SCHEDULE OF COURSES Spring 2015
April 1 – June 5
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Welcome Spring! Scientific studies show that a key to successful aging is lifelong learning which keeps people actively and meaningfully engaged in life! So, enjoy another session of great classes and wonderful professors. Because of your steadfast commitment, good things are happening here. Carol, Corey and I thank you for your support, enthusiasm, ideas and friendship. Sheila Pantlind
COURSE HIGHLIGHTS The Tao of Abundance page 2
Caribbean and Irish Literature on Islands page 3
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Biography as History page 3
Yoga You Can Do! 9:30-11 a.m.
Biography as History 9:30-11:30 a.m. Tuesdays with Professors Noon-1 p.m.
Getting (Up) High Photographic Memory: in Peru: Part 2 A Writing Workshop 1:30-3:30 p.m. 1:30-3:30 p.m. The Tao of Eyewitness to WWII: Abundance After D-Day and Survival 9:30-11:30 a.m. in Wartime Europe 9:30-11:30 a.m. Columbus Urban Design: Creating a to Clinton Perfect Town 1:30-3:30 p.m. 9:30-11:30 a.m. Caribbean and Irish Literature on Islands 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Actor & the Director – The Heart of the Art 1:30-3:30 p.m. FREE MEMBER CLASSES April 13 Feeding West Michigan 1:30-3 p.m.
Tuesday Night at the Movies: Great Love Stories 4-6:30 p.m. The Poetry of Place: Amber Necklace from Gdansk 1:30-3:30 p.m. Mythology and Super Heroes 9:30-11:30 a.m. Midwestern Woman and the Creation of Social Welfare in the U.S. 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Relics of the Church 9:30-11:30 a.m. OLLI Group Discussion
11:45 - 1:15 p.m. Stories from History of How Progress Really Happens 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Just Show Up 1:30-3:30 p.m. Today with NPR 1:30-3:30 p.m. Belief and Doubt – Why Religion Matters 9:30-11:30 a.m. “Our Trip” – Return of 12 Vets to Vietnam 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Outside the Pages 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Roots of American Civilization 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Women and the Environment 9:30-11:30 a.m.
A Richard Strauss’ Sesquicentennial 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Antique Talk with Chuck and Ward 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Views of Leelanau County 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Conservation Biology and the Media 1:30-3:30 p.m.
FREE MEMBER CLASSES
Grand Rapids’ History of Advertising and Marketing 9:30-11:30 a.m. The Kennedy Assassination 1:30-3:30 p.m.
April 2 Oil Painting Demonstration 9:30-11 a.m. April 23 Silent Heroes – Memoirs from WWII 1:30-3 p.m.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition: 1804-1806 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Urban Design: Creating a Perfect Town
Having Fun with Watercolors – Part I 11:45- 1:45 p.m.
Mythology and Super Heroes
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page 5
Having Fun with Watercolors – Part 2 11:45-1:45 p.m.
Midwestern Women and the Creation of Social Welfare in the U.S.
Trip: Art and Architecture – Chicago Style 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m.
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History of English Churches 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Women and Environment: “Mother Earth” and “Earth Mothers”
North American Music – Roots and Traditions 9:30-11:30 a.m
Relics of the Church page 5
page 6
Belief and Doubt – Why Religion Matters page 7
OLLI TUITION COURSES
PRO-RATED MEMBERSHIPS STILL AVAILABLE Because OLLI’s year is half over, we have reduced our annual Bronze and Silver membership fee by 50%. Starting February 1, Bronze Memberships will be $12.50, and Silver Memberships will be $30 through June 2015. All membership advantages still apply with reduced pricing on tuition classes.
OLLI TUITION COURSES
MONDAY Yoga You Can Do! Monday, 9:30-11 a.m. April 13, 20, 27 & May 4 Carolyn Heines began teaching yoga in Grand Rapids in 1979 and is the founder of the Yoga Studio. Offering classical hatha to the community for 35 years, she is still teaching at 79, and offers gentle yoga classes in addition to other levels of experience. Please visit her website, www.gryoga.com . If the word yoga conjures up images of young people in pretzel type positions, do not fear. That is NOT what we will be doing in this class. Yoga is more than physical postures; it also teaches techniques which help calm the mind. Seniors benefit a great deal from yoga, including knowledge of how particular poses help the functioning of their bodies and minds. Students will be doing gentle yoga, stretches, poses, breathing awareness and relaxation, all designed to increase our well-being. M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center NOTE: Please wear comfortable clothing and bring a yoga mat.
