OLLI Spring2025

OLLI@DU / 2025

SPRING CATALOG

The spring cover photo of Colorado Palisade peach trees in bloom is provided by Mark A. Payler, Photographer and OLLI at DU Instructor.

Our Mission

To enrich the lives of our members through a high-quality learning and social environment. The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Denver is a membership-based, lifelong learning program for adults “50 years and better.” We are in our 29th year and we are part of a network of 125 OLLIs nationwide. OLLI offers noncredit courses, lectures, webinars, social events, and travel opportunities ... No tests. No grades. OLLI is for the love of learning.

As with every organization focused on adult learning, OLLI at DU is striving to strike a balance between the convenience of online learning and programming, and the face-to-face connections that we all like to make at in-person courses or events. In this Spring Term 2025 catalog, you will find many both in-person and online learning opportunities. We will be offering 55% of our courses in-person at five locations and 45% online via Zoom! As you learn about membership benefits being offered in Spring Term 25, we think you will find interesting classes just right for you. We hope you will participate and enjoy this array of offerings.

What can you expect from an OLLI at DU membership?

An OLLI at DU Annual Membership is $65 and is valid for one academic year (August–August). We currently have a special offer discounted half-year membership for only $35.

In addition to access to the hundreds of courses we offer annually, OLLI at DU has a slate of membership benefits that provide social connections, activities, and access to free live webinars. We create many pathways for participation, so we are sure you’ll find something you like! Our top offerings include travel, fitness, free webinars, special events and shared interest groups. Read about these programs on the OLLI website or in the catalog.

Diverse In-Person and Online Program Offerings

Health and Wellness

History and Economics

Literature, Writing and Language

Psychology, Religion, Philosophy and Culture

Public Affairs, Current Events and Politics

STEM

Visual and Performing Arts

Miscellaneous

COME FOR THE COURSES, STAY FOR THE CONNECTIONS

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / CONTACT INFORMATION

OLLI at DU Home Location

University College at the University of Denver 2211 S. Josephine Street, Denver, CO 80208

Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9 AM–3 PM, Friday, 9 AM–12 NOON Phone: 303-871-3181 Email: olli@du.edu

OLLI at DU Staff

• David Schoenhals, Co-Executive Director for Curriculum, Operations, and Finance david.schoenhals@du.edu

• Laura Uzzle, Co-Executive Director for Marketing, Communications, and Development laura.uzzle@du.edu

• Dave Johnson, Support Specialist davidk.johnson@du.edu

• Mitra Verma, Support Specialist/Graphic Designer mitra.verma@du.edu

• Kim Penoyer, Operations Coordinator kimberly.penoyer@du.edu

• Amber Barthel, Technology Coordinator amber.barthel@du.edu

• Christine Liptak, Zoom Assistant/Travel Coordinator christine.liptak@du.edu

• Maria Elena Garcia, Curriculum Director mariaelena.garcia@du.edu

• Mary Ann Mace, Curriculum Assistant maryann.mace@du.edu

• Ana Cadury do Prado, West Program Assistant ana.cadurydoprado@du.edu

OLLI at DU Central

First Universalist Church of Denver 4101 East Hampden, Denver, CO 80222 Chambers Center

1901 East Asbury Ave, Denver, CO 80210

• Candace Hyatt, OLLI at DU Central Campus Manager candace.hyatt@du.edu

• Tamara Barkdoll, OLLI at DU Central Campus Program Coordinator tamara.barkdoll@du.edu

OLLI at DU On Campus

Ruffato Hall

1999 East Evans, Denver, CO 80208 Chambers Center

1901 East Asbury Ave, Denver, CO 80210

• Maria Elena Garcia, OLLI at DU On Campus Manager mariaelena.garcia@du.edu

• Mary Ann Mace, OLLI at DU On Campus Program Coordinator maryann.mace@du.edu

OLLI at DU South

Columbine United Church

6375 S Platte Canyon Rd, Littleton 80123

• Darcey VanWagner, OLLI at DU South Campus Manager darcey.vanwagner@du.edu

• Sherilee Selby, OLLI at DU South Program Coordinator sherilee.selby@du.edu

OLLI at DU West

Jefferson Unitarian Church

14350 W 32nd Ave, Golden 80401

• Sherry Feinbaum, OLLI at DU West Campus Manager sherry.feinbaum@du.edu

• Ana Cadury do Prado, OLLI at DU West Campus Program Assistant ana.cadurydoprado@du.edu

CLASS LOCATIONS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

University College at the University of Denver 2211 S. Josephine St, Denver, CO 80210

Ruffatto Hall

1999 E. Evans Ave, Denver, CO 80208

First Universalist Church of Denver 4101 E. Hampden Ave, Denver, CO 80222

Columbine United Church 6375 S. Platte Canyon Rd, Littleton, CO 80123

Jefferson Unitarian Church 14350 W. 32nd Ave, Golden, CO 80401

Chambers Center

1901 E. Asbury Ave, Denver, CO 80210

280 Spader Way, Broomfield, CO 80020

University of Denver campus map: Identifies the location of three campus buildings. 1: OLLI at DU Main Office 2: Ruffatto Hall 6: Chambers Center

OLLI at DU CURRICULUM CALENDAR

Important Dates Spring 2025

Activity Spring 2025

Catalog Posted on Website and Sent Via Email Monday, February 24, 2025

Registration Opens and is First Come, First Served Monday, March 3, 2025

Beginning at 10 AM

Note: Registration remains open until the course has reached its maximum enrollment OR until the Thursday at midnight prior to the course or webinar begins

Confirmation Emails Sent at Time of Registration Day of Registration (Zoom links to be sent before online courses begin)

Term Begins Week of: Monday, March 31, 2025

Term Ends Friday, May 23, 2025

Note: OLLI follows the University of Denver calendar for observance of scheduled holidays. Holidays that DU observes fall outside of our scheduled dates for our terms and recess webinars.

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

OLLI at DU Registration Process

OLLI at DU Spring 2025 registration will begin at 10:00 AM on Monday, March 3, with courses filled on a first come, first serve basis. Registrants will receive immediate confirmation of enrollment in a course upon registration. Courses that have met their maximum enrollment will not allow further registration. Registration will remain open until a course meets its maximum or until the Friday before the course begins or the Wednesday before a webinar occurs. You can check your registration status by following the instructions below on using your OLLI Account.

RETURNING MEMBERS

If you were a member with us last year, go to our website and sign into your OLLI account.

• Go to our website (olli.du.edu)

• Click on the words SIGN IN in the red bar below the image of DU and enter your login information

SETTING UP AN ACCOUNT WITH OLLI

If you are a new member or a member who did not join us last year, you will need to set up an account with us. Follow these instructions

• Go to our website (olli.du.edu)

• Click on the words JOIN OLLI in the red bar below the image of DU

• Complete the information to set up your profile and account

• Once your account is set up, make note of your user name and password

• Follow the instructions below to purchase an annual membership ($65) and register for courses

AFTER YOU ARE SIGNED INTO YOUR OLLI ACCOUNT

Follow these instructions to purchase an annual membership and register for courses, webinars, and events from the HOMEPAGE on our website.

• To purchase your 2024–25 annual membership, click on JOIN-BECOME A MEMBER. Annual Memberships are $65 and run through August. Members enjoy 40+ complimentary webinars online fitness classes (OLLI Fit) and events.

• To browse our full course catalog, click on COURSES/REGISTRATION and click on the catalog image.

• To register for OLLI at DU courses, webinars, fitness classes and events, click on COURSES/ REGISTRATION. Courses can be sorted by date, subject or location.

Please note you must be signed into your account to see the ‘Add to Cart’ option for courses.

USING YOUR OLLI ACCOUNT

Historically, OLLI phones and emails are flooded with members trying to obtain information about their courses (where they are meeting, Zoom links, syllabi, etc.) Did you know that all that information is available to you at any time even when the office is closed? Simply sign into your OLLI account (Sign in to your OLLI Account) and then click on the word ACCOUNT in the red bar below the image of DU

• To change your email address or phone number, click on MY PROFILE

• To change your user name and/or password, click on USERNAME and PASSWORD

• To see your History of Memberships and registrations, click on HISTORY

• To check on your registrations, click on CLASS LIST (all the information about your courses is found here — in-person location, Zoom links, facilitator bio, syllabus)

• to pay an outstanding balance — click on

MAKE A PAYMENT

Still need assistance on registering or purchasing a membership? Email us at olli@du.edu and leave a message with the best way to contact you. All OLLI staff, not just those in the office, will be assisting during the first week of registration and leaving your name and phone number on our EMAIL (not phone) is the best way to contact us.

COURSE REGISTRATION FEES (2024–2025)

We have changed our pricing plan, so it is now based on course duration (4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 weeks). This change is a result of member requests for course fees based on length of class. Thank you to the Financial Advisory Team who spent many hours reviewing program data about member usage to create a pricing plan that helps us cover operational costs. The new 2024–25 fees are listed below.

Course Titles by Subject Area

STEM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATH)

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / COURSE

IN-PERSON by Start Date/Day

DATE DAY COURSE TITLE

MONDAY PM

FACILITATOR

4/28 Mo PM The Photographer’s Denver: Iconic Buildings Through the Lens Payler

TUESDAY AM

4/1 Tu AM Artificial Intelligence: What It Is and How It Will Impact Us All Hughes/Tsoucatos

4/1 Tu AM Current Events - Tuesday Reinish/Myers

4/1 Tu AM Deliberative Democracy: An Innovative Model for Discussing Big Issues Epperson

4/1 Tu AM Great Debates that Reshaped the Course of Science Gentry

4/1 Tu AM Let’s Make a Movie Magnani/Holt

4/1 Tu AM Minding Your Balance: Mind Body Activities to Improve Balance and Prevent Falls Chandler

4/1 Tu AM Navigating the Challenges of Climate Change Nelson

4/1 Tu AM On the Road to Facilitating an OLLI@DU Course Hyatt

4/1 Tu AM Stories of Colorado Women: The Famous and the Unknown Wiseman

4/1 Tu AM The 1619 Project - Where Aggressive Journalism and Revisionist History Collide Casey

4/1 Tu AM The Enigma of Artificial Intelligence Bennett

IN-PERSON by Start Date/Day

DATE DAY COURSE TITLE

TUESDAY PM

FACILITATOR

4/1 Tu PM American Mah Jongg for Those People Who Have Never Played Levy

4/1 Tu PM American Women Directors Kozloff

4/1 Tu PM Bleak House: Love, Death, and the Law in Dickens’ England Eastman

4/1 Tu PM Can Our Prehistory Ancestors Tell Us Who We Are? Hill

4/1 Tu PM Democracy in Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities Prevedel/Tsoucatos

4/1 Tu PM Israel’s Existential War of Survival and Its Message for the Free World Melmed

4/1 Tu PM Misinformation, Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Society Smith

4/1 Tu PM The Battle of the Atlantic in World War II (Hybrid) McHugh

4/1 Tu PM Topics in Criminal Law Levinson/Lozow

4/8 Tu PM Cultural and Psychological Dynamics of African American Music Jones/Weiss

4/29 Tu PM Video Delight-A Medley of Documentaries, Ted Talks and Discussions Hughes

WEDNESDAY AM

4/2 We AM A Global Romp: The Renaissance, Reformation and Exploration from a Global Perspective Hochstadt

4/2 We AM Bustles to Bellbottoms: How History Influences Fads and Fashion Bramley/Conklin

4/2 We AM Come Bird With Us Ho

4/2 We AM Current Events - Wednesday Reinish/Myers

4/2 We AM Foundations of Quantum Mechanics Friedman

4/2 We AM Great Decisions 2025 Brovarone

4/2 We AM Tales Untold: A Short Story Writing Adventure Ford

4/2 We AM Ten Centuries of Music and Culture (Part 3 --1800 to the Present) Adams/Tsoucatos

4/2 We AM The Eagle and the Rising Sun: The Decline of the Japanese Empire and the Rise of America, 1936 to 1945 Holt

4/2 We AM What the Bleep Do We Know About Theoretical Physics? Gilbert

IN-PERSON by Start Date/Day

DATE DAY COURSE TITLE

WEDNESDAY PM

4/2 We PM Documentary Films Reinish

4/2 We PM Female Songwriters from Joni Mitchell to Taylor Swift Turelli

4/2 We PM Health Care in the 21st Century - How in the World Did We Get Here? Shaw

4/2 We PM The Trinity Across Faith and Science: An Integrative Exploration Adams/Tsoucatos

4/2 We PM Travel Journaling in Words and Pictures with Smartphone and Snapseed App Frances

THURSDAY AM

4/3 Th AM Common Humanity: Why Humans Predictably Unite and Divide, Succeed and Fail Meagher

4/3 Th AM Reporting from the Trenches: Ernie Pyle and the American GI Moody

4/3 Th AM The Failed Experiment: The Enlightenment and Eighteenth-Century Revolutions Bennett

FRIDAY AM

4/4 Fr AM Beginning Birding with Denver Audubon Master Birders

4/4 Fr AM Trails and Tours

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / COURSE OFFERINGS

ONLINE by Start Date/Day

DATE DAY COURSE TITLE

MONDAY PM

3/31 Mo PM Matinee at the Bijou - More Film Noir McHugh

3/31 Mo PM Democracy Awakening Howard/Lilly

3/31 Mo PM Introduction to the French New Wave Garrett

3/31 Mo PM Watercolor Pencils for Beginners Verma

3/31 Mo PM Why Maps Still Matter Kerski

4/28 Mo PM Fifty Years of Global Climate Change and Environmental Research: What Have We Learned? Lanning

TUESDAY AM

4/1 Tu AM Foundations of Ethics in History and Today Putman

TUESDAY PM

4/1 Tu PM Colorado Stories: Journalism that Illuminates and Enlightens Steele/Ryerson

4/1 Tu PM Decoding the Talmud: Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism Serebryanski

4/1 Tu PM Film Noir: What Makes it Enduring, What Makes it Great Grant

4/1 Tu PM Introduction to Islam Ochs

4/1 Tu PM Memorable Movies of the 2010s Petty/Matten

4/1 Tu PM Ten What Ifs of American History Folkestad

4/1 Tu PM The Battle of the Atlantic in World War II (Hybrid) McHugh

4/1 Tu PM Women and Work: Career or Labor of Love? Rich

WEDNESDAY AM

4/2 We AM A Day at the Opera Friedlander/Adelman

4/2 We AM Bridge Basics III: Popular Conventions Holmes

4/2 We AM String Spotlight: Classical Violins, Guitars, and More Schwarm

4/2 We AM Unlocking the Brain’s Potential: Understanding and Harnessing Neuroplasticity Thomson

4/9 We AM How to Do Lots More With Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac! Arapakis

ONLINE by Start Date/Day

DATE DAY COURSE TITLE FACILITATOR

WEDNESDAY PM

4/2 We PM Dickens and the History of Revolutions: What Do Guillotines, Liberty, and Literary Genius Have in Common? Lambert

4/2 We PM Double Trouble: Doubles in Bridge Holmes

4/2 We PM Eugenics, Then and Now Edelman

4/2 We PM Journeys: Learning Through Travel Werren

4/2 We PM Reimagining America: From Independence to Unity, 1783–1789 Lippman

4/2 We PM Taboo Texts: A History of Book Banning in America Christner

4/2 We PM Your Brain is You Adams

4/30 We PM The World of Water Bellinger

THURSDAY AM

4/3 Th AM Contemporary Educational Challenges Pohlmann

4/3 Th AM Harnessing the Healing Power of Words: Writing for Wellbeing Martin

4/3 Th AM Mysterious Places: Four Corners Lange/Corona

4/3 Th AM The Art of Making Movies Magnani

4/3 Th AM The Tie That Binds - A Novel Celebrating the Tenacity of the Human Spirit Batt/Batt

4/3 Th AM Theodore Roosevelt: A Dominant Personality in a Changing Time Kleinschmidt

THURSDAY PM

4/3 Th PM A Life in Crime: How Does Anthony Horowitz Reinvent the Classic Whodunit for the Modern Reader? Paul

4/3 Th PM Exploring Storytelling Through Film: Facilitator Selections Vice/Lungerhausen

Monday Afternoon

Matinee at the BijouMore Film Noir

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 3/31 to 5/19 (8 weeks)

Time: 12:30–3 PM

Facilitator: Mac McHugh

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

“Film Noir” as the French called the American movies that emerged from World War II. The name implies dark film or black movie. It not only refers to the fact that the movies were in black and white but also to the plot, the actors, and film production. Many of the best examples of the genre were cheap “B” movies but some of the classics were high-end with big name stars. This time we meet a murder victim who isn’t dead, a mercy killer, war veterans, an innocent prison convict, a street hardened cop, and a pickpocket. Along with our movie we will have the weekly action-packed serial episode. Again, we will have a short discussion before and after the movie to discuss the stars, the plot, and why the movie was successful.

