OLLI Scholar Rewind

Nearly 300 University of Minnesota graduate students and postdoctoral researchers have honed their teaching skills through the OLLI Scholars program since its founding in 2008.

Hosted by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), selected Scholars develop curricula and lead courses in their respective areas of expertise for OLLI members, the majority of whom are over 50 years old. Scholars receive $1,000 stipends as compensation for their work, but most find greater value in the experience of teaching and learning in a multigenerational classroom.

The Course

For PhD candidate Kim Demos-Davies, the impetus for her OLLI Scholar application was the opportunity to “design and teach a course on a topic I enjoy teaching.” The result: Fundamentals of Immunology: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, which she taught online in the spring of 2022.

"An OLLI classroom teaching experience differs from an undergrad or graduate student classroom teaching experience in many ways. There are no tests or graded assignments. Also, students sign up for the class because they are thoroughly interested in the subject, not because it is required for a degree."

Participants learned about innate and adaptive immunity, and how the immune system fights off infections. They also explored what can happen when immunity fails, for instance, due to autoimmunity, cancer, hypersensitivity reactions, or transplantation rejections.

"I was surprised by how interactive the students were during class," says Demos-Davies. "The students asked great questions. We had meaningful discussions … on important topics in immunology, such as immunotherapies and vaccinations."

She adds, "An OLLI classroom teaching experience differs from an undergrad or graduate student classroom teaching experience in many ways. There are no tests or graded assignments. Also, students sign up for the class because they are thoroughly interested in the subject, not because it is required for a degree."

The Scholar

Demos-Davies is no stranger to hard work. She earned her DVM from the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 2019 and is currently a resident in veterinary clinical pathology at the University’s Large Animal Hospital, Lewis Small Animal Hospital, and Piper Equine Hospital. 

Research for her PhD in Comparative and Molecular Biosciences focuses on the neurocognitive effects of extracranial radiation therapy, which she explains this way: 

"Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy cause deficits in cancer patients years after treatment is completed. In particular, I am interested in the mechanism behind cognitive deficits including memory loss and impairment of concentration in cancer patients post non-brain-directed radiation treatment."

CVM, along with partners from the Medical School and the Masonic Cancer Center, recently conducted a study that distinguishes how chemotherapy and radiation therapy contributes to cognitive decline in cancer survivors. 

The study was led by Demos-Davies, who notes, "This research is important since more than 50% of human cancer patients receive radiation therapy with chemotherapy. It was previously recognized that chemotherapy causes cognitive changes, but we now know radiation contributes to brain changes, too—even though it is typically a local type of treatment. Understanding how these treatments lead to different detrimental effects in the brain can help us identify new therapies that prevent cognitive symptoms in cancer survivors."

"Pick a topic you enjoy learning about. The more you are excited about the material you are teaching, the easier it will be to relay the information to the students."

Throughout her University tenure, Demos-Davies has received numerous scholarships, research grants, and fellowships, including the CVM's prestigious Pritchard Fellowship, which is awarded to a full-time academic graduate student who is working toward a PhD and possesses exceptional potential as an academic clinical scholar.

As she nears the academic finish line (she expects to complete her PhD in December), Demos-Davies is one step closer to fulfilling that potential by working at a university as a full-time clinician scientist.

OLLI Takeaways

When asked what one thing from her OLLI Scholar experience she will use most in her professional life, Demos-Davies says, "Learning how to communicate subject matter that is difficult to understand to a broad audience."

And in her personal life? "Adaptability."

Demos-Davies’ advice for future OLLI Scholars? "Pick a topic you enjoy learning about. The more you are excited about the material you are teaching, the easier it will be to relay the information to the students. Another piece of advice is incorporate breaks into your course. The students really appreciated having a break within the 90 minutes."