Call to register: 616.632.2430
Getting (Up) High in Peru: Part 2 Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 13, 20, 27 & May 4 Neal Bierling, a Calvin College graduate, began his archaeological dig adventures back in 1972 in Israel. He has created curriculum for Old and New Testament Bible translations and Christian Schools International based on the rich history he has unearthed. Neal and his son Joel now create virtual tours and curriculum about the Middle East. During these four sessions, Neal will take students to see the sites that you would visit while touring Peru. You will begin the “trip” in Cusco, where the Sacred Valley begins. Then, the next stop will be Sacaywaman, an Inca fortress built with “Cyclopean” blocks. This site is one that always makes visitors say “Wow.” From there, students will learn about the Q’engo temple where the Incas may have mummified their royalty. Included on this part of the tour is the Inca fortress, Ollantaytambo (where the Incas were victorious over the Spanish conquistadors). Lastly, Neal will take students to the site of Machu Picchu, one of the most impressive Inca sites. In this class, you will even learn of good hotels 2
to stay in while visiting these sites. If you are thinking of traveling to Peru, this class is a must! M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center
The Tao of Abundance Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 20, 27 & May 4 Kathleen Delp Higgins is a clinical social worker, a genetic counselor at Spectrum Health and is on the adjunct faculty of Michigan State University college of Human Medicine. A lifelong learner through self-study, Kathleen is expanding her knowledge and practice of the Tao te Ching and Buddhism. Using text from Laurence Boldt’s book, The Tao of Abundance, (based on the writings of ancient Chinese philosopher and poet, Lao Tzu), students will learn how to glean more wisdom and joy in their lives. Kathleen will engage students in cultivating “chi energy,” the natural energy which will help give force to heal, strengthen and nourish the body. M: Bronze $52 Silver $42 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
COURSES CONT. Columbus to Clinton Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 4, 11 & 18 Scott Stabler, Ph.D., is associate professor of history at GVSU. His specialty is American History, and he has taught many classes at OLLI including those on the Civil War and the Founding Fathers. Zoom through the history of the United States from Christopher Columbus to William Jefferson Clinton and all points in between. We will follow a thematic approach and hit the high and low points of American history in three classes! M: Bronze $52 Silver $42 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
Caribbean and Irish Literature on Islands Monday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 11 & 18 Michelle DeRose, Ph.D., is professor of English and director of the Insignis Honors Program at Aquinas College, where students frequently cite her world and African-American literature classes as their favorites. She has lived in Ireland for several semesters while she taught Irish literature, history, and culture to students participating in Aquinas College’s Ireland Program. This class will explore how Irish and Caribbean literature employs islands as a metaphor, particularly in relation to notions of identity and concepts of space. We will read Irish and Caribbean poetry, essays, and novel excerpts, and compare those depictions of islands to the ways our own culture frequently presents them in film clips and musical examples. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
The Actor & the Director – The Heart of the Art
president of Aquinas College from 1990-1997.
Monday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 11
Could, would, should American history be taught focusing on biography? A recent survey of over 1000 colleges and universities found only 18% require an American history course for graduation, and another survey found that history majors have declined by nearly two thirds from 1970 through 1985. “The historical profession seemed to have lost a unified purpose; without a clear sense of America’s role in history, the discipline seemed to be coming apart.” Paul will bring us back to American history using biographies all by David McCullough: John Adams, Mornings on Horseback; Theodore Roosevelt; and Truman.
