elected each year for three year terms. The council is the governing body of OLLI at SOU. Council directors must adhere to high ethical standards, advocate for OLLI at SOU, participate in volunteer recruitment and attend OLLI at SOU events.

  • 8-10 hours per month
  • 10 Council Meetings per year
  • Serve as a liaison for one standing committee and attend monthly committee meetings
  • Three year commitment

Teach at OLLI at SOU

Our instructors report that teaching for OLLI at SOU is highly rewarding. Instructors greatly enjoy sharing their interests, skills, knowledge, and expertise with our community of learners. Formal teaching experience is not required; we provide coaching and support.

Facilitate at OLLI at SOU

OLLI at SOU’s volunteer facilitators can host one-time presentations, coordinate activities, lead a field trip, or start a Shared Interest Group (SIG). Programs encourage connections by engaging in learning beyond the classroom.

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