SEPTEMBER 16 - DECEMBER 13
Fall 2024 Director’s Message
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) team at Colorado State University (CSU) extends a warm welcome to our returning members and the many new faces joining our dynamic community. This fall, we are excited to offer over 150 lectures, courses, and experiences, each crafted for passionate learners aged 50 and above. We eagerly anticipate another season filled with intellectual exploration, social connection, and the sheer joy of lifelong learning.
To our newcomers, OLLI at CSU is beginning its 19th year of enriching lives in northern Colorado and beyond. Founded in 2006 with generous support from the Bernard Osher Foundation, OLLI thrives as a member-driven program within the CSU Office of Engagement and Extension (OEE). Our community's strength lies in the collective enthusiasm of our 1,000+ annual members from diverse professional and educational backgrounds, all united by a shared passion for growth and discovery. At OLLI, learning is a joyful journey—free from the pressure of tests, quizzes, or grades— guided by instructors who bring deep expertise and a passion for teaching. You'll soon find that OLLI is more than a series of classes; it's a unique community of engaged learners fostering curiosity, creativity, and meaningful connections.
Our fall 2024 catalog is packed with a diverse array of in-person, online, and experiential courses spanning arts, cultural and global issues, history, literature, the natural world, wellness, and more. We are particularly excited to debut a dozen hybrid courses this term! These new offerings allow you to join classes either in-person at Drake Hall or online. Whether you're looking to dive into new subjects through lectures and discussions, engage in hands-on learning beyond the traditional classroom, or simply ignite your curiosity, our diverse lineup has something for everyone.
I look forward to seeing the OLLI energy continue to thrive this fall. Our community is truly special, and I am grateful every day for the chance to connect with our members and their stories, support our amazing instructors, and work alongside a dedicated staff team.
Warmly, Meredith Naughton
OLLI at a Glance
1,100+
150+ 90+ 8 classes and lectures members
member bonus lectures instructors
“Highly recommend OLLI courses. Great instructors for interesting topics.”
“OLLI
Diverse in-person and online program offerings:
Art & Design
Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs
Health & Wellness
History, Psychology & Philosophy
Literature & Communication
Music, Theatre & Film
Nature, Science & Technology
"I can’t wait to sign up for more classes.”
“I think OLLI is great and I recommend it to people all the time."
What Our Members Say
is a great place to continue growing and learning and meeting new friends!”
“The course offerings are varied and are a great way to explore a new area, expand learning opportunities and meet others in the community.”
CSU Drake Hall 2545 Research Dr. CSU Translational Medicine Institute 2350 Gillette Dr.
CSU Center for Healthy Aging 151 West Lake St. Suite 1400
First Presbyterian Church 531 S. College Ave.
The Cooking Studio 123 N. College Ave.
The Lyric Theatre 1209 N. College Ave.
Empire Grange Hall 2306 West Mulberry St.
Fall 2024 Announcements
Your Choice: OLLI In-Person or Online
With 160+ multiweek courses, OLLI Talks, experiential tours, and OLLI member bonus activities, we think you’ll find there is something of interest for everyone. We are excited to continue offering almost 70% of the fall curriculum in-person at Drake Hall, with another 15% online, and 15% at offsite locations around Fort Collins.
Now Offering Hybrid Courses!
This fall we are thrilled to offer a dozen hybrid courses to our members. Hybrid courses are available in-person at Drake Hall OR online via zoom. With a limited in-person classroom capacity, it will be very important to register for your preferred format (online OR in-person) and to check your enrollment confirmations to ensure you are correctly registered. Unfortunately, it is not possible to register for the online section and then attend in-person. Since our zoom capacity is much larger, once the in-person section is full, the online section will automatically become available for registration.
Online Registration Encouraged
We encourage members to continue using online registration and ask that you email OLLI@colostate.edu if you need help with this process. The OLLI team will be available for limited in-person registration at the Fall Open House at CSU Drake Hall on September 5 from 2-4 p.m..
OLLI Monthly Email Newsletter
To receive the OLLI Monthly Newsletter, please complete the OLLI Newsletter Request Form, found under the FAQ’s on the OLLI website, or email OLLI@colostate.edu and request to be included in the email list to receive program highlights and learn about upcoming events.
Complimentary Member Bonus Activities
OLLI is pleased to continue offering the extremely popular series of complimentary bonus activities for our members. This fall, members can enjoy five Drake Hall presentations on a variety of topics, and three online lectures. These activities are made possible in part thanks to your generous donations and are free to fall term OLLI members. Space in Drake Hall sections is limited, however, and registration is required.
How to Zoom
Are you new to Zoom or would you like a Zoom refresher? Please contact the OLLI Team at OLLI@colostate.edu to set up a personal tutorial session with one of our helpful OLLI team members.
How to Register
Aug. 21 at 9 a.m. Online-only registration opens Sept. 5 at 2 – 4 p.m. In-person registration at Drake Hall
There are two ways to register online:
1
2
Go to www.osher.colostate.edu, select “Courses” at the top of the page, and browse the course list OR
Browse the interactive online catalog and select the “Click to Register” button next to the desired course.
To complete your registration:
• Click the “Add to Cart” button on each course detail page.
• After making all your course selections go to your cart and click the “Checkout” button.
• Login to your account with your email and password to complete the transaction. If you do not have an OLLI account, you will be prompted to create one.
• Your Zoom access link(s) for online classes will be sent to you in your receipt confirmation email. If you have difficulty with the online registration process, you may contact our OLLI team at OLLI@colostate.edu or attend the Fall Open House at Drake Hall for in-person registration.
"Time to delve into your next phase of growth and learning!”
“It’s a great way to broaden your horizons and learn more about a wide variety of topics.”
Membership Info and Policies
About the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
The San Francisco–based Bernard Osher Foundation was started in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected businessperson and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life by supporting higher education and the arts. In partnership with the Bernard Osher Foundation, 125 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes are located on the campuses of colleges and universities in every state. Each institute provides a diverse array of noncredit courses and activities specifically developed for intellectually curious adults of all ages, with special attention to “seasoned adults” ages 50 or better.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Colorado State University was established in 2006 through an endowment with the Bernard Osher Foundation. OLLI at CSU is a membership-based program committed to fostering lifelong learning and enriching lives. Join us today to take part in OLLI’s growing community of learners and wide educational opportunities
Why Become a Member?
Indulge your curiosity! People who are active, engaged in their communities, and enjoy learning throughout their lives feel more productive and purposeful and are healthier and happier. At OLLI there are no admission requirements, no grades, no tests, and no pressure. Instead, OLLI offers the opportunity to constantly learn more about the world, spark new curiosities, and join a community of inquisitive minds.
Who Belongs to OLLI?
Our members are people like you from all settings, professions, educational backgrounds, and places. We welcome adults of all ages – with special consideration of those fifty and better – with a desire to learn, engage, build new friendships, and actively discover more about the world around us.
Become a Reciprocal Member of OLLI at DU
Membership with OLLI at CSU also provides the opportunity to become a Reciprocal Member at the University of Denver (DU) OLLI for $20/year. This reciprocal membership provides access to online webinars, fitness classes, and a joint OLLI travel program. Email OLLI@colostate.edu for more information.
Why Membership Fees?
OLLI at CSU is a member-based, member-driven program. Each term, a current membership is required to participate in our many exciting multi-week courses, OLLI Talks lectures, and OLLI Experiences. OLLI non-refundable membership fees include complimentary member bonus lectures and are critical to our institute’s success and sustainability. Along with course tuition and donations, membership fees provide support for affordable, quality programming and the cultivation of an active lifelong learner community.
OLLI Membership
• OLLI offers two membership terms each year: Fall (September-December) and Spring (January-June).
• The $25 membership fee each term allows access to registration for all in-person and online courses and lectures.
• Enjoy complimentary member-only bonus activities included with your paid membership each term.
• If you are unsure of your membership status, visit the OLLI homepage and go to “My Account” and select “My Profile.” Scroll to the bottom to find your membership information. If you do not have a current membership, one will automatically be added to your checkout cart when you register for classes.
Multi-Week Courses, OLLI Talk Lectures, and Special Program Fees
• A paid membership is required to register for all courses, lectures, and special programs.
• Tuition for each course and special program varies based on the length of the course.
• Registration for each 2-hour OLLI Talks lecture is $10.
• Registration for multiple courses is encouraged.
• All courses, OLLI Talks lectures, and special programs enroll on a first come basis, subject to space availability. Waitlists are always available and highly encouraged.
• Registration continues throughout the term until the day a class or lecture begins.
Tuition Assistance
Thanks to the generosity of the Oltjenbruns Tuition Assistance Fund and the Cathy Stawarski Fund, scholarships are available to any new or returning member experiencing financial difficulty. If financial challenges prohibit you from enrolling in OLLI courses, you are invited and encouraged to apply for tuition assistance to help with course fees by filling out a simple Tuition Assistance Application, which can be found under the FAQs on the OLLI website.
Course Waitlists
If an online or in-person course reaches capacity, a waitlist will be available. If you register online, you will have the opportunity to directly add your name to the waitlist of any course at capacity. If a course does not show up in your search, the class and the waitlist are both full. If space in a waitlisted class becomes available, you will receive an email notification and will have 48 hours to accept the invitation to register for that class. If you do not register for the class within the 48-hour window, the automated system will offer the space to the next person on the waitlist.
Drop, Transfer, and Refund Appeal Policy
OLLI course and membership fees are critical to our institute’s sustainability and are non-refundable. If you need to drop a class, please visit the OLLI website to find a suitable transfer course that might better fit your schedule or needs. To arrange for a course transfer, email OLLI at OLLI@colostate.edu. A full or partial refund will only be considered on a case-by-case basis and for unusual extenuating circumstances. If you feel you have a unique situation requiring a refund, please complete a Refund Appeal Form, which can be found under the FAQs on the OLLI website. Members will be asked to provide written information detailing the reason for the refund request and will be notified once a determination is reached.
Unable to Attend
If you register for a class and cannot attend, please notify our office via email or phone. Do not offer your class seat to someone not registered for the class since we will reach out to members on the waitlist to fill the vacancy. Attendance is taken during each class period and unregistered visitors will not be allowed to remain in the class.
Class Cancellations
If a course or lecture is canceled, OLLI staff will reach out to all affected class members by email or phone as soon as possible. Members will have a 48-hour window to request a transfer to another course. Please check the OLLI website for alternative class options. After 48 hours, a full refund will be processed. Credit card refunds require ten business days.
Inclement Weather Days
If Colorado State University announces a weather-related closure, OLLI classes are also canceled that day, including online classes. In the event of a snow day or emergency cancellation of a single class, OLLI staff will notify all class members as soon as possible and will coordinate with the instructor regarding a makeup date. To guarantee we can contact you in case of a cancellation, please ensure your contact information is current. Email OLLI@colostate.edu if you need help updating your personal information.
Participant Guidelines
The mission of education is to promote intellectual, personal and social development and to provide an environment that encourages reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, openness, and respect for the rights, opinions, and needs of all class participants without divisive, or polarizing comments. Thank you for keeping our virtual and in-person classrooms a positive learning experience for all!
Support Your OLLI at CSU
Your tax-deductible contributions are essential to support and maintain a high-quality OLLI program, allowing us to keep membership and course fees low. As a self-supporting program, OLLI depends on your membership and tuition fees as well as contributions to sustain our program. Every dollar you give makes a difference. With your contributions, we can enhance and grow our engaging and thoughtful learning environment. Please consider making a valued donation by emailing giftplanning@colostate.edu or donate directly.
9/23
9/23 5077 The Remarkable Legacy of the Gullah-Geechee (Grenfell)
9/23
9/24
9/25
Art and Design
OSHR 2020 Monday Register
More Drawing FUNdamentals - Bringing Out Your Inner Artist
Dates: 9/16-10/21 | Instructor: Carol Marander
Times: 9 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $100
"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing." –Vincent van Gogh
Take your drawing skills to the next level with this fun drawing class. Participants will learn various drawing techniques using conte crayons, graphite pencils, pen and ink, and various other drawing implements. Learn how to draw what you see. Enhance your knowledge of using line, value, shape, pattern, and repetition in your drawings. Gain skill with composition, perspective, and proportion. Examples of drawings from various ages will be presented.
OSHR 3252 Online OLLI Talks Monday Register
The Italian Palace from 1400-1750
Date: 10/14 | Instructor: Robin Thomas
Times: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Location: Online with OLLI at Penn State
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
This course will offer a sweeping overview of the development of the Italian palace. It will start with the Renaissance in Florence, move to Rome in the Baroque period, and finish in Naples in the eighteenth century.
OSHR 2068 Tuesday Register
Art Journaling
Dates: 10/15-11/5 | Instructor: Patty Pyrz
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
Express yourself and create your own unique art journal entries using various mediums in this fun and relaxing class. An art journal can be a container for deep expression and can hold the thoughts and reflections that are most intimate to us. We can use them to record our personal stories, feelings and experiences and connect to ourselves. Learn certain techniques using different mediums to apply to your journal, as well as prompts to create without self-judgment. Make marks through expressive art practices and begin to create your own visual language to inform other work you’ll create by arranging color, words, images, and various ephemera. Explore and dive deeper into your creativity and embrace your inner critic while we create from a place of centeredness and intention. Learn easy art and mindful activities to unwind at home and creative art practices for self-care.
OSHR 2067 Wednesday Register
Making Connections: Global Subjects and Themes in Art History
Dates: 9/18-10/23 | Instructor: Margaret Sharkoffmadrid
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60
Participants in this course will explore global artworks thematically, investigating subject matter that transcends specific eras and geographic locations. Using art and architectural examples from across the globe and from all time periods, we will discover in our historical examples how art reveals a connectedness of peoples around the globe, albeit within culturally specific contexts. Each class session will focus on a different theme, including Nature and the Land, Gender, and Family Issues, Social and Political Commentaries, Portraiture and Self-Portraiture, Sacred Spaces and Sites, and The Process of Art Making. The class format will include six 2-hour illustrated lectures/discussions, each on a different theme.
Art and Design
OSHR 2046 Wednesday Register
Ink Drawing Techniques
Dates: 10/30-12/11 | Instructor: Joseph Osmann
Times: 9 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $100
Students will explore line contour, crosshatching, ink wash, and watercolor wash techniques. Using line and tonal techniques with pens and brushes, develop your subject preferences. Traditional and contemporary methods will be demonstrated, followed by individual instruction during studio sessions. Join us to experience the unique graphic power of this expressive medium.
OSHR 2012 Wednesday Register
Colorado Regional History through Art and Photography
Dates: 10/30-12/11 | Instructor: Joseph Osmann
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Explore the wide range of influences that form Colorado's cultural and artistic foundations. Our first regional artists were Ice Age bison hunters and the cliff dwellers of Mesa Verde. When our state became part of the Spanish colony established in New Mexico in 1598, Spanish settlers learned that Native Americans had developed elaborate trading networks and economic partnerships across the West. At that time, Native American customs and traditions were fused with Spanish Colonial art, architecture, and religious influences. Then, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, artists such as Albert Bierstadt and photographers such as Edward Curtis created powerful visual images inspired by our region's unique beauty. This course will explore the evolution of our regional art and how it reflects our history.
“Find a subject you love and take a course on it. Or try a subject you know nothing about and enjoy a whole new direction.”
OSHR 2036 Thursday Register
Art for the “Non-artist” – Uncovering Your Inner Creativity
Dates: 10/31-11/21 | Instructor: Paula Watson-Lakamp
Times: 9 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 25 | Cost: $70
Have you always believed you were a creative person, but somewhere along the way, your inner critic decided you weren’t? “I can’t even draw a straight line” is a quote I hear a lot from my students, and I say, “Great, straight lines are boring!” Join other like-minded people as we explore the wonderful world of creativity and artmaking. We will begin by making an art journal to hold all your creative ideas and then work with two different art media and techniques each week. From watercolor pencils to ink, we will bring out your inner creativity and set you up for success in art practice. There is a little something for everyone, with no straight lines or stick figures required! Creating art can bring amazing things into your life! Not only can it reduce stress, help with mental focus, and bring joy… but it will also give you an exciting new chapter in your life and a new way of observing and expressing feelings and thoughts. Come with an open mind, nimble fingers, and a curiosity to learn and grow. This class will be similar to the Spring class, with new materials and new projects!
OSHR 1215 OLLI Experience Thursday or Friday Register
Loose Watercolor Painting
Dates: 11/14 or 12/06 | Instructor: Steve Griggs
Times: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $125
Join Steve for this 'Paint Along' class, where he will construct a painting from start to finish while you paint along with him. Steve will take you through the process step-by-step. He will demonstrate how he moves through the steps to create a loose, moving, and evocative painting. Plan to have fun, try some new painting techniques, and see what you can do when you paint with a loose watercolor style! Steve's unique painting style is appropriate for both beginner and intermediate watercolor artists.
Art and Design
OSHR 2065 Online Friday Register
The Ancient Art of Mesoamerica
Dates: 9/20-10/25 | Instructor: Hugh Leeman
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Embark on an odyssey through ancient Mesoamerica, where its art reveals fascinating origin myths, incredible artistic skill, and deep worldviews. As we travel through the underworld, we encounter mythical forces, celestial entities, and transformative shamanic powers that transcend time and cross spiritual boundaries. Prepare to be inspired by the profound legacy of Mesoamerica as we travel from the stunning Mayan temples to the monumental sculptures of the Olmec culture and beyond. Join us on an adventure towards the enduring testimony of the human spirit of creativity, connecting a vibrant tapestry of ancient beliefs, languages, and traditions.
OSHR 2064 Friday Register
Mindful Mosaic Functional Art Class
Dates: 12/6-12/13 | Instructor: Renee Walkup
Times: 9:30 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $35
In this hands-on mosaic art class, you will have all the supplies and tools necessary to create a key or jewelry tray. Learn how to work with glass, tiles, or china, creating an original work of art with a modern twist! Award-winning professional artist Renee Walkup will show you how to use found objects, stained glass, and discarded plates and bowls to create something new and usable.
Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs
OSHR 5077 Monday Register
The Remarkable Legacy of the Gullah-Geechee
Dates: 9/23-10/14 | Instructor: Dale Mary Grenfell
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
The Gullah-Geechee people represent an experience often overlooked in our narratives of Black history in the U.S. These families are descendants of West and Central Africans who were kidnapped and held enslaved in the 1800s on plantations along the southeastern coastal Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Since Emancipation, these warm and tenacious cultural warriors have fought to keep their rich heritage alive and to retain the land they bought when freed. Currently, however, the loss of that inheritance is being threatened by rising coastal tides, oppressive city/state taxation, and the insatiable greed of developers. The Gullah-GeeChee have preserved more of their cultural legacy than any other Black community in this country, and much is owed to the colorful influence their stories, language, traditions, and spirituality have had on so many taken-for-granted aspects of American culture.
OSHR 5078 Hybrid Monday Register
Presidential and Other 2024 Elections - Predictive Analysis and Implications for America
Dates: 10/7-11/11 | Instructor: David Caputo
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 150 | Cost: $60
The 2024 Presidential, Congressional, and State elections will likely set America's course for the next decade or two. This course systematically considers the candidates, issues, and significant factors that will determine the electoral outcomes. Campaign strategy and campaign finance will be discussed. An in-depth explanation of polling, the use of AI and other computer applications, and voting laws will be covered. Each week, a different predictive model will be discussed and evaluated. The course is nonpartisan and will provide an understanding of the elections and their implications for the United States.
If you want to understand the American electoral process and the 2024 elections, this class is for you. The course will have extensive interaction and discussion with both in-person and Zoom participants in this hybrid format class. Feel free to contact me at CD30@aol.com.
Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs
OSHR 5083 Monday Register
Satire! What is it? Why isn't it Funny?
Dates: 10/28-11/4 | Instructor: Kate Lyn Reiter
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
"What is Satire? Why isn't it always Funny? Is satire always liberal? When does it cross a line to ridicule? This course will take a fun dive into satire from literature and Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. Must satire always be biting? Are there some subjects that should be off-limits? Where do Will Rogers and Mark Twain fit? Can we agree with Chris Bliss, a former comedy writer for Letterman & Tonight Show, who said comedy has a way of “circumventing our engrained perspectives”?
Note: the course will tackle some controversial and challenging issues of our times. Come with an open mind and a buffet attitude: "Take what you like and leave the rest."
OSHR 3225 Hybrid OLLI Talks Monday Register
Election 2024: Results and Implications
Date: 12/2 | Instructor: David Caputo
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 150 | Cost: $10
This one-lecture course will provide a comprehensive summary of the 2024 Presidential Election Results and offer various reasons and theories explaining the results. The final part of the lecture will discuss the implications of Election 24 for the United States.
