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DIRECTOR PROFILE
WHEN ASKED WHAT HE LIKES MOST about OLLI, newly elected Board member Bob Zener said, "Teaching." Even though he never taught before joining OLLI, it seems as though his educational and work background were preparing him for a natural move into teaching once he had time for it.
     Bob has a law degree and was general counsel for the Environmental Protection Agency, so it's logical that the first course he taught for OLLI was on environmental law. Bob also practiced law in the Department of Justice—arguing government cases before the federal courts of appeals—and in the private sector, so the next OLLI course he taught was on constitutional law. Bob found that arguing cases in the courts provided him a good background for preparing classes, communicating main points, and being able to think on his feet. He really enjoys OLLI students; he thinks they are sophisticated, educated and ask good questions.
     Bob joined OLLI in 2009 and has served on two resource groups (history/current events and literature/language/theater), helping them develop classes for their subject areas. He lives roughly equidistant from our three campuses, so he can easily contribute his talents throughout OLLI.
     Bob grew up in Chicago and did his undergraduate work at the University of Chicago, where he completed the Great Books Program. He says "lights went on" when he studied English literature there. This fall he'll have the opportunity to turn on those lights for OLLI students when he co-teaches a class on T. S. Eliot with Kathryn Russell.
     Bob's hobby is playing the piano; he is currently fascinated with piano pieces that involve playing the piano's internal strings along with piano keys. Bob and his wife Thelma, also an OLLI member, have two sons and three grandchildren.