March Calendar announced: CUNY Professors teaching in bars, bookstores, & studios
At Hullabaloo Books with Professor Geoff Klock
Think Olio is a one-year-old organization, founded by CUNY students, Chris Zumtobel and David Kurfirst, that brings the best professors into the community to hold a series of classes on whatever they love. What began in a living room has expanded into a growing community of lifelong learners and passionate teachers, taking root in Crown Heights. This March they will hold classes at various venues, including Hullabaloo Books, Berg’n, Franklin Electric, Nowhere Studios and even venturing into the city with their new location, Chinatown Soup.
Professors value Think Olio at a time when universities pay less but require more. Professor Charles Riley, III, who has taught on the Jazz Age in the past and will be teaching on the unknown genius, Nancy Cunard, in March, says, “As charming and pleasant as the Olio evenings are, there is important intellectual, cultural, educational and even political work going on. As a curious reader and “consumer” of the arts, I am completely grateful to Olio for furnishing a wonderful opportunity to pursue my interests especially in a forum that is so stimulating.”
Think Olio always pays professors 50% of the revenue while allowing the teachers complete freedom to teach whatever they want, however they want. “We rely on student nominations to find our teachers, so these really are the best of the best,” says co-founder, Chris Zumtobel, “We started this with our favorite professors now we are looking for everyone else’s. It’s amazing to hear everyone’s stories about the teacher who changed their life.”
“It’s exciting to be in an era where people are realizing that their education doesn’t culminate in a degree. With the pressure to specialize in one subject during school, a lot of my friends feel that they missed out on topics they were really interested in. Think Olio is an easy way for people to explore these passions without the huge commitment of a grad program.” – Aubrey Sanders, past Olio student.
More info: Upcoming classes \ photos of past classes \ about us
Think Olio: Think Olio brings professors into local businesses to offer affordable education for the community. We started almost one year ago and haveve held over 75 classes at more than 20 venues. We provide high-level learning with the best professors, at the coffeeshop next door or the bookstore up the street, for the price of a movie ticket.
