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When Mary Arnold talks about learning, it’s clear she sees it not as a phase of life but as a way of living. “I always say OLLI is traveling for the mind,” she says. “It keeps me curious, connected, and feeling smarter than I did years ago.”
That spirit of lifelong learning is part of Mary’s life story. Her parents were among the early Elderhostel travelers before lifelong learning programs were as common as they are now, and they modeled the joy of discovery well into their later years. Education was a core family value, passed from generation to generation. It shaped Mary’s life, her volunteer work, and now, the way she and her family have chosen to give back to OLLI at Auburn.
Mary grew up in a home where books, ideas, and curiosity was part of daily life. That same spirit carried into her marriage to her late husband, Peter, and into the lives of their sons, daughter, and grandchildren. “We’ve always believed that education opens doors,” she says. “It gives you confidence, it keeps you adaptable, and it brings people together.”
Mary and Peter first discovered OLLI when they lived on Lake Martin in the early 2000s, back when it was still called AUALL (Auburn University Academy of Lifelong Learners) and founding director Mary Burkhart was at the OLLI helm. “We loved it,” she recalls. “It was social, it was intellectual, and it got us out of the house. It was a community of people who wanted to keep learning, and that just felt right.”
After ten years in Dadeville, the Arnolds moved to South Carolina to be closer to their older son and his growing family. But when their younger son and his wife, both Auburn graduates, settled in Auburn, the Plains called them back. “Auburn already felt like home,” Mary says. “Both of our boys went to school here. We had roots.”
That connection deepened even further when Tim became part of OLLI himself, not just as a supporter, but as a teacher. “OLLI has just always been around in our family,” says Tim. This winter, he will lead An In-Depth Survey of Seven Great Films, a two-part course that meets on separate days of the week to screen and analyze each film. For Mary, watching her son step into the role of instructor is both meaningful and fitting, and Tim is enjoying it, too. “I bet the kids at the University who are in the film program haven’t seen a fraction of the films that these guys have seen. They are very smart, very inquisitive, very curious, and it’s been a lot of fun to teach.”
When Mary and Peter moved back to Auburn in 2020, OLLI was one of their first stops. “I like to say OLLI fills a lot of gaps in my life,” she says. “Peter could have been happy as a hermit, but I need people. I need ideas. I call it my ‘senior school.’”
She now fills her schedule with OLLI classes on religion, history, politics, art, and discussion groups. “Wednesdays are my busy days,” she laughs. She volunteers weekly at Ogletree Elementary, helping third graders strengthen their reading skills. “Statistically, if a child can’t read by third grade, their chances for later success plummet,” she says. “So that’s my little corner of doing good.”
That combination of curiosity and service defines Mary’s approach to life. It also shapes the way she and her family think about their support for OLLI. “I think the classic idea of philanthropy is lofty to some people, but…anyone can invest in the people and the things that they do,” says Tim.
“We’ve all benefited from education at Auburn University in different ways,” Mary says. “It’s part of who we are as a family. And OLLI continues that tradition—it connects generations through learning and community.”
For Mary, giving back to OLLI is personal. It’s about gratitude for what lifelong learning has given her—and faith in what it will continue to give others.
“Education, curiosity, and connection,” she says. “Those are my deepest values. That’s what OLLI is all about. It keeps people going—intellectually, emotionally, socially. It gives us purpose. And that’s something worth investing in.”