Jean Reed Bahle has been involved in theatre in West Michigan for over 40 years as an actor, director, writer, and teacher. She has worked in theaters in West Michigan and most prominently with Actors’ Theatre. Jean has taught at GRCC, Aquinas College and Hope College. After 34 years of teaching at GRCC, Fred Sebulske retired as chair of GRCC’s theatre department. In 1980, Fred founded the Actors’ Theatre where he continues to direct today. How do directors unlock the highest potential of their actors? How do actors get the most out of working with their director? Part lecture, part demonstration, part participation, this workshop will explore principles and techniques behind the unique communication between these two practitioners at the heart of the art of theatre. New participatory games and exercises, even though the heart of it is still focused on the director/actor process. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
TUESDAY Biography as History Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 7, 14 & 21 R. Paul Nelson is a lover of baseball, history, biography, religion and Aquinas! He was the fourth
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Tuesdays with Professors Tuesday, Noon-1 p.m. Join us for “Tuesdays with Professors” at the Browne Center. Professors select a passage or scene from a favorite novel, drama or short story (or any combination of these) to read aloud, and then offer their keen insights and thoughts. Each class will meet on Tuesdays, and you may sign up for one, two or all classes! This hour will be relaxing, inspirational, and fun. April 7 – Darcy Dye Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle April 21 – Ann Layton The Circle by Dave Eggers April 28 – Gary Stark Er ist wider da (Look Who’s Back) by Timur Vermes M: Bronze $8 Silver $6 NM: $12 per class Location: Browne Center
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Photographic Memory: A Writing Workshop Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 14, 21, 28 & May 5 Miriam Pederson is recently retired as professor of English at Aquinas College. She has authored a poetry chapbook titled This Brief Light; in addition, she has been published in many poetry journals, anthologies and magazines. Miriam and her husband Ron Pederson have exhibited sculpture and poetry collaboratively in many galleries over the last twenty years. Photographs, whether of yourself and/or people in your life, of beloved places, or of scenes that capture significant aspects of the culture of your generation, trigger specific emotions that can be translated onto the page. Participants will respond to photographs in the form of poetry and creative prose, documenting precious life events that may have otherwise been forgotten. M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center Class Maximum: 15
Eyewitness to WWII: After D-Day and Survival in Wartime Europe Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 28 & May 5 Dr. James Smither, Ph.D., is professor of history at GVSU, and directs the Veterans History Project there. He teaches courses in European history, military history and also conducts oral history interviews with area veterans for the digital archives. Currently, he is working on a book project on American soldiers in Vietnam. This eyewitness series on WWII will pick back up with Dr. Smither focusing on soldiers’ experiences
Call to register: 616.632.2430
during the summer months of 1944. He will also explore how European civilians survived during WWII in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, France and England. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
Urban Design: Creating a Perfect Town Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 28, May 5 & 12 Lee Hardy, Ph.D., is professor of philosophy at Calvin College. He specializes in early modern philosophy and the phenomenology of Edmund Husserl. He has published articles on Hume, Immanuel Kant and Edmund Husserl; his book on Husserl will be in print in late 2013. Professor Hardy also maintains an interest in the philosophy and theology of work and vocation as well as a passion for good urban design. Join Calvin Professor Hardy for a creative and fun class. Students will be put into teams and design their own town. In the beginning, little instruction will be given to the teams to see what students can come up with on their own. Then, the rest of the class time will be spent learning about the principles of good town planning and revising the first town drafts, layer by layer. At the end of the three weeks, each team will present its final town draft to the group. Come, enjoy, and discover your inner creative urban planning talents! M: Bronze $52 Silver $42 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
Tuesday Night at the Movies: Great Love Stories Tuesday, 4-6:30 p.m. May 5, 12 & 19
MOVIE S! TALK! PIZZA!
Henry Idema received a BA and an MA at U of M and a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is an 4
ordained Episcopal priest who did his theological training in Cambridge, MA. He has authored two books and for over 25 years has been writing columns for newspapers in West Michigan. One thing Freud and Jesus agreed upon is that love is central to both human happiness and meaning in life. Our mental and physical health in fact is directly related to the love that exists or does not exist – in our relationships. May 5: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, 196l, Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard directed by Blake Edwards. May 12: Somewhere in Time, 1980, Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. May 19: When Harry Met Sally, 1989, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher. Gather with Henry a bit before 4 p.m. (when the movie begins) for a glass of wine and conversation. A break will be taken at 5 p.m. for pizza, a discussion of the film will follow and finish by 6:30 p.m. M: Bronze $62 Silver $52 Gold $10 NM: $72 Location: Browne Center Note: Additional charge covers refreshments
The Poetry of Place: Amber Necklace from Gdansk Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 12 Linda Nemec Foster received her BA from Aquinas College and a MFA from Goddard College in Vermont. She is the author of nine books and her poems have been published widely throughout the U.S. and Europe. She is Grand Rapids’ first Poet Laureate and frequently collaborates with visual artists and musicians to expand the creative possibilities of poetry.
