VASSAR Spring 2018 COURSE SCHEDULE AND INDEX LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE AT VASSAR Vassar LLI Spring 2018 We are an adult educational program affiliated with Vassar Course Topic PAGE Location College offering a broad range of non-credit educational Fridays 9:30-10:45 AM courses and activities to members 55 and over at a mini- ARTS001 Opera as Politics 2 KH133 mal cost. Classes are taught by volunteer members, re- LIFE 003 Evidence of an 2 KH134 tired and active faculty, and outside experts. LLI at Vassar Afterlife LIFE008 Duplicate Bridge 2 Hellenic Center, College is a volunteer-run organization. It is designed for (Wednesdays 9:30- 54 Park Avenue, adults who love to learn and who wish to contribute to the 11:00am April 4, Poughkeepsie 11, 18, 25, May 2, larger community in their pursuit of knowledge. 9, 18, 29 ) LIFE001 How to Identify 2 KH203 The LLI (Lifelong Learning Institute) at Vassar College be- and Reduce Risk of Falling lieves that education is essential at every age. We are called SOCI001 American First 3 KH131 on to continually expand our knowledge, so we might par- Ladies ticipate fully as citizens in our democracy. The education Fridays 11:00-12:45 PM process is individually motivated as well as collaborative, ARTS002 Charles Dickens: 3 KH216 with new ideas and new skills often introduced by others Multi-Media Mogul with a commitment to sharing. As we age, life experiences ARTS003 Women of the 3 KH131 enhance our education. We are fortunate that members Bible with unique perspectives, skills, and expertise are willing ARTS004 Impressionism and 4 KH132 Post Impression- to share them with us. ism LIFE004 Acupuncture 4 KH133 Vassar’s LLI is committed to forming a community that Fridays 2:00 - 3:15 PM will advance the education of its members in a collabora- ARTS005 Sherlock Holmes 4 KH133 tive fashion. When we study, explore, and discuss together, SOCI003 Film and Politics 4 KH134 we model engagement and expansion for each other. Most ARTS007 The Photo Series 5 BH109 classes will be conducted in small groups to promote dis- ARTS006 Music as Energy 5 KH131 cussion, informed by the interests and knowledge of both SOCI002 How the Dutch 6 BH105 volunteer instructors and LLI members. Created America Fridays 3:30-4:45 PM CONTACT LIFE006 Gentle Yoga 6 KH203 ARTS008 Ecce Lingua 6 BH109 Lifelong Learning Institute at Vassar College Latina! 124 Raymond Ave., Box 45 SCIE001 Exploring Sciences 7 KH134 Poughkeepsie, NY 12604 at Vassar LIFE005 The Art of Chinese 8 KH132 Tea Ceremony Office: Blodgett Hall 237 LIFE007 How Auto and 9 Phone: 845-437-7229 Property Insurance E-mail: [email protected] Works Website: lifelonglearning.vassar.edu OTHER COURSES Friday 5:00-6:15 PM SCIE002 Introductory 9 Vassar Observatory Observational Astronomy SPRING 2018 Friday 9:30-10:45 AM Classes Opera as Politics (ARTS001) Presenter: Dr. Paul Coleman April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18 Dr. Paul Coleman is a psychologist with over 30 years Limit: 100 Opera has been a major art form in Western society for experience and the author of a dozen books including his over 400 years, with much to say about politics. This most recent “Finding Peace When Your Heart Is in Piec- course looks at governmental, sexual, economic, religious es.” He has appeared nationally on shows such as Oprah and political issues as expressed in opera. A close exam- and Today, been quoted in national magazines such as ination of significant operas and their political contexts, Reader’s Digest and Time, and has appeared on dozens of and a look at the current state of opera as a political radio programs across the country. He also has appeared vehicle are part of the course. We will view operatic video in several dozen stage plays in community theater. A play performances in class as political themes are developed. he wrote “The Footshooters” was independently pro- No technical musical knowledge is required and familiari- duced Off-Off Broadway in 2011. ty with opera is not assumed. Learn To Play Duplicate Bridge (LIFE008) Presenter: Chuck Mishaan Wednesdays 9:30-11:00am April 4, 11, 18, Chuck Mishaan has been an opera aficionado since the 25, May 2, 9, 18, 29 days of $2.00 tickets at the old Metropolitan Opera Limit: 50 House. He briefly appeared in a non-singing role on stage Location: Hellenic Center, 54 Park Avenue, at the new Met, and is a regular attendee at this world- Poughkeepsie class venue. He was an adjunct professor at NYU, teach- This is a course for beginner and intermediate players. ing about technology and its impact on health care, and Each class will include a 45-minute lesson followed by consults with health-care providers on automating their supervised play. Subjects will include: bidding, hand eval- clinical practice. He has presented “Opera as Politics” at uation, reaching the right contract, competing, opening several area LLI’s and is currently preparing Semester IV leads, and play of the hand. of