Due to the length of the ‘Class A’ movies, class will start at 12:30.

Democracy Awakening

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 3/31 to 5/19 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Alice Howard and Barbara Lilly

Location: Online

Class Limit: 35

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

This course centers on the book of the same name by Heather Cox Richardson and examines the political, cultural, and social forces that shaped the evolution of democracy in America, as well as the pressures currently trying to push democracy in a different direction. Democracy is a process always at risk. We will explore the disparate forces that drive the ebb and flow of American politics and the power-seeking bad actors always attempting to derail the process. Beginning with discussions of the historical events trying to undermine democracy, such as Nixon’s Southern Strategy, we then turn to recent threats such as January 6 and the Big Lie. The class concludes by examining how we might reclaim our democracy from forces pulling in different directions such as Project 2025.

Class members are expected to read the book, examine their own concepts of democracy, and participate in thoughtful and lively discussions.

Required: DEMOCRACY AWAKENING: Notes on the State of America, by Heather Cox Richardson

Class does not meet on January 20th

Introduction to the French New Wave

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 3/31 to 4/28 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Mark Robert Garrett

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

In this course, participants will explore the groundbreaking world of French New Wave cinema, one of the most revolutionary and celebrated movements in film history. From the electrifying debut of Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960) to Francois Truffaut’s reflective The 400 Blows (1959) and Agnes Varda’s radical Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962), we will explore the visionary artistry that redefined filmmaking in the 1960s and beyond. Through an in-depth examination of the movement’s iconic directors, unforgettable actors, and cinematic masterworks students will uncover how these films disrupted tradition, and changed global cinema forever.

Watercolor Pencils for Beginners

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 3/31 to 5/19 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Mitra Verma

Location: Online

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Watercolor Pencils are a unique medium combining drawing with painting in such a manner that no other medium can replicate. They are versatile, fun, and perfect for those who want to create watercolor art with pencils. This course gives you an overview of this medium and will guide you to the right steps for creating quality and stunning art that you will be proud of. Instruction will include drawing techniques and transferring of images, color layering, and color mixing to determine the lights and darks, and mood of the art piece. You will have 8 sessions to create 6 pieces of art and learn techniques that can be used to enliven existing paintings. This class is very much for beginners and those unfamiliar with watercolor.

Supply List will be provided in advance to all participants. But here are basic supplies like Watercolor pencils, Watercolor paper, Brushes #2 #4 #8

Why Maps Still Matter

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 3/31 to 4/21 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Joseph Kerski

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Have you ever used a Lyft or Uber ride share? Do you have a fitness app to track your walks and cycle rides? Have you tracked a package to be delivered to your home? Have you used a map to navigate across campus, across town, or on vacation? Maps are all around us, more so now in the digital age than in the “paper maps only” age. Maps tell us where things, ideas, and information are. They also tell us where we have been, what changes the world is experiencing, and how to plan a more resilient and sustainable future. Join geographer Joseph Kerski for a lively course on how modern mapping evolved from clay tablets and wood blocks to content that we interact with on our phones and computers, and how maps are being used in the fields of health, energy, natural hazards, supply chain management, city planning, agriculture, astronomy, and in many others. Be empowered to use maps in new ways and create your OWN 2D and 3D maps from your own neighborhood to the global scale, through this exciting, interactive course that will include many handson activities.

Fifty Years of Global Climate Change and Environmental Research: What Have We Learned?

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 4/28 to 5/19 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: John Lanning

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Regular news headlines focus on global climate change and the detrimental environmental impacts of continuing an economy based on fossil fuel energy production. The best approach to dealing with global-scale environmental issues is to examine 50 years of scientific research and the impact of international agreements. This 4-week presentation/ discussion course on Zoom focuses on global air pollution issues of acid rain, stratosphere ozone holes, global cooling/warming, and global climate change. The course will provide a science foundation for understanding the causes, environmental impacts, and mitigation options of global scale environmental issues. Successful international agreements covering acid rain and stratospheric ozone holes will be compared to less successful agreements for carbon-based global warming. The course is designed for individuals with an interest in the environment and how atmospheric emissions impact the planet Earth. No science background is required or assumed.

The Photographer’s Denver: Iconic Buildings Through the Lens

Monday Afternoon

Dates: 4/28 to 5/19 (4 weeks)

Time: 1:30–3:30 PM

Facilitator: Mark Payler

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU & Off Site Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Explore Denver’s stunning architecture and elevate your photography skills in “The Photographer’s Denver: Iconic Buildings Through the Lens.” This four-session course is designed for photographers of all levels, from smartphone enthusiasts to seasoned DSLR users. The first in-person DU location session covers essential photography fundamentals, including lens choice, lighting observations, and creative perspectives to capture the beauty of architectural designs. The following three sessions take you onlocation to Denver’s most iconic architectural landmarks, where you’ll practice your skills and receive personalized guidance to create captivating images. Whether you are capturing intricate details of interiors or bold urban exteriors, this course will help you tell the story of Denver’s unique architectural character.

Students are responsible for their own transportation to each downtown Denver site (to be announced). Join us for an inspiring hands-on experience that combines technical learning with the vibrant art of architectural photography. All course sessions will only be held on the session date without exception.

Members should have a Smartphone with camera capabilities and/or any type of digital camera. Some locations may require an admission fee. Members will be responsible for their own transportation for each session.

Tuesday Morning

Artificial Intelligence: What It Is and How It Will Impact Us All

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Ralph Hughes and Alec Tsoucatos

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: History & Economics

This course explores the potential and limitations of AI technology, examining its promises, challenges, and potential for enormous societal impact.

We’ll start with a layperson’s explanation of neural networks and how companies have leveraged them into commercial AI applications. With that understanding, we’ll consider AI optimistically, discussing its enormous capabilities and promises for uplifting humanity. We’ll also evaluate AI pessimistically, reflecting upon the track records of internet-powered corporations and the history of dangerous social fads to assess how AI will soon amplify their power.

This balanced background will allow us to ask a crucial question: how should civilization manage AI to serve the common good, not just its creators?

Moreover, AI is emerging amid vehement competing notions of justice and fairness in America. Can this technology help us clarify viewpoints, reveal common ground, and reveal a path to peace between our warring factions?

Current Events - Tuesday

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Richard Reinish and Sydney Myers

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: Central Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

We will discuss the prior week’s news in the first hour. In the second hour a topic that is current will be determined by the facilitators and articles will be sent out for that discussion. The facilitators of this class express a progressive point of view on American politics. They welcome conservative or other points of view and encourage discussion as part of our learning experience.

Deliberative Democracy: An Innovative Model for Discussing Big Issues

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/6 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Kent Epperson

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 18

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

What if you were assigned to a national panel tasked with making recommendations on a number of the most important issues of our time including: immigration, free speech on campus, policing, national leadership, election reform and mass shootings? Each week in this course class members will review multiple proposals on a critical topic and deliberate on the strengths and weaknesses of each “solution”. The class will then try to create a recommendation selecting one or a synthesis of these alternatives. Critical but open minds will be an asset to this work.

Foundations of Ethics in History and Today

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Dan Putman

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

People often talk about “ethics” but the term is usually vague and unclear. This class will explore how various philosophers have analyzed ethics and how those ideas apply today. We will definitely bring up several ethical issues in class but it is important to note that this will not primarily be a “case study” course. It is a class designed to discuss different ways philosophers in history and today have thought about the issue of how we should live together on this planet. Discussion is encouraged in all classes.

Great Debates that Reshaped the Course of Science

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Stuart Gentry

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 50

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

The advancement of science is normally a gradual process. But every now and then in our past, there were innovative, and frankly brave, individuals who took science in entirely new directions. They were willing to speak out against the accepted theories of their time even at great professional risk. Their radical new ideas totally shifted the trajectory of our understanding of the natural world. This class will look at some of those discoveries which we now take for granted. We will look at the scientists involved, the challenges they faced, and where their ideas took science afterward. You will recognize some of the names, such as Galileo, Darwin, Pasteur, and Hubble. Others may be new to you. But between them, they reshaped such fields as the origins of disease, the nature of the universe, the formation of mountains, and a general understanding for the natural world that we see today.

Let’s Make a Movie

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Robert Magnani and Charles Holt

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church

Class Limit: 16

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

In this course we prepare to make a movie (pre-production) including developing a script, casting actors (among ourselves), finding locations, designing sets and their contents, storyboarding scenes, anticipating camera and actor moves, setting shooting sequences, and rehearsing all of it. A series of YouTube videos will be used in the first hour to train in the skills involved. In the second hour we will try our hand at developing our own movie. In later semesters we will shoot the movie (production) and then edit the footage, add sound, and titles (post production). The products will include a “making of” video as well as the movie itself so we leave with a lasting memory of what we achieved, whether on crew or cast. Expect to participate in several skills as we have limited people to cover the range of needed tasks.

Minding Your Balance: Mind Body Activities to Improve Balance and Prevent Falls

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 4/22 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Susan Chandler

Location: First Universalist Church

Class Limit: 16

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Health & Wellness

As we get older, the risk of falling tends to increase significantly due to a gradual decline in balance abilities. This decline may begin in middle age and progress slowly, making it easy to ignore - until a fall happens. To address this, incorporating balance training into our personal health management strategy is essential, allowing us to take proactive steps toward maintaining stability and preventing falls. Minding Your Balance training addresses this need, drawing on lessons from the martial art KiAikido to take a groundbreaking look at balance and its fundamental relationship to mind and emotion. Easy to learn mind body exercises, scientific insights, and stories of applications in everyday life provide participants with tools to immediately improve balance control. Participants work individually and with partners. Activities can be done seated and standing; all activities are adaptable to different needs and abilities.

Recommended - Minding Your Balance: Mind Body Exercises to Improve Balance & Prevent Falls - $15 on Amazon

Navigating the Challenges of Climate Change

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/13 (7 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Phil Nelson

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church

Class Limit: 18

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Planet Earth is warming, as we know from daily news events. Wildfires, atmospheric rivers, category four/five hurricanes, and floods are now regular events. We are paying the price with higher insurance rates and with damage to roads and crops.

The energy transition is upon us. Solar and wind are growing rapidly. You may be considering an electric vehicle. How about solar panels on your roof? What in the world is a heat pump? Does your house require new insulation? What does it mean to electrify a building?

We are not individuals acting alone; society is changing. Finance is key—can you invest in ways helpful to the energy transition? State and federal governments play a major role, providing incentives for the energy transition. You can’t do this by yourself; there are many organizations working on specific aspects of the energy transition.

On the Road to Facilitating an OLLI@DU Course

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 4/29 (5 weeks) Free Course

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Candace Hyatt

Location: Chambers Center/DU

Class Limit: 20

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Miscellaneous

Whether you are discovering OLLI at DU for the first time, or have taken several OLLI classes, if you’ve ever wondered, “Would I or could I ever facilitate an OLLI class?”, this course is for you! During our time together you will have an opportunity to: explore possible topics you might want to teach, investigate developmental characteristics of life-long learners, consider how to facilitate classes for life-long learners, develop skills in managing productive, inclusive classroom participation, discover current, research-based resources to enhance your topic, and build your understanding of the course proposal process. Also, classroom experiences with seasoned facilitators, peer critique of proposals, and optional class presentations will provide you with the confidence and expertise to begin your journey to a rewarding and renewing facilitation experience.

Stories of Colorado Women: The Famous and the Unknown

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Rae Wiseman

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: History & Economics

Women have made many contributions to our state of Colorado. We will get to know some of them in this course. Some are famous, such as Aunt Clara Brown and Augusta Tabor. But do you know Owl Woman, the Cheyenne wife of William Bent? She was an interpreter and mediator between her people and white traders and soldiers. We will learn the stories of these women and others, from pioneer settlers to health providers, educators, writers, and scientists. We will also talk about how Colorado voters were the first to give voting rights to its female citizens.

The 1619 Project - Where Aggressive Journalism and Revisionist History Collide

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Terry Casey

Location: Ruffatto Hall/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: History & Economics

This course will examine the New York Times’ 1619 Project, the book that resulted from the original magazine article, and the historiographical criticism that both preceded and followed its release. Specifically, we will read and investigate 8 chapters of the book: Democracy, Citizenship, Self-defense, Punishment, Inheritance, Medicine, Healthcare and Traffic. Each class will address one of these chapters in the first hour. The other hour of each class will address the various critiques delivered from historians, from both the left and the right, economists and journalists. In addition to these critiques, and the NYT’s and 1619 Project author’s response thereto, the course will use the discourse about the “Project” to explicate the question of how historical knowledge is discovered, narrated, refined and corrected. Finally our discussions will address the issue of K-12 history standards, textbooks promulgated by state Boards of Education and past and current debates about these standards.

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

The Enigma of Artificial Intelligence

Tuesday Morning

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Stephen Bennett

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 20

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

The end of World War II was also the end of the Industrial Age and the beginning of the Digital Age. This shift to a service economy, driven by automation, has led us down the path to the next new wiz-bang tool – Artificial Intelligence (AI). With its insatiable demand for data and energy, and its eerie ability to answer complex questions at lightning-fast speed, it portends a far different future. The transition to a digital world has only accelerated, creating new bobbles and destroying old ways. This series is about that transition, where it came from, who it affects and what might the future look like. The class will include a condensed history of innovation, an update on where we are today and an expanded discussion of what the future might look like. We will meet in person and a short article on each week’s topic will be provided the week before.

Tuesday Afternoon

American Mah Jongg for Those People Who Have Never Played

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Elaine Levy

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 16

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Miscellaneous

Mah Jongg is an ancient Chinese game that has been played in the American version since the 1900s. It’s played with 4 people and is like Gin Rummy. It’s a fun, complex game which is very challenging, and interesting. This is a game of strategy, defense, and knowledge of the game. It’s also 50% skill and 50% luck. The National Mah Jongg League creates a card with hands that can be played. These hands change every year. There are also categories of hands that do not change. A current card will be provided for each participant at the first class. This will be yours to keep. Elaine will provide handouts to help you learn quickly. The class will be taught in a progressive manner. Class members are STRONGLY encouraged to attend every class when able since it’s difficult to “catch up” on what was taught and discussed in the previous week. The game is easy to learn if you’re having a good time. Warning! This game is ADDICTIVE. You will LOVE playing, and you will get hooked!!

American Women Directors

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Sarah Kozloff

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Although most movie fans can name contemporary female directors, e.g. Ava Duvernay, Kathryn Bigelow, or Greta Gerwig, fewer people know of the rich contributions of women throughout film history. Film scholars have uncovered a treasure trove of female filmmakers who never got the budgets, recognition, or publicity enjoyed by their male counterparts. This course will trace women directors from the silent era up to today, focusing on key questions: do women use cinematic tools differently from their male peers, and/or do they chose to focus on different subjects?

Members must rent or borrow from the library each of the films to watch at home before class.

Bleak House: Love, Death, and the Law in Dickens’ England

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/13 (7 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Gloria Eastman

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Promises, forbidden love, legal puzzles, and Charles Dickens’ compelling details and dialogue — this is a novel to work through with like-minded OLLI readers. Published just after David Copperfield, Bleak House (1852–53) is the first of Dickens’ later and darker novels. At its heart is a court case, Jarndyce v. Jarndyce, based on an actual legal case in Victorian England that continued for years, entangling all the possible inheritors in its complicated plot. Humorous and quirky characters abound, but even they are faced with the effects of the uncovering of long-held secrets. The main characters are the young people who hope to benefit from the inheritance. The settings range from a diseased and foggy London slum to the magnificent estate of Lord and Lady Dedlock. An amazing occurrence: one character actually spontaneously combusts!

Required text:

Bleak House, Penguin Classics, Nicola Bradbury, editor. ISBN 978-0-141-43972-3 or equivalent.

Can Our Prehistory Ancestors Tell Us Who We Are?