COURSES CONT. Inspired by her grandparents’ immigration from southern Poland before World War I and her first trip to Poland in 1996 to visit those relatives still living there, Amber Necklace from Gdansk (LSU Press) is an acclaimed collection of poems that reflects on the immigrant experience. The book was a finalist for the Ohio Book Award in Poetry and was nominated for the Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets. Foster will read the poems and discuss their intriguing back stories. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Mythology and Super Heroes Tuesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 19 & 26 Ian M. Borton, Ph.D., is assistant professor of communication at Aquinas College. Dr. Borton graduated from Bowling Green University. Ian joined the Aquinas faculty in 2008. He loves teaching art, Shakespeare, and the Black Death. Superhero and Mythology will use your favorite superheroes (Superman, Batman, and their caped-friends) to explore ancient and modern mythologies from the Greeks and Romans to the Norse and the Far East. Students will explore comic books, films, and other superhero stories to think about the myths and stories cultures tell to help define themselves. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
Midwestern Woman and the Creation of Social Welfare in the U.S. Tuesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 19 & 26
New Profess or
Anita AnthonyVanOrsdal, Ph.D., grew up in West Michigan and received
dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Language and Literature and in History from GVSU in 2006. Anita focuses her research interests on American women’s history, Midwestern and Michigan History, U.S. Immigration and Migration History, and American Working-Class History. Among her past projects, Anita served as Historical Advisor and Researcher for a PBS documentary “Nightmare in New Guinea.” Beginning in the 1820’s, American women created powerful sociopolitical pressure groups (including Temperance and Mothers’ Pensions and Old Age Insurance) to pass laws to help provide for the social welfare of Americans who lacked political, economic, and social prestige. Women from Chicago, Grand Rapids, Detroit, and other cities as well as rural communities assisted in changing the public perceptions of community responsibilities and applied political pressure tactics to sway both public opinion and politicians. This course will focus on their efforts, examine their impulses as well as their plans, explore their tactics, and expose a sociopolitical power bloc formed by women in the Midwest. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
WEDNESDAY Relics of the Church Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 8, 15 & 22 Albert Bell, Ph. D., is professor of History at Hope College. His research interests focus on ancient Rome in the first century A.D. In addition to articles and stories, Dr. Bell 5
has published historical mysteries for adults and children. His recent book, Death in the Ashes, was published in 2013. Dr. Bell is a true Renaissance man and a favorite at OLLI. Over the centuries Christians (and those of other faiths) have cherished things connected with their founders and martyrs. To quote an old song, “a hank of hair, a piece of bone.” Where did these objects come from? Where have they been over the centuries? Why is so much importance placed on them? We’ll examine various relics, such as the nails of the crucifixion and the gown Mary wore when she gave birth to Jesus, and culminate with a look at the Shroud of Turin. M: Bronze $52 Silver $42 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
Stories from History of How Progress Really Happens: Homeostasis vs Headway Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 22, 29 & May 6 OLLI student Michael Bosscher holds a MA from Aquinas College. He is a skilled facilitator, teacher, and mentor who led hundreds of learning sessions during his long career in industry. He especially enjoys sharing little known and unusual anecdotes from the avid and eclectic reading he does. How did we come to see the importance of washing our hands? What bridged the shift from the horse and buggy to the automobile? Can the tragic Battle of Somme teach us something about the way we think? Post-It Notes, we’ve all used them, but how can the story of how they got here help us challenge our conventional wisdom? It’s an eclectic collection of true stories from history that won’t be boring. Beyond people, places, and dates—these are actual stories of people, objects, and events that help make today’s world. Plus,
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they’re stories whose lessons we can still apply today. M: Bronze $52 Silver $42 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
Outside the Pages Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 22 Dave Kampfschulte is director of Amazing Circles Workshops, speaker and author of I’m Dying to Talk with You: Twenty Five Years of Conversations on End of Life Decisions. Using his energy, humor, empathy and over 30 years as an educator, Dave facilitates his interactive workshops and classes. Pull up a chair and join Dave’s class as he relates his reflections and experiences from a career of facilitating experiential groups, workshops and classes for teens to those in their 90’s as chronicled in his book, Amazing Circles. The class lessons came not from the pages of a book but from the moving personal stories shared, and the educational power of those stories. These life experiences help us recognize and understand the common themes and challenges we all go through in this up and down journey through life. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Women and the Environment: “Mother Earth – Earth Mothers” Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 6 & 13 Amy Dunham Strand, Ph.D., directs the Jane Hibbard Idema Women’s Studies Center at Aquinas College, where she teaches courses in English, Inquiry & Expression, and Women’s Studies. In addition to Women & Environment, her research interests
Call to register: 616.632.2430
include women’s petitioning and activism, 19th-century American women writers, and gender and language – also the topic of her book, Language, Gender, and Citizenship in American Literature. She has taught at the University of Cincinnati and at the University of Washington, Seattle, where she received her Ph.D. How are women and the environment connected? This class will explore two possible ways of answering this question: first, by tracing ideas, such as “Mother Earth,” that relate women and nature in literature, culture, and theory; then, by surveying the work of “Earth Mothers,” or women environmental advocates who have shaped the environmental movement. Ultimately, we’ll consider how these notions of gender and nature, together, might help inform our own “green” consciousness. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