this popular operatic survey. Presenter: Lynn Baker Lynn Baker is a Teacher of Beginner and Intermediate Evidence for an Afterlife (LIFE003) Duplicate Bridge, Silver Life Master, Past President of the April 6, 13, 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18 Dutchess County Bridge Assn. Limit: 30 Does reliable evidence exist suggesting that there is in- deed an afterlife? Is there a survival of consciousness? Is How to Identify and Reduce Your Risks for Falling there a bridge between this world and the unseen world? (LIFE001) This course examines data from case studies and scientif- April 27, May 4, 11, 18 ic experiments to shed light on these questions. Topics Limit: 20 will include such things as near-death experiences, psy- Through a mix of lecture, demonstration, discussion chic phenomena, mediumship, and synchronicity. Group and exercise participants will learn to identify and lower discussions will be an important aspect of the course and their risks for falling. Lectures will cover the most recent participants will be welcome to share personal experienc- research on fall risks and effective methods of addressing es if so desired. A skeptical yet open-minded outlook is each risk. The exercise component will include demon- ideal in examining these topics. stration and practice of exercises proven to be effective in reducing fall risk. During this component, the accompa- nying lecture will elaborate on the rationale for each type 2 | lifelonglearning.vassar.edu VASSAR Fridays 11:00-12:15 PM Classes of exercise - flexibility, strengthening, balance and endur- ance. Participants will be encouraged to match their per- 2A. Charles Dickens: Multi-Media Mogul (ARTS002) sonal goals, physical capabilities and activity preferences Fridays 11:00am–12:15pm April 6, 13, 20, 27, May to design their own fall-prevention exercise programs. 4, 11, 18 Limit: 50 We will focus on two of Charles Dicken’s most beloved Presenter: Anne Lancellotti, PT, DPT novels, David Copperfield and Great Expectations. In Anne Lancellotti, PT, DPT was a physical therapist for addition to discussing the novels, we will explore the thirty years. For twenty-three years, she had a private varying modes of publication Dickens employed; his use practice in Poughkeepsie. Since retiring in November, of illustrations (which he carefully controlled); his public 2014, Dr. Lancellotti has consulted for the Dutchess performances; and subsequent famous film treatments County Office for the Aging. In this capacity, she orga- of these two novels, George Cukor’s 1935 “David Cop- nizes and trains coaches for the OFA’s fall prevention perfield,” and David Lean’s 1946 “Great Expectations.” program, A Matter Of Balance. Dr. Lancellotti has stud- Dickens also edited a series of magazines in which he ied and lectured on fall prevention for over fifteen years. published some of his own work and that of his contem- During her last five years in private practice, she has poraries. I intend to arrange trips to the Vassar College increasingly focused on the treatment of older adults at Special Collections, to see Dicken’s original publications. risk for falling. Participants may choose David Copperfield (first 4 American First Ladies (SOCI001) weeks), Great Expectations (last 3 weeks) or both. April 27, May 4, 11, 18 Limit: 30 Presenter: Joanne Long DeMaria This course will introduce the early First Ladies of the Joanne Long DeMaria earned a Ph.D. in English Liter- United States and the parts they played in their hus- ature at Rutgers University, with an emphasis on 19th bands’ lives. Their views, who they were, how they partic- Century British Fiction. Her dissertation was on the nov- ipated as “First Ladies,” and how they defined the role of els of George Eliot. She taught in the English department First Ladies in a totally new environment and established at Vassar from 1984-2014, her courses including many protocols that exist to this day. and various Freshmen Writing Seminars, the Literary Essay (a writing course), 19th Century Novel, and a six- Presenter: Jim Williams week multi-media course on Charles Dickens. After many Jim Williams, retired from IBM, also collects books, and years in the classroom, she worked in the Dean of Studies has a library on many figures of our country. He and Office for numerous years, as Class Advisor, as Dean of Charles Ford have been lecturing at the Mount, Marist, Freshmen and as Dean of Studies. Maximum Security Prison Wallkill, NY. and other venues since 2007. Presenter: Charles Ford Charles Ford, retired from NY Life, collects books and has always loved history. lifelonglearning.vassar.edu | 3 SPRING 2018 Women of the Bible: bringing their voices to life (ARTS003) Marilyn chaired the Art Department at Columbia Prepa- April 13, 20, 27, May 4, 11, 18 ratory School in New York City for 29 years, where she Limit: 30 taught Painting, Art History, and Ceramics and Sculp- For much of Jewish history, Biblical woman have been ture.