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Roscoe Hill

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

These eight sessions will be a breathless, breezy (and humble) trip through recent scholarly writing about the past several million years of human development. Session one will focus on Chimpanzees (“make war”). Session two will focus on Bonobos (“make love”). Sessions three and beyond will focus on humans and how we have changed in the past 8 million years. We will consider Boehm’s interesting claim that the modern homo sapiens who left Africa carried in their genes a way of living developed over a few thousand generations — egalitarian, calm, kind, caring, sharing — with no bosses and no beggars. Few if any current human societies are like that now. We will explore why.

Supplementing the readings and other scholars will be our fictional guides Eve (Adam’s wife) and Eos (the Greek goddess of the dawn) will be our fictional guides for observing the past 8-million years. Eos and Eve both refuse to regard as “progress” or “civilization” any social arrangement that fails to take good care of the needy (widows, orphans, infants, the sick and injured, the “other” — those that scholars call “the least advantaged”).

Required Book - Survival of the Friendliest (2021) by Vanessa Woods and Brian Hare. $16 via Amazon (cheaper used copies often available).

Colorado Stories: Journalism that Illuminates and Enlightens

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Bob Steele and Dennis Ryerson

Location: Online

Class Limit: 35

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

Are you tired of the same old news coverage about crime, polarized communities and bitter national politics? Join veteran journalists Dennis Ryerson and Bob Steele in using different lenses to learn what’s going on in Colorado. This course will spotlight stories that take you around the Centennial State from the Four Corners to the Eastern plains, from the Western Slope to the San Luis Valley.

Bob and Dennis will highlight stories that celebrate diverse Coloradans and the land where they work and live. They will showcase well-reported stories from The Colorado Sun, Colorado Public Radio, community newspapers and local television that help explain complex issues or that reveal the creativity and human spirit of Colorado’s people and communities.

Yes, these days there’s plenty of boring, repetitive news and little or no coverage of news that may matter more. This class explores good Colorado stories that might surprise you, and even make you laugh or cry.

Decoding the Talmud: Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/6 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Rabbi Yossi Serebryanski

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

Enter the intricate world of the Talmud: the monumental classic that has defined Jewish learning for centuries. Join this six-week course from the Rohr Jewish Learning Institute to discover the Talmud, its history, authors, and significance–and experience it for yourself. You’ll learn the key terms, logical principles, and historical context required to decode every part of the Talmudic page. Plus, see how it became central to Jewish life and why it inspires fascination, debate, and study today.

NOTE: There is a text: Decoding the Talmud: Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book that Defines Judaism; $27 will be added to the course to cover the book fee and shipping.

Democracy in Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Michael Prevedel and Alec Tsoucatos

Location: First Universalist Church

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

Democracy is a system of governance of a community of people who will bear the consequences of decisions taken. Historically and increasingly today all over the world democracy has experienced multiple challenges. This course will delve into the considerable attempts at undermining the democratic ethic because people are not sufficiently capable and responsible to govern themselves. We will then present for consideration, innovative as well as classical arguments in favor of a more inclusive and resilient form of democracy. In the first hour, we will present material.

In the second hour, we will open the class to discussion with the goal of identifying some constructive and useful conclusions.

Film Noir: What Makes it Enduring, What Makes it Great

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/6 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Tom Grant

Location: Online

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Follow us down dark streets to the heart of film noir. In this course, we’ll take a trip around this highly influential genre. How did the post-WWII generation suddenly become interested in stories featuring morally ambiguous characters, plans gone horribly wrong, complex plots, and gloomy aesthetics? Where did the genre come from, why did it produce great movies during its height, and where did it go? How has film noir shaped cinema to this day, in countless ways (stories, style, cinematography, direction, etc.)?

The focus will be on the American classics, such as The Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, Out Of The Past, and many others. We’ll also discuss international film noir, as well as more contemporary movies (neonoir). In each session, we’ll explore one of these topics with a sample film noir movie as a centerpiece. Participants are encouraged to watch the movie of the week before each session.

Introduction to Islam

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Kathleen Ochs

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

Islam is once again in the news: A militant Islamic group, proposing a religiouslyoriented government, is fighting for control of Syria. Few Muslims support these types of Islam. Similar to other religions, many types of Islam exist worldwide. The course describes today’s Islam highlighting commonalities and differences, including good and beautiful as well as harmful types.

Classes consist of summary presentations followed by discussions. Topics include history, the Qur’an and other books, values/ beliefs and practices, cultural contributions from science to poetry to movies as well as today’s interesting reforming movements. Muslims often describe Islam through stories–therefore these are included.

Comments and questions are welcome. No readings are required. Recommendations will be suggested including readings, films, internet, and selections from my book: An American Woman in the House of Sufi Islam. Please contact me if you have any questions, comments, or topics you would like to learn about.

Israel’s Existential War of Survival and Its Message for the Free World

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 4/22 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Herzl Melmed

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 50

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

There are 4 lectures that clarify Israel’s view of conflict. The first will look at where we get our information and the challenges of being a sophisticated consumer of the news. There are few unbiased media sources including the ones most prominent in the US. Examples of the media’s bias will be discussed. The second session will deal with the issues around the so-called Two State Solution. While highly desirable, it is a very complicated issue. Attendees will get a clear understanding of these issues. The third session will outline the factors that make the US-Israel partnership “Iron Clad”. The partnership has two components-the military & the civilian. This session will focus on the considerable benefits the US gets from her relationship with Israel. The last session will deal with the refugees, both Arab & Jewish, created as a result of war. Why after 75 years has this problem not been solved? Questions & comments are encouraged throughout the lecture series.

Recommended: A Peace to End all Peace Fromkin, Israel: A simple guide to the most misunderstood country on earth. Tishby, Israel Alone. Levy

Memorable Movies of the 2010s

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–4 PM

Facilitator: Greg Petty and Larry Matten

Location: Online

Class Limit: 50

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Join us for our sixth in a series of most highly rated and enjoyed films of a decade. Having done the films of the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s, this term we will watch and then discuss movies from 2010 to 2019. Our discussions will deal with the making of the movie and its directors, actors, and other key contributors. The value and the fun of the discussions depend on contributions from class members, although we are fine with some who want to watch and listen.

Examples of our eight wide-ranging movies will be Silver Linings Playbook, Argo, Dallas Buyers Club, Spotlight, Ex Machina, and The Big Sick Some actors we will see are Bradley Cooper Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Alicia Vikander, Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, and Ray Romano. Directors of these 6 movies include David O Russell and five other fine directors you may not be familiar with. We look forward to watching and discussing these terrific movies with you.

Misinformation, Conspiracy Theory and Contemporary Society

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Dwight Smith

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

Is the conspiracy theory, which seems to be a driving force in political misinformation just an example of political paranoia and irrationality? In recent years scholars in various fields have been trying to sort this out and move beyond a simple either/or answer. We will refer to some of these sources which articulate fascinating insights about our culture(s). The course will draw specifically on the work of Dannagal Goldthwaite Young, Professor of communication and political science at the University of Delaware. Her 2023 book, Wrong: How Media, Politics and Identity Drive Our Appetite for Misinformation, documents numerous recent empirical studies on misinformation, identity, media and partisanship to show the long term trends that have brought us to this point, while also considering newer developments in the last few years.

Recommended: Wrong: How Media, Politics, and Identity Drive Our Appetite for Misinformation by Dannagal Goldthwaite Young, 2023

Ten What Ifs of American History

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 4/29 (5 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Alan Folkestad

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: History & Economics

History may appear logical and even inevitable: Things happened because they had to. But when you go back and examine the turning points of the past, you realize how alternatives, possibilities, and misfortunes played an enormous hand in making the world we know today.

Politicians, writers, explorers, and ordinary people all make choices that shape history. But examining the moments that define our history raises an important question: What if things had gone differently? This course demonstrates that history does not exist in a void.

To illustrate: In February 1933, Presidentelect Franklin Roosevelt was at Miami’s Bay Front Park. He had just concluded a speech when Guiseppe Zangara fired five shots. Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was killed and four others wounded but Roosevelt was unharmed. How would history have evolved if the assassin was successful in killing FDR? This is just one What Ifs we will explore.

This course is based on a Great Courses video series.

The Battle of the Atlantic in World War II (Hybrid)

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Mac McHugh

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU

Class Limit: 24

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: History & Economics

“The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril” as Winston Churchill summed up the longest battle in the Second World War. The battle started within hours of the declaration of war and ended hours after the cease fire order was issued. For many, the battle is thought of only in terms of the U-boat menace. However, this leaves out whole aspects of the battle that raged above, on, and below the Atlantic. We will take a look at the conflict year by year and see how each side made moves and counter-moves to win control of the sea including:

• Battle of Norway and the Surface Fleet.

• The Raiders.

• “The Happy Time”.

• The Undeclared War.

• The Radio War.

• Closing the Air Gap.

• Fortress without a Roof.

• Death of the Surface Fleet.

Articles will be emailed to class members for inclusion in the class discussion.

The Battle of the Atlantic in World War II (Hybrid)

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Mac McHugh

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: History & Economics

“The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril” as Winston Churchill summed up the longest battle in the Second World War. The battle started within hours of the declaration of war and ended hours after the cease fire order was issued. For many, the battle is thought of only in terms of the U-boat menace. However, this leaves out whole aspects of the battle that raged above, on, and below the Atlantic. We will take a look at the conflict year by year and see how each side made moves and counter-moves to win control of the sea including:

• Battle of Norway and the Surface Fleet.

• The Raiders.

• “The Happy Time”.

• The Undeclared War.

• The Radio War.

• Closing the Air Gap.

• Fortress without a Roof.

• Death of the Surface Fleet.

Articles will be emailed to class members for inclusion in the class discussion.

Topics in Criminal Law

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Rick Levinson and Gary Lozow

Location: First Universalist Church

Class Limit: 70

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

This class will be a discussion of criminal law topics including but not limited to: insanity, sentence, homicide, death penalty, sex offender treatment, juvenile justice, policing, prison, self-defense, etc. The class will help pick topics.

Women and Work: Career or Labor of Love?

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/1 to 5/20 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Myra Rich

Location: Online Class Limit: 24

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: History & Economics

This class will trace the history of women’s work from the colonial period to the present. We will cover topics such as the household as a place of production, women’s roles in the labor movement, barriers to certain kinds of work and professions, the exploitation of women in the workforce, and the cultural conflict between ideals of women in the home and in the workplace.

Required: Either Out to Work: 20th Anniversary edition, Alice Kessler-Harris, or Women Have Always Worked, Alice Kessler Harris

Cultural and Psychological Dynamics of African American Music

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/8 to 5/27 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Arthur Jones and Duke Weiss

Location: Ruffato Hall/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Based on the assertion that the various genres of music created by African Americans are best visualized as a giant tree with one main trunk and an ever evolving network of branches, this course will explore both the common cultural and psychological functions served by major genres over time as well as the unique functions served by each of those genres, beginning with the Spirituals created by African captives in slavery and continuing through the blues, jazz, gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, and hip-hop. We will explore how the music has functioned in both the African American and wider American communities. Learning in the course will be facilitated through brief lectures, active discussions, and a richly diverse sampling of oral and video recordings. Enrollees will also be encouraged to take advantage of live music offerings in the Denver metro area and to share their experiences during class discussions.

Video Delight - A Medley of Documentaries, Ted Talks and Discussions

Tuesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/29 to 5/20 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Tom Hughes

Location: Jefferson Unitarian Church

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

This class will feature one to three videos per class, followed by discussion of the subject(s) featured in each video. The films will be primarily documentaries and TED Talks focused on issues of importance and current interest (usually). These topics are guaranteed to be wide-ranging.

The class facilitator will choose the videos, though class members can recommend others for consideration. So come to this class in order to be entertained, enlightened, ready to offer your opinion on various matters, and enjoy the company of like-minded people. And by all means, bring your sense of humor.

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

Wednesday Morning

A Day at the Opera

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/07 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Jan Friedlander and Neil Adelman

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Join Jan, Neil, and two guest lecturers as they “Zoom” through the centuries exploring eight operas and one musical. These works will be performed this spring or summer by three different opera companies: the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD simulcasts at local theatres (Met), Central City Opera (CC), or the Santa Fe Opera (SF). Selections from all of these will be shown in class.

The following works will be performed:

1786 - Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro (Met & SF).

1816 - Rossini’s Barber of Seville (Met & CC).

1851 - Verdi’s Rigoletto (SF).

1870 - Wagner’s Die Walküre (SF).

1895 - Puccini’s La Bohème (SF).

1902 - Strauss’s Salome’ (Met).

1954 - Britten’s Turn of the Screw (SF).

1959 - Rogers’ Once Upon a Mattress (CC).

2021 - Vrebalov’s The Knock (CC).

Please join us whether you are an experienced operagoer, new to the art form, or somewhere in between. If you plan to attend any of these performances, or simply want to learn more about opera, our classes are an excellent prelude to your experience.

A Global Romp: The Renaissance, Reformation and Exploration from a Global Perspective

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Shellie Hochstadt

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 35

Sponsoring Site: Central Subject Area: History & Economics

This course is the next installment in our romp through world history as we delve into the Reformation, Renaissance and exploration of the world. It begins with the lands and cultures of world empires: China, Japan, Mughals of India, the Ottomans, and the monarchies of Europe. Europeans need trade routes for God, gold and glory. All of this is against the background of religious upheaval in Europe that will open the door to new learning. The culmination is a global interaction that leads to a new ordering of world thought and power.

Bridge Basics III: Popular Conventions

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Michael Holmes

Location: Online

Class Limit: 15

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Miscellaneous

This is the third course in a three course series designed to give students a basic understanding of the game of bridge. In this course students will learn the Stayman convention, the Jacoby Transfer convention, the strong two-club bid and responses, the 2NT bid and responses, and Slam bidding including the Blackwood and Gerber conventions.

The first part of this class is theory based and the second part is supervised play of bridge hands related to the topics covered.

Course Type: Discussion, Lecture, Hands-On Activities

Books/Materials: (Recommended) Basic Bidding in the 21st Century, Audrey Grant.

If you have not taken a class from Mike already, you will get a free textbook for the course from the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). Please notify Mike if you do not have the book already.

Additional Fees: There is a $20.00 fee for this course which covers costs associated with the app used for bridge play. Students who enroll should send a check to Mike Holmes, 313 Clisby Austin Rd, Tunnel Hill, GA 30755. DO NOT send a check until you have received confirmation from OLLI that you are registered in the course. Only students who have paid the course fee will be allowed to attend the course.

Bustles to Bellbottoms: How History Influences Fads and Fashion

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Sue Bramley and Natalie Conklin

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 35

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Step into the fascinating world of fashion with this lively 8-week journey through history & how it influenced design. We’ll dive into defining moments: religion, economics, military, environment, groundbreaking movements, and legendary designers which shaped style from the 18th to 20th centuries.

Beyond the essentials, we’ll explore fun fashion trivia & uncover pop culture connections. Whether you’re a style enthusiast or a history buff, this class will inspire and entertain, blending learning with flair and a touch of glam. Come ready to discover the stories behind the stitches!

Come Bird With Us

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: George Ho

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 12

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

This class is for anyone interested in “Birding” or “Bird Watching” to enjoy being outdoors, walking 1-2 miles, and interacting with each other while watching birds. The classroom sessions will consist of birding etiquette and appearance of birds: size, shape, color and identifying field marks. They will highlight bird behaviors and habitats and other interesting aspects of these living dinosaurs and how they reflect the health of our planet.

In the 4 classroom sessions, George will share his photos of birds on PowerPoint, knowledge and experience in birding, and being a citizen scientist. The other 4 sessions will be field trips. Locations include Bluff Lake Nature Center, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, and other locations. These field trip sessions may be longer than 2 hours and scheduled depending on the weather.

Current Events - Wednesday

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Richard Reinish and Sydney Myers

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

We will discuss the prior week’s news in the first hour. In the second hour a topic that is current will be determined by the facilitators and articles will be sent out for that discussion.

The facilitators of this class express a progressive point of view on American politics, especially during this election year. They welcome conservative or other points of view and encourage discussion as part of our learning experience.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / COURSE

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/7 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Ed Friedman

Location: Chambers Center/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

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 continues to successfully explain 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 say ‘Shut up and calculate’ to students who want answers about the foundations of quantum mechanics. We will expose those shadowy areas and offer the best current explanations.

Great Decisions 2025

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Dennis Brovarone

Location: Chambers Center/DU

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

Great Decisions is a program of the Foreign Policy Association, which is new each year. High-quality educational materials are prepared and provided to discussion groups in cities and universities throughout the United States. On each topic, there will be a chapter describing the current issues around the selected topic and a video of background information and relevant interviews with world leaders and scholars.