OSHR 5074 Tuesday Register
Great Decisions 2024 Part 2
Dates: 9/17-10/29 (Meets every other week)
Instructors: Jerry Dauth & Karen Heckman
Times: 10 a.m.- noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 22 | Cost: $65
Great Decisions is America's most extensive discussion program on World Affairs and is part of the Foreign Policy Association. This course aims to introduce participants to critical foreign policy issues and to have open, respectful discussions on our collective future in this interdependent world. Participants do not need to have participated in Part 1 since we will address four new issues, one per session: (1) Risky Science Across Borders, (2) U.S.-China Trade Rivalry, (3) Invisible Indonesia, the third largest democracy, and (4) the High Seas Treaty/ Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. During each session, we will watch a video presentation covering one topic and then discuss the issue presented. Participants are encouraged to prepare for each discussion by reading the assigned chapter from the excellent briefing book, Great Decisions 2024*. Grow in awareness and understanding!
*Participants not enrolled in the Spring 2024 section must pick up a copy of the Briefing Book before the first class. The book is included with the course fees.
OSHR 5076 Tuesday Register
Shopping For Bombs
Dates: 9/17- 9/24 | Instructor: James W. Smith
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Join Dr. James Smith for a two-hour lecture focused on Gordon Corera’s book, Shopping for Bombs: Nuclear Proliferation, Global Insecurity, and The Rise and Fall of the A. Q. Khan Network. This book presents the story of A. Q. Khan, a black-market dealer in nuclear technology, and his role in the spread of nuclear technology over the last thirty years. The lecture will touch on the control of nuclear proliferation, weapons of mass destruction, and dual-use technology.
Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs
OSHR 5075 Tuesday Register
The Genocide Convention: Its Creation and Use Over
the Years
Dates: 10/22-10/29 | Instructor: Jeff Wright
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
In 1948, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the Crime of Genocide, the assembly’s first human rights treaty. Week One of this course will examine the convention’s creation, provisions, and use over the decades since, as well as the role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in adjudicating the convention. Learners will also explore the Poudre School District’s implementation of the recently passed Colorado law mandating the teaching of genocide in Colorado public schools. Week two of this course will then scrutinize South Africa’s December 2023 application to the ICJ, alleging that, in its response to the horrors of October 7, Israel is committing the crime of genocide. South Africa’s application and the ICJ’s provisional rulings will be examined.
OSHR 9037 Tuesday Register
The Nuts and Bolts of Death and Dying: What You Need to Know Before You Need to Know It
Dates: 10/15-10/29 | Instructor: Nina Rubin
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30
We are told that all that is guaranteed in life are death and taxes. Sadly, despite the inevitable fact of death, most people remain woefully unprepared when the time comes, leaving their surviving loved ones to make decisions under the worst possible conditions. This class will address your questions and concerns and help prepare you with the necessary information to make informed decisions. The course will cover end-of-life concerns, advanced directives, options for final disposition, costs, and laws and consumer protections in place.
Overview of the U.S. Economy
Dates: 12/3-12/10 | Instructor: John Olienyk
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
The Covid lockdown in March 2020 resulted in a dramatic decline in economic activity in the U.S. which prompted the Federal Reserve to cut short-term interest rates to near zero. That policy remained in place for the following two years as the economy recovered from the downturn. The rapid economic expansion, however, created growing inflationary pressure which caused the Fed to reverse its policy in March 2022. Eleven consecutive interest rate increases ensued, with the last one coming in July 2023. Since then, there has been much speculation about the prospects for a “soft landing,” in which the inflation rate would decline while the economy and the level of employment would continue to grow despite the higher interest rates. We will examine trends in major economic indicators such as consumer and business confidence, inflation, interest rates, employment, government debt, and various other factors to assess the current state of the economy and the outlook going forward.
History, Impacts, and Healing: U.S. American Indian Boarding School Policies
Date: 11/19 | Instructor: Dallin Maybee
Times: 1-2 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) holds governments accountable by fighting to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways through litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise. Join Dallin Maybee, NARF Assistant Director of Development, as he discusses a 2019 NARF report, Trigger Points: Current State of Research on History, Impacts, and Healing Related to the United States’ Indian Industrial/ Boarding School Policy. This review gathers existing research about the purposes and human rights abuses of U.S. American Indian boarding school policies, why they matter still today, and—most importantly— how recovery can and is being accomplished.
Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs
OSHR 3215 OLLI Talks Wednesday Register
Christian Nationalism: A Growing Influence in U.S. Politics
Date: 9/25 | Instructor: Jeff Wright
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Students will learn about the roots and contemporary expressions of Christian Nationalism, an ideology that combines Christian fundamentalism, white supremacy, nationalism, militarism, patriarchy, and authoritarianism. The class will explore how Christian nationalists shape government policies, practices, laws, and Americans’ sense of themselves to match their view of the Bible and their vision of a Christian America.
OSHR 3220 Online OLLI Talks Wednesday Register
A Sealed and Secret Kinship: The Culture of Politics and Practices in American Adoption
Date: 11/6 | Instructor: Judith Schachter
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Adoption has long been a controversial subject in the U.S. and other Western countries. Why is this the case, and how does public perception affect adoption policies? Join professor, researcher, and author of A Sealed and Secret Kinship to learn about the history of secret adoptions in the U.S. and other research on adoption and foster care.
OSHR 4044 Thursday Register
How Can They Believe That? - Polarization in the U.S.
Dates: 9/19-10/10 | Instructor: Bill Hunter
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 40 | Cost: $40
This four-session expanded program will examine how we become polarized, how that polarization tends to intensify, the impact of intense polarization on our nation, community, and individuals, and what steps we can take to reduce polarization by opening our minds to explore creative solutions to highly complex and challenging problems.
OSHR 5080 Thursday Register
Perspectives on the Conflict in Ukraine
Dates: 10/17-10/24 | Instructor: John Olienyk
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
The people of Ukraine have historically lived under domination by foreign powers but have nevertheless diligently fought to preserve and develop their unique cultural and ethnic identity. Their dream of independence and self-determination was finally achieved with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 but is under threat once again due to the Russian invasion in 2022 and the ongoing war. In this course, we will review the historical evolution of Ukraine, particularly over the past century, and examine the motivations for and consequences of the Russian assault. Those consequences extend well beyond the devastation wrought by the Russians on the people and the economy of Ukraine. The broader economic and geopolitical ramifications have been felt worldwide through volatility in many markets and the reshuffling of strategic alliances.
OSHR 3227 OLLI Talks Friday Register
SCOTUS Case Concerning Criminal Immunity of a Former President 2024
Date: 9/27 | Instructor: Richard Alper
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Join this single session for a presentation and discussion about presidential immunity from federal prosecution based on the USSC decision in Trump v U.S. delivered on July 1, 2024.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 3170 OLLI Talks Monday Register
Finishing Strong: The Good Life, Role to Soul, and Who You Are Matters!
Date: 9/16 | Instructor: Rich Feller
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Aging well requires practice, connections, and embracing life as "a challenge in search of joy." Age doesn't dictate the way you live. Quality of life is lived individually, not as a group, and we're learning much about life design, HEROIC Mindsets (Hope, Self-Efficacy, Resilience, Optimism, Intentional Exploration, Clarity/Curiosity), and the 3I'sUA Formula. Translating research and lived experiences while exploring powerful questions can "nudge" us to focus on "what's next" possibilities in daily living and beyond. Join this introductory session with an exciting new OLLI instructor to engage with uplifting mini-lectures, video clips, and short, fun, and experiential activities to remind us how we all matter!
OSHR 9051 Online Monday Register
Awesome Sauces: Finishing Touches from Around the World
Dates: 9/30-10/14 | Instructor: Chef Larry Canepa
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Sauces are the pinnacle of a chef’s achievement, and they require study and practice to master them. A great saucier must have a discriminating palate and the ability to understand how to build depth and harmony into a sauce. The formal study of sauces usually begins with the classic French sauces. Today, however, world influences from Asia, Latin America, Africa, and the Mediterranean, along with the public’s appetite for new and exciting tastes, have driven sauces in many different directions and brought an array of flavors and endless possibilities to their preparation and pairing. Explore the history of the World’s Greatest sauces, the basics of sauce making, and everyday uses.
OSHR 3236 OLLI Talks Monday Register
Learn to Relax Fight or Flight, Release Freeze, and Reset into Calm and Ease
Date: 9/30 | Instructor: Christine O’Brien
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Discover reset practices to start your day and integrate throughout your day to shift from a state of threat to one of thriving. These practices foster presence and connection with yourself, others, and nature. Research-backed strategies include movements like nitric oxide dumps, which improve exercise stamina, tolerance, and circulation. Grounding in gratitude is a subtle movement practice that releases stuck energy. Ho'oponopono, an ancient Hawaiian forgiveness practice, cleanses and releases anger and guilt for yourself, your family, and your ancestors, making it excellent for addressing generational trauma. Meditations that combine Emotional Freedom Tapping, HeartMath biofeedback techniques, affirmations, and loving-kindness create a "Bliss Brain" experience. Learning to shift from fear and threat to an "AWE" goosebump state reinforces a sense of oneness with nature and others.
OSHR 1256 OLLI Experience Monday Register
A Wine Tour of South America
Dates: 10/14-11/11 | Instructor: Christopher Hensey
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $160
Wine enthusiasts are invited to join sommelier Chris Hensey for a fiveweek survey of the wines of South America. Bottles from Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay will be sampled while their unique aspects are presented and discussed in an informal atmosphere. Cheese and crackers will be provided. One class will be dedicated to a structured, step-by-step analysis of wine. Please bring four wine glasses to each session and come prepared with a sense of adventure.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 1258 OLLI Experience Monday Register
An Afternoon in Spain at The Cooking Studio
Date: 11/11 | Instructor: A talented group of chefs
Times: 1-4 p.m. | Location: The Cooking Studio
Class Size: 16 | Cost: $100
Are you ready to cook a delicious meal with a Professional Chef guiding you? Come in and learn cooking skills as you prepare a delicious meal; after you eat, someone else will do the dishes!
The tapas menu for An Afternoon in Spain will include albondigas with tomato sauce, Spanish flatbread with piquillo peppers, olives, and Manchego cheese, and warm apple tart with red wine reduction and date ice cream.
OSHR 9053 Tuesday Register
Tai Chi – Yang Style
Dates: 9/17-10/22 & 10/29-12/10 | Instructor: Deidre Hand Times: 10-11 a.m. | Location: Empire Grange Building Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
Join new OLLI instructor Deidre Hand to explore the traditional Yangstyle Tai Chi 24 form. Tai Chi is a traditional martial art originating in China around 1100 AD. Various Qigong movements will also be explored in this course. Tai Chi and Qigong are rooted in Chinese culture, traditional Chinese medicine, and Taoist philosophy. Qigong and Tai Chi allow for cultivating Chi – or life energy through breathing practices, posture, and body movements. They are methods of integrating the self as a whole: body, mind, and spirit. Both are considered low-impact exercises and appropriate for all ages and abilities.
“OLLI is a community like no other for pioneers navigating the later stages of life.”
OSHR 3234 OLLI Talks
The Art Experience
Date: 9/17 | Instructor: Patty Pyrz
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10
Are you feeling the need to create? Feeling stuck as an artist and needing some new ideas/inspiration? This hands-on art workshop will be a combination of various art prompts/techniques designed to spark your inner artist and provide you with the essential skills needed to communicate and articulate your artistic voice effectively. Come have some fun, relax, and learn the healing benefits of making art! We will dabble with various mediums such as colored pencils, watercolor, and pens/markers and create several small art pieces. We will also discuss the benefits of art journaling as a motivator to continue your art experience outside of class! You do not have to be an artist to take this class. All are welcome!
OSHR 3223 OLLI Bonus
Nurturing Mental Health & Happiness
Date: 9/24 | Instructor: Nancy Buck
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
Most people agree that nurturing mental health as we age is critical, but knowing exactly how to manage or even define the challenges that arise while growing older can be challenging. Part of the problem is that there is no unified agreement for defining mental health within the professional medical and psychological communities. Within the general population, especially older adults, mental health is too often defined by unhappy and unhealthy symptoms like depression, anxiety, and trauma. Join Dr. Nancy Buck for an empowering journey towards cultivating robust mental well-being at any stage of life. Gain insights and tools to kickstart your personal practice for nurturing mental health, embracing change, fostering acceptance, and thriving through adaptation.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 9060 Tuesday Register
Adapting to Our New Age & Growing Good Vitality
Dates: 10/1-10/15 | Instructor: Nancy Buck
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Most of us understand what constitutes good physical and dental health and how to maintain both. However, there is less agreement on what defines good mental health and how to sustain it. This raises an important question: are we equipped to handle life's challenges from within? As we age, we inevitably encounter obstacles that test our ability to accept and adapt to physical, dental, and mental changes.
This course is designed not only to help us accept these changes but also to nurture strong vitality, reignite our passions, and tap into our creativity. Through the Socratic method and group discussions, we will delve into the foundations of internal psychology, such as Choice Theory. By drawing on examples and experiences from our own lives, we will examine, rethink, plan, and develop strategies to reignite our passions and unlock our creative potential.
OSHR 3192 OLLI Talks Tuesday Register
Reframing Retirement: Using Time, Building Community & Finding Awe
Date: 10/1 | Instructor: Rich Feller
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Personally defining, intentionally exploring, and finding joy in retirement seems wise and healthy. Efforts to "retire to relax and gain flexibility" often teach us that "getting through retirement" requires working at tiny but healthy and prosocial habits. For those seeking or within retirement, this session provides fun activities and safe discussions to explore the relationship among (1) time usage and finding joy, (2) community support and navigating life role (identity) transitions, and (3) experiencing awe and being present for the eight wonders of life. We'll try to counter the costs of "private perfection" and “trying to change or fix others” while practicing a vow of happiness. This material complements and does not replicate the "Finishing Strong" or "Who You Are Matters!" session offered this term.
OSHR 3186 OLLI Talks Tuesday Register
Retirement! 24/7
Date: 10/8 | Instructor: Suzie Daggett
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10
Retirement can be a significant life change, resulting in excitement or confusion. Suzie will lead an open interactive discussion on how to navigate retirement to discover how to find your purpose, keep your mind, body, and spirit alive, and know what you want in this new phase of life. Hobbies, traveling, volunteer activities, creating community, continuous curiosity, and learning, help you discover more about what you need and want in your new life adventure.
OSHR 9057 Online Tuesday Register
You're Never Too Old to Eat Kohlrabi!
Dates: 10/15-10/22 | Instructor: Lisa Boesen
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Plant-based, plant-slant, vegan, and more—so many concepts, but goodness, what do they mean? Let's take the fear out! Lisa will walk students through the most popular plant-based theories with some history and kitchen time and share her plant-based journey that started at age 58!! In addition, students will be provided with self-exploratory tools to take their own two-week test drive of plant-based eating.
OSHR 9064 Tuesday Register
Mindfulness Meditation as a Soothing Mental Balm
Dates: 11/5-12/3 | Instructor: Margit Hentschel
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40
By design, the words “medication” and “meditation” only differ by one letter. Their Latin root word, medeor, means “to heal or to make whole.” This course offers a brief history of meditation as a healing practice for internal and mental symptoms, a revered focus in the Eastern Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Sessions will focus on mindfulness meditations to nourish “whole” healing. Qigong mindful movement offered by Linda Anson and new mindfulness practices will be introduced each week. Participants will be invited to engage in "hands-on" guided meditation practices. A group Q&A and paired sharing will follow each practice for collaborative learning. No previous meditation experience is needed.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 3232 OLLI Talks Tuesday Register
Experiential Self-therapy
Date: 11/12 | Instructor: Robert Lawrence
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Dr. Lawrence is a retired psychiatrist who practiced in Fort Collins for 45 years. A fair part of that practice involved teaching patients experiential self-therapy, a form of treatment that they could employ themselves. Dr. Lawrence explains the basis for, and techniques of, this type of therapy and shares stories culled from nearly a half-century of helping. Note: This course is not meant to provide clinical treatment.
OSHR 3213 OLLI Talks Wednesday Register
Exercise Matters! The Wonderful Ways Movement Powers Us
Date: 9/18 | Instructor: Terry Nolan
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
If there were a way to slow the clock on aging, would you do it? We don't have to feel achy and stiff, lose muscle mass, and do the oldie shuffle as we age. Instead, using specific techniques, we can improve strength, flexibility, and posture for lifelong vitality. This talk will explain how ESSENTRICS® workouts link our anatomy and nervous system, the emotional/psychological aspects of exercise and healing, and the powerful connection between music, anatomy, and the brain. Get excited about moving and meet some of the body's amazing systems!
OSHR 9052 Online Wednesday Register
Fire and Ice: Desire, Creation and Destruction
in Everyday Foods
Dates: 9/18-9/25 | Instructor: Chef Larry Canepa
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Fire and Ice have benefited humans for thousands of years and have allowed humanity to provide, protect, and kill. They have been used to symbolize deepest desires, passion, rebirth, resurrection, hope, death, eternity, and many more. No symbols are more ambiguous and double-edged in literature, art, and religion than fire and ice. Fire and Ice symbolism can simultaneously denote illumination, purification, destruction, and pain. What are some primary meanings of fire symbolism in literature and art over the centuries? And how are they represented in food? Get hot; stay cool- we will look at the developments of fire and ice through the ages and discover some fantastic foods on our journey.
OSHR 9004 Wednesday or Friday Register
ESSENTRICS® Aging Backwards
Dates: 9/25-10/23 or 9/27-10/18 | Instructor: Terry Nolan
Times: 10-10:55 a.m. or 11:05 a.m.-noon
Location: First Presbyterian Church Class Size: 24 | Cost: $40 or $35
ESSENTRICS® is an age-reversing workout that encourages joint mobility and flexibility in muscles, relieves pain, and stimulates cells to boost energy, vibrancy, and the immune system. Using music to cue movement, it's a dynamic full-body stretch and strengthening program created by Miranda Esmonde-White, author of Forever Painless and the New York Times bestseller Aging Backwards. This class is for OLLI members who are moderately fit and whose doctors approve of their exercising. Each session will include a 45-minute workout and a discussion about how ESSENTRICS® keeps our minds and bodies active. Registration for multiple sections is welcomed and encouraged.
Please Note: The Wednesday sections are for five weeks, and the Friday sections are four weeks.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 3230
Creating Intentionality in Your Life Through the Lens of "Spark Joy"
Date: 10/2 | Instructor: Alyssa Golinvaux
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
The KonMari Method® is a global phenomenon- Marie Kondo describes "the life-changing magic of tidying up" and how our belongings can "spark joy" in her books. But how can this process help us in our everyday lives? This talk will highlight how applying the "spark joy®" principle can spill out into all realms of our being and allow us to lead a life of intention that supports the people we want to become. Prepare to learn about the tenets of KonMari theory and practical actions that can be applied to cultivate a more intentional life. OSHR 3244 OLLI
A to Z of Estate Planning
Dates: 10/9 | Instructor: Celeste Kling
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
Celeste Holder Kling will discuss the whys and how's of estate planning. Come prepared to learn and ask questions during this interactive session! Why do estate planning? How does property pass at death? Issues to consider regarding wills? What about trusts? What about taxes? What about charitable giving? How should I allocate my assets? OSHR 3221 OLLI
Climate Resilience: Seeds of Critical Hope
Date: 9/19 | Instructor: Tamara Yakaboski
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $0
This workshop will explore how to gather seeds of critical hope to build climate resilience. By understanding your own emotions and mindsets, you can better support family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues through climate emotions and well-being. We will explore how it is critical to pair emotions with action for ourselves and future generations. Participants will be guided through reflection, discussion, and mind-body activities to cultivate critical hope from our eco-related emotions and sensations.
OSHR 1222 OLLI Experience Thursday or Wednesday
Who You Are Matters! Discovery Experience and Boardgame
Dates: 9/19 or 10/9 | Instructor: Rich Feller
Times: 1-3:30 p.m. or 9:30 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $5
Spark meaningful conversations around the question, "What's next for me?' using a safe and highly structured board game experience (used in 19 countries and over 3000 U.S. locations) to discuss what matters to those over 55. Enjoy deeper conversations, laughter, and personal feedback with 4-5 fellow players (see video at www.onelifetools.com). Generate specific possibilities for your future and receive encouragement to take inspired actions. Finish with a personalized "Clarification Statement" and a feeling of clarity and confidence about your "what's next." "Who You Are Matters!" is more than a set of conversations...it's real life! The experience includes an informal and popular "no agenda" social at the instructor's home one month later for participants.
OSHR 9058 Thursday Register
Art and Healing
Dates: 9/19-10/10 | Instructor: Patty Pyrz
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
This course will celebrate the creative process of artistic rendering and the healing benefits one can gain by practicing and encouraging their artistic abilities. The focus on the process of artful engagement will be emphasized versus the importance of the final product. We will investigate your artistic talent by creating without assumptions and expectations while exploring certain healing aspects of one’s own experience of creative expression. Making visual an imagined idea or prompt can be a powerful boost in self-awareness and self-worth, as well as stimulate hidden feelings. Discover how self-expression through art grows from a place of confidence, trust, and truth and provides a means to convey experiences and feelings of your inner world. We will explore these processes each week through art journaling/collage, mindful doodling, meditative drawing, and neurographic art. You do not have to be an artist to attend this class!
