IT'S A GOOD BET that there is only one OLLI member who hails from Medicine Hat, Alberta! New Board of Directors member Russell Stone was born there, but left as soon as he graduated from high school. Russell joined our Institute just two years ago after a career in the academic world. He heard about us through OLLI member Harriet Kaplan, a friend and colleague of his wife, Rala—also now an OLLI member.
     Russell met his future wife the first day of registration at McGill University in Montreal, and they married three years later. He graduated from McGill with a combined degree in Economics and Sociology, and later earned his PhD at Princeton in Sociology and Near-East Studies.
     At the University at Buffalo (largest campus in the State University of New York system), Russell taught sociology and international development studies for 20 years, becoming full professor and department chair. Escaping the snows of the north, the Stones came to Washington in 1991, where Russell was associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at American University. He helped establish the Center for Israel Studies at AU and concentrated his efforts on the center for five years until his retirement.
     The Stones have two children, both professors in their respective fields, and six grandchildren.
     Like many OLLI members, Russell particularly enjoys the opportunities to study subjects he never had time for before. For example, he dabbled in dramatics in high school, and now has picked it up again in Readers' Theater. He ran for the Board because he wanted to be able to contribute his university administrative experience, which he feels may be helpful in OLLI/University relations.
     Russell feels that the growth of OLLI, while basically a good thing, presents challenges, particularly with regard to classroom space. He envisions being able to take advantage of the fact that Mason needs classrooms in the evening hours, so might be willing to provide a larger facility at Tallwood for OLLI's daytime use and Mason's use in the evening. The Tallwood property would be ideal for this because additional on-site parking could be included as part of the enhanced facilities.
     “Managing growth effectively” is the challenge that Russell sees ahead for OLLI. For Mason, supporting OLLI enhances the University’s reputation as a leader in education services to an aging community.