Required Book: Great Decisions 2025 Briefing Book, available from the Foreign Policy Association. Registered members, please order

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

String Spotlight: Classical Violins, Guitars, and More

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/7 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Betsy Schwarm

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

With apologies to lovers of brass bands and/ or pianos, sometimes all you need are the sounds of classical strings. From solo violin partitas to grand concertos for soloists with orchestra, string instruments have long held center stage. In this six-session Wednesday morning online Zoom course, OLLI’s resident classical music historian Betsy Schwarm shines a spotlight on the subject. It won’t be all violins. Brahms’ viola sonatas, Dvorak’s cello concerto, Handel’s harp concerto, Rodrigo’s Aranjuez... even double-basses and harps will have a place. A Haydn quartet, a Mozart serenade, and Mendelssohn’s Octet will also appear on the schedule as music for string ensembles. Betsy invites you to join her for this exploration of favorite music, new discoveries, and thoughts about how string instruments work. Depending on interest, an optional online concert may be included for us to watch and discuss outside of class time.

Tales Untold: A Short Story Writing Adventure

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Edward (Ned) Ford

Location: Chambers Center/DU

Class Limit: 20

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Short stories are fun and they’re easy to write. The approach that Facilitator Edward Ford uses is known as writing from life. A writer does not make up a story and then try to make it seem real. Rather a writer writes about everyday life and tries to make it seem magical. If a student can write a story about strolling down the sidewalk, or riding a bus, then the student can write about anything and there will be no end to their stories. Each class students will write two stories about their own lives and then read them to each other. Facilitator Ford will share some of his stories, as well. We will get to know each other very well.

Required: Pen and paper

Recommended: Notes in response to weekly prompts

Ten Centuries of Music and Culture (Part 3 - 1800 to the Present)

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Gregory Adams and Alec Tsoucatos

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 50

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

This class is part of the broader series “10 Centuries of Music,” exploring how music, culture, history, and social structures intertwine across a millennium. This installment covers music from the 19th century to the present, with earlier periods planned for future semesters.

Participants will experience music from the 19th century onward, reflecting on its cultural, historical, and social significance. We will explore the Romantic Era, early modernism, jazz, blues, popular music, and contemporary compositions of the 21st century.

Our journey includes classical icons like Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, and Aaron Copland, alongside jazz pioneers such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and Miles Davis. We will examine how these musical forms both shaped and responded to societal changes.

While earlier music can seem distant, the dynamic musical landscape of the past two centuries still resonates today. Thoughtfully selected pieces and historical context will deepen your understanding of modern cultural history.

By exploring music’s cultural fabric, we uncover unique reflections of ourselves and our shared past in meaningful ways.

The Eagle and the Rising Sun: The Decline of the Japanese Empire and the Rise of America, 1936 to 1945

Wednesday Morning Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Charles Holt

Location: Columbine United Church Class Limit: 40

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: History & Economics

This class will examine the dramatic rise and fall of the Japanese empire, from the invasion of Manchuria and China to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as viewed from the Japanese perspective, and contrasted with the changing American perspective regarding Asia and the growing influence of America on the world stage. This is a factual saga of both Asian and Western peoples caught up in the flood of the most overwhelming war of mankind, as it happened — muddled, ennobling, disgraceful, frustrating, full of paradox. This story reminds us that there are no simple lessons in history, that it is human nature that repeats itself, not history.

We will look into the highest reaches of American and Japanese leadership and politics, examining the misunderstandings, the prejudices of each nation, and how these lead to grave errors in the conduct of the diplomatic actions, and eventually to the errors in the conduct of the war.

Unlocking the Brain’s Potential: Understanding and Harnessing Neuroplasticity

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 4/23 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Steven (Dutch) Thomson

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Health & Wellness

Science has answered many questions, but we are just scratching the surface on understanding the human brain. Nevertheless, one thing becomes clearer with each new discovery: the brain is massively powerful. One of the more intriguing aspects of the brain is its adaptability. The brain can change! It can employ strategies to improve memory and focus; it can learn to be more positive and ruminate less; and it can reshape itself, assigning tasks to different areas if one area becomes injured or weakened. In fact, it might be possible for the brain to accomplish practically anything! In this course you will learn about brain plasticity, its scope and potential. You will learn the most important law of neuroplasticity and how to apply it: A brain that understands how it works has an advantage.

Recommended books are The Tell Tale Brain, by V.S. Ramachandran; The Brain that Changes Itself, by Dr. Norman Doidge; Into the Magic Shop, by Dr. James Doty

What the Bleep Do We Know About Theoretical Physics?

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Peter Gilbert

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

This course is an introductory, nonmathematical overview of those areas of theoretical physics that you have heard of but never fully explored. Peter has expanded his successful 6-week course into 8 weeks without adding any new material. This will allow more time to cover the following topics:

• Gravity from Isaac Newton to Albert Einstein.

• Quantum Theory and the search for the “Theory of Everything.”

• Radioactivity from Marie Curie to the atomic bomb.

• Particle physics from the ancient Greeks to the latest information on the quest for the “God Particle.”

• Astrophysics from the Big Bang to the universe’s ultimate fate.

Many of us shy away from Theoretical Physics because we think it is way over our heads, but Peter will make it very clear and straightforward so that we can all understand at least the basics and be able to discuss them with friends or grandchildren in a confident manner!

How to Do Lots More With Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac!

Wednesday Morning

Dates: 4/9 to 4/30 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Maria Arapakis

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Too often these mind-blowing 21st century technology miracles are underutilized. Now you can learn how to easily tap into their extraordinary powers and make your life a whole lot more satisfying.

You’ll get a clear understanding of “The Cloud” and “Streaming” where you can find and enjoy exceptional movies, shows, YouTube videos, digital books, podcasts, music–anywhere, anytime.

You’ll be shown how your iPhone, iPad, and/ or Mac can help you stay in touch with others using audio visits, video visits, texting, and Zoom get-togethers, and how you can share files, photos, articles, links, learning, and laughs!

You’ll learn how these Apple tools can also bring you gratifying new projects, a sense of purpose, and a super-simple “self-management” system. And you’ll find out how they can help with your mobility, vision, hearing, and memory during the sometimes challenging Senior Chapters of our lives.

Wednesday Afternoon

Documentary Films

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 12:45–3:15 PM

Facilitator: Richard Reinish

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 60

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

The spring Documentary Film class will cover a wide variety of films. Each will be shown in class and be followed by a discussion of the film. Class members are expected to stay for the discussion. The Facilitator likes to remain flexible as to what movies to show (due to availability, the arrival of new films, or events that would make a film topical).

Dickens and the History of Revolutions: What Do Guillotines, Liberty, and Literary Genius Have in Common?

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/7 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Ryan Lambert

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Join us for a six-week exploration of Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, a gripping tale of love, sacrifice, and revolution. Together, we’ll delve into the tumultuous worlds of the American War of Independence and the French Revolution, uncovering their profound influence on Dickens’s masterpiece and their ripple effects on global revolutions. Through lively discussions and historical insights, this class will bring the chaos of the past to life, connecting Dickens’s vivid storytelling to the forces of change that shaped the modern world. Revolution has never been so entertaining–or so relevant.

Purchase the book Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Double Trouble: Doubles in Bridge

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Michael Holmes

Location: Online

Class Limit: 12

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Miscellaneous

Bridge is a wonderful game for us seniors. It keeps our minds active, and it keeps us computing, deciphering, and using logic and deduction. It is also a very social game. All very good for us seniors. Also, perhaps the most important thing, it is a fun game. This course is for students who have some experience with the game of bridge.

Notes: There is not a recommended text for this class.

The instructor will provide notes for the classes. Students will learn Negative Double, Responsive Double, The Redouble, Takeout Double, Support Doubles and Redoubles.

Other: There is a $20.00 non-negotiable or refundable fee for this class. The fee goes to offset the app fees so students can play bridge online and postage to mail a book to the students (there is no text for this class). Failure to pay the fee will result with you being dropped from the class. Students will either pay the instructor via check or Zelle (3039289187) (mdholmes8@yahoo.com). Students can mail a check to Mike Holmes: 313 Clisby Austin Rd, Tunnel Hill, GA 30755. Phone# 303 928-9187.

Eugenics, Then and Now

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/14 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Jim Edelman

Location: Online

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: History & Economics

Unlike natural selection, artificial selection is a process where humans determine which individuals will reproduce. Farm animals and crops provide many examples. So, why not breed people? That was the idea of Eugenics. The term was coined in England by Charles Darwin’s first cousin, and was widely popular in the US in the early 20th Century. It led directly to severe restrictions on immigration, thousands forced sterilizations, and many of the Jim Crow Laws. The Nazis collaborated with American Eugenicists to craft the Nuremberg laws, which led to the Holocaust. Today, we face critical questions that echo these issues. Who can access the information in our DNA? What is the impact of immigration on our society? How can we ethically use genetic screening? Examining the history of Eugenics can help us to address these very sensitive topics by understanding the mistakes we made in the past.

No required readings. Below are recommended readings:

Edwin Black, War Against the Weak; James G. Whitman, Hitler’s American Model; Isabel Wilkerson, Caste (Chapter 8, The Nazis and the Acceleration of Caste); Angela Saini, Superior: The Return of Race Science; Stephen J. Gould, The Mismeasure of Man; Andrew Solomon, Far From the Tree: Parents, Children and the Search for Identity (Chapter IV, Down Syndrome); Adam Rutherford, Control: The Dark History and Troubling Present of Eugenics

No Class 4/16/2025

Female Songwriters from Joni Mitchell to Taylor Swift

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/7 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Paul Turelli

Location: First Universalist Church

Class Limit: 50

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Music fans are a lucky lot, especially those who appreciate female songwriters. We’ve been flooded with talent. In this class, Paul Turelli will take you on a tour of that talent, exploring the well-known and rediscovering the oftenoverlooked as he examines all of their vast influence and artistic genius from biographical, historical, and political viewpoints. The liberating perspective of their music, lyrics and poetry will be emphasized.

Health Care in the 21st CenturyHow in the World Did We Get Here?

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/7 (6 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Bill Shaw

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Health & Wellness

Healthcare is something each of us will inevitably use during our lifetimes. Though many of us are pleased with our own doctors, most of us have experienced frustration with the overall health care system. That system in the United States is huge, enormously expensive and incredibly complicated. At the heart of this system are individual doctor-patient interactions, but operating in the background, and often invisible to the patient are functions and demands which add immeasurably to the complexities of delivering and receiving care.

This course will explore some of the reasons for these difficulties including the organizational aspects and structures of healthcare from the exam room to the macro structures.

Unfortunately for those looking for a comprehensive, let alone easy, solution, you may be disappointed, but we will discuss ways that you can better manage and navigate your own interactions with the system.

Journeys: Learning Through Travel

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Barbara Werren

Location: Online Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

I love to share the beauty of our world with you! Whether you are eager to travel and want some ideas about future trips, or you’re an armchair traveler who enjoys seeing the beauty of our world, you’ll enjoy this class. Furthermore, if you are as concerned as I am about current “overtourism” you will share my concern and discuss the problem.

We’ll travel to Japan, my most recent trip; Mexico’s Yucatan (an OLLI trip in 2018); Cuba, Morocco, the Baltic countriesLithuania, Latvia and Estonia; Scandinavia, and more. We will also devote a class to the overtourism, with examples and class discussion. I urge you to participate!

Classes will consist of viewing videos of various destinations, with class participation about different kinds of travel and discussion of your favorite destinations and bucket lists. We encourage you to “talk travel”!

Reimagining America: From Independence to Unity, 1783–1789

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: David Lippman

Location: Online

Class Limit: 40

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: History & Economics

Between 1783 and 1789, the U.S. faced the challenge of transforming a loose confederation of states into a unified federal republic. This course examines that critical transition. We’ll use Joseph J. Ellis’s book, The Quartet, as our text. The book explores the political ideologies, strategies, and personal dynamics that shaped the actions of four leaders who were among the most influential in reshaping our government–George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Largely through their efforts, the nation overcame deep political and regional divisions to create a new model of governance and a constitution.

This course will analyze the multiple crises that threatened the new country and how the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation could not resolve these problems. How should the various states work to overcome economic instability, state rivalries, and fears of tyranny? How did a diverse group of political leaders navigate intense regional divisions, skepticism about centralized power, and concerns about individual rights to orchestrate what Ellis called “the second American revolution”?

Required: Joseph J. Ellis, The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783–1789, Penguin Random House

Taboo Texts: A History of Book Banning in America

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Anne Marshall Christner

Location: Online

Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Book banning: It’s in the news almost daily. What is going on?

What kinds of books are subjected to calls for bans? Who challenges those books . . . and why? What rights do we all have regarding access to so-called offensive literature? In this course, we will learn about proposed and actual bans on books for all sorts of readers – past and present. But we will place special emphasis on books written for children and youth because they are receiving the most attention of censors currently.

With the intermittent book bans in the United States over 200 years, the focus and subject areas have not changed: Books about race, sexuality, religion and politics. There are just different titles being targeted today.

This course will examine all of the questions cited above. We will watch and discuss lectures from a Great Courses set: “Banned Books, Burned Books: Forbidden Literary Works” (2023). There will be related handouts distributed via email.

The Trinity Across Faith and Science: An Integrative Exploration

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 5/21 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Gregory Adams and Alec Tsoucatos

Location: First Universalist Church

Class Limit: 20

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

This OLLI course explores the concept of the Trinity across religious, cultural, and scientific perspectives, uncovering shared themes in spiritual, philosophical, and scientific thought. Participants examine divine triads in Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, focusing on how these traditions define relationships among the divine, creation, and existence. The course also explores trinitarian-like frameworks in The Urantia Papers, emphasizing material, cosmic, and spiritual dimensions, alongside parallels in modern scientific theories like quantum mechanics and string theory.

The course centers on humanity’s enduring quest to understand reality’s ultimate nature and the universe’s origins. Through comparative study, open discussion, and reflective inquiry, participants engage with diverse traditions and scientific models. By examining how a triune reality appears across spiritual, philosophical, and scientific contexts, the course inspires deeper understanding of humanity’s search for meaning, connection, and truth.

Travel Journaling in Words and Pictures with Smartphone and Snapseed App

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 4/23 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Sara Frances

Location: First Universalist Church Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

First, unpack techniques for optimal smartphone handling and improving photo capture for expressive images that sparkle with color, composition, and impact. Second, explore journaling in words to accompany and expand the pictorial message. Third, deep dive into the free Snapseed in-phone app for comprehensive, flexible tools for effective, professional edits and polish in post-production. Snapseed is great for making memory books, inspiring slide shows, and eye-catching Internet posts. There will be detailed instructions and examples to correct, optimize, and artistically interpret photos. and retain for later reference will be included. There will also be a PDF presentation of more than 100 downloadable slides to use during class and to retain for later reference.

Required: Snapseed photo app (free) at app store

Your Brain is You

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/2 to 4/30 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Barbara Adams

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Why do you think the way you do, and could reality be changed? Do you know, absolutely know, that you know the facts of something, and that is immutable? How can your senses change things in your brain, and what is normal anyway? And what about my memory — I know it’s rock solid. Why can’t I remember some things and yet, not remember other stuff? What about dementia and Alzheimer’s and how do you know if you might have it, especially since you may have it 20 or more years before your symptoms? Free will — is there such a thing? Some of the newest findings in Neuroscience will be discussed and how this affects your life.

The World of Water

Wednesday Afternoon

Dates: 4/30 to 5/21 (4 weeks)

Time: 1–3 PM

Facilitator: Thomas (Tom) R. Bellinger

Location: Online

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

This course focuses on water as a major natural resource. It includes the study of the hydrologic cycle, and related weather concepts, competing water uses, current and future water issues, and approaches to water management.

The relationship of water to human use is examined in terms of history, policy, infrastructure, and technology. Topics introduced in this class include hydrology, hydrogeology, basic meteorology, water quality, water/wastewater treatment, wastewater, and water resources management. Additional topics discussed will be the Denver Metro Area water resources, water law, ethics of water use and management, and the “wicked” issues that we face presently and in the future.

Instructor will provide PowerPoints and reading material.