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Antique Talk with Chuck and Ward Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 13
Ward Paul and Charles Schoenknet are two of Grand Rapids’ best when it comes to antiques. Their knowledge and expertise of antiques is unsurpassed in West Michigan. They have hosted and appraised many local road shows as fund raisers for non-profit organizations and they are always an OLLI favorite. Few people get rich from the PBS’s highly rated Antiques Roadshow. Most objects that are seen are worth only about $100 or less. There are the exceptions of high prices for items - and that is what we all hope to find! Chuck and Ward will talk about antiques: the history, the values, the ups and downs, the importance of quality, and much more titillating information. They 6
will also once again give value estimates of one antique piece per student. Join the fun. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Conservation Biology and the Media Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 13 Rob Bajema, Ph.D., joined Aquinas College in 1998 and teaches ecologically and environmentally oriented classes. His research interests are in wildlife conservation and landscape preservation. He has served on the Ada Township Open Space Task Force which was created to implement a plan to conserve natural areas and open space within the township. Dr. Bajema has also been a board member of the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. We will examine how current media (TV series, documentaries, movies, etc.) portray issues of conservation biology. In addition, we will examine how environmentalism vs. activism play into these roles. Do these media outlets really portray conservation? M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Grand Rapids’ History of Advertising and Marketing Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 27 Thomas R. Dilley, retired local attorney, is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Nebraska, College of Law. Mr. Dilley has been a frequent lecturer in local history. One of his
COURSES CONT. many published works is Grand Rapids in Vintage Postcards: 1890-1940. Tom Dilley will talk about the emergence of local advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The advertising produced in Grand Rapids followed a greater national trend - at least in mid-sized cities - that exposes a pattern that is still visible today. Tom will bring in materials that will begin with early and midstream trade cards – which illustrate the arrival of stunningly beautiful polychrome lithography, later important in the postcard wave. He will also show other printed advertising forms, such as blotters, hand held fans, printed bookmarks and more. Students will view some fabulous visual examples that are related to local companies, stores and manufacturers! M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
The Kennedy Assassination Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 27 Michael J. Deeb, Ph.D., earned his M.A. from MSU and his doctorate from Wayne State University. When he retired from his accounting practice, he wrote a series of Civil War era historical novels, The Drieborg Chronicles. He is currently working on a sixth in that series. Michael is also a guest lecturer with the American Cruise Lines on their Mississippi River cruises. Dr. Deeb will take a look at whether or not a conspiracy existed to kill President Kennedy. Both the FBI report and the Warren Commission concluded that the president was killed on November 22, 1963 by a lone gunman from an elevated position behind the motorcade. However, in 1979, the House Select Committee on Assassinations disagreed and concluded that it was the result of a conspiracy. That
House investigation concluded that President Kennedy was killed as the result of a conspiracy. Which of these three investigations had it right? Dr. Deeb will also focus on those in Kennedy’s administration who were upset with his efforts to end the Cold War. Many forces feared Kennedy’s reelection, including the Mafia. “No, Jose, you don’t understand me. Kennedy’s not going to make it to the election. He’s going to be hit.” M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
THURSDAY Just Show Up Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 9 David Stanley Gregory grew up in a family dealing with numerous dysfunctions. He has chosen to commit the rest of his life to one of service. Currently teaching in Grand Rapids, he leads retreats and classes focusing on how to live successfully in the present moment. In Just Show Up, David provides a guide for staying in the present and focusing on the positive in your life. Recognizing adversity can be the key to finding a way to live life in the magic of the present moment. David will offer a message of hope and truth. Through years of “showing up” to his own life, he found a way to access the enlightenment of spiritual riches. Join in with the gifts of living in the now. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
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Today with NPR Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. April 16 Steve Schram is the director of Michigan Public Media. As its chief operating officer, he oversees its two operating units – Michigan Radio, the university’s NPR news and information public radio station, and Michigan Productions, a video production services group. Prior to his work with public radio, Steve was director of sales for CBS Radio, senior vice president for America Online, and market executive/vice president for Clear Channel Radio in Detroit. He is currently president and board member of the Michigan Association of Public Broadcasters. Steve will present a lively presentation about Michigan Radio that includes its role in communicating news and issues, and its future direction in the digital space. The following quote from Bill Moyer will set the conversation for the second portion of Steve’s presentation: “We believe that our audience wants to rely on reason more than rant, and they appreciate a place where conventional wisdom and misleading rhetoric are challenged, and where the true conversation of democracy continues – a conversation crucial to the quality of our lives and the character of our country.” This class will be certain to illicit interactive communication. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Belief and Doubt – Why Religion Matters