Health & Wellness
OSHR 1257 OLLI Experience Thursday Register
Fall Harvest Favorites at The Cooking Studio
Date: 9/19 | Instructor: A talented group of chefs
Times: 1-4 p.m. | Location: The Cooking Studio
Class Size: 16 | Cost: $100
Whether you spend your days crafting delicious creations in your kitchen or simply wish to broaden your cooking horizons, you'll enjoy this culinary experience. Are you ready to cook a delicious meal with a professional chef guiding you? Come in and learn cooking skills as you prepare a delicious meal; after you eat, you don't have to do the dishes! The Fall Harvest Favorites menu will include harvest salad, bacon Brussels sprouts, cider-brined pork loin, and salted caramel apple crisp.
OSHR 9059 Thursday Register
Climate Resilience: From Eco-Stress to Embodied Climate Action
Dates: 9/26-10/31 | Instructor: Tamara Yakaboski
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60
This course delves into the foundation of building individual climate resilience and how various climate-related stressors manifest as thoughts, emotions, and experiences within our nervous system. Recognizing the impact of climate stressors on mental, emotional, and physical well-being, we explore strategies to enhance personal and community resilience. Each session guides participants through practical exercises aimed at building a climate resilience toolbox. These include techniques such as writing and journaling, fostering a connection with nature, mindfulness practices, and embodiment exercises.
Throughout the course, we will explore the evolving landscape of climate stress responses and their implications for well-being. By delving into common responses and understanding the underlying emotions and mindsets, participants will develop the skills needed to support themselves and others. This series offers a transformative journey, with each week moving from a different state: from dissociation, denial, and cynicism through the freeze of hopelessness, guilt, and shame to activating anger, rage, and fear so that we land firmly in embodied climate action upon completion.
OSHR 9054 Thursday Register
Chakras: Practical Ways to Keep Your Batteries Full!
Dates: 10/3-11/7 | Instructor: Erika Mason
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60
Having low energy is something many of us complain about, especially as we get older. Frequently, we charge only one or two of our seven batteries. For example, you can excite your mind with interesting information and warm your heart by spending time with people you love. However, energy needs can come from any of our seven energy batteries. Most of us get into energy habits that leave parts of us feeling unfulfilled, low, and even continually drained. Finding balance is essential for energy management. This course will provide ways to assess all seven of your chakra energy batteries and provide physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strategies (which you can apply to your personal spiritual or religious beliefs) to keep your batteries filled!
OSHR 9055 Thursday Register
The Power of Presence: How to Live Mindfully in a Chaotic World
Dates: 10/10-10/24 | Instructor: Sue Schneider
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Given the noise and turbulence of everyday life, it can be difficult to stay present, calm, curious, and caring. Yet, establishing these qualities through the practice of mindfulness is critical for developing resilience. This three-part series will offer basic training in the foundations of mindfulness and the opportunity to explore mindfulness tools needed to help us stay present in our lives. Through experiential practices, we will learn how to work with our breath (Class 1), body (Class 2), and state of mind (Class 3) to bring greater awareness and compassion to both our inner and outer experiences. Research from the fields of psychology, neuroscience, and contemplative studies will offer a roadmap for our inner investigation and insights into the psychological, somatic, and societal benefits of our mindfulness practice.
Health & Wellness
OSHR 9063 Online Thursday Register
The Longevity Path
Dates: 10/10-10/31 | Instructor: Katherine Robinson
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40
Learn about a new perspective on aging that includes a blend of wisdom and practices from the East and the West. In this four-week series, you will learn information and practice meditation, breathwork, seated movement, and energy techniques from the East and the West that will help transform your perspective on aging. Turn greater life expectancy into a gift and not a curse.
OSHR 3242 OLLI Talks Thursday Register
Cultivating Forgiveness and Happiness
Date: 11/21 | Instructors: Manuel Arellano & Veronica Patterson
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10
Embark on a journey towards inner peace and contentment by exploring forgiveness and its profound connection to happiness. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Fred Luskin's groundbreaking work with the Stanford Forgiveness Project, this course delves into the transformative power of forgiveness in fostering personal well-being. Through an interactive session, participants will unravel the complexities of forgiveness and unforgiveness and engage in practical exercises to promote forgiveness, happiness, and gratitude.
OSHR 9065 Thursday Register
Psychiatry for the 2020’s
Dates: 11/21-12/12 | Instructor: Robert Lawrence
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Over the past century, no field of medicine has had to reinvent itself so thoroughly as psychiatry. Join Dr. Lawrence, who practiced in Fort Collins for 45 years, in a discussion of the various psychiatric disorders and illnesses, including their psychological and neurochemical treatments. Along the way, Dr. Lawrence dares to claim that he will reveal eight "Big Ideas" of potentially life-changing significance.
OSHR 9061 Friday Register
Finding the Equanimity of Compassion & Expanding the Art of Self-Compassion
Dates: 9/20-10/18 | Instructor: Jo Locricchio
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $50
This class will cover similar lessons from the Spring 24 course “Power of Self Compassion” and expand it through more detailed practices, applications, and discussions. In this class, participants discover what new research is uncovering about self-compassion and how many of us have not realized the benefits. Lessons will cover how to decrease burnout and empathy fatigue while increasing a sense of fulfillment and happiness. It takes practice to observe and honor all we do for others and even more practice to learn how to honor and hold compassion for ourselves. Learn how to fill your tanks back up, avoid empathy fatigue, and capture your full capacity to attend to those you love.
Participants will learn the artful skill of mindfulness and how it can be a gateway to the power of self-compassion. By learning the skills of Mindful, intentional awareness, pivoting the inner critic to the inner ally, and realizing that we don't have to endure the tough days alone, you can expand the art of self-compassion. Please join me in this restorative, compassionate practice!
OSHR 9062 Friday Register
Gaining the Mental Edge through Mindful Visualization
Dates: 10/25-11/8 | Instructor: Jo Locricchio
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30
Gain the mental edge for “in the moment” problem-solving, better focus, and increased accuracy. This class will help you discover the skills of mindful visualization to enhance your outcomes for things such as golf, pickleball, or other performance activities and will teach you how to prepare for other high-stress moments.
This three-week class will go over the basic principles of mindfulness, visualization, and other stress-reducing techniques that will promote an increase in the frequency of the elusive “zone.”
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 3207 OLLI Talks Monday Register
The Enduring Legacy of WWII
Date: 9/16 | Instructor: Henry Weisser
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Join popular OLLI instructor Henry Weisser as he examines the stark realities of World War II and how its enduring legacy has shaped ensuing history. Controversial and long-debated interpretations and myths will be discussed. There has never been an event in history of greater magnitude. Countless millions participated, and all of us have lived in a world reverberating from its aftereffects.
OSHR 1246 OLLI Experience Monday Register
Tour of Fort Collins Depots & Trolley Ride
Date: 9/30 | Instructor: Ken Jessen
Times: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Location: Offsite
Class Size: 24 | Cost: $30
The introduction of the railroad marked a transformative chapter in the narrative of Fort Collins and Larimer County. It established vital connections with the wider world and integrated the town into the broader tapestry of human civilization.
Embark on a journey through time guided by local historian Ken Jessen as he strolls through the storied past of Fort Collins' historic depots and car barn. Experience the charm of yesteryears aboard a meticulously restored Fort Collins trolley car.
The walking portion of the tour commences at the Laporte Avenue parking garage. Participants will wind through scenic paths for approximately a mile and a half before returning to the garage. Before embarking on the trolley car ride, members will then convene at the Roosevelt depot adjacent to City Park, where restroom facilities are available.
Please note: This tour requires moderate mobility and is not recommended for individuals with mobility limitations.
OSHR 3233 OLLI Talks Monday Register
Stories That Tell a Life
Date: 10/14 | Instructor: Eric Reno
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
The writings of Socrates inspired Eric Reno to examine his history and isolate junctures that gave meaning to his life. His goal was to write about a life and a time. Not considered college material, he began adulthood breaking concrete blocks. A year later he was an Air Force intelligence analyst based in the UK, reporting to NSA, and recruited as a civilian employee upon discharge from the military. He was determined to be his family’s first college graduate. He succeeded but found that corporate culture wasn’t a fit. Forty years later, he retired as a college president. Reno's published memoir, The Accidental Educator: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs, is about the journey: events, decisions, lessons, places, and people who played roles in shaping a life.
OSHR 3149 Hybrid OLLI Talks Monday Register
The Tudor Dynasty in England, 1485-1603
Date: 10/21 | Instructor: Henry Weisser
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Everybody knows something about the dramatic Tudor dynasty in English history. Who does not have an image of Henry VIII or the first Queen Elizabeth in mind? This class seeks to deepen impressions and introduce the lesser Tudor monarchs, wise Henry VII, sickly but resolute Edward VI, and Mary I, called bloody Mary for good reason. In Tudor times, religion and history were inextricably intertwined.
OSHR 3005 Hybrid OLLI Talks Monday Register
The Life, Wit, and Wisdom of Winston Churchill
Date: 12/9 | Instructor: Henry Weisser
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Long regarded as the most remarkable personage of the 20th century, Winston Churchill certainly was the right man at the right time in the right place during World War II. He was much more, a man of many talents and seemingly the most quotable Englishman in history other than Shakespeare. His strengths, his accomplishments, his weaknesses, and his mistakes will be explored.
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 6113
Tuesday Register
An Army Wife Comes West: A Family Affair
Dates: 9/17-10/22 | Instructor: Brian Carroll
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $75
Immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of the 1860s West as you journey through the intimate correspondence of Colonel William O. Collins, our city's revered namesake, alongside his wife, Catharine, and son, Lt. Caspar Collins. Through their poignant letters penned amidst the rugged backdrop of Fort Laramie, Wyoming, you'll glean profound insights into the harsh realities of life in the untamed landscapes of the Colorado and Dakota territories.
Catharine's poignant words, documented in the pages of An Army Wife Comes West: Letters of Catharine Wever Collins, 1863-1864, vividly depict the challenges pioneer wives and mothers faced while traversing the arduous Oregon Trail route. Meanwhile, Lt. Caspar Collins' accounts, spanning from 1862 to his untimely demise in 1865 during the Battle of Platte Bridge alongside Sioux, Arapaho, and Cheyenne Warriors, offer a gripping narrative of frontier life and the tumultuous clashes that defined the era. Note: Tuition includes two books.
OSHR 6126 Online
Tuesday Register
A World in Motion: A History of Immigration to America
Dates: 9/17-11/5 | Instructor: Myra Rich
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online (Hosted by DU)
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
This class will survey the history of immigration to the United States. Beginning in the late 16th century, explorers sought out the North American continent, and by the 17th century, immigration, some voluntary, some forced, had begun. Over the next two centuries, immigration continued unabated, creating a much-needed workforce but also introducing questions about what kind of country we would be and what it meant to be an American. Questions of race, religion, and ethnicity, encouraged by the nativist and scientific racism of the early 20th century, continue to the present day. The book we will use, Roger Daniels, Coming to America (2nd edition), will tell this story. It was published in 2002, so for the past two-plus decades of recent immigration, we will use other readings.
OSHR 6112 Tuesday Register
OPPY:
The Life
&
Times of a Great American, J. Robert Oppenheimer
Dates: 9/24-10/8 | Instructors: Don & Kay Menzel
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Oppy, as his friends called Robert Oppenheimer, is known as the Father of the Atomic bomb that ended WWII. His life as a brilliant theoretical physicist, social activist, and leader of the Manhattan Project was filled with complexity, accomplishment, disappointment, and emotional turmoil. This class will examine his life (1904-1967) and times, with particular attention focused on his fear of a nuclear holocaust. We will draw on real-time videos to understand the man and the times.
OSHR 3226 OLLI Talks Tuesday Register
Stories and Reflections: Teaching in a Georgia African American School 60 Years Ago
Date: 10/15 | Instructor: Robert Hoffert
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
On September 1, 1964, I arrived at Boggs Academy outside Waynesboro, Georgia. I was to teach, but I didn't know what, and serve as assistant chaplain, even though I was there, in part, to save my shaky faith. The school served 180 African American students, mostly from Georgia but from at least five other Southern states. My experiences created vivid and profound impressions on my life. For example, in February of 1965, the KKK burned down our classroom building, for which there never was any accountability. Sharing my stories and reflections on them, for me, is important historically but, equally, for our own times, 2024, 60 years later.
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 6120 Tuesday Register
Church and State in the USA
Dates: 10/22-12/3 | Instructor: Robert Hoffert
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Contrary to some vocal assertions in our times, the overwhelming theological, philosophical, and practical perspectives have coalesced in their insistence on the essential importance of separating church and state in the United States. This course will examine this established tradition and the bases upon which it was created, explained, defended, and lived from the colonial period until today.
OSHR 6119 Cancelled
Covert British Plans and Objectives Associated with the Raids on St. Nazaire and Dieppe in WW-II
Dates: 10/29-12/10 | Instructor: Isaac Eliachar
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
This course will discuss the volatile political turmoil at the outbreak of WWII as Germany invaded Poland and launched the brutal ‘Battle of the Atlantic’ followed by the ‘Blitz’ conquest of Western Europe that prompted Churchill’s rise to power. Britain withdrew from the Continent, and France soon surrendered. The Luftwaffe failed to defeat Britain’s RAF. Hitler fortified Europe’s western seaboard as he returned eastward to invade Russia. In 1942, Great Britain conducted two daring amphibious raids on the ports of St. Nazaire and Dieppe to prevail in the Atlantic theatre and to set the stage for the ultimate Allied landings in Africa, Italy, and Normandy.
“Take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to expand your interests with expert instructors and welcoming efficient and friendly staff.”
OSHR 6111
Online Tuesday Register
Flavors of Germany: Culinary Delights, Beer Heritage, and Holiday Magic
Dates: 11/19-12/10 | Instructor: Anette Isaacs
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
This three-week course by Historian Anette Isaacs offers a compelling exploration of German culture through its diverse cuisine, rich brewing traditions, and enchanting Christmas festivities. Participants will embark on a mouthwatering journey through the country's culinary landscape, from regional specialties to beloved holiday treats. Along the way, we will raise a glass to Germany's brewing legacy and uncover the heartwarming traditions that make German Christmas celebrations genuinely magical.
OSHR 6123 Wednesday Register
The Spirituality of Humor and Vice Versa
Dates: 9/18-10/2 | Instructor: Kate Lyn Reiter
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Lao Tzu said, “As soon as you have made a thought, laugh at it.”
Spirituality, as this course will address it, is not a dogma but a way by which we are transformed. What does humor have to do with that? Humor turns things upside down, pops illusions, and shakes us up to see the world slightly askew. That keeps us open. Without a little opening in our minds, there is no innovation, no creativity, no adaptation, no evolution . . . We will look at connections of humor with the traditions of the Eastern philosophies, mythologies (as Joseph Campbell reveals), a bit of psychotherapy, and the wisdom of poets and authors, -- all to invite a transformation of our human consciousness. We will look at these traditions with humor and, hopefully, take ourselves less seriously in the process. As G.K. Chesterton said, "Angels fly because they take themselves lightly."
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 6124 Wednesday Register
Middle East Update: How Did We Get
Here? Where Are We Going?
Dates: 9/18-10/23 | Instructor: Hillel Katzir
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
The Middle East has always been in flux, never more so than this past year. The class will review some history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, bring us up to date on what has happened over the last few months, and discuss what futures might be possible in the present circumstances.
OSHR 6012 Wednesday Register
Beets, Beavers, and Bandits – The History of Larimer County
Dates: 10/9-11/13 | Instructor: Ken Jessen
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Accentuate your knowledge and understanding of Larimer County's past by joining popular OLLI instructor Ken Jessen as he introduces various topics about Larimer County's history. The story begins with the first humans, followed by the arrival of Europeans and French trappers. The story continues with significant changes in transportation options, including the Overland Trail, pioneer roads, and railroads. Improved transportation led to industries and the region's economic development of hay, stone, plaster, bricks, sugar beets, cherries, peas, and tourism. Water resources were cultivated, starting with early ditches leading to the Colorado Big Thompson Project. Critical to understanding the county is an understanding of the establishment of its towns and schools. The course includes a virtual tour of local historical sites referenced during the class.
OSHR 6041 Wednesday Register
Larimer County’s First Humans
Dates: 10/9-10/23 | Instructor: Ken Jessen
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
Larimer County has been occupied for 12,000 years, but who arrived first? Popular historian and OLLI instructor Ken Jessen starts this story during the last Ice Age, when sea levels were lower and there was a causeway between Asia and North America. He will examine the path Nomadic hunters took and their arrival at the Lindenmeier Site in Larimer County, which has become one of North America's most important Pleistocene archaeological sites. Ken will provide a brief history of the evolution of local tribes and their language groups and discuss the reservations given to Colorado tribes and then taken away.
OSHR 6122 Wednesday Register
Yellow Journalism, Tabloids, & Modern Media
Dates: 10/16-10/23 | Instructor: Kate Lyn Reiter
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
What is the definition of "yellow journalism"? When and why did tabloid reporting begin, and how has it taken hold of modern broadcasting? The term "yellow journalism" came alive during the Spanish-American War when two prominent newspapers—one owned by Hearst and one owned by Pulitzer—fought for the narrative of the war. Hearst even claimed, "You provide the photographs, I'll provide the war," which begs the question, when does tabloid reporting become propaganda? Then came radio and television. We will explore a brief history of broadcast journalism, taking a closer look at Walter Winchell and asking the question: Where are his techniques still broadcasting today? What was the role of the FCC? What was the "Fairness Doctrine"? Has social media become the tabloid pièce de resistance? The course will be sprinkled with humor and a light touch.
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 6125 Online Wednesday Register
What about Fascism? Lessons from the 20th Century
Dates: 10/16-10/30 | Instructor: Jared Day
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
In recent years, concern has grown across the world about a resurgence in fascism. From countries as diverse as Hungary, Poland, Brazil, India, Turkey, and the United States, fascist tropes, styles, and ideological leanings have burst back into the public square. In this set of 3 lectures, we will examine four specific cases from the 20th century to better ground participants in how to look at what is happening now. We will look at Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, and Francisco Franco’s Spain. What was fascism? How is it relevant now?
OSHR 6117 Wednesday Register
The United States in the Gilded Age
Dates: 10/30-12/11 | Instructor: David Danbom
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
The Gilded Age in the United States was characterized by the transition away from slavery, the sectional crisis, and disunion and war--the issues that had characterized the middle of the nineteenth century-into a new, more forward-looking, and optimistic period, marked by dramatic expansion and growth. The primary concerns of the Gilded Age were the settlement of the West, the dramatic transformation of the economy, rapidly increasing urbanization and immigration, and political and social reform. The period ended with a fundamental restructuring of politics and political concerns and the embrace of an expanded international role for the United States.
Photo by Alan Stark
OSHR 3203 Online OLLI Talks Wednesday Register
Beneath Blue Mesa: The Gunnison River Valley Before the Reservoir
Date: 11/6 | Instructor: David Primus
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Witness a historical snapshot as David Primus discusses the history and shows photographs of the 23-mile stretch of the Gunnison River Valley existing before Blue Mesa Reservoir. Three towns, sixteen fishing resorts/hotels, and fifteen ranches were eliminated when the reservoir was constructed in the early 1960s. The area had been a vibrant ranching and fishing paradise enjoyed by countless visitors and residents for almost 90 years. David has been researching this history for over twenty years, interviewing many people who grew up or remembered the valley well. David recently wrote and published the book Beneath Blue Mesa: The Gunnison River Valley Before the Reservoir. After the presentation, there will be ample time for questions and discussion about the reservoir, the impact on lives and livelihoods when reservoirs are constructed, and the overall challenges faced today in the Colorado River system.
OSHR 6115 Wednesday Register
Defining Courage: An American Story About the Nisei Soldiers in World War II
Dates: 11/20-12/11 | Instructor: L Stuart Hirai
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30
This course will focus on the Nisei Soldiers of World War II. The U.S. government classified these soldiers of Japanese ancestry as “enemy aliens.” Stu Hirai will offer an in-depth exploration of these soldiers who bravely served in World War II. " Who were they as a group? What did they do? Where did they come from? Why did they choose to fight in a world war? Where were they, and what did they do during the war? What did they accomplish? The course will address the Nisei soldiers’ roles and responsibilities and their loyalty, which was often one-sided loyalty.