Recommended: Principles of Water Resources –Tom Cech

Thursday Morning

Common Humanity: Why Humans Predictably Unite and Divide, Succeed and Fail

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (7 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Chris Meagher

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 24

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Psychology, Religion, Philosophy & Culture

Though humans share 99.9% of their genes, their individual beliefs, languages, values, tastes, and associations are vastly divergent. This course will examine how humans, although united by nature, divide and fall into conflict and frustration. It will also address how humans tap into their inherent strengths and are more likely to succeed in living well. Common Humanity is a multidisciplinary course involving history, biology, psychology, and anthropology. It explores the basic human forces of instinct, emotion, thought and habit that often determine why people and groups succeed and fail as they do.

Contemporary Educational Challenges

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Marcus Pohlmann

Location: Online Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Public Affairs & Current Events

After framing educational dilemmas in light of political, social, economic, and educational history, this course will critically examine a variety of contemporary policy-related issues, including standardized testing, tracking, charter schools, school vouchers, teacher unions, disciplinary techniques, Covid policies, and critical race theory. The primary purpose of the course is to encourage participants to develop more factually sound and logically coherent positions on key educational dilemmas and policies. The class will consist of both lecture and discussion, and relevant articles will be provided for additional reading.

Recommended Books: Sarah Mondale and Sarah Patton, School, the Story of American Public Education; David Berliner, 50 Myths and Lies That Threaten America’s Public Schools

Harnessing the Healing Power of Words: Writing for Wellbeing

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 4/24 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Heather Martin

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: On Campus

Subject Area: Health & Wellness

Guided expressive writing has been proven to reduce stress, enhance social relationships, and improve academic performance. While these outcomes may not surprise you, expressive writing has also been shown to improve lung function among asthma patients, reduce pain for people with rheumatoid arthritis, and reduce sleep disturbances, among a host of other wellness outcomes.

Over four sessions, you’ll dive into current research on writing and wellbeing, learning how writing practices — such as journaling, reflective writing, and expressive storytelling — can enhance your wellness. Guided by an experienced writing professor, you’ll experiment with these techniques in a supportive environment and develop a personalized wellness writing routine.

The course design emphasizes the importance of community wellness. By sharing stories and reflections with classmates, you’ll connect with others, fostering compassion and collective wellbeing. Together, we’ll explore the healing power of shared experiences and build a supportive and thriving community.

Members should have a notebook.

Mysterious Places: Four Corners

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Linda Lange and Thomas Corona

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

“Place” is sometimes described as an additional character in novels, especially when an author develops a collection of characters in a specific location throughout a continuing series. We will do some armchair travel while exploring various mystery series set in the Four Corners region of the US, beginning with Tony Hillerman’s fine series set in Navajo country and his daughter Anne’s sequels. Each week will focus on a different author’s series set in this part of the country, with attention to the stories, the characters, and especially the place.

The class includes “show and tell” exhibits of Native American rugs, pottery, arts, and jewelry as they tie into the stories.

Reporting from the Trenches: Ernie Pyle and the American GI

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Gregory Moody

Location: Columbine United Church

Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Ernie Pyle was the one man who sent home the truth from the front lines of World War II to the American people. This course will reintroduce an American newspaper original, probably the best, most in-depth and personal reporter of the entire World War II era. Writing for the Scripps Howard News service, Ernie Pyle’s stories appeared in hundreds of papers daily, introducing the American public to their Army — their sons, fathers, husbands and more. He lived with the soldiers, marched beside them and ducked fire in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy and the Pacific. More than any other writer, Ernie Pyle made the war personal and brought it home to American readers, giving them an intimate, honest, frightening depiction of what our troops constantly faced. The course will also take us to Dana, Indiana, the birthplace of Earnest Taylor Pyle. We will learn more about his reporting on small-town America and how he became the “voice for aviation” in our country.

This is Your War, Brave Men, and Ernie’s War by Ernie Pyle; The Soldier’s Truth by David Chrisinger

The Art of Making Movies

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–12 PM

Facilitator: Robert Magnani

Location: Online

Class Limit: 48

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Movies are magic. Entertaining, emotionally moving, sometimes with awesome effects, they are able to create and spread unifying visions of our world. But they don’t just “happen”. Join us as we step behind the camera and take a journey through the movie creators’ eyes from studio executives, producers, casting people, actors, writers, cinematographers, editors, composers, technicians and directors. You will understand what it takes to create the story, finance it, put together the team, and produce the movies we all enjoy so much in this most collaborative of all arts. This course is a combination of informative videos and group discussion and is appropriate for all levels of film fans.

The Failed Experiment: The Enlightenment and Eighteenth-Century Revolutions

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Stephen Bennett

Location: Columbine United Church Class Limit: 30

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: History & Economics

The Enlightenment – bracketed by the Renaissance and the French Revolution –generated a prolific inquiry into science, religion, governance and economics that led to an explosion of new ideas and the emergence of new world views.

The Enlightenment’s unbridled speculation about nature and life was an undertaking unparalleled in history, introducing social and political experiments we are still working out today. Three experiments stand out: 1) liberal democratic republicanism (and its counterpoint, bureaucratic totalitarianism); 2) the conviction that irrefutable Natural Laws govern the universe, not the whim of God; and 3) a belief that daily commerce can be managed by mechanistic tools, an idea that enabled the Industrial Age. The class will explore the ingenuity that grew from the Renaissance and led to our modern world. We will meet in person and a short article on each week’s topic will be provided the week before.

The Tie That Binds - A Novel Celebrating the Tenacity of the Human Spirit

Thursday Morning Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Don Batt and Gracie Batt

Location: Online Class Limit: 25

Sponsoring Site: Central

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Co-facilitators, Don and Gracie Batt create a reading community where, based on readers experiences, multiple views are shared. The class is based upon contemporary critical literary theory that posits readers create meaning when encountering a text. Class size is kept small so that these exchanges can occur. Members take turns reading aloud, allowing class members to analyze the text in real time. This method fosters an in-depth analysis of the text and encourages engagement not only with the text but also with class members.

Required, The Tie That Binds by Kent Haruf, 2010

Theodore Roosevelt: A Dominant Personality in a Changing Time

Thursday Morning

Dates: 4/3 to 4/24 (4 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Thomas Kleinschmidt

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: History & Economics

Theodore Roosevelt lived during the latter half of the 19th century, when technology and industry were changing many aspects of life in the United States. He was a strong believer in American excellence leading these changes.

Roosevelt was a hugely energetic man, with great intelligence and accomplishment. He was the youngest man to ever become a US President. He wrote 38 books in his lifetime and jointly authored more. He won the Nobel Peace Prize and was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

This class will cover challenges that Roosevelt faced and how he overcame them. He was a sickly, asthmatic child of aristocratic background, yet became a strong athletic man who could relate to the common man. This class will especially bring out the larger than life personality of Roosevelt, that made him the center of national discussion.

Thursday Afternoon

A Life in Crime: How Does Anthony Horowitz Reinvent the Classic Whodunit for the Modern Reader?

Thursday Afternoon

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (7 weeks)

Time: 1–3:30 PM

Facilitator: Patricia Paul

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: Literature, Writing & Language

Join us for a 7-week exploration of British novelist and scriptwriter Anthony Horowitz, a master of mystery! We’ll delve into his clever works on film, including:

• Midsomer Murders: “The Killings at Badger’s Drift” (8.1 imdb rating)

• Foyle’s War: “The German Woman” (8.1)

• Alex Rider: *Stormbreaker* (Young Adult 5.1)

• Magpie Murders: first (8.0) and last (7.4) episodes (stream episodes 2–5 at home).

We’ll also read The Word Is Murder from the best-selling Hawthorne series, where Horowitz blends realism with fiction and appears as the detective’s sidekick. The “Wall Street Journal” exudes “an ingenious funhouse mirror of a novel sets a vintage ‘cozy’ mystery inside a modern frame.”

In discussions, we’ll uncover how Horowitz blends traditional elements, like the “charming English village,” with postmodern twists, such as “mysteries-within-mysteries,” turning the classic mystery genre upsidedown. This course promises intrigue, puzzles, and surprises–perfect for mystery buffs and novices!

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz

ISBN: 978-0062676801

No Class May 15

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Exploring Storytelling Through Film: Facilitator Selections

Thursday Afternoon

Dates: 4/3 to 5/22 (8 weeks)

Time: 1–3:30 PM

Facilitator: Dixie Vice and John Lungerhausen

Location: Online

Class Limit: unlimited

Sponsoring Site: West

Subject Area: Visual Performing Arts

Join us for an engaging eight-week journey through the magic of cinema! In this class, two passionate film enthusiast facilitators will each share four specially selected films, offering a curated exploration of storytelling, visual artistry, and cultural impact. Each week, we’ll watch a featured film and dive into lively discussions about its themes, characters, cinematography, and relevance.

This class is perfect for movie lovers who enjoy dissecting films, debating their meanings, and uncovering the unique perspectives that each facilitator brings. The films are shown in their entirety with English subtitles.

Course Structure:

Weeks 1–4: Facilitator 1’s Film Selections – Explore their personal selections and what makes them resonate.

Weeks 5–8: Facilitator 2’s Film Selections –Discover a different perspective through their top picks.

Each week includes a film screening followed by an in-depth discussion. Participants are encouraged to share their insights, making this a collaborative and enriching experience.

Come prepared to watch, analyze, and critique the selections. The facilitators value all opinions.

Friday Morning

Beginning Birding with Denver Audubon Master Birders

Friday Morning

Dates: 4/4 to 5/16 (6 weeks)

Time: 9:30 AM–12 PM

Facilitator: Cynthia Kristensen and Curt Frankenfeld

Location: In-Person - Offsite

Class Limit: 20

Sponsoring Site: South

Subject Area: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

Do you know the difference between a sparrow, a robin, or a finch? Would you like to learn to identify individual birds? If so, then join Cindy and Curt in this 6-week class that will provide beginning and intermediate birders with the tools of bird identification and understanding. It will include information about supplies including binoculars and field guides, the basics of bird identification, bird habitats, conservation, effects of climate change, birding ethics, and places to bird. We will focus on common Denver area birds. You will learn about the fine feathered friends in your neighborhood.

The course will include 3 Zoom classes and 3 field trips, all taught by Denver Audubon Master birders. A visit to the Denver Audubon bird banding center will be included.

Class fee: $40 donation to Denver Audubon

No Class April 25

Trails and Tours

Friday Morning

Dates: 4/4 to 5/23 (8 weeks)

Time: 9:30–11:30 AM

Facilitator: Jan Friedlander

Location: In-Person - Offsite

Class Limit: 45

Sponsoring Site: South Subject Area: Health & Wellness

BE AN OLLI OUTSIDER! What better way to spring into Spring than enjoying nature walks with OLLI buddies while learning from trained guides about the history, plants, animals, geology and environments of some of our local open spaces, and state parks?

The walks are typically 2-3 miles, rated “easy” or “moderate” and sometimes have moderate elevation changes. Some places we’re hoping to walk are Dupont Open Space, Central City (opera house, cemetery), Rocky Mountain Wildlife Refuge, at least one state park, the Highline Canal and Bear Creek Lake Park.

But wait - the good times don’t end when we finish our walks. Adding fun to this class, we extend the camaraderie via an optional lunch after each walk. And we always invite our guides to join us.

Grab your walking gear and sense of wonder and be an OLLI OUTSIDER!

If you have questions about this class, please call Jan Friedlander, 303.885.9200.

Class fee: $50 donation to cover guide time

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

MEMBERSHIP PERKS. FREE WEBINARS FREE FIT PROGRAM

Free Friday Webinars

For more information about OLLI at DU memberships, free webinars and OLLI Fit Courses, visit our website at OLLI.DU.edu.

OLLI at DU Fit Program Winter 2025 Classes

OLLI at DU recognizes that there are four pillars to longevity and fulfillment and we have built a program that supports each of these areas: cognitive, social, physical, and spiritual. Throughout this catalog, you will find many opportunities to participate in activities in each pillar. Join us each morning for a free fitness course to exercise both your body and your spirit.

You must be an OLLI at DU Annual Member to participate. Please register with OLLI for these free classes. Upon registration, you will receive the Zoom link. Courses will be held during the eight weeks of the Winter 2025 term.

For more information on OLLI at DU memberships, visit our website at OLLI.DU.edu.

Photo credit: Mark A. Payler

FREE WEBINARS

The Heat Beneath Our Feet:

Colorado’s Geothermal Energy Opportunities

Friday, April 4, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Bryce Carter, Presenter

Colorado is a national leader for the emerging geothermal energy market with its market incentives and goals decarbonize our economy. Learn more about the state’s leading geothermal opportunities from high temperature geothermal energy for electricity production, to shallow loop systems for ground-source heat pumps and thermal energy networks that can heat and cool our buildings.

Bryce Carter is the geothermal program manager at the Colorado Energy Office. He is an experienced program and community advocate who has supported renewable energy and environmental initiatives across the country. Bryce’s background includes facilitating the Colorado Ready for 100 Campaign which led to local and state 100% renewable energy commitments, partnered with various local governments to deploy over 2 MW of rooftop solar installations across hundreds of buildings from the Front Range to the Western Slope, and has been a strong advocate for supporting energy equity and community resilience. Since late 2022, Bryce is now focused on the emerging geothermal energy market given its critical role to provide firm clean electricity and ability to decarbonize the building heating and cooling sector and other industries. He oversees the $12 million Colorado Energy Office Geothermal Energy Grant Program and helped craft an anticipated $125 million in additional incentives for geothermal projects through 2032.

Myths and Truths about Learning

Friday, April 11, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Lauren McGrath, Presenter

In this webinar, Dr. McGrath will discuss common neuromyths about learning that persist despite cognitive science to the contrary. She will describe findings from her study on neuromyths, which found high rates of neuromyth endorsement across the general public, educators, and individuals with high neuroscience exposure. Two of the most common myths were related to learning styles and dyslexia so we will spend time on these specific misunderstandings. The goal is for participants to gain a better understanding of evidence-based learning strategies by debunking common myths.

Lauren McGrath is an Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Denver (DU). She received her PhD in Clinical Child Psychology with a specialization in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience from DU. Her research focuses on children with learning disabilities and associated neurodevelopmental and mental health symptoms. Her work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, including as a current Principal Investigator with the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center, one of the NIH-funded, multi-site learning disabilities research programs. She is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed publications, including the book, Diagnosing Learning Disorders, 3rd Edition (with Drs. Bruce Pennington and Robin Peterson). She currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board for the International Dyslexia Association.

Carbon Dioxide Removal Options to Combat Climate Change

Friday, April 18, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Will Burns, Presenter

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in its Sixth Assessment Report concluded that meeting the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement will require both aggressive decarbonization of the world economy and substantial amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide removal using options such as afforestation and reforestation, direct air capture, enhanced rock weathering, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage and marine-based approaches. The purpose of this presentation will be to provide an overview of the potential benefits and risks of a number of CDR options, as well as to discuss governance aspects at the national and international levels.

Dr. Wil Burns is the Associate Director of the Environmental Policy & Culture program at Northwestern University. He is also the Co-Founding Director of the Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal at American University. Previously, he served as the Founding Director of the Energy Policy & Climate program at Johns Hopkins University. He has also taught at the University of Chicago, Stanford University, and the University of California-Berkeley. He also served as Assistant Secretary of State for Policy for the state of Wisconsin and worked in the environmental non-profit sector for more than twenty years. He is the former Co-Chair of the International Environmental Law Section of the American Branch of the International Law Association, President of the Association of Environmental Studies & Sciences (AESS). He was the 2019 recipient of AESS’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Scholarship and Service in the field. His research agenda includes climate geoengineering, climate loss and damage, and the effectiveness of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System. He received his Ph.D. in International Law from the University of Wales-Cardiff School of Law and is the author or co-author of more than 90 publications.

The Magic of RNA - A Key to Cancer, Aging, and the Origins of Life on Planet Earth

Friday, April 25, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Thomas Cech, Presenter

For half a century, the RNA research community has seen RNA emerge from being simply a copy of the information stored in DNA to an active participant in the chemistry of life. But these breathtaking discoveries went largely unnoticed by the general public, even as people became more conversant with DNA. Then in 2020, the Covid-19 mRNA vaccines put RNA in the spotlight—and opened the door for sharing the wonders of RNA science with the World. Among its many activities, RNA powers the immortality enzyme, telomerase, which contributes to aging and cancer. RNA guides CRISPR gene editing, which gives hitherto unthinkable power to re-write the code of life. And RNA may provide the answer to life’s most fundamental mystery—how did living things first arise on our planet? In this talk aimed at inquisitive nonscientists, I will illuminate some of the wonders of RNA, as described in my new book, “The Catalyst.”

