For Lorella Di Gregorio, teaching at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is not just another class on her schedule. She describes it as a highlight of her week.
Originally from Italy, Di Gregorio has taught basic Italian, along with art history and American studies, at OLLI.
"Every week, I genuinely look forward to my OLLI class," she says. "The interaction is unparalleled, the human connection incomparable.
"I often say this experience is my tiramisù—the moment that lifts my spirit."
A full-time lecturer with the College of Arts and Sciences and a residential faculty member at Mahoney Residential College, Di Gregorio has reason to be fond of lifelong learning.
Long before she dreamed of working at a university, her first teaching role was with adult learners in Italy. In 2009 she walked into a bocce club in Imola in northern Italy and began teaching art history to a group of women who quickly became close friends.
When she discovered OLLI, the parallels were immediate—and irresistible, she said.
"Learning that I could have a similar experience here felt like being offered a gift twice," she says. "I couldn't pass it up."
In her OLLI classes, language is only part of the journey. She said she hopes students come away with a sense of what it means to be Italian—the humor, values, art, and everyday warmth that shape Italian life.
Fluency, she notes, takes time and immersion, but cultural understanding can begin right away.
Some of her most meaningful moments happen outside of any lesson plan: thoughtful conversations after class, shared book and film recommendations, even the occasional cookie offered with coffee.
What moves her most, she said, is when students return to take another class, not because of the topic, but because they enjoyed learning with her.
"Seeing them follow my teaching journey, even if the topic isn't their main interest, brings me great joy," she said.
Beyond her love for lifelong learning, Di Gregorio brings an extensive academic and professional pedigree to her work at OLLI.
She holds a doctorate in literary, cultural, and linguistic studies from the University of Miami, along with advanced degrees in Spanish and art history from institutions in the U.S. and Italy.
She has received many teaching and research honors, including an outstanding teaching award from the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and multiple research fellowships.
She is a frequent invited speaker at universities and international conferences, where she presents on topics ranging from migration studies to art, music, and cultural identity.
Looking ahead, Di Gregorio said she is eager to continue developing new OLLI courses, including ones suggested by her students.
"Anything I'm passionate about can become a course," she said. "And collaboration always leads to the most rewarding ideas."