History, Psychology & Philosophy
OSHR 6121 Thursday Register
A History of Rubbish
Dates: 9/19-10/24 | Instructor: Richard Wilshusen
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60
Many animals, including humans, produce piles of rubbish. But modern humans are distinguished by the large amount and diversity of refuse we produce. Our ancient middens and modern landfills tell us much about our cultures and daily lives. In this six-session course, we’ll trace the history of human refuse from the earliest shell middens of over 100,000 years ago to modern urban landfills. Archaeologists study trash to gauge how long a place was occupied, identify social networks and status, and see what foods people ate—among many other things. Whether it’s Paleolithic middens, Aztec waste management, or Western mining town privies, trash has tales to tell.
OSHR 5006 Thursday Register
Discerning Truth in a Time of Strong Opinions
Dates: 10/31-12/12 | Instructor: Sally Purath
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Do you ever wonder how people can believe wholeheartedly in ideas that seem stupid and make no sense to you? Many believe “critical thinking” means being critical of others’ thinking. This class teaches how real critical thinking works: how and why humans, especially yourself, come to believe something is true and why we differ. We will also examine how the fields of math, natural science, social science, history, art, ethics, and religion determine for themselves what is true. This is not a class on current issues or debates about them, nor a class to tell you what you should think. It seeks to make you aware of how human knowledge works and to help you know yourself better—an invitation to think about thinking.
OSHR 6118 Friday Register
The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Personal Perspective
Dates: 10/25-11/22 | Instructor: Brian Carroll
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $50
This course will visit the evolution of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, the genesis of the "Cold War" with the Soviet Union, and the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion. Together, the Monroe Doctrine and the Bay of Pigs Invasion shaped President John F Kennedy's relationships with America's defense apparatus and with Presidents Fidel Castro and Nikita Kruschev. Instructor Brian Carroll will share his research into the key players of the "13 days in October" that marked the most dangerous period of the Cuban missile crisis. One of these individuals was Brian’s father, Lt. General Joseph F Carroll, the first Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Lt General Carroll is primarily recognized as an essential provider of crucial information given to Kennedy. Brian will humanize the material with personal anecdotes of a high school senior living in the shadow of the nuclear decisions made during this period.
OSHR 3235 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday Register
Forgotten Fort Collins: The Story of Stout, Colorado
Date: 10/11 | Instructor: Meg Dunn
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Did you know a quarry town was once under the south end of Horsetooth Reservoir? The town of Stout had a hotel, post office, schoolhouse, ranches, and homesteads. In the late 1940s, buildings in Stout were moved, and dams were constructed to create a reservoir for water storage. Water was piped from the headwaters of the Colorado River on the other side of the Continental Divide to fill Horsetooth Reservoir. Learn about the history of Stout and its people from a local historian who has researched the area through pictures, documents, and stories.
Literature & Communication
OSHR 4069 Monday Register
Bronte Book Club
Dates: 9/16, 10/21, 11/18, & 12/9 | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
In the 1840s, three sisters changed the literary landscape forever. Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, and Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall challenged conceptions of what it meant to be a woman and a writer and went on to be recognized as some of the greatest novels of the time. These sisters and their books shook the literary world with their critique of women’s rights, class hierarchies, and even racial equality. The class will read these books over four months, meeting once a month for a guided discussion about each book. Historical context and biographical information will be provided to enrich our understanding of these great works and their significance to literary history.
OSHR 4070 Monday Register
A Jewish View of the Gospels
Dates: 10/28-12/9 | Instructor: Hillel Katzir
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60
Many passages in the Gospels of the New Testament refer in some way to the Hebrew Bible, which, of course, was the only Bible known to Jesus. This course will look at some of those references and examine how the source material in the Hebrew Bible can inform an understanding of the Christian Bible.
OSHR 3251 Hybrid OLLI Experience Monday Register
Go as a River: Author Talk with Shelley Read
Dates: 10/28 | Instructor: Shelley Read
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Translational Medicine Institute OR Online
Class Size: 200 | Cost: $20 TMI Building/$10 Online
Set amid Colorado’s wild beauty, Go As a River is a heartbreaking coming-of-age story of a resilient young woman whose life is changed forever by one chance encounter. A tragic, uplifting novel of love and loss, place and displacement, prejudice and family, wilderness and survival—and hope.
Seventeen-year-old Victoria Nash runs the household on her family’s peach farm in the small ranch town of Iola, Colorado—the sole surviving female in a family of troubled men. Wilson Moon is a young drifter with a mysterious past, displaced from his tribal land and determined to live as he chooses. Victoria encounters Wil by chance on a street corner, a meeting that profoundly alters both of their young lives.
Inspired by true events surrounding the destruction of the town of Iola and the damming of the wild Gunnison River in the 1960s, Go as a River is a story of deeply held love in the face of hardship, prejudice, and loss but also of finding courage, resilience, friendship, and, finally, home— where least expected. This stunning debut explores what it means to lead your life as if it were a river—gathering and flowing, finding a way forward even when a river is dammed.
For those attending in person, a reception is included with your tuition.
OSHR 4065 Monday Register
Stardust Stories: Poems of Origin
Dates: 10/28-12/9 | Instructor: Chloé Leisure
Times: 1-3:30 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $90
"I have never started a poem whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.” –Robert Frost.
Are we made of stardust? What inheritance lies in our cells, in our imaginations? Are we foundlings from the future? What are the histories we string together to make sense of our lives? What stories do we live by, share, or hide? Through readings, guided exercises, and discussions, we will write origin poems—of our own and parts of the world we’re drawn to. We’ll look at those we’ve inherited and invent alternate endings to old ones. New writers welcome.
Literature & Communication
OSHR 4066 Tuesday Register
Inspire Your Poems Through Haibun, Golden Shovel, and Ghazal
Dates: 9/17-10/1 | Instructor: Veronica Patterson
Times: 1-3:30 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $45
Through these three forms, you can energize your poetic work. Even if you don’t use the form exactly, striking new music can emerge. There will be prompts for writing a new poem during class time and a chance to read your poem aloud. We’ll look at how each form has been used and varied.
OSHR 4062 Tuesday Register
Historical Fiction: From Foot Binding to the Bubonic Plague
Dates: 10/22-12/3 (Meets every two weeks) | Instructor: Sara Hoffman
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40
Travel the world with four novels written about life between 1469 and 1666. Each of these compelling books takes place in a different country — China, Italy, the United States, and England. They will be read in chronological order outside of class and discussed in class.
Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is about a remarkable female doctor in China. The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell is the story of a young duchess in Italy surrounded by treachery and mystery. North Woods by Daniel Mason explores a yellow house deep in the woods of Massachusetts and its succession of human and non-human occupants. Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks tells of a young housemaid living in an infected English village. On average, the books are 370 pages in length.
OSHR 4064 Wednesday Register
Look and Listen: Making the Everyday Shimmer in Our Poems
Dates: 9/25-10/30 | Instructor: Chloé Leisure
Times: 1-3:30 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $90
In an interview, former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo said, “When I began to listen to poetry, it’s when I began to listen to the stones, and I began to listen to what the clouds had to say, and I began to listen to others. And I think, most importantly for all of us, you begin to learn to listen to the soul, the soul of yourself in here, which is also the soul of everyone else.”
This course will discuss the importance of observation in our poetic lives. We’ll practice writing spontaneously. We’ll read poems that notice or celebrate the ordinary. Both in and outside of class, we’ll heed Mary Oliver’s advice for a living life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Talk about it. New writers welcome.
OSHR 4073 Wednesday Register
Rites of Passage: The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway
Dates: 10/30 - 11/13 | Instructor: Eric Reno
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30
A rite of passage is a door into a room we never knew existed, leaving behind a room we will never occupy again. Dr. Eric Reno uses the works of Ernest Hemingway as introductory guides to those events that form character. Critics reference the “code” in Hemingway’s stories, which reinforces a person’s responsibility for their own behavior, values, and character. There is no one else to credit or blame. The phrase “grace under pressure” is also a referenced behavior, something that a person should aspire to but that can never be predicted until it is tested. Each story stands on its own as a rite, from childhood to old age, which changes how characters perceive the world, influencing and shaping the person they will become.
• 10/30: “Hills Like White Elephants”
• 11/6: “The Killers”
• 11/13: “Big Two-Hearted River”
Literature & Communication
OSHR 4067 Wednesday Register
Medieval Zoology
Dates: 11/20-12/11 | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30
One of the greatest treasures to remain from the medieval era, the Aberdeen Bestiary is a gilded, illuminated manuscript detailing 12thcentury scholars’ understanding of the animal kingdom and the natural world. The images within are some of the most outstanding examples of medieval art in existence, with varied pigments, gold leaf accents, and minute attention to detail. With careful descriptions of animals, their habits, and habitats, the manuscript is a fascinating glimpse into medieval science, research, and the ordering of the world. This class will delve into this magnificent text to read entries of the different animals, admire the detailed depictions of the creatures, and marvel at the weird and wonderful world of medieval zoology.
OSHR 4036 Thursday Register
Red Herring Book Club
Dates: 10/3-12/5 (Meets the first Thursday of the month)
Instructor: John Blair
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 35 | Cost: $30
Crime fiction lovers are invited to discuss three assigned mystery books. The titles cover a wide variety of authors. The class meets on the first Thursday of the month for three months. Two weeks before each session, participants are emailed five questions to consider about that month’s novel.
• 10/3: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
• 11/7: The Guest List by Lucy Foley
• 12/5: Written in Bone by Simon Beckett
OSHR 4068 Friday Register
Creative Writing Workshop
Dates: 10/25-12/6 | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60
Stories and storytelling are powerful tools to inhabit the experiences and feelings of others and to share our own. Stories can make us laugh, break down prejudices, and force us to confront our own limitations. Stories can teach us about ourselves and the world. This workshop will focus on helping you unlock your own inner muse to get your story on paper. Welcoming both fiction and nonfiction, together, we will focus on the craft of short story writing, honing narrative, word choice, voice, and many other technical aspects. Classes will include in-class writing prompts, sharing work in large and small groups, and constructive feedback to help you in your writerly goals.
OSHR 4072 Friday Register
Silverware and Star Charts: Leaping with Charles Simic
Dates: 11/15-12/13 | Instructor: Chloé Leisure
Times: 1-3:30 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60
In an interview, Charles Simic, former United States Poet Laureate, said: “If we had this self-knowledge, if we had ideas about who we are, what we are, it would be very difficult to write poetry. The best things that happen in poems are discoveries; they’re accidents… what comes out of our imagination, out of our deepest self, out of our memory, and when they’re good, they always surprise us.”
In this class, we will read and discuss poetry and prose by Charles Simic (among other writers). We will also practice “wild writing” and other generative writing processes that encourage surprising leaps in our memories and imagination. New writers are welcome!
Music, Theatre & Film
OSHR 6114 Online Monday Register
The Best of Alfred Hitchcock, Part 2
Dates: 9/16-9/23 | Instructor: Jay Sherwin
Times: 1-2:30 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Alfred Hitchcock was always fascinated with voyeurism and the interplay between voyeurism, filmmaking, and film watching. In this two-week online course, a follow-up to last year’s popular “Best of Hitchcock” course, we’ll consider four of Hitchcock’s best films and explore his obsession with people watching other people. Students should watch the films on their own; in class, we’ll look at brief film clips and discuss key themes. Expect another lively trip into the mind of a brilliant, complicated man and the strange, disturbing world he created on film.
OSHR 7043 Monday Register
Elegant Nightmares: The Improbable Rise of the British Ghostly Tale
Dates: 9/23-10/21 | Instructor: Michael Morrison
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 40 | Cost: $50
Stories are how a culture talks to itself. And Britain had a lot to talk about at the turn of the 19th century. The Industrial Revolution was wreaking rapid changes in virtually every aspect of life: from everincreasing urbanization to the ever-growing Middle Class, from literacy to fiction. Throughout the Age of Enlightenment, the British novel had been resolutely realistic. Suddenly, in 1794, British literature was invaded by haunted castles, unearthly landscapes, persecuted heroines, and scheming villains. And ghosts. Within a few decades, a handful of authors introduced ghost stories that shaped the genre. In this course, we'll explore some of the best of these stories—tales by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, Montague Rhodes James, Algernon Blackwood, Arthur Machen, Margaret Oliphant, and others. We'll seek answers to such questions as: What about the seismic social, cultural, and philosophical changes of the times that gave rise to this eruption of the irrational? What were such stories saying about life at the turn of the century? And what do ghost stories have to tell us about the nature of the universe and our place in it?
Note: A course reader will be available to purchase with selected short stories.
OSHR 7001 OLLI Experience Tuesday or Wednesday
Cinema du Jour
Dates: 9/17-10/22 or 9/18-10/23 | Instructor: Joannah Merriman
Times: 12-3 p.m. | Location: The Lyric Theatre
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $110
Enjoy a series of six films and post-film discussions in the comfort of the Lyric Cinema Cafe, 1209 N. College Avenue. We will gather to watch a selection of movies with unique storylines and observe filmmaking techniques that often vary from the standard studio fare; however, this is not intended to be a filmmaking course.
After each cinematic adventure, we will discuss these thoughtprovoking films together. Movies may be subtitled and carry various ratings. Your theater ticket and a small popcorn are included in the course cost.
Note: On October 1 and 2, the class will meet for 4 hours, not 3 hours, so we can view a particular 3-hour film I’ve chosen. However, generally, I do not know the film lineup until the course begins, based on Lyric’s schedule of available films at the time of the course each semester. Welcome returning participants as well as first-time viewers.
OSHR 6046 Tuesday Register
The History of Rock and Roll, Pt. III: The 90's & Beyond
Dates: 9/17-10/1 | Instructor: Jack Rogers
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30
Join Jack Rogers for an examination and facilitated conversation on the history of rock and roll. We will focus on the various popular music forms that dominated the 1990s and the new century. We will examine the artists, personalities, technologies, and trends that contributed to this fertile period in popular music.
Music, Theatre & Film
OSHR 7039 Online Wednesday Register
Broadway Musicals – A Fascinating History
Dates: 9/18-10/23 | Instructor: Emanuel Abramovits
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
With plenty of audiovisual support, we'll explore the Tin Pan Alley-driven comedy works of the early 20th century years, the book musicals and concept musicals that followed, and the arrival of European megaproductions late in the century. We'll profile the leading composers, writers, choreographers, directors, performers, and the most unforgettable shows, like Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, Showboat, Guys and Dolls, Company, Hair, Cabaret, Rent, Wicked, Hamilton, and many more.
OSHR 7045 Wednesday Register
Who's afraid of the "C" Word (Contemporary Music)
Dates: 9/25, 10/23, 11/20, 12/11 (Once a month) | Instructor: Wes Kenney Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40
Contemporary composers and their music have come a long way from the 1960s in terms of audience accessibility. Today, those responsible for programming have a wealth of compositions to choose from in both the Anglo/European repertoire and other cultures that have been, until recently, underserved. All that is needed is a small amount of education to help to create an "earmap" to guide the listener.
OSHR 7040 Online Wednesday Register
The Top 25 Film Scores of All Time
Dates: 10/30-12/11 | Instructor: Emanuel Abramovits
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
The American Film Institute released a list of the best film scores, including many well-known classics and surprises. The composers of these scores have fascinating lives and solid careers. With the help of plenty of audiovisuals, stories, and anecdotes, let’s enjoy the ride through the process of creating these historical pieces that convey what the movie is trying to say without words, evoking an emotional response even the most brilliant bit of dialogue cannot elicit. With the participation of the students, we'll build our alternative top 25 film scores of all time!
OSHR 7042 Thursday Register
Introduction to Classical Guitar
Dates: 10/31-12/12 | Instructor: Deborah Singer
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 15 | Cost: $60
The first hour of each session will survey the history of the classical guitar, featuring recorded performances by some of the instrument's finest artists and a discussion of its evolution and introduction into the concert hall. The second hour will be hands-on instruction in the basics of classical guitar playing, including reading treble clef notation, rhythm, and dynamics, and learning left and right-hand articulation on the strings. Basic music theory, as it applies to the guitar, will be taught along with playing technique. Each student will need to bring an acoustic guitar and the book The Christopher Parkening Guitar Method, Vol. 1, to each class session, including the first meeting.
OSHR 7044 Friday Register
Hildegard of Bingen: Mystic Composer
Dates: 9/20-10/4 | Instructor: Elaine Hild
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30
Hildegard of Bingen was one of the most fascinating people of the Middle Ages. In her time, she was famous–and infamous–as a mystic whose visions compelled her to challenge authorities, found her own monastic community, preach throughout the German regions, and advise kings, popes, and emperors. In our time, she has been revered as a saint and a “doctor of the church,” and she has served as an inspiration for feminists, medicinal gardeners, writers, and musicians. Most importantly for our course, she has been identified by music historians as the earliest known female composer. Our class sessions will focus on Hildegard’s music in the context of her life, her times, her religious understandings, and her other creative output. We will look closely at her medieval manuscripts, listen to performances of her music, and carefully consider the texts she wrote. In doing so, we will encounter a person who has amazed and astounded since her life in the twelfth century.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 8082 Monday Register
Colography 2: More Nitty-Gritty Colorado
Dates: 9/16-10/21 | Instructor: Kevin Cook
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
The first colography class focused on how Colorado became a state, a tale about many academic and political accomplishments. Sidelights explained the state’s overall character and what lies within its boundaries. Specifically relevant to how we understand Colorado today, this class will focus first on people who made discoveries and second on people who made things happen. All stories and explanations will be presented in the context of Colorado’s landscapes, lifescapes, and wildlife diversity, emphasizing how they influenced people and how people influenced them. The outcome will be a more detailed portrait of the place we call home.
OSHR 3217 OLLI Talks Monday Register
Add Some Bling to Your Spring with Fall-Planted Bulbs
Date: 9/23 | Instructor: Alison O'Connor
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
This class will discuss how fall-planted bulbs, such as tulips, crocus, and hyacinth, can add excellent color to your early spring garden. Many of these plants can attract pollinators and are drought-tolerant. Join Alison O'Connor for the how-to’s of planting, culture, care, and specific bulbs to add to your garden.
OSHR 3211 OLLI Talks
Emerging Scholar: Strategies for Healthy Brain Aging
Date: 10/7 | Instructor: Devin Wahl
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Aging is the most significant risk factor for most diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but select lifestyle choices and specific interventions may profoundly reduce the risk for AD. The most vital interventions are non-pharmacological and include limiting caloric intake, increasing aerobic exercise, and environmental enrichment. In humans, dietary patterns, including the Mediterranean, Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), and Okinawan diets, are associated with health benefits. They may also reduce the risk of neurodegenerative disease. A few promising therapeutic agents and certain compounds have also been shown to improve brain health in rodents and humans. In this talk, Dr. Wahl will discuss recent research in these areas and describe evidence-based ways to promote healthy brain aging.
OSHR 3173 OLLI Talks
En-Roads Climate Simulator Workshop
Date: 10/7 | Instructors: Jim Hand & Tony Mitchell
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10
Do you want to learn how we can mitigate Climate Change? Then, join the En-ROADS climate simulator workshop. The En-ROADS Climate Workshop is an interactive experience that helps build support for strategies to address climate change by testing the En-ROADS Climate Simulator. The resulting experience is hopeful, scientifically grounded, action-oriented, and eye-opening. Co-developed with the MIT Sustainability Initiative, the workshop is set up as an interactive group learning experience that promotes a greater understanding of the causes of climate change and the solutions essential to mitigating it.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 8083 Monday Register
Birds of Life
Dates: 10/28-12/9 | Instructor: Kevin Cook
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
A “life bird” is a species identified alive in the wild for the first time. Fourteen years ago, a friend scared away what might have been a life bird for me. When asked why, he replied, “It’s just a bird!” Inspired by his indifference, I spent ten months writing “Birds of Life,” each chapter explaining how a bird meaningfully influenced my life to make me the naturalist that I am. This class will present interpretive readings of chapters followed by class discussion. When class ends, comments and suggestions will be incorporated into the manuscript, and the book will be submitted for publication.
OSHR 3222 Hybrid OLLI Talks Monday Register
Geology and Dams
Dates: 11/4 | Instructor: Mike Kendrick
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Human-engineered dams and other irrigation works enabled the dawn of civilization about 7000 years ago. Their importance to human society has only expanded since then, and here in the western U.S., dams have been essential to human settlement. However, we have learned that there are consequences to disrupting natural stream processes. This course will cover a range of topics about dams, focusing on the great rivers of the West. We will explore the benefits, ecological and environmental impacts, geologic risks, noted failures, and some modern management practices.
“OLLI courses are a great way to keep the brain active with interesting topics but without the cost and long-term commitment of a college course.”