After earning his Ph.D. in chemistry from UC Berkeley and postdoctoral research at MIT, Thomas R. Cech joined the faculty of the University of Colorado Boulder in 1978. In 1982 Dr. Cech and his research group announced that an RNA molecule from a pond animal could by itself catalyze biochemical reactions, the first exception to the long-held belief that only proteins could act as enzymes. This discovery led to the first Nobel Prize in the state of Colorado (1989).

From 2000 to 2009, Dr. Cech served as President of HHMI in Maryland. He then returned to research and teaching at CU Boulder and became the founding Director of the BioFrontiers Institute.

While Dr. Cech continues to run an active research lab, he is also committed to sharing science with the public. His book The Catalyst, published by W.W. Norton in 2024, tells stories about RNA discoveries at a non-technical level.

Dr. Cech was awarded the National Medal of Science (1995) and has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1987) and the National Institute of Medicine (2000).

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / FRIDAY WEBINARS

Bots, Beasts, and Beyond: How We Interact with Non-Humans

Friday, May 2, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Webb Keane, Presenter

New technologies like AI and robots seem to pose utterly unfamiliar questions: if they interact with us like humans, can we also expect them to be moral? Should we feel ethical duties towards them in turn? If not, why do they often seem so disturbing to our intuitions about the line between humans and non-humans? In fact, the human record suggests some of these problems are actually quite old. Humans have long treated some non-humans as intelligent or even moral beings in all sorts of ways. What can we learn from this history? What insights into the challenges of new technology does the empirical record offer us?

Webb Keane is the George Herbert Mead Distinguished Professor at the University of Michigan. A member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and former Guggenheim Fellow, he is a socio-cultural and linguistic anthropologist who has carried out extensive fieldwork in Southeast Asia. His books and articles grapple with fundamental conceptual problems posed by language, ethics, religion, and social change. His most recent book, Animals, Robots, Gods: Adventures in the Moral Imagination (Princeton University Press 2025) is written for the non-specialist who is trying to understand the implications of new technologies like AI and robots.

The Future of Meat? - An Overview of Cell Cultured Meat, Common Misconceptions, Production Technologies, and its Anticipated Impact on the Traditional Meat Industry

Friday, May 9, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Jennifer Martin, Presenter

This webinar will provide a basic overview of cell cultured meats, focusing on the technology used to produce cell cultured meat products, regulation of the processes, common misperceptions, and what the future of the meat protein landscape looks like. The webinar will also touch on opportunities and challenges in cell-cultured meats and explore how the traditional meat industry is preparing itself for the future entry of these products into the marketplace.

Dr. Jennifer Martin is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University. Originally from Central Texas, she received her M.S. (2010) and Ph.D. (2014) from Texas Tech University before joining the Colorado State University faculty in 2015. Jennifer’s research spans the livestock and meat sectors and is focused on exploring opportunities and developing solutions with industry stakeholders. In addition to research, Jennifer works closely with meat and livestock industry members across Colorado and the nation. Jennifer also serves as a Presidential Leadership Fellow focused on the university budget, and is the Strategic Director for the Upskilling Initiative, an innovative workforce development program within the College of Agricultural Sciences. She plays an active role in on-campus organizations, including the Provost’s Council for Engagement, the Faculty Council, the CSU System Board of Governors, and numerous Department and University committees. In addition to her University work, Jennifer is involved in numerous youth livestock organizations and livestock shows across the country. Jennifer, her husband Chad, and their dog Mel live in Timnath, Colorado.

Behind

a Wall of Trees, Archaeologists Discover a Maya City

Friday, May 16, 2025, 10–11:30 AM

Luke Auld-Thomas, Presenter

Dense tropical forest shrouds the remains of ancient lowland Maya civilization. This makes it difficult to map ancient settlements in the field and hides them from overhead view, which in turn has limited what archaeologists could confidently say about ancient Maya urbanism and demography. Advances in remote sensing are now allowing researchers to see through the forest, transforming scientific understanding of ancient tropical urbanism and its environmental consequences in the process. This presentation will introduce the technologies that are driving this revolution—chief among them airborne laser scanning or lidar—and explore what they are revealing about the ancient Maya.

Luke Auld-Thomas (Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University) is an archaeologist who specializes in the use of remote sensing technologies to understand how ancient people shaped their world. His primary focus is on the ancient Maya civilization of eastern Mesoamerica.

FREE FIT PROGRAM

Meditation in Motion: The Art and Science of Tai Chi with Joseph Brady and Jacqui Shumway

Monday, 8–9 AM via Zoom; beginning 3/31–5/19

Experience for yourself the accumulated wisdom of centuries with the timeless exercise of T’ai Chi. According to the Harvard Medical Health Publication, “Tai Chi is often described as meditation in motion, but it might well be called medication in motion.” Designed to be a hands-on learning experience, this class will explore the principles and basic exercises in T’ai Chi and the growing body of evidence of its value in treating or preventing many health problems. This introduction to T’ai Chi Ch’uan is both practical and participative, the course introduces you to the basics of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and the skills and principles involved. These exercises can be a powerful complement to medical intervention. Modern studies have reported positive effects of Tai Chi on balance and fall reduction, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, COPD, heart disease, depression, and even schizophrenia. Many more studies are underway to explore the medical benefits of this mind/body exercise. Topics for discussion will include the global healthcare implications of Tai Chi as well as applications in daily life.

Joseph Brady, M.S.T.C.M., L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., is a nationally recognized expert in integrative health and aging, currently serving as an adjunct professor at the University and Colorado Chinese Medicine University. With over three decades of experience, Joseph has been at the forefront of combining traditional Chinese medicine, modern health practices, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) exploring successful aging. His recent work leverages AI and machine learning to analyze community-based health data, focusing on how lifelong learning and integrative health practices can drive whole person health in older adults. Joseph’s research highlights the critical role of self-efficacy, cognitive function, and physical activity in promoting salutogenesis, offering unique insights into how older adults can live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Former columnist on healthy aging for the Rocky Mountain News, Joe has presented at many scientific conferences and has lectured and presented research at Harvard Medical School’s Osher Institute for Integrative Medicine and at the Oxford Union Debating Hall and Harris Manchester College, Oxford University U.K.

Jacqui Shumway, M.A. Therapeutic Kinesiologist/Living Younger Longer Institute, has been researching and teaching T’ai Chi Chuan and Medical Qigong for over 25 years. She is dedicated to the joy of active living. Jacqui combines Western therapeutic kinesiology (preventive physical therapy) with Medical Qigong healing exercises from China and the meditational martial art of T’ai Chi. An old Chinese saying is that “The greatest healer is a teacher” and Jacqui is a master teacher... who also loves to have fun! Dedicated to providing students with compelling information on health issues coupled with ancient wisdom, Jacqui inspires students to have fun taking control of their own health through her compassionate attention to mindful healing through physical movement.

Gentle Hatha Yoga with Lisa Theis

Tuesday, 8–9 AM via Zoom; beginning 4/1–5/20

This class will be organized as a stand-alone yoga class where anyone can join at any time and not miss anything. Members will not have to attend all classes to get the benefit of the course, however attending all of the classes will create a greater overall effect. This movementoriented class will combine seated, standing and kneeling postures. Modifications will be given for most postures - the point of this hour is more about getting time to breathe and move with the body than it is about doing a posture in a particular way. We will combine dynamic and static movements, and simple mobility exercises with postures that help to build strength and stability.

Props are highly encouraged - blocks, blankets, chairs, and straps, in addition to mats which will help to achieve great success with the movements if there are posture limitations. Instruction on how to use the props will also be provided, so everyone can get comfortable enough to focus on breath, the most powerful part of practice. Join us for a beautiful session connecting body, mind and spirit.

Lisa Theis’s meditation practice truly blossomed when she became a part of the Para Yoga community in 2010 and it has been a central part of her life since. Mantra meditation, in particular, is how she first found a quiet mind, something that took great diligence of practice to achieve! As her meditation practice grew stronger and her mind quieter, she began to notice it changing her life. Her inner critic was quieter, her intuition stronger. There was more peace in her heart and any anxiety about the future was easier to curb. She was more confident and sure of herself. Meditation may not be easy, but it is a profoundly valuable experience to have in this life. Lisa has been a student of yoga since 2000 and has been teaching yoga in the Denver area since 2008. She has taught in numerous studio settings as well as corporate offices, gyms and fitness centers. She owns and operates Third Eye Yoga in Littleton, CO and leads trainings, retreats and workshops domestically and internationally.

Medical Qigong: Healing Exercises from China with Joseph Brady and Jacqui Shumway

Wednesday, 8–9 AM via Zoom; beginning 4/2–5/21

In traditional Chinese medicine the patient is expected to be an active participant in their own healing, and not just a victim of their disease. Strong believers in the idea that exercise is medicine Qi-gong evolved over centuries to become the primary form of exercise therapy used in traditional Chinese medicine. Medical Qi-gong exercises are considered superior to herbal medicine and acupuncture because patients learn to keep themselves healthy by using exercises designed to cultivate a strong mind and a strong body. With over 3600 psychophysiological exercises developed over centuries, medical Qi-gong provides the tools for everyone to become an active participant in their own health. This course will give students an introduction to a variety of the most popular sets of exercises in a safe and progressive way. Qi-Gong exercise modalities include therapeutic gymnastics, equipment, massage, natures treatment and recreational exercise. Learn from two of the top professors of traditional Chinese medicine here at the University of Denver and at the Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This class will discuss a wide range of evidence-based therapeutic exercises that you can use in your own life.

Recommended: Chinese Medical Qigong Paperback – May 28, 2013 by Tianjun Liu (Editor), Xiao Mei Qiang (Editor)

Joseph Brady, M.S.T.C.M., L.Ac., Dipl. O.M., is a nationally recognized expert in integrative health and aging, currently serving as an adjunct professor at the University and Colorado Chinese Medicine University. With over three decades of experience, Joseph has been at the forefront of combining traditional Chinese medicine, modern health practices, and cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) exploring successful aging. His recent work leverages AI and machine learning to analyze community-based health data, focusing on how lifelong learning and integrative health practices can drive whole person health in older adults. Joseph’s research highlights the critical role of self-efficacy, cognitive function, and physical activity in promoting salutogenesis, offering unique insights into how older adults can live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Former columnist on healthy aging for the Rocky Mountain News, Joe has presented at many scientific conferences and has lectured and presented research at Harvard Medical School’s Osher Institute for Integrative Medicine and at the Oxford Union Debating Hall and Harris Manchester College, Oxford University U.K.

Jacqui Shumway, M.A. Therapeutic Kinesiologist/Living Younger Longer Institute, has been researching and teaching T’ai Chi Chuan and Medical Qigong for over 25 years. She is dedicated to the joy of active living. Jacqui combines Western therapeutic kinesiology (preventive physical therapy) with Medical Qigong healing exercises from China and the meditational martial art of T’ai Chi. An old Chinese saying is that “The greatest healer is a teacher” and Jacqui is a master teacher... who also loves to have fun! Dedicated to providing students with compelling information on health issues coupled with ancient wisdom, Jacqui inspires students to have fun taking control of their own health through her compassionate attention to mindful healing through physical movement.

Breath, Meditation & Community with Lisa Theis

Thursday, 8–9 AM via Zoom; beginning 4/3–5/22

Something magical happens when we harness the power of our breath. The mind slows, the body relaxes and we remember that we are part of something so much greater. This course will serve as a way to remember, as we combine these 3 powerful aspects of life - breath, meditation, and community. Each class will begin with a breathing exercise connected to simple seated movements to prepare the body & the mind for a guided meditation practice. Meditation will last about 20-25 minutes, after which, we will have time to share our experience with one another in breakout rooms. Sharing is an important part of the process, for meditation is different for everyone and no one experience is the same, nor is there a right or wrong way to meditate. This class offers a unique way to connect to your fellow human, realizing we all share much more in common than we think.

Lisa Theis’s meditation practice truly blossomed when she became a part of the Para Yoga community in 2010 and it has been a central part of her life since. Mantra meditation, in particular, is how she first found a quiet mind, something that took great diligence of practice to achieve! As her meditation practice grew stronger and her mind quieter, she began to notice it changing her life. Her inner critic was quieter, her intuition stronger. There was more peace in her heart and any anxiety about the future was easier to curb. She was more confident and sure of herself. Meditation may not be easy, but it is a profoundly valuable experience to have in this life. Lisa has been a student of yoga since 2000 and has been teaching yoga in the Denver area since 2008. She has taught in numerous studio settings as well as corporate offices, gyms and fitness centers. She owns and operates Third Eye Yoga in Littleton, CO and leads trainings, retreats and workshops domestically and internationally.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

MEET OUR FACILITATORS

We count on great facilitators who bring our OLLI members deep into the content of robust course offerings, while encouraging connections and discussion. As always, we are here for learning and not for grades or college credit. We offer over 300 courses and webinars a year via in-person, online and hybrid formats. Course types include deep dives into a multitude of subjects with different formats, including multimedia presentations, books, movies, art and photos.

The joy of learning and the fascinating courses our facilitators lead are exactly why our members come back year after year. And so do our uniquely qualified facilitators!

Barbara Adams

After obtaining a PhD in Neuroscience/ Psychology, she continued her career in research science at the University of Arizona. As her practice grew over 20 years, she became known as a primary Principal Investigator for sleep disorders, Alzheimer’s, and psychiatry. She developed some common drugs for depression, dementia, and insomnia. A few awards include the Congressional Medal of Distinction, Businesswoman of the Year for 2006 and 2007, Senatorial Inner Circle Commission, and the Jeanne Holm Aerospace Education Award. Her fascination with aviation and space started as a teenager and has expanded and grown ever since. She is the Aerospace Education Officer for Colorado Civil Air Patrol and she is a NASA/JPL Solar Systems Ambassador. Dr. Adams gives speeches about space and NASA and represents space exploration at events throughout Colorado. She is also a member of the Advisory Board for Rocky Mt. Metropolitan Airport.

Gregory Adams

Gregory Adams’ career as an awardwinning chef with multiple restaurants, serial entrepreneur, advocate for organic and biodynamic agriculture has evolved in the last 20 years into even more deeply socially conscious work. With a degree in Philosophy and a deep emphasis on Cultural Anthropology, Greg served as Director of Economy for the Common Good USA from 2017 to 2022, Future Impact Partners LLC, and CeresNexus LLC. He is currently a facilitator for his third class at OLLI at DU. Life, though, has always been in balance with his love for the piano and music history. First prize winner at the Concours des Grandes Amateurs in Paris in the early 2000s, Gregory’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini with the Orchestra of the Republican Guard at the Sorbonne was met with much acclaim. Performing occasionally in Europe and the United States, Gregory’s love for music and family, includes a small piano studio in Castle Rock, Colorado.

Neil Adelman

Co-facilitator Neil Adelman is an experienced opera lecturer. He is a retired Chicago attorney who recently moved to Denver. He has spoken about opera in the Chicago area, including 11 years in Lyric Opera of Chicago’s community lecture program, and in Naples, Florida, as well as DU’s OLLI program. Neil was active in Northwestern University’s OLLI program for 18 years where he facilitated courses on opera, history, law, film, and religion.

Maria Arapakis

Maria Arapakis is a psychologist, international trainer, speaker, and author with over 40 years of experience training people around the world. Since 2010, she has helped seniors become more adept with the remarkable powers of “All Things Apple” technologies. More recently she is focused on sharing what 50+ years of research on Near Death Experiences is teaching us about human consciousness, what awaits us when we die, and what matters most in life. Maria has been teaching at OLLI since 2010 and is currently a Diamond Facilitator. She moved to Denver from San Francisco 30+ years ago and built her home in Cherry Creek North, where she still happily resides with her precious kitties, Koko and Simba. Maria has always been a “teacher at heart” and deeply appreciates OLLI for giving her the opportunity to continue doing what she most loves: teach what can help and support others.

Don Batt

Don and Gracie Batt, retired high school English and theatre teachers in the Cherry Creek Schools, have facilitated courses on Irish literature and literature of the American West with OLLI for several years.

Gracie Batt

Don and Gracie Batt, retired high school English and theatre teachers in the Cherry Creek Schools, have facilitated courses on Irish literature and literature of the American West with OLLI for several years.