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Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 23, 30, May 7 & 14 Rev. Maurice A. Fetty received degrees from Union Theological Seminary, NYC, and a MA from Butler
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University and a Master of Divinity from Christian Theological Seminary. Rev. Fetty, now retired, spent the majority of his career as minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Grand Rapids. He has now published 15 books and numerous articles. Rev. Fetty will examine the importance of belief in a time of scientific and atheistic doubt and the significance of doubt in a time of religious resurgence and fanaticism. Using Huston Smith’s book, Why Religion Matters, as a primary source, he will discuss the insights of science, philosophy, theology, history and comparative religions to address what Smith calls “the fate of the human spirit in an age of disbelief.” M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center
“Our Trip” – Return of 12 Vets to Vietnam Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 30 Forty years ago – April 30, 1975, marked the end of the long and very costly Vietnam War. Join veteran Tom Sibley along with James Smither, Ph.D., from the Veterans History Project at Grand Valley State University and a panel of veterans as they share their memories from a return trip to Vietnam in 1995. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
Roots of American Civilization Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 28 Gleaves Whitney is director of GVSU’s Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies. Gleaves writes and lectures nationally on presidential history
Call to register: 616.632.2430
and leadership. He has designed this series of OLLI lectures on “the idea that to rightly understand American culture, we cannot start in 1776 or even 1492, but must go much further back.” May 28 - The American Founding Americans stand on the shoulders of giants. It has been said that the “new order of the ages” that grew out of the Second Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention achieved a powerful synthesis of the best of the Hebrews (moral and spiritual insight), the Greeks (right thinking), the Romans (republican citizenship), and the Germans (institutions of freedom). In this talk we will learn about how Americans adapted the best from all of these civilizational forerunners to create a great nation of their own – the largest, most successful republic the world has ever seen. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Donnelly Center
A Richard Strauss’ Sesquicentennial Thursday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. May 7, 14, 21 & 28 Gilbert R. Davis Ph.D., professor emeritus at GVSU, has been writing and presenting opera previews in West Michigan for the past 30 years as well as teaching courses in opera and poetry. In our slightly delayed celebration of the sesquicentennial of Richard Strauss’ birth, we will examine as many of his operas as time and tide will permit, being certain to cover Salome, Elektra, Rosenkavalier, Ariadne auf Naxos, Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Arabella. While we are at it, we will also have a look at Strauss’ personal life through two world wars. Samples of his operas will come from the many DVD recordings now available. M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center
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Views of Leelanau County Thursday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 28 Chris Byron and Tom Wilson share a love of Michigan and a fascination with its history. They are especially interested in the history of Michigan’s tourist industry and are the authors of four award-winning books. Christine and Tom will discuss the first book in their Vintage Views series and their interest in the history of Michigan tourism. They will touch on the history of Leelanau County from early settlement to the later development of the county as a major tourist destination. Timetravel with Christine and Tom to Sleeping Bear Dunes, Northport, the Manitou Islands and other places on this beautiful peninsula. M: Bronze $16 Silver $12 NM: $21 Location: Browne Center
FRIDAY The Lewis and Clark Expedition: 1804-1806 Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 10 & 17
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Kathleen Ebers Piccard earned a degree in history from MSU and spent the next 32 years teaching the significance of past years in high school. She is a long standing member of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation and attends many of the annual national meetings. In May, 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on an amazing journey across the Louisiana
COURSES CONT. Territory. It has been 200 years since then, but their US conquests and stories of personal adventures have given them a place in history as two of the world’s greatest explorers. This class will take us on the trail with these true American heroes who faced unknown people, harsh conditions and unexplored lands. Join us from the beginning to the aftermath of this journey and discover new insights from why President Jefferson sent them - to the amazing discoveries found along the way – to the importance of a fifteen year old Native American girl named Sacagawea. Get your boots on and come along the rugged footpath with us. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
Having Fun with Watercolors – Part I & Part 2 Friday, 11:45- 1:45 p.m. April 10, 17 & 24 May 1, 8, 15 Mary Ann Challa is a local artist and art educator. She studied art at GVSU and Aquinas College. She taught art for the GR Public Schools for many years, and she continues with her teaching as the “artist in residence” at Goodwillie Elementary in Ada. The watercolor class, Part I , is designed for the beginning painter. It will offer clear, visual explanations and easy exercises that will build up skills and confidence for amateur artists. The watercolor class, Part 2, is designed for those who already know how to paint and want to develop their own personal style. Mary Ann will review techniques such as composition, value and color and work towards more expressive paintings. Painting is always relaxing and enjoyable with Mary Ann. M: $63 Silver $50 NM: $76
Price is per 3 week class. NOTE: Students will be responsible for their own supplies – a list available at registration. Maximum: 14 students Location: Browne Center
Art and Architecture – Chicago Style
Bus Trip t Chicag o o!
Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 5 p.m. * *approximate return time April 24 Travel by coach to Chicago with Henry Luttikhuizen, Ph.D., professor of art at Calvin College for a day filled with art and architecture. Our group will start with a guided tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Robie House. This notable 1910 Prairie-style house is a masterpiece of style and is an icon of modern architecture. Henry will then lead our group on a tour of the Oriental Institute, part of the University of Chicago. This museum houses a major collection of antiquities from the Middle East (known as the “Orient”) dating from 10,000 BC – AD 650. OLLI Member Price: $75/ Bronze Silver & Gold Non-Member Price: $90 Location: Meet in Browne Center lot by 7:30 a.m. NOTE: Refunds cannot be issued after March 24 Maximum: 53
History of English Churches Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m. May 1, 8, 15 & 22 Martin Spence, Ph.D., is associate professor of history at Cornerstone University where he teaches World and European History. Originally from Suffolk, England, he pursued his undergraduate and doctoral studies at Corpus Christi
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College, Oxford. He has taught church history at a Christian college in Scotland and British history at the University of Oxford. He is well published and his book, Heaven on Earth: Reimagining Time and Eternity in Nineteenth-Century British Evangelicalism, will be published this year. This class explores the way in which Christians worshiped and worked in nineteenth-century Britain. Topics covered include the anti-slavery campaigns of William Wilberforce, the life and thought of the most famous Protestant convert to Catholicism, Cardinal Henry Newman, and the origins of innovative mission agencies such as the YMCA and Salvation Army. The class will also note the growing challenges to religion from science (not least from Darwin’s Origin of Species) and social change which led British Christianity to enter a period of decline in the twentieth century. M: Bronze $63 Silver $50 NM: $76 Location: Browne Center
North American Music – Roots and Traditions Friday, 9:30-11:30 a.m May 29 & June 5 Benita WoltersFredlund Ph.D., is associate professor of music at Calvin College, where she teaches American music, popular music and world music. Her research explores the connection between music and politics, and she has written on music of the Jewish left, Holocaust music, and Canadian musical nationalism. As an extension of the World Music Sampler offered last fall, this course explores traditional music here at home in North America. Dr. Wolters-Fredlund will trace the roots of Native American, AngloCeltic, African-American, and other European musical traditions that
M = members
NM = non-members
sprouted and took hold in the New World. Our multicultural survey will include shape-note-singing, folk ballads, fiddling, old timey music, bluegrass, blues, work songs, spirituals, Cajun music, salsa, and others. M: Bronze $35 Silver $30 NM: $42 Location: Browne Center
11:45 - 1:15 p.m. Dave started this discussion group this fall at OLLI and has developed a loyal following. He will facilitate the discussion after giving participants a statement based on issues of the day. Students are encouraged to give their opinions while gaining a better understand of others.
OLLI Discussion Group
M: Bronze $40 Silver $32 NM: $62 Location: Browne Center
Thanks to you, our members, the Bernard Osher Foundation awarded a $1 million endowment to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Aquinas College in recognition of its sustainable growth, exceptional programs and professors, and intellectually committed students!
NK THA U! YO
Join David Kampfshulte’s “This Is Where I Stand” on Wednesdays, beginning April 15, 22, 29 & May from
FREE MEMBER CLASSES AT THE BROWNE CENTER Oil Painting Demonstration Thursday, 9:30-11 a.m. April 2 Scott Kenyon, artist and OLLI instructor, will demonstrate painting dog portrait from a photo reference. He will use techniques in drawing, mixing colors and applying paint with brushes and a palette knife. Scott will discuss the importance of starting a painting to allow for a strong finish and how to use color to create effects of light. Bring a piece of your own work for critique after the demonstration.
Feeding West Michigan Tuesday, 1:30-3 p.m. April 13 Feeding America West Michigan exists to ensure safe food is available to the hungry in our community. Each year,
M = members
the Food Bank serves an estimated 492,100 people in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. In 2014, 26.6 million pounds of food were served to those in need – a record year. CEO Ken Estelle and volunteer coordinator Dena Rogers will tell the history of this important organization and how you can easily become involved in their mission.