Hiking the Geology of Colorado's Northern Front Range Foothills
Lecture Date: 9/17 | Instructor: Mike Kendrick
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 15 | Cost: $60
Hike 1 Location: Maxwell Natural Area, 4 mi., 630 ft. of ascent
Hike 1 Dates: 9/19 or 9/24 | Time: 7:30 a.m.-noon
Hike 2 Location: Bobcat Ridge Natural Area, 3.5 mi., 450 ft. of ascent
Hike 2 Dates: 9/26 or 10/01 | Time: 7:30 a.m.-noon
Field observations are the best way to learn geology. This course will consist of an introductory lecture session followed by two field sessions at Maxwell Natural Area and Bobcat Ridge Natural Area. We will discuss the geologic foundation of the foothills landscape, examine and identify rocks, and discuss resource use and geologic hazards.
OSHR 3228 Hybrid OLLI Bonus Tuesday Register
Colorado Water 101
Dates: 9/17 | Instructor: Scott Hummer
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
This course introduces Colorado water basics, including climate and geography, water history and development, Water Rights Administration, and local and regional water Issues.
The presentation and discussion will cover Colorado's arid climate, varied geography, water development history, water rights basics, water administration and law, and the duties and responsibilities of Colorado's water administration officials. It will also discuss compacts with downstream states and transmountain diversions.
While the focus will be statewide, specific examples will come from the Colorado and Poudre River Basins. Discussions related to water matters within all seven of Colorado's water divisions are welcome.
The importance of this course derives from the need for newcomers as well as longtime locals to understand that choosing to live in an arid place has consequences that are not necessarily associated with their former places of residence. For many Northern Colorado residents, half of the water coming from local taps originates in the Colorado River Basin.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 1004 OLLI Experience Tuesday Register
Fort Collins City Park Arboretum Tour
Date: 9/24 | Instructor: Tim Buchanan
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: City Park Arboretum
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10
Due to its outstanding diversity and beauty, City Park was designated as a Fort Collins official arboretum in 1992. The arboretum includes over 200 tree species and varieties, with several state-champion trees and scarce species. This two-hour walking tree tour will visit some of the most prominent and unusual trees found in the city. This class is an excellent opportunity to learn more about this incredible Fort Collins natural resource and the many fantastic trees found in the City Park Arboretum. Students will meet at City Park.
OSHR 1253 OLLI Experience Tuesday Register
Tour
Rare
and Unique Materials at the CSU Water Resources Archive
Dates: 9/24 or 10/1 | Instructor: Patricia Rettig
Times: 2-3:30 p.m. or 3:30-5 p.m. | Location: CSU Morgan Library
Class Size: 15 | Cost: $10
Did you know CSU has a copy of the Colorado River Compact? The CSU Water Resources Archive is a joint effort between CSU Libraries and the Colorado Water Center. It is home to an estimated 3 million items – from maps and photos to meeting minutes and contracts. The archive has primary materials related to the history of the Colorado River Compact – including a copy of the 1922 document itself. Tour this unique collection and learn about all aspects of water in Colorado, including water resources management, engineering, law and legislation, endangered species, and more. Geographic coverage in the Archive focuses on Colorado but extends across the American West and worldwide.
OSHR 8089 Tuesday & Friday Register
Mindful Birding - The Miracle of Migration
Dates: 10/8-10/11 (meets on Tuesday & Friday of the same week)
Insructor: Barbara Patterson
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $20
This particular fall mindful birding workshop will focus on the miracle of migration. Mindful birding is a powerful practice combining birdwatching's joys with mindfulness's benefits. The focus is not on counting or identifying birds but on observing and being inspired by their unique adaptations for flight, enabling survival and success. Exposure to nature is linked to many health benefits. We can learn to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and understand how it can be a gateway to foster stewardship and bolster conservation. The first session will be in the classroom and outside. The second session will include a nearby field trip.
OSHR 8075 Online Tuesday Register
CYNOLOGY 101
Dates: 10/15-11/19 | Instructor: Stephenie Slahor
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
"Fetch" a copy of the OLLI catalog and "sit" down to peruse the offerings. When you "come" to cynology, un-"leash" your curiosity and "stay" focused. It's a "treat" you'll love to "speak" about because it's the study of DOGS! As if you couldn't tell by this description! We'll "paw" through anatomy, characteristics, behavior, history, famous dogs, training, nutrition, and the special bond between dogs and humans.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 3216 OLLI Talks Tuesday Register
Ten Ways Maps Changed How We See the World
Date: 11/5 | Instructor: Melinda Laituri
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Maps are central to finding our way from one place to another and are deeply intertwined with technology. Maps have been protected secret documents and tools of geopolitical strategies, representations of political power, cultural interpretation of place, and currently - a navigational device held in the palm of our hand. We will explore different examples of maps that demonstrate the changing technologies that have enabled the dynamic nature of maps through time. The printing press, measuring longitude, calculating map projections, global positioning systems, remote sensing, cartographic visualization, and the internet are all part of the story of maps that reveal how they are used in creative and radical ways. This lecture will examine how the evolution of maps and technology influences how we see the world.
OSHR 8076 Wednesday Register
Chilling Out with Animals of the Ice Age
Dates: 9/18-9/25 | Instructor: Greg McDonald
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Are all mammoths wooly? What gave the saber-tooth cat Smilodon its smile? Did ancient sloths live in trees? Were all animals of the ice age giants? In this class, we will learn about some strange and unusual animals living in North America during the Pleistocene, a geological period known as the Ice Age. The remains of many of these animals have been uncovered from the prairies to the mountains and have been preserved in caves, bogs, and tar pits. Many have been found in Colorado, and perhaps some of these finds were made in your own backyard. The class provides an overview of not only the variety of Ice Age animals found in North America but will also discuss some of the sites where their remains were found.
OSHR 3237 OLLI Talks
Wednesday Register
Recognizing and Working with Biological Controls of Insects
Date: 10/2 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
All insects are under a tremendous amount of natural control that regulates their populations. One source of these is the biological controls – the other organisms that feed on and kill insects. Perhaps the best known of these are lady beetles, but many, many others can be found in a Colorado yard or garden. Some, like lady beetles, mantids, and green lacewings, are predators that hunt and consume other insects. Others, including several kinds of non-stinging wasps and flies, are parasitoids that develop inside another insect. Insects also suffer from diseases – various viruses, fungi, and bacteria. This class will review the various biological controls that are commonly around us and discuss how we can optimize their activity in a yard to help suppress undesirable kinds of insects.
OSHR 3218 OLLI Talks
Thursday Register
Why are the Himalayas so Big?
Date: 9/26 | Instructor: Robert Michael
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
The Himalayan complex of Central Asia is by far the highest ground on the planet. Why is this so? Short answer: it's the biggest geological train wreck on Earth. We'll take a non-technical look at the unique geology of this wondrous place and view it from the first American ascent of 18,330 feet of Mardi Peak in the spectacular Annapurna region of Nepal.
“OLLI classes provide a window into other worlds. I’ve loved all the classes I’ve taken.”
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 3238 Hybrid OLLI Talks Thursday Register
Bed Bugs – A Bit of History Their Habits and How They Are Managed
Date: 9/26 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Few insects are more universally disliked than the bed bug. They have been associated with humans for millennia and have often been very common and unwelcomed residents of buildings. About 50 years after World War II - and after the use of new highly effective insecticidesthis insect was significantly reduced in many areas and rarely became a problem in the United States. However, in the 1990s, a “bed bug resurgence” began in many parts of the world, including Colorado. This class will discuss the habits of bed bugs and how to recognize them, as well as how they might be managed.
OSHR 1254 OLLI Experience Thursday Register
Tour Rare and Unique Materials at the CSU Agricultural Resources Archive
Dates: 9/26 or 10/3 | Instructor: Linda Meyer
Times: 3:30-5 p.m. | Location: CSU Morgan Library Special Collections Class Size: 15 | Cost: $10
Did you know CSU has 83 wax replicas of apples sculpted in the early 1900s by Professor Miriam Palmer? These apple replicas are so scientifically accurate that they have been used to help Colorado fruit growers enrich the genetic diversity of apple orchards. Visit these apples and more to learn about the unique agricultural history of Colorado through a tour of the Agricultural and Natural Resources Collections at Morgan Library. As Colorado’s land-grant institution, CSU holds a long tradition of sharing the results of agricultural, forestry, and other land-use research with farmers, ranchers, resource agencies, educators, and the general public. The Agricultural and Natural Resources Archive (ANRA) preserves and provides access to historical records that enhance understanding of the state’s agrarian and natural resource heritage. More than 100 collections contain source materials ranging from meeting minutes and correspondence to oral histories, diaries, maps, and photographs.
OSHR 8080 Online
Thursday Register
Foundations of Quantum Mechanics
Dates: 10/3-11/7 | Instructor: Ed Friedman
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Quantum Mechanics is arguably the most important invention of the human mind. Our standard of living has increased enormously due to its applications to computers and communications, education, entertainment, medical devices, navigation, energy production, travel safety, and other advances.
Yet, many mysteries remain. Experiments show that the quantum world is weirder than science fiction. Scientists cannot agree on how to interpret its seemingly illogical predictions, even though the theory successfully explains the world of the atom and its components. This class will present the history of quantum science, its key personalities, a non-technical explanation of its guiding tenants, what is and isn’t understood, and the exciting future it offers in computing and communication security.
Professors usually tell students, 'Shut up and calculate,' when they want answers about the foundations of quantum mechanics. We will expose those shadowy areas and offer the best current explanations.
OSHR 1259 OLLI Experience Thursday Register
Tour
of the Translational Medicine Institute (TMI) Building
Date: 10/24 | Instructor: Tami Armstrong
Times: 10-11:30 a.m. | Location: TMI Building
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10
Discover the dynamic heartbeat of Colorado State University’s Translational Medicine Institute, where innovation takes flight in stateof-the-art facilities. Here, a vibrant ecosystem of scholars, creators, and entrepreneurs converge to pioneer breakthroughs that harness the body’s innate healing prowess, benefiting both animals and the humans who nurture them. Embark on a captivating tour to delve deeper into how this visionary institute spearheads the exploration and application of the body's natural therapeutics, enriching the lives of our beloved animal companions and their human counterparts.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 3210 OLLI Talks Thursday Register
AI & CoPilot
Date: 10/24 | Instructor: Ed McConnaughey
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10
We are entering the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which will drastically impact our lives, how we learn and communicate, and how we perceive and interact with our environment. This course will provide a brief overview and history of AI, a discussion of the factors that have recently accelerated the implementation of AI applications, and a review of current AI applications. After the AI overview, the class will focus on a single AI application quickly infiltrating our everyday lives - Microsoft’s CoPilot. CoPilot provides access to the massive quantity of digitized data (mega-data) accumulated since the advent of the computer age. It selects, structures, and presents the selected data as helpful information that can be used to organize complex information sets or solve complex problems. The final segment will be hands-on, with the students using CoPilot to access mega-data to generate specific inquiries/requests.
Understandable PC Security Guidelines and Methods to Un-constipate Your Windows PC
Date: 10/31 | Instructor: Rick Lamp
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
This course presents, in non-technical English, techniques everyone should use to protect their privacy and their online accounts. This will cover passwords, password hashes, passkeys, two-factor authentication, password managers, antivirus and firewalls, virtual private networks (VPNs), and web browser settings. In addition, specific settings in Windows are shown to make it work better, protect your privacy, and make it easier to use. Finally, recommendations will be shared if you are looking to purchase a new Windows-based PC.
Tech Skills for Older Adults: Smartphone Navigation and Accessibility Options
Date: 9/20 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30-11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. In the first half-hour of each class, a presentation will be given about the topic, and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. All are welcome regardless of skill level or years of experience. Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and or tablets.
There are many ways to make your device feel comfortable for your unique needs. This specific class will explore how to adjust the font size, add captions to videos, use speech-to-text, and more. This class will also explore external assistive devices such as styluses, phone handles, phone stands, and more. This class will only assist with smartphones and tablets, not laptops.
OSHR 8078 Friday Register
The Brain, Music, and Gender
Dates: 9/20-9/27 | Instructor: Nina Azari
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20
Embark on an exploration focused on two particular topics in the field of cognitive neuroscience: 1. Music and the Brain and 2. Gender and the Brain. For Music and the Brain, we will examine questions like: “What is the difference between musicians' brains versus non-musicians' brains?” “What parts of the brain are involved in processing music?” For Gender and the Brain, we will explore questions like: “Is the brain structured differently in men and women?” “Does the brain function differently in women and men?” “How can we account for differences in neuroplasticity between men and women?” Experience an enthralling voyage through the complexities of the brain, specifically as they relate to music and gender.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 3246 OLLI Talks Friday Register
Tech Skills for Older Adults: Texting with Smartphones
Date: 9/27 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30– 11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. In the first half-hour of each class, a presentation will be given about the topic, and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. All are welcome regardless of skill level or years of experience. Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and or tablets.
Texting is an informal method of sending a digitally written message to people using your phone number. This class will explore how to save someone’s number as a phone contact, send a text message, create a group chat, use emojis, and send pictures.
OSHR 3241 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday Register
Then and Now: Wildlife Before and After a Dam
Date: 9/27 | Instructor: Kevin Cook
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
By federal decision, three dams would be built on the Gunnison River. Blue Mesa Dam was the first, completed in 1965. Before construction, a survey was done to document wildlife diversity where the reservoir would develop. Having lived in Gunnison for six years and having worked with Curecanti National Recreation Area for four years, I became familiar with the area’s birdlife. The thesis for my Master of Science degree in wildlife biology compared bird diversity before and after reservoir impoundment. This presentation will explain the historical details and highlight the wildlife character of the place then and now.
OSHR 8088 Friday Register
Dig Deep: Introduction to Exploration and Production of Oil and Natural Gas
Dates: 9/27-11/1 | Instructor: Harry Mueller
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Despite societal pressure to reduce the use of hydrocarbons (oil & natural gas, the molecules consisting dominantly of hydrogen and carbon) to combat climate change, we will be using hydrocarbons for power and other uses (e.g., plastic and asphalt) for many decades to come. Using (mainly) non-technical language and concepts, this course will introduce participants to the complexities of economically finding and producing hydrocarbons from the subsurface (rocks deep beneath the present-day ground surface). Although much of the course will focus on geology and reservoir engineering (the technology for improving the efficiency of recovery of hydrocarbons from the subsurface), there will also be a discussion of the economics and history of the industry and "contentious” issues.
OSHR 3247 OLLI Talks Friday Register
Tech Skills for Older Adults: Clipping Coupons with the King Soopers App
Date: 10/4 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30– 11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging
Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. In the first half-hour of each class, a presentation will be given about the topic, and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. All are welcome regardless of skill level or years of experience. Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and/or tablets.
Learn how to apply digital coupons to save money on purchases at King Soopers and other Kroger-affiliated stores. This class will explore how to create a King Soopers account, clip coupons on the app, and apply the coupons to your purchase at checkout.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 8077 Friday Register
Memory: An Exploration
Dates: 10/4-11/8 | Instructor: Nina Azari
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Join Dr. Nina Azari as she considers the topic of memory. Questions addressed will include: “What accounts for forgetting?” “How long do memories last?” “How much information can we hold in memory?” What types of memory are there?” “Are there some types of memory that are uniquely human?” “What parts of the brain mediate memory?” Enjoy a fascinating journey through the labyrinth of the mind, where questions spark curiosity, and answers reveal the wonders of human cognition.
OSHR 3248 OLLI Talks Friday Register
Tech Skills for Older Adults: Facebook Marketplace on the Facebook App
Date: 10/11 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30– 11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging
Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. In the first half-hour of each class, a presentation will be given about the topic, and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. All are welcome regardless of skill level or years of experience.
Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and or tablets. This class will focus on the Facebook Marketplace function on the Facebook app, where users can sell furniture, clothing, craft supplies, exercise equipment, and more. This class will explore how to make a Facebook account, create a listing, and chat with potential buyers. This class will also cover how to avoid potential scams on Facebook Marketplace.
OSHR 3239 OLLI Talks Friday Register
How Do Insects Make It Through a Colorado Winter?
Date: 10/11 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Winter presents a very significant challenge for insects that want to be year-round residents. Plants on which they may feed are dead or dormant, and cold temperatures can quickly kill them if insect cells freeze. But tens of thousands of kinds of insects survive Colorado winters by various methods. Some find shelters that protect them from freezing, but most all undergo various kinds of physiological changes that allow them to be “winter hardy.” How different types of Colorado insects prepare for winter will be the subject of this discussion.
OSHR 3249 OLLI Talks Friday Register
Tech Skills for Older Adults: Kanopy App
Date: 10/18 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30– 11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging
Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. A presentation will be given and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and or tablets.
Poudre libraries and other libraries across Colorado offer free access to movies, TV shows, and documentaries. This class will explore how to create a Kanopy account, browse shows and movies, and add subtitles. A valid library card is needed to participate in the class.
OSHR 3214 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday Register
The Blue Mesa Dam and the Colorado River
Date: 10/18 | Instructor: Jennifer Gimbel
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
In her book Go as a River, Shelley Read describes the building of the Blue Mesa Dam and the inundation of her homeland. This course will provide context for the dam's construction concerning the Colorado River and current multi-state negotiations.
Nature, Science & Technology
OSHR 8084 Friday Register
Two Dozen Books Worth Reading
Dates: 10/18-11/22 | Instructor: Kevin Cook
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60
Books preserve details of history, stimulate questions, motivate ideas, provide information, and expand knowledge. Books about Life on Earth explain what lives where as well as how life forms interconnect and how natural processes keep Life going. The number of such books published in the last century is numerous enough to fill a library by themselves. So, where does a person interested in the subject get started? This class will focus on specific books that both separately and collectively provide a means to interpret the wonder that is Life on Earth. That focus will include a meaningful connection to Colorado.
OSHR 3250 OLLI Talks Friday Register
Tech Skills for Older Adults: New York Times Games App
Date: 10/25 | Instructor: Rachel Washburn
Times: 9:30– 11:30 a.m. | Location: Center for Healthy Aging
Class Size: 10 | Cost: $10
This course is designed for older adults interested in learning about apps on smartphones and tablets. In the first half-hour of each class, a presentation will be given about the topic, and then the instructors will assist individuals in small groups as they practice new skills for the remainder of the class. All are welcome regardless of skill level or years of experience. Participants are encouraged to bring their own smartphones and or tablets.
The free version of the New York Times Games app allows users to challenge their knowledge with trivia and word and number puzzles. This class will provide instructions for each game and strategies. Volunteers can also assist those who have the paid version of the New York Times Games app in playing the large crossword.
The Traditions of Talbott Farms: A Century of Harvest and History
Date: 11/1 | Instructor: Bruce Talbott
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
Colorado's Palisade Peaches are renowned for their exceptional flavor and quality. However, successful peach production in Colorado is an improbable industry that has required constant adaptations to farming techniques and technology. Join OLLI to learn about this rich history and the unique evolution of fruit farming in the region from a 5th generation fruit grower. For over 100 years, the Talbott family has farmed and evolved with the land near the headwaters of the Colorado River. Today, Palisade Peaches remain Talbott Farms' largest crop; however, other products, like Colorado Wine Grapes, apple juice, apple cider, hard cider, and a wine brand called Centennial Cellars, are all popular products that showcase the family's efforts to preserve past traditions of excellence, while ensuring sustainability for generations to come.
OSHR 8058 Friday Register
Aging: An Exploration
Dates: 11/15-12/13 | Instructor: Nina Azari
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40
You are invited to explore a multidimensional approach to aging that focuses on the interrelationships between mind, body, and psychosocial factors. In this course, Nina Azari will discuss what normal aging can look like and how various abnormal conditions can affect the aging process, including multiple types of dementia and brain abnormalities. Participants may gain an understanding that will help them better navigate the aging process for themselves and walk more compassionately with someone who suffers from age-related illness.
Nature, Science & Technology
Behind the Scenes: Reporting on the Colorado River Basin
Date: 11/15 | Instructor: Shannon Mullane
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
The Colorado River is the lifeblood of the West, but the river and its tributaries are facing an uncertain future as the climate changes. Cities are ripping up thirsty turf to replace it with more droughtresistant plants. The savings banks for the entire basin — lakes Mead and Powell — are running low. Farmers face cuts yearly, and officials grapple with a looming gap between supply and demand. How does the Colorado River fit into Colorado’s water supply, even on the Front Range? We keep hearing about these interstate negotiations, but what are officials actually talking about, and how do these interstate issues relate to Colorado? (Hint: Blue Mesa.) When the basin tips into crisis mode, what — and who — gets pushed to the side? We’ll talk about current issues, future concerns, and the journalistic process in this look behind the scenes of reporting on the Colorado River.
OSHR
Happy 50th Birthday Lucy
Date: 11/22 | Instructor: Bill Cornell
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
On November 24, 1974, the remains of a 3.18-million-year-old hominid, Australopithecus afarensis (a.k.a. Lucy), were discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia. In the 50 years since, Lucy has bewitched, bothered, and bewildered two generations of paleoanthropologists. In this talk, I will recount the findings and interpretations that have fostered an increasingly clear picture of Lucy’s dramatic impact on the story of evolution.