Thomas (Tom) R. Bellinger

Dr. Thomas (Tom) R. Bellinger is a certified Professional Hydrologist (Emeritus- American Institute of Hydrology). He was formerly a Visiting and is currently an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Science at the Metropolitan State University of Denver with the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the Engineering and Engineering Technology Departments. Tom retired as Principal Hydrologist with the Bureau of Reclamation. Prior to this position, he served as a Hydrologist/Branch Chief of Refuge Hydrology for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He also served five years as a Planning Hydrologist for the Reclamation Southwest Regional Office in Amarillo, TX. Since retiring, Tom has remained active in the water resources community serving as a Technical Advisor (Hydrology) with the Department of Interior/USAID International Technical Assistance Program (ITAP) working with the Lao PDR government conducting a hydrologic / climate assessment of the Mekong River Valley. He also assists law enforcement agencies with water related criminal cases and has served on several boards of directors of local water districts. He currently co-hosts a Podcast: H2O Talk.

Stephen Bennett

Stephen Bennett has an undergraduate degree in Architecture from Iowa State University, is registered as an engineer in Colorado and California and received his MBA from the University of ColoradoDenver. Work and personal travel have taken him to China, South Korea, India, Europe, and the UK. Travel made it possible for him to augment his study of cultures and the emergence of humans as the dominant species on this planet.

His focus most recently has been on the impact of the creative and disruptive forces of the digital age on work, population growth, energy usage, and global economic trends.

Sue Bramley

Sue Bramley has been facilitating at OLLI South, primarily in the area of visual and performing arts, for many years. Lately she has been intrigued by books, documentaries and news stories around the idea of fashion and fads. If the thought of this intrigues you as well, come join her for an 8-week tour of “Bustles to Bellbottoms”.

Dennis Brovarone

Dennis has been practicing business law in Colorado for almost 40 years. He graduated from Colorado University with a degree in Political Science in 1978 and University of Denver Law School in 1986. He raised three Millennials and still enjoys age-appropriate cycling, hiking, skiing, and horseback riding.

Terry Casey

Terry has a BA from St. Anselm College (Manchester, NH), a MA in History from UConn, and a Master’s in Urban Affairs & Policy Analysis from The New School for Social Research (NYC). He has been a County Administrator in New Hampshire, and since 1986, a Managing Director in the Capital Markets office of Dain Bosworth which became RBC Capital Markets in the early 2000s. His clients over the years included the states of Colorado and Wyoming, many of the major K-12 school districts in Colorado, Colorado Springs Memorial Hospital, Wyoming Medical Center (Casper), Cheyenne Memorial Hospital, Aspen Hospital, and the Wyoming Student Loan Corporation. He retired from RBC in 2011.

Susan Chandler

Susan Chandler is a Denver native with a B.A. from CU Boulder and an M.A. from Regis University. A 6th degree black belt and head instructor/owner of Denver Ki-Aikido, Susan has been teaching for over 30 years, including mind body skills that underlie good balance and coordination, mental clarity, and emotional calm under pressure. For many years, Susan taught leadership and conflict resolution skills based on Ki-Aikido in business, education, and healthcare. In 2001, she returned to academia to investigate developments in neuroscience research concerning the mind/body connection with a specific interest in the interconnections among movement, mind, and feeling relative to balance control. This led to the creation of the Minding Your Balance training program, integrating scientific findings with Ki-Aikido practices. Susan authored “Minding Your Balance: Mind Body Exercises to Improve Balance & Prevent Falls.” She has also shared her expertise through her radio show/podcast “Mind and Body in Motion” and her TEDx talk “Following the Vestibular Trail.”

Anne Marshall Christner

Anne Marshall Christner, Platinum Facilitator, who, as a concerned citizen and former professor, has been watching the dramatic increase in calls for banning books from U.S. schools and public libraries. So, she did some research on past and current precedents to determine what is behind this latest trend toward censorship, then decided to share her findings with OLLI participants.

Natalie Conklin

Natalie has enjoyed taking and facilitating classes at OLLI since retiring from a career in education, from special education to classroom, to media specialist and reading teacher. Most classes she has facilitated have been in the visual and performing arts, but also in history and literature. How the social, economic and cultural events in history affect our daily lives has always been of great interest to her, and she enjoys sharing with OLLI participants what she has learned doing her research on a wide variety of topics.

Thomas Corona

As a meteorologist for over 45 years, Tom Corona knows the challenges and satisfactions of accurately predicting the weather and studying climate issues. He earned a Master’s Degree in Atmospheric Science from Colorado State University, and he was a member and chase team coordinator for the NOAA/PROFS program that developed and tested the current National Weather Service Forecasting System. Tom also taught meteorology courses at Metropolitan State College/ University in Denver for 27 years including introductory weather courses and theoretical courses in the dynamics of the atmosphere. In retirement, Tom enjoys facilitating these OLLI courses and has devoted his time and efforts to volunteer activities and music performance, writing, and production.

Gloria Eastman

Gloria (Lori) Eastman enjoys bringing alive the historical and cultural backgrounds of classic literature and making the readings relevant to our 21st-century lives. She particularly delights in encouraging the varied responses of the participants as we explore the readings together. She taught high school English and journalism for 26 years in the Jefferson County Public Schools, while also earning her Ph.D. in 19thcentury British literature from CU-Boulder. Recently retired, she is Professor Emerita at Metropolitan State University where she taught British literature and English education.

Jim Edelman

After a career in corporate and investment finance, Jim Edelman changed careers to teach math and economics at a public high school in Memphis, Tennessee. Since retiring to Boulder in 2015, Jim has taught at Front Range Community College, Monarch High School, and the Boulder County Jail. He taught this Reconstruction class for the EXCHANGE Program in Boulder in the spring of 2024, where it was well-received.

Kent Epperson

Kent Epperson is a graduate of Denver East High School and the University of Colorado Boulder. He worked at all levels of public education and in three Denver area school districts. He maintains an interest in history and current events and has been with OLLI for four years.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

Alan Folkestad

A student of history almost his entire life, Alan Folkestad is keen on delving into the unintended consequences of history. Alan has lived abroad in three different countries and he always found the culture and history fascinating. He received a BA degree at the University of Minnesota and earned a master’s degree from Texas Christian University.

Edward (Ned) Ford

Edward Ford is the author or translator of 19 books, as well as many pieces in literary journals. He has taught at Newbury College, Massachusetts Bay Community College, and the Boston Center for Adult Education. His M.A. in English is from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. His M.A. in French is from Tufts University. He also studied at the University of Bergen in Norway and the University of Pau in France.

Sara

Frances

Sara Frances, MA (Comparative Literature) and Poetry Collective of Lighthouse Writers Workshop, is also a retired Master Photographic Craftsman. She is now coaching and publishing personal narrative books in memoir, poetry, travel, and family history genres. For her ongoing Unplugged Voices Project, she is a curator, writer, editor, illustrator, and designer. Unplugged Voices: 125 Tales of Art and Life from Northern New Mexico, the Four Corners and the West is a 324-page, illustrated, fourcolor coffee table collection of verbal narratives, each in a 5-minute read. Her photographic memoir, Fragments of Spirit: 60 Years: A Photographer’s Recollections of Taos Pueblo, the Region and its Arts, was published January 2021. A regular facilitator at OLLI at DU, she moderates panel discussions of art and community for the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, NM, and is a board member and book judge for the Colorado Independent Publishers Association.

Curt Frankenfeld

Curt Frankenfeld is a retired corporate executive. He is a graduate of the Denver Audubon Master Birder program, a volunteer naturalist in Douglas County, and a volunteer with the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies. He is the President of the Denver Audubon Board of Directors and involved with planning and implementation of the Master Birder program.

Jan Friedlander

Jan Friedlander has a BA in Spanish and French. In addition to these two languages, she has taken classes in Latin, German and Russian. Jan’s studies have given her, not only a respect and love for languages, but a reasonably good understanding of how language works. Jan has experience teaching adults at OLLI and other teaching venues.

Ed Friedman

Dr. Ed Friedman holds a Ph.D. in physics and is an active lecturer on topics in physics and cosmology. He worked in for-profit and nonprofit science organizations that focused on astrophysics and space science, consulted with NASA and the National Academy of Sciences, and authored four optical engineering books and 79 professional journal articles. He was successful in guiding 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. He has extensive experience in the Osher program including frequently teaching cosmology at the University of Denver.

Mark Robert Garrett

Mark Garrett is a filmmaker, critic, and educator based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. After graduating from the University of Colorado--Denver with an English and Film major and French minor, he studied and taught English in France. While his focus is on experimental, French, and horror cinema, he prides himself in an indiscriminate love of all forms of film. He is currently working on a short film and a collection of film criticism.

Stuart Gentry

Stuart Gentry spent the first 20 years of his professional career in the chemical industry. He then became a professor of chemistry at La Salle University in Philadelphia for 10 years. Since his retirement, he has pursued his interests in science and technology in the world around us, as well as his interest in the historical development of society and cultures.

Peter Gilbert

Peter Gilbert was born and raised in England and educated at Leeds University in science and engineering. Now retired, he lives with his American wife in Colorado after serving 34 years in the British Royal Air Force. Peter has been interested in Theoretical Physics for over 50 years and has led many discussion groups on some of the major breakthroughs that have happened during that time. He enjoys making difficult concepts approachable to the ordinary person and has done so for 24 previous OLLI courses.

Tom Grant

Tom Grant is a retired technology professional and life-long film buff. Growing up in Southern California, he eagerly consumed and studied a wide array of movie genres from all eras and countries. Film noir has always been a favorite for its impact on American culture, its significance to the film industry, its reflection of the tensions in American society, and its roots in Los Angeles, the quintessential setting for noir. Tom has also been a blogger and podcaster about popular culture and politics. You can’t expect to watch a movie with Tom without talking about it afterwards.

Roscoe Hill

Roscoe Hill came to teach Philosophy at DU in 1973. He soon entered administration to help a friend who was Dean of Arts and Sciences. One of many things they did together was to create (with others) a learning opportunity for older adults called The New College (now University College). He returned to Philosophy for a few years then became Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (1990s). His final ten DU years were spent in Philosophy classrooms (last class was Spring 2011).

Roscoe is currently working on stories about humans that are inspired by some anthropologists’ claim that the modern homo sapiens who left Africa (starting about 100,000 years ago) carried in their genes a way of living which had developed over a few thousand generations - egalitarian, calm, kind, caring, sharing - with no bosses and no beggars. Few if any current human societies are like that now. Why? Roscoe is the father of two, grandfather of nine, great-grandfather of two. Twice widowed by ovarian cancer (35 years first marriage, 20 years second).

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

George Ho

George Ho, Jr., M.D. has been retired from medicine since 2013 (certified in Internal Medicine, Rheumatology, and Palliative Care). George spends his time birding, performing grandfather duties, photographing birds and other wildlife, jogging, writing and facilitating courses to the lay public on end-of-life issues, birding and making photobooks online in lifelong learning venues. He then spends the remaining part of the day cooking, enjoying his meals and getting a good night’s sleep so he can repeat everything the following day.

Shellie Hochstadt

Shellie Hochstadt graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a degree in history, and a minor in political science. She was a divisional merchandise manager for a department store until 1994, when she returned to her core interest and passion for world history. She taught AP World History, AP Government, and economics until her retirement in 2010. She combines her interests in history, travel, and reading into her teaching, where she endeavors to bring a thoughtful global perspective.

Michael Holmes

Dr. Michael Holmes worked in public education for 37 years. He has taught the game of bridge for over 19 years and is a Certified ACBL Online Bridge Teacher and Audrey Grant Bridge Teacher, Gold Life Master, ACBL Certified Club Director and ACBL Certified Tournament Assistant Director.

Charles Holt

Charlie Holt is a Platinum Facilitator with a career as an engineer in R&D and R&D management for over 28 years. He has a strong interest in history and diplomacy with a focus on key personalities shaping history. He holds a PhD, in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, an MS, and BS in Aeronautical Engineering. He served in the US Army in Vietnam.

Alice Howard

Alice Howard is a long-distance OLLI member having joined several years ago from Charlottesville, VA. She has taken courses in History, Public Affairs, Literature, and Music. She is a retired academic information technology support specialist at University of Virginia.

Ralph Hughes

Ralph Hughes is a Stanford-trained economist and a retired business analytics consultant. Alec, his co-facilitator, is a retired professor of economics who earned his doctorate at CU Boulder. They have facilitated discussion classes on political economy for several years now and thoroughly enjoy the lively conversations that such topics stimulate.

Ralph is also sponsoring the Epic Skiing Special Interest Group (SIG). He has nearly 40 years ski experience including, two instructor bootcamps by Vail Corporation, two seasons as an instructor, over 40 hours of in-person lessons from professional trainers, and is continuing to study with a Level 4 Trainer/Examiner.

Tom Hughes

Tom Hughes, OLLI Diamond Facilitator, is a veteran OLLI at DU West student, who has enjoyed every one of his classes. He is a life-long learner who loves to join others in discussing the issues of the day. His background includes a varied career in the financial services industry, as well as significant experience as a volunteer in several not-for-profit organizations. Tom has a BA from CU-Boulder and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis

Candace Hyatt

A graduate of Elmira College (BA) and University of Denver (MA), Candace (Candy) Hyatt has been an educator, preK through adult for over 50 years. Her roles have included middle school teacher and principal, elementary school principal, professional development central office administrator, and leadership and English language acquisition consultant in an educational research and development non-profit setting. Her work is characterized by a mission to provide access to high quality educational opportunities for learners of all ages, cultures, and abilities in a wide variety of both formal and informal settings. She’s a long-time Colorado resident with a love of reading and the outdoors.

Arthur Jones

Arthur Jones is Professor Emeritus of Music, Culture and Psychology at DU’s Lamont School of Music. Since retiring from fulltime teaching in 2020, he has cherished the opportunity to continue teaching with OLLI. He is the Founder of DU’s award-winning Spirituals Project, and for more than 30 years he has been passionately involved locally and nationally in efforts to preserve and revitalize the music and teachings of the of the Negro Spirituals tradition. In addition to his groundbreaking book “Wade in the Water: The Wisdom of the Spirituals,” he was the co-editor, with his brother Ferdinand Jones, of “The Triumph of the Soul: Cultural and Psychological Aspects of African American Music.”

Joseph Kerski

Joseph Kerski is a geographer with a focus on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in education. He has served as the President of the National Council for Geographic Education and gave two TED Talks on “The Whys of Where.” He holds three degrees in geography and has served as geographer in five major sectors of society, including as an independent scholar, government (NOAA, US Census Bureau, USGS), academia (University of Minnesota, Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State University, Sinte Gleska University, University of Denver, and others), industry (as Education Manager for Esri), and nonprofit organizations (with roles in geography and education associations). Joseph has authored over 100 chapters and articles, and 250 podcasts on GIS, education, space, place, and related topics. He has visited over 700 schools and universities around the world. He conducts professional development for educators. He has created over 7,000 videos, 1,500 lessons, 1,000 blog essays, and authored 12 books, including “Interpreting Our World,” “Spatial Thinking in Environmental Contexts, Essentials of the Environment, Spatial Mathematics,” “Tribal GIS,” “International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning,” “GIS Guide to Public Domain Data,” and others.

Thomas Kleinschmidt

Tom Kleinschmidt has been interested in the study of history, especially American History in the 18th and 19th centuries, for his entire life. He has read extensively on this period and visited many of the historical locations. He has a Bachelor’s Degree from Kearney State College (now University of NebraskaKearney) and an MBA from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. After a career in financing equipment and power generation projects, both domestically and internationally, Tom retired in 2015. Since retiring, he has facilitated OLLI classes in both Albuquerque and Denver.

Sarah Kozloff

Professor Sarah Kozloff received her BA in English from Dartmouth College and her PhD from Stanford University. For over 30 years she served as Professor of Film at Vassar College, teaching mostly American cinema and film genres. She is the author of five academic books and numerous articles and chapters, and she has also successfully transitioned into creative writing with a 4-volume epic fantasy series published by Tor. She loves sharing the books and films she adores with others.

Cynthia Kristensen

Cynthia Kristensen is a retired physician. She is also a graduate of the Master Birder program and involved with the Master Birder program. She volunteers with various Audubon programs and with her local wildlife committee.

Ryan Lambert

A Denver native, Ryan Lambert received his MA in English from the University of Northern Colorado, where he also holds two bachelor’s degrees, one in English and one in anthropology. Currently, Ryan teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in communication and ethics at the Colorado School of Mines, where he also serves as a professional writing consultant in the university’s writing center. Additionally, he has taught writing, literature, and film courses at Northern Colorado, the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the Mountain Language Institute. In his spare time, Ryan reads, goes to indie films (especially French ones), attends concerts, and tends to his two cats (Henri and B.C.)