Silent Heroes – Memoirs from WWII Thursday, 1:30-3 p.m. April 23 “I was a little girl when German troops invaded my country. Holland was thought to be neutral during WWII, but this was
NM = non-members
Call to register: 616.632.2430
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not to be. Our military was no match for the Nazi hordes, and within 5 days the country had fallen, and the German occupation was on its way. The five ensuing years were amongst the darkest chapters in Dutch history, culminating in the ‘hunger’ winter of 1944/45, during which 30,000 of my fellow country men, women and children died of hunger. During this time, there were many heroes in Holland, including my father, who in his position of a civilian supervisor of Marine supplies, provided food and clothing for people in hiding. Luckily, we escaped, and I lived to tell the story of The Silent Heroes, a true story of survival and heroism.” Join Hans Van Kuilenburg for her moving story.
Registration Form (Spring 2015)
Call to register: 616.632.2430
Name _______________________________________________________________________ Student #______________________ Address _____________________________________________ City________________________ State ______ Zip_____________ Home #_____________________________________________ Cell #___________________________________________________ Email _______________________________________________ Emergency Contact ______________________________________ Sign me up for an OLLI at Aquinas Membership (2013 - 2014 academic year)
q Bronze $25
Please remember all OLLI members may select any and all Free Member Classes
$12.50 q Silver $60 $30
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Yoga You Can Do! q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM)
Biography as History q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
Relics of the Church q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM)
Just Show Up q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
Getting (Up) High in Peru: Part 2 q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM)
Tuesdays with Professors ___ Apr. 7 Darcy Dye ___ Apr. 21 Ann Layton ___ Apr. 28 Gary Stark q$8 each (B) each q$6 each (S) each q$12 each (NM) each
OLLI Group Discussion q$40 (B) q$32 (S) q$60 (NM)
Today with NPR q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
Stories from History of How Progress Really Happens q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM)
Belief and Doubt q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM)
The Tao of Abundance q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM)
Columbus to Clinton q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM) Caribbean and Irish Literature on Islands q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM) The Actor & the Director – The Heart of the Art q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
FREE MEMBER CLASSES Feeding West Michigan q April 13
Photographic Memory: A Writing Workshop q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM) Eyewitness to WWII q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM) Urban Design q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM) Tuesday Night at the Movies q$62 (B) q$52 (S) q$10 (G) q$72 (NM) Amber Necklace from Gdansk q$62 (B) q$52 (S) q$21 (NM)
Outside the Pages q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM) Women and the Environment q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM) Antique Talk with Chuck and Ward q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM) Conservation Biology and the Media q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM)
Mythology and Super Heroes q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM)
Grand Rapids’ History of Advertising and Marketing q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
Midwestern Women and the Creation of Social Welfare q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM)
The Kennedy Assassination q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM)
THURSDAY
“Our Trip” – Return of 12 Vets to Vietnam q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM) Roots of American Civilization ___ May 28 – The American Founding q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM) Strauss’ Sesquicentennial q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM)) Views of Leelanau County q$16 (B) q$12 (S) q$21 (NM) FREE MEMBER CLASSES
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
__ __ __ __
The Lewis and Clark Expedition q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM) Having Fun with Watercolors – Part 1 q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM) Having Fun with Watercolors – Part 2 q$52 (B) q$42 (S) q$62 (NM) Art and ArchitectureChicago Style (Bus Trip) q$75 (OLLI Members- Bronze Silver Gold) q$90 (NM) History of English Churches q$63 (B) q$50 (S) q$76 (NM)) North American Music q$35 (B) q$30 (S) q$42 (NM)
Oil Painting Demonstration q April 2 Silent Heroes q April 23
q A check for $___________________ payable to OLLI at Aquinas College is enclosed. q Charge my credit card : q Mastercard/Visa q Discover q AMEX Number __ __ __ __
FRIDAY
Amount $____________________
Exp. Date ___/___
Name (as it appears on the card)_________________________________________________________________ Billing address and zip code (required)____________________________________________________________ Please mail form with check or credit card information to: OLLI at Aquinas 1607 Robinson Road SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799
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Aquinas College OLLI at Aquinas 1607 Robinson Road SE Grand Rapids, MI 49506-1799
Look for these exciting offerings in June 2015:
Anniversary of the Atomic Bomb Drama in the Courtroom History of 20th Century Women Criminal Law
Spring 2015
Tour of the Blandford Nature Center Mind, Brain and Society No Frills - No Gingerbread: Grand Rapids’ Midcentury Modern Schools
MISSION STATEMENT
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Aquinas College is a community of adults joining together to achieve personal transformation of mind, body, and spirit through lifelong learning and community service.
Call to register: 616.632.2430
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Course Schedule
Classes begin: April 2 Phone: 616.632.2430 Fax: 616.732.4480 aquinas.edu/olli
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