Travel with OLLI at CSU
Join us as we extend learning opportunities and social connections beyond the classroom. Our trips will give members the chance to bring their learning experiences to life in places around the world. Special pre/post lectures and social events will be designed to maximize learning, engagement, and fun.
Our first two trips abroad in 2025, hosted by EF Go Ahead Tours, are available for enrollment this fall. Interested individuals must be a current OLLI at CSU member at the time of travel, although prior term membership is encouraged to participate in associated social events, lectures, and other gatherings.
The Canadian Maritimes
May 20-28, 2025
England and Scotland
September 8-17, 2025
1. Call 1-800-438-7672
• Reference OLLI CSU Trips (Canada or Scotland/England)
• Coordinator: Meredith Naughton
2. Visit our dedicated tour websites:
• Canadian Maritimes: www.grouptoursite.com/tours/canada-2025-olli-csu
• England and Scotland: www.grouptoursite.com/tours/scotland-and-england-2025-olli-csu
3. Request a call at calendly.com/groupsreservations
This will allow you to pick a time that works for you to schedule someone from GoAhead to call you.
Photos by Go Ahead Tours
OLLI Member Bonus Lectures
OSHR 1261 Online OLLI Bonus
The Fort Lewis Indian School 1892-1911
Available to watch anytime at: youtu.be/5ZiU430i2GM
Instructor: Dr. Majel Boxer
Location: Online | Cost: $0
This Borderlands Talk was presented on September 24, 2020, by Dr. Majel Boxer of Fort Lewis College. Dr. Boxer's presentation focuses on locating and "hearing" the voices of Indigenous students attending Fort Lewis Indian School during its two decades of operation. She explores how the federal Indian policy of assimilation manifested in the daily lives of children attending the boarding school.
In lieu of tuition, please consider making a donation to a Native American-led organization working to reckon with this challenging history and to elevate Native American peoples: Borderlines Lecture Series from History Colorado, The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, and the Native American Rights Fund.
OSHR 3228 Hybrid OLLI Bonus Tuesday Register
Colorado Water 101
Date: 9/17 | Instructor: Scott Hummer
Times: 1-3
p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
This course introduces Colorado water basics, including climate and geography, water history and development, Water Rights Administration, and local and regional water Issues.
The presentation and discussion will cover Colorado's arid climate, varied geography, water development history, water rights basics, water administration and law, and the duties and responsibilities of Colorado's water administration officials. It will also discuss compacts with downstream states and transmountain diversions.
While the focus will be statewide, specific examples will come from the Colorado and Poudre River Basins. Discussions related to water matters within all seven of Colorado's water divisions are welcome. The importance of this course derives from the need for newcomers as well as longtime locals to understand that choosing to live in an arid place has consequences that are not necessarily associated with their former places of residence. For many Northern Colorado residents, half of the water coming from local taps originates in the Colorado River Basin.
OSHR 3223 OLLI Bonus
Tuesday Register
Nurturing Mental Health & Happiness
Date: 9/24 | Instructor: Nancy Buck
Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
Most people agree that nurturing mental health as we age is critical, but knowing exactly how to manage or even define the challenges that arise while growing older can be challenging.
Part of the problem is that there is no unified agreement for defining mental health within the professional medical and psychological communities. Within the general population, especially older adults, mental health is too often defined by unhappy and unhealthy symptoms like depression, anxiety, and trauma.
Join Dr. Nancy Buck for an empowering journey towards cultivating robust mental well-being at any stage of life. Gain insights and tools to kickstart your personal practice for nurturing mental health, embracing change, fostering acceptance, and thriving through adaptation.
OSHR 1262 Online OLLI Bonus Tuesday
Register
History, Impacts, and Healing: U.S. American Indian Boarding School Policies
Date: 11/19 | Instructor: Dallin Maybee
Times: 1-2 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) holds governments accountable by fighting to protect Native American rights, resources, and lifeways through litigation, legal advocacy, and legal expertise. Join Dallin Maybee, NARF Assistant Director of Development, as he discusses a 2019 NARF report, Trigger Points: Current State of Research on History, Impacts, and Healing Related to the United States’ Indian Industrial/ Boarding School Policy. This review gathers existing research about the purposes and human rights abuses of U.S. American Indian boarding school policies, why they matter still today, and—most importantly— how recovery can and is being accomplished.
OLLI Member Bonus Lectures
OSHR 3230 OLLI Bonus Wednesday Register
Creating Intentionality in Your Life Through the Lens of "Spark Joy"
Date: 10/2 | Instructor: Alyssa Golinvaux
Times: 10 a.m.–noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
The KonMari Method® is a global phenomenon- Marie Kondo describes "the life-changing magic of tidying up" and how our belongings can "spark joy" in her books. But how can this process help us in our everyday lives? This talk will highlight how applying the "spark joy®" principle can spill out into all realms of our being and allow us to lead a life of intention that supports the people we want to become. From Japanese Shintoism to learning to envision your ideal lifestyle, tips for “tidying up,” and sustainability impacts, this talk will guide you through the tenets of KonMari theory and provide practical actions that students can apply immediately to start cultivating a more intentional life.
OSHR 3244 OLLI Bonus Wednesday Register
A to Z of Estate Planning
Dates: 10/9 | Instructor: Celeste Kling
Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
During our session, Celeste Holder Kling will discuss the whys and how's of estate planning. Come prepared to learn and ask questions during this interactive session! 1. Why do estate planning? 2. How does property pass at death? 3. Issues to consider regarding wills? 4. What about trusts? 5. What about taxes? 6. What about charitable giving? 7. How should I allocate my assets?
“Come and learn and make new friends! OLLI offers a wide range of programs for a variety of interests. Anyone can find a class they would love to take!”
OSHR 3221 OLLI Bonus Thursday Register
Climate Resilience: Seeds of Critical Hope
Date: 9/19 | Instructor: Tamara Yakaboski
Times: 10 a.m.–noon | Location: Drake Hall
Class Size: 30 | Cost: $0
This workshop will explore how to gather seeds of critical hope to build climate resilience. By understanding your own emotions and mindsets, you can better support family members, friends, neighbors, and colleagues through climate emotions and well-being. We will explore how it is critical to pair emotions with action for ourselves and future generations. Tamara Yakaboski, Ph.D., guides participants through reflection, discussion, and mind-body activities to cultivate critical hope from our eco-related emotions and sensations.
OSHR 3243 Online OLLI Bonus Friday Register
The Traditions of Talbott Farms: A Century of Harvest and History
Date: 11/1 | Instructor: Bruce Talbott
Times: 10 AM – 12 PM | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
Colorado's Palisade Peaches are renowned for their exceptional flavor and quality. However, successful peach production in Colorado is an improbable industry that has required constant adaptations to farming techniques and technology. Join OLLI to learn about this rich history and the unique evolution of fruit farming in the region from a 5th generation fruit grower. For over 100 years, the Talbott family has farmed and evolved with the land near the headwaters of the Colorado River. Today, Palisade Peaches remain Talbott Farms' largest crop; however, other products, like Colorado Wine Grapes, apple juice, apple cider, hard cider, and a wine brand called Centennial Cellars, are all popular products that showcase the family's efforts to preserve past traditions of excellence, while ensuring sustainability for generations to come.
Shared Interest Groups
After dozens of planning meetings, OLLI launched four Shared Interest Groups (SIGs) in the spring of 2024 to facilitate extended learning, connection, and community. OLLI SIGs are a great way to meet other lifelong learners who share similar passions. They are volunteer-led and meet at various times throughout the term. A small fee is required to join each SIG, which provides support for fresh coffee and use of the Community Room.
SIGs cater to your intellectual curiosity and foster meaningful connections within our vibrant OLLI community. If you would like to start a new SIG, take advantage of our bulletin board in the Community Room to post information about your idea(s). Consider initiating conversations with your OLLI peers and leveraging classroom interactions to connect with individuals with similar interests.
Please Note: SIGs are member/volunteer-led, and SIG fees are nonrefundable and inclusive of the entire term. All SIGs meet in the Drake Hall OLLI Community Room.
OSHR 0004 Register
Meditation Shared Interest Group (SIG)
Dates: 9/24, 10/8, 10/22, 11/12, and 12/10 | Times: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Location: Drake Hall OLLI Community Room | Cost: $10
OLLI members are invited to join this group, which will meditate together on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month in the OLLI Community Room. This group does not offer formal meditation instruction, but beginners are welcome. The group will begin with a short ten-minute sitting meditation, followed by gentle movement and conversation about meditation practice. The hour will close with a 20-minute sitting meditation.
OSHR 0007 Register
Current Affairs Shared Interest Group (SIG)
Dates: Fridays, 9/20-12/13 | Times: 8:45-9:45 a.m.
Location: Drake Hall OLLI Community Room | Cost: $10
The Current Affairs SIG is a great way to join a lively discussion of regional, national, and international events! This SIG meets to discuss pre-determined current affairs and issues. Diversity of viewpoints is welcome as members seek to learn insights and perspectives from one another.
OSHR 0005 Register
Artist Shared Interest Group (SIG)
Dates: 9/19, 10/18, 11/11, and 12/12 | Times: 9 a.m-noon
Location: Drake Hall OLLI Community Room | Cost: $10
The Artist SIG is an awesome way to meet new people, share common interests, learn from others, and have fun. This SIG is open to any form of artistic expression that is generally suitable for an indoor classroom setting. If the group desires, we can also schedule activities off-site, such as visiting museums, plein air sessions, etc. Typically, this SIG meets once per month for 2.5 to 3 hours in the OLLI Community Room. Each artist is responsible for bringing supplies, determining their projects, and cleaning up afterward. Our goals include:
• Create an encouraging, constructive, and safe environment for artistic expression
• Create a welcoming environment for new artists
• Provide an incentive to keep creating
• Build friendships based on shared interests
• Provide a community to continue your artistic pursuits beyond the classroom
OSHR 0006 Register
Book Talks Shared Interest Group (SIG)
Dates and Times:
• Tuesday, 9/24, 10 a.m.-noon
• Monday, 10/21, 1-3 p.m.
• Wednesday, 11/20, 1-3 p.m.
• Tuesday, 12/10, 10 a.m.-noon
Location: Drake Hall OLLI Community Room | Cost: $5
The Book Talks SIG welcomes you! This SIG was created for OLLI members who want to share their love for books and/or authors in a social and engaged community of learners. At each monthly meeting, 2–3 members will present a synopsis of a book they have enjoyed and recommend to others. Books can be fiction or non-fiction, recent or older, fun or serious. Member presentations can be informal, but there is also the option to utilize PowerPoint presentations, videos, or other types of media. The more members who want to contribute, the more varied our collective reading options will be.
One Read Courses
OSHR 1261 Online OLLI Bonus
The Fort Lewis Indian School 1892-1911
Available to watch anytime at: youtu.be/5ZiU430i2GM
Instructor: Dr. Majel Boxer Location: Online | Cost: $0
OSHR 3251 OLLI Experience Hybrid Monday
Go as a River: Author Talk with Shelley Read
Dates: 10/28 | Instructor: Shelley Read Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: TMI OR Online Class Size: 200 | Cost: $20 TMI Building/$10 Online
OSHR 3222 Hybrid OLLI Talks Monday
Geology and Dams
Dates: 11/4 | Instructor: Mike Kendrick Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 1262 Online OLLI Bonus Tuesday
History, Impacts, and Healing: U.S. American Indian Boarding School Policies
Date: 11/19 | Instructor: Dallin Maybee Times: 1-2 p.m. | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
OSHR 3228 Hybrid OLLI Bonus Tuesday
Colorado Water 101
Dates: 9/17 | Instructor: Scott Hummer Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
OSHR 1253 OLLI Experience Tuesday
Tour Rare and Unique Materials at the CSU Water Resources Archive
Dates: 9/24 or 10/1 | Instructor: Patricia Rettig Times: 2-3:30 p.m. or 3:30-5 p.m. | Location: CSU Morgan Library Class Size: 15 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3220 Online OLLI Talks Wednesday
A Sealed and Secret Kinship: The Culture of Politics and Practices in American Adoption
Date: 11/6 | Instructor: Judith Schachter Times: 4-6 p.m. | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3203 Online OLLI Talks Wednesday
Beneath Blue Mesa: The Gunnison River Valley Before the Reservoir
Date: 11/6 | Instructor: David Primus Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 1254 OLLI Experience Thursday
Tour Rare and Unique Materials at the CSU Agricultural Resources Archive
Dates: 9/26 or 10/3 | Instructor: Linda Meyer Times: 3:30-5 p.m. | Location: CSU Morgan Library
Class Size: 15 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3241 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday
Then and Now: Wildlife Before and After a Dam
Date: 9/27 | Instructor: Kevin Cook
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3214 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday
The Blue Mesa Dam and the Colorado River
Date: 10/18 | Instructor: Jennifer Gimbel Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3243 Online OLLI Bonus Friday
The Traditions of Talbott Farms: A Century of Harvest and History
Date: 11/1 | Instructor: Bruce Talbott Times: 10 AM – 12 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0
OSHR 3235 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday
Forgotten Fort Collins: The Story of Stout, Colorado
Date: 11/11 | Instructor: Meg Dunn
Times: 10 a.m.-noon | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
OSHR 3206 Hybrid OLLI Talks Friday
Behind the Scenes: Reporting on the Colorado River Basin
Date: 11/15 | Instructor: Shannon Mullane Times: 1-3 p.m. | Location: Drake Hall OR Online
Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10
Meet the Instructors
Emanuel Abramovits is a Mechanical Engineer with an MBA and has been a concert promoter since 2000, directly involved in many events by international artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Sarah Brightman, Roger Hodgson, ASIA, Journey, and Kenny G. He designed and staged many original orchestral events, including an Event of the Year winner and several world premieres. He served as the Cultural Director at UNION ISRAELITA DE CARACAS from 2008 to 2019, releasing books and organizing film cycles, concerts, and art exhibits. He has taught online and in person across the U.S. since 2020.
Richard Alper, a Georgetown Law Center graduate, practiced in state and federal court, including one petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, while serving as a Maryland county attorney. He has taught several USSC courses for OLLI and environmental law at the University of Northern Colorado and at universities in the Middle Atlantic region.
*Manuel Arellano has served as a Corporate Instructional Designer, Videographer, Trainer, and eLearning Developer at Hewlett-Packard, Hach, and Broadcom, specializing in technical, safety, leadership, communication, and personal development training. Additionally, he actively contributes to the Peaceful Heart Sangha, a meditation group rooted in Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village tradition of Engaged Buddhism, where he volunteers as a facilitator with the Sangha Care Team.
*Tami Armstrong has lived in Fort Collins for 27 years; prior to that, she grew up in Kansas City (yes, she is a Chiefs fan). She graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in education. While living in Kansas City, she worked in the restaurant and hospitality industry for 12 years. After moving to Fort Collins, she began a career with Poudre School District, working with students K-12 in Integrated Services and working in the front offices of many schools. She has two daughters, two French Bulldogs, and a husband with whom she loves to travel. Next time you are at the TMI, please stop by the Welcome desk and say hi.
Dr Nina P Azari earned her first Ph.D. in human cognitive experimental psychology, followed by postdoctoral training and research in human brain imaging at the National Institutes of Health and in Germany. She then earned a second Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies, with a dissertation focused on the philosophical-theological implications of the neuroscientific study of religious experiences (focused explicitly on her collaborative work investigating brain imaging and Christian religious experiences). Dr. Azari is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions (Publisher: Springer). Dr. Azari was a faculty member in the psychology department at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, USA, and then at Ridgeview Classical Schools in Fort Collins, Colorado, from where she recently retired.
John Blair grew up in Denver and graduated from Colorado State University. He pursued a career in trust management and served in leadership roles for many educational, arts, and social service agencies along the Front Range. John and his spouse, Anne, share a passion for performing arts, often attending concerts, theater, dance, and opera. He began writing poetry 20 years ago. Published in several anthologies, he continues his daily writing practice
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
*Lisa Boesen is a Colorado-based speaker, Certified Vegan Chef, and author of several cookbooks and self-directed workbooks for a healthy lifestyle. Her Food ELEVATED, 100 Recipes for Colorful Cooking from the Colorado Front Range cookbook was awarded a gold medal by the Colorado Independent Publishers Association EVVY ™ book competition in August 2022. Lisa’s mission is to leverage her 35 years of clinical experience, performance improvement, and leadership development in healthcare to help others celebrate life at any age. In her cookbooks and other writings, she bridges the culinary wonders and benefits of a plant-first lifestyle with the real world of work, family, and fun! The ItsYourSeason.life website portfolio includes podcasts, videos, recipes, and virtual learning. Lisa’s mission is to encourage everyone to eat more plants and make a plant-first lifestyle accessible to all!
Tim Buchanan served as the Fort Collins City Forester for over 40 years. He holds a master's degree from CSU. Tim has served as president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture and the Front Range Urban Forestry Council. He has taught and lectured extensively on urban forestry management and trees.
*Nancy Buck, Ph.D., Fresh, funny, and unafraid, tackles the tough mental health topics facing us all in lively classes that learners relate to and remember. Dr. Buck earned her Ph.D. in developmental psychology, emphasizing Choice Theory psychology. She is a nurse, educator, trainer, and author. She has trained and taught thousands of folks around the globe Choice Theory psychology and all its applications for over three decades. Her mission? To teach the world how to nurture mental health and happiness.
Chef Larry P. Canepa is a certified culinary educator and Le Cordon Bleu chef, author, researcher, food historian, and lecturer on culinary topics. His dynamic, innovative, and engaging style incorporates food history, culinary arts, education, and ‘food-tainment’ into every class and event.
Dr David Caputo received his B.A. from Miami University and his Ph.D. from Yale University. He spent 26 years at Purdue University before becoming President of Hunter College (CUNY) in 1995. He became President of Pace University in 2000 and retired from Pace's political science department in 2018. From 1970 to 2000, he was a consultant to a major news organization and has served as an on-air commentator for CNN, Fox News, ABC News, the Financial Times, and other newspapers. He has taught the Elections course at Colorado State and continues to do election commentary. He is known for his nonpartisan and analytical approach to election coverage. He has taught election courses for CSU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute since 2018.
Brian Carroll retired from the FBI in 1996 after a 27-year career as a Special Agent. He has resided in Fort Collins for over 25 years and has researched various historical topics important to the area. In retirement, Brian consulted with the FBI and U.S. State Department, furnishing instruction to foreign police managers about managing terrorist incident investigations. He helped establish the Security Management Program for the University of Denver's University College. Brian is the author of an excellent book on Fort Collins history, William O. Collins, From the Mayflower to the Rockies with Stops in Between.
Meet the Instructors
Kevin Cook has worked full-time as a self-employed writer-naturalist since earning his biology and wildlife biology degrees from Western State College and CSU. As a lifelong naturalist, Kevin has explored Colorado to experience its wildlife firsthand and has spent his entire adult life addressing issues between people and the natural world. Kevin writes natural history columns for newspapers and magazines, edits technical articles for scientific publications, leads wildlife observation tours, teaches various wildlife classes, and presents monthly wildlife lectures at several Colorado venues.
Dr. Bill Cornell earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geology at the University of Rhode Island and his Ph.D. from UCLA. He taught geology at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), serving as department chair, assistant dean of the College of Science, and pre-med advisor. He also taught in the OLLI Program at UTEP for 15 years and received numerous teaching and service awards. In 2007, he received the Silver Beaver Award from the Boy Scouts of America.
Dr Whitney Cranshaw is an Emeritus Professor of Entomology at Colorado State University, where he has worked since 1983. During this time, he has conducted a wide-ranging Extension/Research/Teaching program with the primary focus of improving the understanding of and effective management of insects of horticultural crops (vegetables/fruits, flowers, trees/shrubs, turfgrass, hemp). Although he retired from CSU in July 2020, he has not retired from “bugs.” He continues to write, speak with diverse audiences, support websites and listserv discussion groups, and conduct research on projects of interest.
Suzie Daggett is constantly curious about the human condition and loves discussing everyday life choices to live a positive, creative life. As an entrepreneur, she was a RE Broker, a publisher, an event producer, a creator of a Healthy Living Directory, a small-town TV and radio host interviewing many local healers, and an author of three self-published books, including the award-winning The Pink Door ~ Moms’ Journey to the Other Side, a roadmap to assist elders in their dying process and comfort the caregiver. She has written newspaper articles and online blogs on healthy living ideas, healthy aging realities, retirement life, and caregiving.
Dr David Danbom is an OLLI veteran, having taught classes in the program for several years. He is a CSU alumnus who received his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1974. He taught at North Dakota State University and was the Fargo Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Professor for 36 years. He is the author of six books and several dozen articles. In 2011, he and his wife Karen, a CSU grad, moved to Loveland, where they live with Lucy, a terrier mix who has never demonstrated any interest in the Gilded Age.
