Shared Interest Groups   

Meets every other Tuesday of each month from 3:00 - 5:00pm

April 15 - October 14, 2025

$70 | Online only

This SIG is perfect for baseball lovers who know the game is more than just balls and strikes—it’s a reflection of life itself! Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, or Cubs, this is your chance to relive the greatest moments, debate the hottest controversies, and explore the quirks that make baseball such a unique part of our culture. We’ll mix nostalgia with fresh insights on everything from legendary rivalries to the wildest stats, like Sabermetrics. Whether you want to chat about your favorite players or unravel the strategies behind the game, this is your space. The format is wide open meaning you shape the conversation. Join us for a lively, fun-filled exploration of baseball’s past, present, and future. Step up to the plate and let’s talk baseball!

Meets the last Friday of the month from 1:00 - 3:00pm beginning January 31

Online only

For many, little is more fun than reading plays together. Depending on members’ preferences, we will read (and even sing) a wide range of pieces—from classics to old-time radio drama to musicals. Scripts will either be distributed ahead of meetings or projected on a screen large enough for all of us to read. No acting experience is needed. We will assign parts together and probably rotate them so everyone can participate robustly. At times, we may add a bit of improv. At other times, we might read something from a local playwright who will join us. Or read plays in production nearby. In the theater, almost anything can happen! Which is why we call it “play.”

*Update* first meeting on 1/28, not 1/21.

Meets Tuesday, January 28, for the first meeting, and thereafter on the second Tuesday of the month from 1:00 - 3:00pm

Online only

Most of us have a visceral reaction to Supreme Court decisions that affect us, but few of us take the time to delve into the issues presented and the various views of the Justices. This SIG will examine both current cases pending or decided by the Court, as well as some of the more important historical cases. Our purpose is to gain a better understanding of what issues were presented and decided, and what the different viewpoints were on those issues. Non-lawyers are especially welcome.

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

Meets every other Tuesday from 1:00 - 3:00pm beginning January 28 <-- NEW START DATE

In-person only

Location: Trinity Lutheran Church

Make friends and explore the joys and challenges of aging. You pick the topics. Examples: adjusting to changed family and friend relationships; how today’s medical environment impacts seniors; facing your own mortality; how to simplify “everything”; senior housing options; tech that makes your life easier; building community; grieving and legacies; meditation and spirituality; hobbies that bring joy; giving back; exercise for fun and mobility; organizing financial and digital records, etc. Expect a brief assignment before each session. Sessions are in-person and will start with a summary, case studies or short videos, on the selected topic, followed by in-depth discussion and a wrap up. Members will share in planning and moderating sessions.

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

Meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays, 1:00 - 3:00pm, beginning January 30

In-person only

Location: University Commons & WCC

Women build connections through collaboration, experiences and dialogue. We’ll explore the world through the eyes of women: where we have come from and where we are going to awaken hope.

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

Have you ever thought about writing a novel or short story? Perhaps you’ve even jotted down notes for one. If so, this group may be for you. We are a small group focused on writing novels. We are different from memoir-writing groups; also, from creative writing groups. Most writers working on novels will benefit from being part of a small writing community, regardless of where they are in the writing process or what genre of fiction they prefer. We critique each other’s work in a supportive and constructive manner. The group is kept small, with a limit of eight members.

Chris Siehl cmsiehl@gmail.com

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

The Ethics SIG has been meeting monthly since 2020. Our discussions, facilitated by SIG members, focus on contemporary issues that pose ethical questions. Research for our topics is drawn primarily from internet-based resources. The SIG members choose future topics by vote. All new members are provided with background material on major ethical theories, as well as guidelines for facilitating discussions.

Stu Simon: stuart341@gmail.com

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

*Catalog Correction: This SIG meets the first Wednesday of each month.

Health care and health policy are changing rapidly. This SIG has considered advances in medicine such as robotic surgery, bio-prosthetics and immunotherapy for cancer. Other recent discussions include controversies regarding Medicare Advantage plans, direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, vaccine hesitancy, using AI in clinical medicine and bariatric surgery vs GLP-1 drugs for obesity. Members in this SIG will consider one issue each month with a lecture/discussion led by an outside expert or a SIG member. Health practitioners and others are encouraged to join this SIG in order to enrich the discussion with their personal expertise and knowledge.

Steve Geiringer sgrehabdoc@gmail.com

Jeffrey Barnett jlbarn@comcast.net

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

On a weekly basis, this group will discuss all contemporary events that are of interest, including but not limited to domestic, international, political and academic developments that are of current and historical significance. What is discussed depends on the group's members. Our conversations are civil and no topic or perspective is off limits.

Thomas Longworth tenniscarol@comcast.net

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

This Shared Interest Group is a gathering of literary short fiction aficionados, who enjoy close, critical and joyful readings of classic as well as contemporary short story masterpieces pulled from The New Yorker and other well-regarded anthologies. This SIG meets about half the year - typically 8-10 contiguous weeks at a time, followed by 10 week long breaks.

Deb Mukherjee debmukherjee@hotmail.com

*Currently Full*

Please contact the office to be placed on the waitlist- olli.info@umich.edu

"The Syd Kaufman Mystery Authors Special Interest Group offers those who share an interest in mystery novels an opportunity to explore the work of mystery writers who may be new to them. We select a different mystery author to read and to discuss each month. While we often disagree in our assessments of authors, our discussions are informative, lively, friendly and often accompanied by laughter."

Wendy Mead wendymead@mac.com

Tim Richards tfrichards@gmail.com

A free-flowing discussion that develops organically. There are no set topics, but we often schmooze about family, work memories, friendship and other key relationships, core hobbies and current commitments, legacy, faith traditions, optimism and pessimism regarding the future, etc. We avoid cliches and, as comfortable, candidly share our thinking, questions, curiosities. Regular members include many who are or have been teachers, healthcare providers, or both and more. The Schmoozery began early in the pandemic and has kept going.

Hank Greenspan hgreensp@umich.edu