Jerry Dauth is a longtime host for the Great Decisions program at the Fort Collins Public Library; before retirement, he was an international financial manager for projects worldwide.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Jared Day, Ph.D., taught American history at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for sixteen years. His areas of specialization are U.S. and European political, urban, and cultural history, as well as Pittsburgh history, African American history, and World history from the 15th century to the present. He lectures regularly at the University of Pittsburgh’s OSHER Academy for Lifelong Learning on a broad range of historical and contemporary topics. He currently lives in Windham, CT.
*Meg Dunn has been a Fort Collins resident since 2001. As an Air Force Brat, she grew up in Ohio, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Colorado (Colorado Springs) before moving to Michigan to attend the University of Michigan. Meg’s interest in history started in college when she lived in an old Victorian house near campus. As a lover of narratives and patterns, she connected the dots. She realized that the historic buildings around Ann Arbor told stories about the beginnings of that city, reflected changing values and beliefs over time, and continued to inform and affect the present-day culture and ethos of the community. Meg served on the Fort Collins Historic Preservation Commission for nine years before being term-limited off in 2022. She is currently on the Fort Collins Historical Society and Historic Larimer County boards. She writes for and manages the www.northerncoloradohistory.com website.
Dr Isaac Eliachar is a retired physician who headed the Laryngotracheal reconstruction section at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Since his retirement, he has actively pursued his interests in World War II and post-war history, teaching history courses at the Palm Springs Air Museum, the Osher Institute at Cal State San Bernardino, Palm Desert Campus, and, more recently, OLLI at CSU.
Rich Feller, Ph.D., LPC, JCTC, Professor, Counseling and Career Development Emeritus and one of Colorado State's 12 University Distinguished Teaching Scholars, is now trying to figure out how to "finish strong". Having served as the National Career Development Association's President, he was the coordinator of graduate programs in Counseling and Career Development, and the Student Affairs in Higher Education program while also teaching within the Organizational Performance and Change graduate program. Consultant to NASA, UN, NFL, AARP, Modern Elder Academy, and organizations within all 50 states and on six continents, his publications include three books, six film series, and over 125 articles.
Dr Ed Friedman holds a Ph.D. in physics and is an active lecturer on topics in physics and cosmology. He has worked in for-profit and non-profit science organizations, consulted with NASA and the National Academy of Sciences, and authored four optical engineering books and 79 professional journal articles. He has successfully guided the work of two aerospace engineering Ph.D. candidates. He lectures on science to adult education students at two universities, on cruise ships, and to community groups.
Jennifer Gimbel is a Senior Water Policy Scholar at the Colorado Water Center. She has experience in law and policy on national and state water issues. She was the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at the Department of the Interior, overseeing the U.S. Geological Survey and Bureau of Reclamation. Jennifer was also the Director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the state's water policy agency. As a water lawyer, she worked for the Attorney General’s Offices in Wyoming and Colorado.
Meet the Instructors
*Alyssa Golinvaux has spent her life engaging in ways to help others. Her highest hope is for others to live their ideal life. In her roles as a massage therapist, registered nurse, yoga teacher, and KonMari® consultant, she has worked to guide others toward their goals physically, mentally, and sometimes, even spiritually. A Wyoming native, she loves Colorado for its incredible diversity and beauty in both its people and nature. She currently works as a registered nurse in acute dialysis and ICU and works with clients through her certified KonMari consultant business. She has earned an A.A.S. in Massage Therapy, a B.S. in Nursing, a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher Certificate, and her KonMari certification. She has been living “the KonMari way” for five years and has spent over 150 hours guiding others through this life-changing process.
Dale Mary Grenfell is a writer and professional storyteller with careers in education (middle school, high school, adult learners), publishing, community theater, and non-profit. She has a B.A. in sociology from Regis University. She has been a guest at conferences and on radio shows addressing the principles of restorative justice and the power of story.
Steve Griggs is a Denver-based watercolor artist with a signature membership in the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society and the Colorado Watercolor Society. He is a member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, and American Impressionists Society. Steve frequently displays and sells work in local, state, regional, and national exhibitions and galleries. He consistently wins awards in national and regional exhibits and has collections worldwide. His work has been featured in publications like Southwest Art, Watercolor Artist, and The Artist magazines. Steve is a sought-after workshop instructor with students from around the globe.
Deidre Hand has been practicing Tai Chi, Qigong, and Yoga for over 30 years and teaching Tai Chi and Qigong for 18 years to all ages and abilities. She is excited to share these practices so that others can experience the selfawareness and meditative calm that come from learning these movements.
Jim Hand is a retired engineer who spent his career in the energy extraction business, including coal, oil & gas, and oil sands. He held various technical, operational, and managerial positions for ExxonMobil affiliates in Wyoming, Texas, Illinois, Chile, Australia, Angola, and Canada. Since 2018, Jim has been actively involved with Citizens' Climate Lobby, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization focused on policies to address the national and global climate crisis.
Karen Heckman, M.Ed., has been involved in Adult Education for many years and has enjoyed facilitating many Great Decisions discussions.
Chris Hensey offered Miami University's Institute for Learning in Retirement winetasting classes for 15 years, nearly as long as he operated his wine shop, Main Street Gourmet, in Oxford, Ohio. This will be his fourth Term teaching for CSU's OLLI. He has passed the Introductory Exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers and serves as a judge for The Cincinnati International Wine Festival. He is currently the lead Sommelier for Chimney Park restaurant in Windsor.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Dr Margit Hentschel is co-director of Colorado State University’s Center for Mindfulness. She teaches mindfulness practices in campus classrooms and community workshops. Margit has been teaching mindfulness practices for over 25 years and is a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. She has a Ph.D. from Colorado State University’s School of Education, focusing on Peace and Reconciliation Leadership.
Dr. Elaine Stratton Hild is currently preparing a scholarly edition of Hildegard’s music as part of her work with Corpus Monodicum, a long-term research project housed at the Universität Würzburg (Germany). Dr. Hild’s work with medieval plainchant has been supported by the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst), the University of Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study, and the Fulbright Foundation. Her most recent book is Music in Medieval Rituals for the End of Life, published by Oxford University Press. Dr. Hild has also contributed to Eclipse and Revelation, an interdisciplinary book just released by Oxford University Press in preparation for the total solar eclipse that occurred on April 8, 2024.
L Stuart Hirai is a Nisei Soldier historian whose relatives fought in the Pacific and Europe. Stuart is on the Board of Governors with the "Go for Broke National Education Center.” He has written articles for the History Channel and has been a lecturer with OLLI. He conducts small group battle site tours in Italy, France, and Germany. Stu has been a guest speaker at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., and is a member of U.S. military organizations, where he has made presentations about the legacy of the Nisei and Nisei Soldiers that he grew up with in eastern Oregon.
Dr. Robert Hoffert is a Dean and Professor Emeritus at Colorado State University. As a political theorist, his teaching and scholarly specializations have been the evolution of Anglo-American Liberalism and the American political founding. Teaching enriches his public life; his family enriches his private life.
Sara Hoffman is an avid reader of historical fiction. In 2016, she wrote her own historical fiction novel about her grandmother, Finding Baby Ruth. She has taught literature and writing for more than 40 years at various venues, including eight years at OLLI.
*Scott Hummer was born and raised in the Fort Collins area. He earned a degree in Geography from the University of Northern Colorado before serving as Water Commissioner in the Blue River Basin with the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Hummer was the first full-time Water Commissioner in the Blue River Basin and oversaw the use and distribution of water within Water District 36. In addition, Hummer worked as the first Projects Manager for the Colorado Water Trust, continuing his career in water stewardship by furthering the mission of the Water Trust to protect and restore river and stream flows in Colorado. He was also the General Manager with the North Poudre Irrigation Company, working with agricultural and municipal water users in Larimer and Weld Counties. He completed his 31-year Colorado water career by serving as Water Commissioner in the Yampa River Basin, administering water rights in Water District 58.
Meet the Instructors
Bill Hunter has a B.A. from the College of Wooster, Ohio, and an M.A. from the University of Oregon. He has facilitated adult learning for over 40 years. His management consulting and training firm facilitated the learning of effective management practices. His clients include universities, professional certification programs, local and state governments, and many corporations, including IBM and Westinghouse. He founded and facilitated the first Vistage CEO Peer Groups in Northern Colorado and led those groups for 17 years. Bill also has facilitated a variety of classes for OLLI programs.
Anette Isaacs, M.A., German-born and raised, is a Historian and Public Educator who has presented hundreds of programs on more than 40 different topics (all about her native country's history, politics, and culture) all over the United States. She holds master’s degrees in American Studies, Political Science, and History and is the Director of OLLI at FIU (Florida International University) in Miami, FL.
Ken Jessen started teaching OLLI classes in 2014 and has authored 23 books and over 2,300 articles, including his weekly history column. His lectures are in demand, including at the Fort Collins Senior Center, Chilson Center, Berthoud Community Center, and area historical societies. Jessen also heads up tours and worked for many years as an advisor for CBS Channel Four. Kenneth Jessen holds a BSEE and MBA.
Rabbi Hillel Katzir has been an attorney, a religious leader, and a teacher. He lived in Israel for several years and still has family there. He sees great importance in Americans having a complete understanding of the always complicated and volatile Middle East to understand the role of the U.S. there.
Mike Kendrick worked as a petroleum geoscientist for 33 years and retired to Fort Collins, Colorado, in 2018. He is also a volunteer master naturalist for the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department and a Certified Interpretive Guide. Mike loves teaching geology in the field where he has led hikes for the Geologic Society of America, the Northern Colorado Geologists, and the Fort Collins Natural Areas department. In September 2022, he published a geologic guidebook: Our Geologic Heritage in Colorado's Northern Front Range Foothills—A Guide to Larimer County Natural Areas. Mike is also a leader of the informal group Northern Colorado Geologists.
“OLLI is a fabulous program for anyone looking to extend and expand educational opportunities in many different areas.”
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
*Maestro Wes Kenney, this fall, begins his 22nd season as Music Director of the Fort Collins (Colorado) Symphony. In May 2023, he retired after 20 years as Director of Orchestras and chair of conducting studies at Colorado State University. In 2022, he was named a University Distinguished Professor, the highest honor the university can award, and has also been given the title of Professor Emeritus. His awards include a 2007 Grand Prize Winner of the Varna (Bulgaria) International Conducting Competition, a 2020 Honored Artist from the American Prize, a winner of the American Prize for programming in 2020, a winner of the Ernst Bacon Memorial Prize for excellence in performance of American Music, and the 2020 American Prize Winner for best orchestral performance in the Professional Orchestra Division. He was previously the Associate Conductor of the Virginia Symphony and has guest conducted around the globe, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Lviv (Ukraine) Philharmonic, Alabama Symphony, Vidin (Bulgaria) Philharmonic, Stara Zagora Opera Bulgaria), Vietnam National Symphony (Hanoi), and the Changwon (South Korea) Philharmonic.
Celeste Holder Kling is an attorney/mediator who has practiced law in Fort Collins since 1986, focusing on mediation, children's advocacy, and estate planning. She is a friend of CSU and taught Families in the Legal Environment as an adjunct faculty member in Human Development and Family Studies for over 20 years and remains a faculty affiliate in HDFS. Celeste was awarded the Bar Association's esteemed Professionalism Award. Until recently, Celeste served on the elected board of our Health District of Northern Larimer County, was the liaison to the UC Health/Poudre Valley Hospital Board and served on many Colorado and Larimer County professional best practices task forces. Her spouse (Bob Kling) is an emeritus economics professor at CSU and was the academic liaison between CSU and Semester at Sea.
*Dr. Melinda Laituri is a professor emeritus of geography in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University (CSU). She is an honorary fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She was the Founding Director of the Geospatial Centroid at CSU, which provides support for geospatial research and teaching across the university. Laituri was a Jefferson Science Fellow in the U.S. Department of State’s Office of the Geographer and is a Rachel Carson Fellow for Environment and Society at the Ludwig Maximillian University, Munich. As a Fulbright Scholar, she taught GIS at the University of Botswana. Laituri has conducted research and technical training in GIS and participatory mapping worldwide, working with Indigenous communities and focusing on water resources and disaster management.
*Rick Lamp received his master’s degree in computer information systems in 2013 from CSU. Since then, he has worked in the IT field as an IT Manager. He has done hands-on work in System Administration, Enterprise Resource Planning administration, custom database report creation, and coding in many languages. Previously, he was a Purdue Engineer and an MBA from CSU doing product design, development, and international project management.
Meet the Instructors
*Dr. Robert Lawrence was raised in Tucson and received a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Arizona, followed by a medical degree at the University of New Mexico. After serving two years as a Navy psychiatrist, he then completed his residency at the University of Kentucky before coming to Colorado.
Hugh Leeman is an artist and lecturer teaching art history in English and Spanish. He lectures regularly at Duke University and Johns Hopkins University. His lectures focus on the manifestation of social power structures, the spiritual realm in pre-modern art, and the future of images' ability to reengineer social constructs. Leeman's social practice has been exhibited at the Museum of Mexico City. His first social art project focused on a five-year collaborative project with the inner city's homeless, using technology to create micro self-empowerment business platforms for homeless individuals. More recently, Leeman co-founded aetatribes.org.
Chloé Leisure is a poet and a community creative writing teacher in Fort Collins, Colorado. She was born and raised in Marquette, Michigan. She earned her M.A. in creative writing at Northern Arizona University and her MFA in Poetry at Colorado State University. She has taught writing and literature at NAU, CSU, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and in many elementary school enrichment programs. She was the co-editor of CREATE! magazine at Shepardson Elementary and the multi-genre online journal Fiction Mingle. She is the author of the chapbook The End of the World Again. She was the 2014 Fort Collins Poet Laureate. Her poetry has appeared in publications including the Blue Mountain Review, the Colorado Review, Matter, the Night Heron Barks, PANK, and Ross Gay & Shayla Lawson’s The Tenderness Project.
Jo Locricchio has her Master of Education degree and is a Licensed School Counselor. She has her Mindful Teacher Certification through Mindful Schools and has completed over 300 + hours of Mindful Practice and instruction. She is certified by Mayo Clinic/ASU in Mindfulness, Health and Wellness. She has over 30 years of educational experience working with teens and adults as a teacher, coach, counselor, and curriculum writer. She also has created mindful retreat centers for her clients. She believes that each person holds the answers to their challenges when they practice, creating a gap of time to listen to the wisdom inside.
Carol Marander is an artist living and working in Fort Collins, Colorado. She worked as a graphic designer at Colorado State University for many years while pursuing her fine art. Carol is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Colorado Watercolor Society. Her paintings have been in numerous juried exhibitions locally and nationally. She is excited about sharing her love of drawing with her students.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Erika Osmann Mason practices occupational therapy and coaching in person in Fort Collins and provides virtual energy coaching to people worldwide. She started practicing chakra meditations and teaching yoga in the 1990s, deepening her ongoing experiences and curiosity about her own chakra energy centers. Providing Craniosacral therapy for over 20 years, she has learned to read other people's chakra systems, even at a distance. Occupational Therapists can provide Energy Conservation interventions. Erika takes energy management to the deeper level of the chakras so that people can have more energy for the things they love to do. She teaches this course to a variety of audiences. She loves helping people understand their subtle energy and helping people understand the "woo-woo" in tangible, practical, and fun ways!
*Dallin Maybee is Seneca and enrolled Northern Arapaho. Raised on the Cattaraugus territory of the Seneca Nation of Indians in Western New York, he is an accomplished artist, public speaker, and performer. He is currently the Assistant Director of Development at the Native American Rights Fund (NARF).
Dallin has a B.A. degree in Philosophy, as well as a Juris Doctorate from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law with an emphasis in Federal Indian Law. He is also an artist, and his work can be found in private collections and museums across the country. NARF, a fifty-year-old legal nonprofit, provides high-level legal advocacy for individuals and tribes throughout the United States. They are experts and thought leaders in Federal Indian Law, and their casework and programming serve tribal communities in a variety of areas.
*Ed McConnaughy has been a CSU OLLI student for 15 years. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (B.A. in Mathematics), Georgia Institute of Technology (M.S. Computer Science), and The U.S. Naval War College (U.S. Strategy and Policy). He pursued parallel careers: information technology management and Marine officer (regular and reserve). Civilian Job titles included system analyst Eastern Airlines, regional vice president American Management Systems, Assistant Executive Director U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and CEO Planning Analysis Corporation. As a Marine, his specialty as a junior officer was Infantry (Airborne) and Plans/Policy /Operations as a senior officer. After retiring, he lived aboard his sailing cutter “ESPRIT” for 15 years and sailed 50,000 nautical miles to 35 countries. In retirement, he taught Business English at several Chinese universities and Computer Science at the University of Maryland, where he developed/taught a semester course titled “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence.”
Dr. Greg McDonald, now retired, previously worked as a regional paleontologist for the Bureau of Land Management, as the Senior Curator of Natural History in the Washington Museum Management Program, National Park Service, as Paleontology Program Coordinator in the Geologic Resources Division, and as the paleontologist at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument. Before working for the government, he was Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History and collections manager for vertebrate paleontology at the Idaho Museum of Natural History. He earned his doctorate at the University of Toronto, master’s at the University of Florida, and bachelor’s at Idaho State University. His research focuses on the extinct giant ground sloths and their relatives and Plio-Pleistocene mammals of North and South America. He is a co-editor of Smilodon: The Iconic Sabertooth and a co-author of The White River Badlands – Geology and Paleontology.
Meet the Instructors
Dr. Don Menzel is an emeritus professor at Northern Illinois University and holds a Ph.D. in political science from Penn State University.
Kay Menzel has a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and taught elementary public school for several years. She had a second career in local government, serving as Deputy Supervisor of Elections in Florida. She taught classes for 15 years in the OLLI program at the University of South Florida.
Joannah Merriman, M.A., is a writer, community educator, and retired psychotherapist. Her lifelong fascination with books, music, and film continues to feed her curiosity for adventures with words, sounds, and images. She has been an Osher/OLLI instructor, teaching writing workshops and film exploration for over 15 years. Travel, extensive reading, and attendance at occasional film festivals enhance her ability to facilitate both reflective writing and film discussion courses. When she is not traveling, she lives quietly in Fort Collins with her partner, Neil Petrie, their Golden Retriever, Kali, and two cats, Oscar Wilde, and Sappho.
*Linda Meyer (B.A. and M.A. in History, CSU, 1995 / 2000) is an Associate Professor and serves as archivist for the Agricultural and Natural Resources Archive (ANRA) at the Colorado State University Libraries. In this role, she collects, preserves, and provides access to historical materials related to the state's agrarian and natural resource heritage. Research interests include the history of agriculture, the history of archives, and the role of oral history, archival processing, and digitization in making primary sources accessible.
*Bob Michael is a semi-retired consulting petroleum geologist/landman in Fort Collins. He did undergraduate work in geology at Pomona College and graduate study at the University of Wyoming. At age 8, his dad took him on a hike up 10,064 feet Mt. Baldy, the high point of Los Angeles County in his native California, starting a lifetime love affair with rocks and mountains. He has climbed in the Alps, Andes, and Himalayas and "bagged" all the Fourteeners.
Dr. Tony Mitchell held various technical, commercial, and change management positions in his 21 years at BP before becoming a full-time professional trainer and coach. His roles in change management led him to leave BP to concentrate on helping various organizations explore organizational and individual change programs to pursue continuous improvement and help them realize their full potential. Tony has 20 years of experience designing and delivering programs to help leaders, teams, and individuals improve their performance, focusing on safety and quality, mainly in the Oil and Gas sector. Education, qualifications, and certification include a BSc. in Materials Sciences from Imperial College, London, and a DPhil in Chemistry from Oxford University.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Dr. Michael Morrison was the David Ross Boyd Professor of Physics and General Education at the University of Oklahoma (OU) until he retired in 2010. He carried out and directed physics research there and indulged in his first love: teaching. During his 40 years in the Physics Department, in addition to teaching obligatory physics classes, he taught courses on literature and film, created a workshop on writing for scientists and engineers, and developed a multi-course curriculum on Science in Contemporary Culture, for which he was awarded the 1997 Medal for Excellence in Teaching. After retirement, he abandoned physics to concentrate on his passions: cinema, literature, writing, and film music. In addition to two physics texts, he has written countless book reviews, many essays, and two books on the literature of the fantastic - the topic of a series of courses he offered in the OU OLLI program. Finally able to live somewhere he wanted to, he moved in 2017 to Fort Collins, where he resides with his husband Gordon and Tina, the world’s most adorable cat.
Dr. Harry Mueller earned a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Texas. He worked in the oil industry (ExxonMobil and Aramco) for 33 years. He focused on the geology of oil and gas reservoirs and taught short courses on that subject for geologists and reservoir engineers. He has been retired for 16 years.
*Shannon Mullane writes about the Colorado River Basin and Western water issues for The Colorado Sun. Her work focuses on resource management, the environment, and equity. Her position is funded by a grant from the Catena Foundation. Born in East Tennessee, Shannon moved to Colorado in 2014 and is based in Durango. Before joining the Sun's team, she contributed award-winning reporting on government, environment, health, and more as a staff writer for The Durango Herald and an intern for the Colorado Independent. She has also contributed reporting and photography to High Country News, The Salt Lake Tribune, ProPublica, and Collective Colorado. During her master's program at the University of Colorado Boulder, she focused her studies on environmental issues in Colorado and the West. Shannon attained a conversational fluency in French while working as an English language teacher in southern France.
Terry Nolan is a Level 4 Certified ESSENTRICS® Instructor who has offered the Aging Backwards technique to OLLI members since 2022. Before that, she taught classes in Steamboat Springs for six years and worked as an editor with the team that revised its instructor training manuals. She continues participating in specialized training opportunities, including an Advanced Therapeutic Techniques course for Level 4 instructors this past summer in New York. Because OLLI members are passionate about keeping their brains active, she loves sharing a transformative full-body workout that strengthens both body and mind — and feels great afterward.
*Dr. Christine O’Brien (Travers) brings extensive experience in the integration of mind, body, spirit, and soul through her roles as an osteopathic physician, trauma-sensitive yoga instructor, acupuncturist, HeartMath biofeedback trainer, and centering prayer and mindfulness-based stress reduction meditation teacher. As a mother of seven, Christine approaches total being resets with the utmost kindness toward oneself and others. Her passion lies in teaching reset practices that can be seamlessly integrated into daily life with ease and purpose.
Meet the Instructors
Dr. Alison O'Connor has been a Colorado State University Extension professor of horticulture for 19 years. She coordinates the Larimer County Master Gardener program and supports horticulture programming and outreach for homeowners, HOAs, and industry professionals.
Dr. John Olienyk earned his Ph.D. in economics at Colorado State University. Subsequently, he served for 37 years as a faculty member there, first in the Department of Economics, then in the Department of Finance and Real Estate, specializing in international finance. He has served as a consultant for multinational corporations and as an expert witness. He taught in MBA programs in France and Russia and an undergraduate program in Vietnam. He also participated in a U.S. government-sponsored faculty development program in which he trained and mentored young business and economics professors in universities in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Russia over twelve years. He has traveled extensively throughout Ukraine and maintains relationships with many of his university contacts there.
Joseph Osmann, MFA, is a retired college professor and artist who has studied and taught art history for forty years. He enjoys researching the hidden connections and concepts that drive cultural change and artistic expression.
Veronica Patterson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Cornell University, the University of Michigan, the University of Northern Colorado, and Warren Wilson’s MFA in poetry. Published poetry collections include How to Make a Terrarium (Cleveland State, 1987); Swan, What Shores? (NYU Poetry Prize, 2000), Thresh & Hold (Gell Prize, 2009), & it had rained (CW Books, 2013), Sudden White Fan (Cherry Grove, 2018), and two chapbooks. As Loveland's first Poet Laureate, she served from 2019–2022.
*David Primus has lived in Gunnison, Colorado since 1978, graduating from Western Colorado University in 1981. After enjoying a 30-year career in technology, he retired in 2021. His life-long passion has been the history of the American West, specializing in Colorado history. A third-generation Coloradoan, he has written the books Beneath Blue Mesa: The Gunnison River Valley Before the Reservoir and Steamboat Springs: Memories of a Colorado Pioneer and was a member of a small team producing Medicine in the Mountains, a history of the "Lake City Medical Center." He has long been a Gunnison County Historic Preservation Commission member, writes historical articles for the Gunnison Country Times, and helped develop a historical mapping project with Gunnison County.
Sally Purath earned a B.A. in Social Sciences and an M.Ed. at Colorado State University. For 26 years, she taught humanities, history, and language arts to 12th graders in Colorado, specializing in the history and humanities of India, China, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She also taught Russian, World, and U.S. history and philosophy in the International Baccalaureate program. Sally has taught OLLI courses since 2009 at Colorado State and Duke University.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
*Patty Pyrz has been an artist since childhood and has more than 25 years of teaching experience working with students from ages 6 to 80 years old. She is a newcomer to Fort Collins and previously lived in Illinois and taught for OLLI through the University of Illinois. While there, she also taught art workshops/ classes for the Springer Cultural Center, Parkland Community College, Clark Lindsey Retirement Community, and UIUC’s Campus Wellbeing Services. She is a recent retiree from the K-8 education system but continues to work in her community. She is a current member of the Colorado Art Education Association and Colorado Business Committee for the Arts. Ms. Pyrz holds a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and a master's degree in Exercise Physiology/Wellness from the University of Central Florida.
*Shelley Read is an author whose internationally bestselling debut novel, Go As A River, is being translated into over thirty languages and has been optioned for film. A Sunday Times and American Booksellers Association bestseller, Go As A River is also a 2023 Amazon Editor's Pick Best Debut, a Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, and a Colorado Public Radio Best Book of the Year, among other accolades. Shelley was an award-winning Senior Lecturer at Western Colorado University for nearly three decades where she taught writing, literature, environmental studies, and honors. She holds degrees in writing and literary studies from the University of Denver and Temple University's Graduate Program in Creative Writing. She was a Dean’s Fellow in the University of Denver’s Ph.D. program in English. She is a regular contributor to Crested Butte Magazine and Gunnison Valley Journal.
Kate Lyn Reiter is an MFA graduate of the Yale School of Drama. She has taught college literature, drama, creative writing, and theatre. She lived in NYC for several years acting professionally and performing comedy. (Her professional acting credits include 15 Seconds of Fame with Robin Williams and John Lithgow in the film The World According to Garp.) She is a member of The Dramatists Guild and a former AEA member. She has directed theatre professionally and has been a frequent director for the Centenary Stage Company’s Women Playwrights Series. Her background as a theatre professional and comedian brings lively energy and humor to her OLLI courses.
*Dr. Eric Reno attended the Junior College of Broward County, FL; The University of Maryland European branches; Florida Atlantic University; and San Francisco State University. He was twice named Colorado Community College President of the Year by students. He received the Shirley B. Gordon Award of Distinction from Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the international honor society of two-year colleges. In 2011, he was named Honorary Commander of the 435th Fighter Training Squadron at Randolph AFB. In 2013, he received the Hidalgo recognition from the Bexar County (San Antonio) Commissioners’ Court. In 2014, he was named to the PTK Texas Hall of Honor for distinguished CEOs and received the Michael Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 he received the National Pacesetter Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations, recognizing his advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges. In 2022, Northeast Lakeview College honored his support of the arts by naming the art gallery the RENO GALLERY.
Meet the Instructors
*Patricia Rettig is the archivist for the Water Resources Archive at the CSU Libraries. Rettig has built the archive to hold over 130 distinct collections documenting Colorado’s water heritage by engaging with the water community across the state. She earned her Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her B.A. in English from Wittenberg University.
*Myra Rich grew up in Detroit and received her B.A. from Radcliffe College and Ph.D. in History from Yale University. She taught initially at Hunter College and, after moving to Denver, at the University of Colorado, Denver. Her primary interest is American History from the Colonial period to the Civil War, but she also teaches the history of women in America and the history of immigration to the United States.
Katherine Robinson majored in psychology and anthropology at the University of Vermont. She completed graduate training in mental health counseling and is certified by the McLean Meditation Institute (AZ), Yoga Body for breath work, and the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation as a Brain Longevity Therapist. Her passions are teaching meditation and breathwork, finding ways to activate the brain to calm the body, exploring the healing vibrations of sound, and motivating and inspiring others to be the best they can be.
Jack Rogers has worked in the performing arts for over 25 years. During that time, he was an artist, an advocate, a tour manager, a festival producer, and a venue director, and has worn countless other hats. Jack received his BFA in Acting with a minor in dance and a concentration in music from Long Island University at CW Post. He has received multiple awards for his performance work, both professionally and academically. He received his MPA in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University. Jack’s interests include multidisciplinary collaboration, event management and security, advocacy, and performing arts programming. Jack is a member of Actor’s Equity of America, Americans for the Arts, the International Association of Venue Managers, and the Western Arts Alliance. Jack provides administrative, artistic, and operational leadership to The Lincoln Center, a multi-venue events facility and Northern Colorado’s largest performing arts presenter. He also serves as associate faculty for the Arts Management program at Colorado State University.
Nina Rubin is a retired Clinical Social Worker. She has been a Jewish educator for over 40 years, teaching nationally on Women's Torah, spiritual practice, and Jewish death practice for over 35 years. Nina has lived in Fort Collins for 45 years, working in medical social work and interfaith initiatives.
*Dr. Judith Schachter received a Ph.D. in anthropology in 1978 and published her dissertation, A Biography of Ruth Benedict. Since then, she has researched adoption and foster care, a steel town outside of Pittsburgh, the impact of American law on Hawaiian kinship practices, and the use of life histories in anthropology. She has taught anthropology at Colby and Carnegie Mellon.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Sue Schneider, Ph.D., is a medical anthropologist, integrative health coach, certified mindfulness instructor, and author. She currently leads health and wellness initiatives as an Extension Professor and State Health Specialist with Colorado State University’s Office of Engagement and Extension. She is an Adjunct Faculty member at the Colorado School of Public Health. Sue has taught mindfulness meditation in university and community settings for over a decade and has implemented and evaluated community health programs for over 20 years. Her most recent book is titled Meeting the Moment with Kindness: How Mindfulness Can Help Us Find Calm, Stability, and an Open Heart.
Margaret Sharkoffmadrid teaches Art History for the Colorado Community College Consortium and works with the College Board’s national AP Art History program exam assessment. She previously taught art and art history in the Washington, DC, area and has served on faculty panels at the Denver Art Museum, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the National Gallery of Art. She has been an OLLI Instructor since 2018.
Jay Sherwin is a writer and consultant who has been watching, studying, and enjoying Hitchcock films for decades. He created a walking tour of Alfred Hitchcock’s San Francisco that attracts fans worldwide and teaches courses on Hitchcock for adult learning programs nationwide.
Deb Singer loves teaching guitar! She has taught kids as young as four and adults of all ages. Recently, Deb has served as the Adjunct Instructor of Guitar at Iowa Wesleyan University. Deb holds an M.A. in Music Theory from the University of Iowa School of Music and has focused graduate work in Musicology on the evolution of the classical guitar.
Dr. Stephenie Slahor holds a Ph.D. and a J.D. and is retired from her law practice and university and law school teaching. She now creates informative and enjoyable OLLI courses for schools nationwide, focusing on the natural sciences and interesting places in our world.
*Dr. James Smith has 55 years of experience in international trade and consulting. He has installed communication systems worldwide and worked as director of international programs in the aerospace industry. He has also taught international subjects at major universities and consulted for the U.S. Departments of State and Energy.
*Bruce Talbott is a fifth-generation fruit grower from Colorado's Western Slope. He manages the orchards and vineyards for Talbott's Mountain Gold, one of Colorado's largest producers of fruit. These orchards currently include 35 varieties of peaches, plums, and cherries, and the vineyards comprise around 40 varieties of wine grapes. Bruce is also involved in local, state, and federal agricultural advocacy organizations such as Farm Bureau, Western Growers, Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Colorado Association of Vintners and Enologists, and Western Colorado Horticultural Society.
Meet the Instructors
*Dr. Robin Thomas is a professor of art history and architecture at Penn State, University Park. He specializes in European architecture and urbanism from 1400 to 1800. Focusing on the architecture of Naples, his interests include early modern urbanism, the social history of buildings, music, and space, and the intellectual formation of the architect.
*Dr. Devin Wahl is a senior Postdoctoral Fellow in the Healthspan Biology Laboratory, Department of Health and Exercise Science at Colorado State University. He completed his doctorate in medicine at the University of Sydney in 2019. For the past decade, he has studied interventions to combat agerelated disease, improve healthspan, and increase lifespan. He has a particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease), and he uses translational approaches to understand how specific interventions (e.g., nutritional, exercise, or pharmacological) improve cognitive function and brain health with aging. He is a reviews editor for Frontiers in Aging and a guest associate editor for Frontiers in Nutrition. He has published over 40 peerreviewed scientific articles and academic book chapters focusing on health, aging, cognitive function, and neurodegenerative disease.
Renee Walkup is a full-time mosaicist, passionate about the ancient art of mosaics using found and reclaimed materials. Her work is displayed nationwide and hangs in commercial buildings around Colorado. Recognized for her work as a “storyteller” on retired string instruments, she teaches mosaic classes with skill and a sense of playfulness.
*Rachel Washburn graduated from Colorado State University in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in health and Exercise Science and a minor in Gerontology. She is currently enrolled in CSU's Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, where she has special interests in assistive technology and communitybased-occupational therapy. In February 2023, Rachel started the smartphone technology class series Tech Skills for Older Adults at the Fort Collins Senior Center as part of her honors thesis. She enjoyed teaching the class so much she continued to teach it for another year after finishing her thesis. As an intern at CSU's Center for Healthy Aging, Rachel continued to develop step-by-step instructions and video tutorials for the program. Outside of school and teaching technology classes, Rachel enjoys cycling along the trails of Fort Collins and sharing stories with friends and community members.
Paula Watson-Lakamp is a northern Colorado native. She holds a degree in Fine Art from Colorado State University with an emphasis in Graphic Design and Art Education. She has had a long career with local governmental agencies as a designer and creative director. Seven years ago, she started her second career as a professional artist and art educator. She paints and teaches out of her studio near Wellington. She has had various group and solo exhibitions of her oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings.
Dr. Henry Weisser was a Professor of History for thirty-nine years at CSU. He holds an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University.
* = New to OLLI for Fall 2024
See the course page on the website for full bios
Dr. Abigayil Wernsman is an emerging scholar who recently received her Ph.D. in literary arts from the University of Denver, focusing on medieval literature. While there, she studied Old English, early medieval Latin literature, and early English pedagogy. She earned her M.A. in Victorian literature from the University of Northern Colorado, with a focus on the Bronte sisters, and studied Victorian literature at CSU for her B.A.. She has taught various British literature courses, poetry and writing classes, and Old English language classes. She is writing and researching a book project on Beowulf and academic translation.
Dr. Richard Wilshusen has worked as an archaeologist/anthropologist for most of his adult life. He began as a field archaeologist and did anthropological fieldwork as a graduate student. In his professional career, he has served as a research director, instructor, curator, and administrator. He has worked with universities, cultural resource management firms, museums, state and federal governments, and tribes. Wilshusen has been an OLLI instructor since the spring of 2021. The OLLI format and students remind him of the best graduate classes he taught.
*Jeff Wright, founding and now retired pastor of Fort Collins Heart of the Rockies Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is passionate about exploring the intersections of faith with religion, culture, and politics. During his pastoral ministry, he worked with other community leaders to create Fort Collins’ local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Faith Volunteers in Poudre Schools, and Faith Family Hospitality (predecessor of Family Housing Network of Fort Collins). Having volunteered for over two decades with Christian organizations in Palestine, Jeff and his wife host alternative pilgrimages to Palestine/Israel, where they visit holy sites and meet with Jews, Muslims, and Christians working for a just and lasting peace.
*Dr. Tamara Yakaboski, a former social scientist, researcher, and tenured professor, now channels her expertise as a resilience coach and organizational consultant. Combining her academic background with a passion for environmental stewardship, Tamara enriches her work with diverse experiences— as a Colorado Master Gardener, beekeeper, mother, somatic practitioner, and meditation and yoga instructor. With a deep understanding of the humannature connection, Tamara crafted the Embodied Climate Action program rooted in neuroscience, somatic, and eco-psychology to offer transformative insights into climate health and resilience. She empowers educators, leaders, and changemakers to navigate complex climate emotions and foster climate forward-thinking leadership. Her climate grief and eco-psychology workshops provide invaluable guidance in an era of environmental uncertainty. Currently based in Fort Collins, Tamara facilitates her Embodied Climate Action workshop series at the Gardens on Spring Creek, fostering critical hope through selfdiscovery, nature immersion, and community connection. She publishes a weekly Awaken Resilience newsletter and climate-centric gardening articles for the Denver Post. Learn more at www.tamarayakaboski.com.
Donor Honor Roll
OLLI at CSU thanks the many members, instructors, and community partners who generously contributed time, talents, and treasures to our program in the 2023-2024 academic year. We also appreciate the many thoughtful anonymous contributors who provided valuable support to help our community of learners grow and flourish.
= In Memory Of
Richard Alper
Elaine Andersen
Tom Andersen
Dr. Nina Azari
Susan Barbour
Thomas Barbour
David Bayer
Stephen Benson
Victoria Benson
Dr. Eric Benson
James Bert
Ann Blair
John Blair Jr.
Kathleen Boeding
Dr. Marvin Boeding
Helen Boggs
David Braswell
Julie Braswell
Tim Buchanan
Sally Castner
Dr. James Collinson
Madeleine Collinson
William C Cornell
John Cowdrey
Suzie Daggett
Dr. David Danbom
Linda Danforth
Dr. James Danforth III
Dr. Isaac Eliachar
Dr. Rich Feller
Holly Field
Pat Gannon
Robert Gannon
James Giffin
Jacqueline Giffin
Kari Gomez-Smith
Joe Grim
Judy Sayre Grim
Beverly Hadden
Richard Hall
Brian Hand
Jeanie Hand
Jim Hand
Bruce Hansford
Nancy Hansford
Lani Hickman
Thomas Hickman
L Stuart Hirai
Barbara Hoel
Dr. Bob Hoel
Robert Hoffert
Jane Hoover
Dianne Hughes
Catherine Janonis
Lois Jensen
Barney Jensen
Susan Jones
Pamela Kane
Rabbi Hillel Katzir
Shirley Kendrick
Mike Kendrick
Dru Kepler
Tom Kepler
Mike Kirn
Ila Leavy
Dr. Jean Lehmann
Jean Lehmann
Jane Lewis
Robert Lewis
Dr. Sue Ellen Markey
Erika Osmann Mason
Judith McArthur
Eileen McGhie
Joannah Merriman
Bob Michael
Tony Mitchell
Kathy Monty
Tim Monty
Sharon Moritz
Michael Morrison
Harry Mueller III
Jean Muirhead
Dr. Ray Nelson
Mike O'Connell
Leslie Olson
Susanne Olson
Dr. John Olienyk
Don Oliver
Penny Oliver
Ken Oltjenbruns
The Bernard Osher Foundation
Connie Paine
Jim Pring
Jocelyn Pring
Thea Rounsaville
Travis Rounsaville
Cheryl Schutz
Earl Sethre
Lisbeth Sethre
Jay Sherwin
Deborah Singer
Bill Smith
Dr. Hal Smith
Dr. Cathy Stawarski
Floyd Stephens Jr.
Felice Thorson-Boudreaux
Jerry Thorson-Boudreaux
Gary Turner
Kathleen Turner
Carole Tuttle
Dr. Don Unger
Karen Unger
Renee Walkup
Dr. Henry Weisser
Robin Welsh
B. James Whitenight
Nicole Whitenight
Gary Wiedeman
Dr. Marjorie Wiedeman
Dr. Arietta Wiedmann
Don and Martha Mick
Richard Wilshusen
Nancy Zola
Donate to OLLI at CSU
Give the Gift of Learning
As our OLLI fall classes gear up for this term, I hope you will take a moment to consider what the OLLI at CSU program gives to you. Intellectual stimulation? Fun and inspiration? New ideas? Friendships? Social connections? A sense of belonging? Members have described all of these in conversation and through course evaluations, and I hope you’ll consider how you might continue the spirit of giving back to a program that gives to you. OLLI at CSU is a member-driven institute and your contribution enables us to enrich the lives of current members and those of future lifelong learners.
Your support helps us expand access to OLLI at CSU through tuition assistance for members experiencing financial limitations, technology upgrades to better serve in-person and remote learners, more social activities in our new community room, and honorariums for dedicated instructors. We hope you’ll join our growing donor community and make a gift to support OLLI at CSU today.
Give online: advancing.colostate.edu/osher
Give by mail:
Colorado State University Foundation
P.O. Box 1870
Fort Collins, CO 80522
Make checks payable to Colorado State University Foundation and include a notation of where you would like your gift directed.
Make an impact that can leave a future legacy or provide financial and tax benefits now.
The CSU Office of Gift Planning works with donors and their advisors to design a gift plan that most effectively accomplishes the donors’ charitable goals while considering their individual financial and estateplanning needs. This can include giving through your IRA, estate gifts, gifts of securities, real estate, and much more. Contact us to have a discussion about giving options that make a difference while meeting your needs.
Email: OEE_Giving@colostate.edu
Call: (970) 443-4577