Linda Lange

Voracious reader of mystery and science fiction, enthusiastic gardener, and amateur tai chi practitioner, Linda Lange is retired from teaching finance and accounting at Regis University. She created the first Mysterious Places class in 2019 to enthusiastic response and has built the series since, choosing different themes for each term and occasionally revisiting a popular theme to update author choices.

John Lanning

John Lanning is a retired chemistry professor from the University of Colorado Denver where he taught courses in general, analytical, and environmental chemistry. His research included atmospheric chemistry and indoor air quality. John has a passion for active learning and the science principles that provide the foundation for environmental science.

John has lived in Denver for 50 years. John is an avid bicycle rider, amateur photographer and amateur radio operator. John has taught adult education science classes with the Academy for Lifelong Learning, the DU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and the DU Enrichment Program.

Rick Levinson

Rick Levinson graduated from Carleton College with a BA, followed by a JD degree from the University of Florida in 1971. He has been licensed in both Florida and Colorado (1993). He was twice a public defender where he was a trial attorney and at one time head of the Hillsborough County (Tampa, Florida) public defender death penalty division. Mr. Levinson’s practice both in Florida and Colorado primarily involved the defense of persons accused of crime. He has also served as Alternate Defense Council in Colorado. He has tried numerous cases in State and Federal courts and previously facilitated law courses at OLLI at DU.

Elaine Levy

Elaine was born in Youngstown, Ohio. She has lived in Colorado since 1970 when her young family moved to Breckenridge for eight years. She’s been an avid skier and hiker for over 50 years. She was a distributor of products for small businesses including accounting systems, printed forms, and personalized promotional products. She’s served as a board member for women’s business organizations, the Aurora Chamber of Commerce and some genealogical groups. She also served as a board member for over 20 years on her HOA. Her hobbies now are walking, reading, knitting, old movies, and playing Mah Jongg. She has 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren. Her kids were raised in the mountains, and all still live here. She’s taken many classes at OLLI and other adult learning facilities for many years. She learned to play American Mah Jongg when she was young and has been playing for over 50 years. She’s always loved this fascinating game and has enjoyed teaching it in organized classes and to friends and neighbors.

Barbara Lilly

Barbara Lilly has facilitated more than a dozen OLLI at DU courses, primarily in the Public Affairs area. She is an avid reader, a mystery buff and a pragmatic political junkie.

David Lippman

David Lippman earned degrees in the social sciences from the University of Southern California and the University of Chicago. He began his career doing social science research in legal areas for the American Bar Foundation. David spent most of his career in school textbook publishing, where he directed the development of texts in many subjects including science, literature, government and history.

Gary Lozow

Gary Lozow has been a criminal defense attorney for over fifty years in Colorado. He has successfully argued and won appeals in the Court of Appeals and the Colorado Supreme Court. He has been chosen by his fellow lawyers as a Colorado “Super Lawyer” and one of the top criminal defense attorneys in the country. Mr. Lozow has tried numerous cases in both state court and in the federal system defending persons accused of crimes ranging from sexual assault and narcotics, to white collar cases. He has served as Chair of the Anti-Defamation League and won the Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award. He was a member of the Faculty of Federal Advocates (serving on the Board of Directors) and the Colorado Judicial Institute and an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Denver.

John Lungerhausen

John Lungerhausen, Master Facilitator, joined OLLI soon after he retired from CenturyLink in 2016 where he enjoyed a 17-year career (including US West and Qwest) as a software developer, Team Lead, and Development Manager. John and his longtime partner, Dixie, have been living in Golden with their bevy of cats since 1987. They have collaborated in putting together a number of film classes for OLLI and share a deep enjoyment of independent and foreign films, which frequently offer a far more engaging perspective than most of the typical Hollywood fare. John received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

Robert Magnani

Bob Magnani has attended over 130 OLLI courses and facilitated 55 classes both online and at 4 Colorado locations. His courses include Movies and Movie Making, Acting, Comedy, and Chess.  He has Arts and Engineering degrees from Columbia; PhD work at NYU; telecommunications design and management at Bell Laboratories and US West Advanced Technologies; and Product Management at AT&T. Bob has seen several thousand US and foreign films in his lifetime, loves theater, chess (was a member of the Manhattan Chess Club) and acting. He is delighted to be able to pursue these interests at OLLI.  Bob is a Platinum Facilitator and an OLLI member since 2010.

Heather Martin

Award-winning writing professor Dr. Heather N. Martin, University of Denver Writing Program, empowers individuals to harness writing for reflection, healing, and growth. Across decades of experience as a coach and a teacher, Heather has guided students, teachers, first responders, middle-schoolers, and corporate leaders in wellness writing activities - helping thousands worldwide lead more intentional lives through writing.

Larry Matten

Larry Matten, Botanist, Paleobotanist, Elder Law Attorney, Spellbinder, Rotarian, docent at Denver Museum of Nature and Science, OLLI Platinum Facilitator, has been doing movie courses since 2017. He and Greg Petty have co-facilitated 16 movie courses together and they really enjoy the discussions with the students. Larry has facilitated courses in science fiction literature, dinosaurs, human evolution, mass extinctions, evolution, fossil stories, Darwin, Fitzroy, baseball and Botany. While at The Academy, he also did courses in Estate Planning and chess. Larry and his wife enjoy traveling and visiting with their six children, fourteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Mac McHugh

Mac McHugh, Platinum Facilitator, joined OLLI Denver in 2011. Mac spent 38 years with the Department of Defense in the areas of accounting, auditing, and systems development. He is a lifelong movie buff and a World War II history buff and has facilitated numerous courses on technology, film, and history at OLLI.

Chris Meagher

Chris Meagher is a retired high school and university instructor. His prior and current areas of study and teaching include history, religion, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, soccer, and swimming. Chris attended Boston College, the University of Maryland, and the University of Colorado. His passions include spending time with family and friends, reading, biking, hiking, dancing, skiing, and learning.

Herzl Melmed

Dr. Melmed is a retired Obstetrician and Gynecologist who trained and practiced in South Africa, Israel, the UK, and Colorado. He retired in 2020. His passion has been the history of Israel and the conflict with the Arab world. He lived in Israel from 1966 to 1976 and experienced the 6-Day War in 1967 and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. He has often debated with Palestinian representatives and conducted a dialogue for 2 years with representatives of the local Colorado Muslim and Jewish communities. He has chaired a Middle East Study Group for 37 years. His objective has always been to help clarify the issues that drive the intense feelings behind the Middle East conflicts, aware that the picture of events derived from the news media is usually superficial, sometimes sensationalized, and often devoid of context. He is a frequent lecturer on the Middle East conflicts.

Gregory Moody

For the past 50 years, Greg Moody has been a media reporter, critic, and historian in all news radio, newspapers, online, and television. He has covered film, Hollywood history, Broadway theater, music, books, television, and news media extensively. He is the author of five novels, all available on Amazon, as well as two produced plays. He is a 1974 graduate of Western Michigan University in Theater and English. Moody is an eight-year United States Naval Reserve veteran and a former standup comedian. While those two career paths seem to have very little in common, he has made a number of admirals laugh at Navy dinners.

Sydney Myers

Sydney Myers, OLLI Platinum Facilitator, is a former retail executive who lived in Mexico for seven years. She returned to Denver in 2006.

Phil Nelson

Phil Nelson has been offering OLLI courses on climate change and the energy transition since 2017. Currently he offers three different OLLI courses: (1) How Bad Is It Really, (2) Living in the Energy Transition, and (3) The Ministry for the Future-A Climate Change Adventure. Phil is a member of the Golden Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby, offers presentations to civic organizations, and hosts a weekly Zoom call on energy transition. He holds BS and PhD degrees from MIT and is retired from a career in mineral and oil and gas exploration. He became motivated to think and speak about climate change as he was wrapping up employment with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Kathleen Ochs

Professor Kathleen Ochs has over 40 years of experience with Islam and its contemplative tradition, Sufism. Dr. Ochs is a historian of technology and science, which she taught for over a quarter century at the Colorado School of Mines. She has also taught classes on Islam and Sufism at Naropa Institute (Boulder). She brings to classes a long study of traditional and contemporary, scholarly and popular Islamic and Sufi writings. She also shares her experiences of living with Muslims and Sufis in the United States, Canada, and Turkey, as well as visits to India, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Syria. Interactions with ordinary Muslims add to the class. Her interests include spreading information about traditional Islam and new ways that today’s Muslims and Sufis are thinking about and practicing their religion. She is completing her book, which is an introduction to Islam/ Sufism from the perspective of an American woman.

Patricia Paul

Patricia Paul, a diamond facilitator, began reading Nancy Drew mysteries in elementary school. After a pause to focus on the classics in high school and college while earning a literature degree, she again picked up British mysteries in the 1970s, reading the complete Dorothy Sayers’ Peter Wimsey series in order–joined by her husband John. Since then, British mysteries and visits to cozy villages, while living in the UK in the 1990s, have been a lifelong passion. Anthony Horowitz came along at the dawn of the new millennium when they began watching his Midsomer Murders on BBC. Nearly 25 years later, they are still watching each new season. There’s also been Foyle’s War, Magpie Murders, and Moonflower Murders, and they have read all of Horowitz’s Hawthorne series, too. A life in crime, indeed!

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

Mark Payler

Mark A. Payler is a practicing Colorado landscape, street, and travel photographer. With over four-and-a-half decades of photography and teaching experience, Mark’s work has been highlighted in the landmark book, “A Day in the Life of American” as well as the featured doublepage photo spread in the 50th anniversary issue of “Popular Photography” magazine. Mark’s Route 66 travel photography was also presented in a portfolio-style spread in “Route” Magazine. Mark has extensive travel and photography experiences in Italy, Iceland, Great Britain and Wales, Costa Rica, Jamaica, New York City and various locations in the American Southwest, the greater Yellowstone National Park area and throughout Colorado. Mark’s current projects include photographing musical performances for Denver’s premier jazz club and capturing NASCAR racing excitement while experimenting with in-camera and post-production AI and painterly techniques.

Greg Petty

Greg Petty is a Master Facilitator and has offered OLLI baseball and movie courses for the past 10 years. He has co-facilitated 16 movie courses with Larry Matten on 12 different topics. He has also offered 9 innings of OLLI baseball courses. His career was primarily in administrative positions in colleges and universities in Illinois and Colorado, and as Executive Director of a not-for-profit serving blind/vision impaired and deaf/acquired hearing loss people. He is a board member of Rocky Mountain SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) and his home town Mt Carroll (IL) Community Foundation. His passions are family, ancient and new friends, baseball, bridge, and mental health/suicide issues.

Marcus Pohlmann

Professor Marcus D. Pohlmann did his undergraduate work at Cornell College and his graduate work at Columbia University. He has taught at Bates College, Rhodes College, Denver University, Colorado State University, and was the first political scientist to teach in the Soviet Union as a Fulbright Senior Lecturer. He currently teaches courses on U.S. Politics, Black Political Thought, Urban Education Policy, and Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties. He is the only Rhodes faculty member ever to win all three of the school’s top annual awards: the Clarence Day Award for teaching, the Jameson Jones Award for service, and the Clarence Day Award for scholarship. His writing has appeared in Political Science Quarterly, The Journal of Politics, and New Political Science, as well as other professional publications. He is the author of several books including Opportunity Lost: Race and Poverty in the Memphis City Schools (2 editions) and Black Politics in Conservative America (4 editions). He also has given expert testimony on racial voting patterns in Memphis and served as a consultant for the Memphis City School Board.

Michael Prevedel

Michael is a retired educator at the high school and college levels. He has a B.A. in History and a M.A. in International Relations. He has offered numerous classes for OLLI mostly in the realm of religion. His passions and interests are reading, fly fishing, biking, and being a grandfather to twins. In addition, on a part time basis, a friend and Mike had a stained glass business called the Lucky Horseshoe Company. Their biggest commission were windows for a chapel in Crestone, Colorado.

Dan Putman

Dan Putman is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy. He received his BA from Marquette University, his MA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his PhD from the University of Southern California. Dan taught Philosophy for 37 years at the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley, a freshman-sophomore branch of the UW. (Since his retirement in 2011 UW-Fox Valley has become part of UW-Oshkosh.) Dan has published over 40 articles in Philosophy. He and his wife Elaine have two children, one in New York City and the other in Boulder. Dan started teaching OLLI courses in winter 2013 for OLLI-UA in Green Valley, Arizona. In 2014 he and Elaine moved from Wisconsin to Colorado to be near the grandchildren. He has facilitated courses for OLLI at DU since 2015.

Richard Reinish

Dick Reinish, OLLI Platinum Facilitator, is a retired antitrust lawyer which required that he learn about various industries from nuclear power to cat litter. Dick has given several classes on both documentary and foreign films, as well as current events, with an abundance of positive comments about both his film selections and his current events discussions.

Myra Rich

Myra Rich grew up in Detroit, received her B.A. from Radcliffe College and PhD 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.

Dennis Ryerson

Dennis Ryerson knew he would be a journalist growing up in rural Iowa and he has lived out that dream. He was a senior editor for newspapers in Des Moines, Indianapolis and Denver and more. He began reading The Des Moines Register when he was in the third grade as a refuge from farm work. His career took him far from his Iowa farm upbringing to reporting projects in Africa and China, moderating presidential debates, judging Pulitzer Prizes and overseeing large newsrooms. He was an observer who appeared on Meet the Press, Hardball, and several network morning news shows. He is past president of the National Association of Opinion Writers and a founding member and board chair of the Indiana Debate Commission. He currently is on the boards of the contemporary dance company, Wonderbound; Cherry Arts which produces the annual Cherry Creek Arts Festival; and the community board of the Center for Bioethics and the Humanities at the University of Colorado Medical School.

Betsy Schwarm

With a background in classical radio, preperformance talks, and university teaching, Betsy Schwarm has developed a user-friendly approach to sharing her enthusiasm for great music. The Colorado Symphony declared her an “icon” of the business, and she has been Opera Colorado’s performance speaker for over twenty years. Listeners to the vintage KVOD Radio 99.5 FM, “The Classical Voice of Denver,” came to value what she said and how she said it. Music lovers who wish to know more of what goes on behind the notes, how this great music came to be, and how to listen to it more effectively, regularly find that Betsy Schwarm is exactly what they need.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

Rabbi Yossi Serebryanski

Rabbi Yossi Serebryanski, with his wife, is the co-director of Chabad at DU, a Jewish campus ministry. Rabbi Yossi is a popular teacher of adult education in the wider Jewish community and is excited to remain with the OLLI team of lifelong learners.

Bill Shaw

Dr. Bill Shaw earned his MD degree from New York University in 1971 and got further postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, Infectious Disease, Public Health, and Occupational/Environmental Medicine at the Universities of Wisconsin-Madison, WashingtonSeattle, and Texas-Houston. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and Preventive/ Occupational Medicine. Bill served in the United States Air Force, and has functioned as Medical Director for a University of Washington clinic for the homeless, Medical Advisor to the King County (Seattle) Emergency Medical Services Division, Co-Director of the Nurse Practitioner training program at Seattle Pacific University, and as Gulf Coast Regional Medical Director for ARCO Chemical Company. He was Director of Occupational Health Services at the Billings (Montana) Clinic and had his own private practice of Occupational Medicine in Denver. He has taught throughout North America for multiple organizations and has served on a variety of editorial and professional review boards. He served in leadership roles of numerous medical committees and boards. He has been on the clinical faculties of the University of Washington and University of Colorado. Bill particularly enjoys sharing his knowledge of the evolving health care system

Dwight Smith

Focusing on history and philosophy with broad interests in the social sciences, Dwight has been interested in politics, culture and the issue of knowledge and mis/disinformation for many years. He has worked in small nonprofits as a volunteer, board member and administrator. During his educational pursuits he worked as a farm hand/mechanic, auto mechanic, outdoor education/recreation instructor, and salesperson. He holds an MDiv from Iliff School of Theology, a B.S. from Bethany Nazarene College, and an A.A. from Oklahoma State Tech.

Bob Steele

Bob Steele has loved journalism since he was a kid in small-town Indiana. He would go to the local radio station to read the news stories as they spooled out over the Associated Press teletype machine. That led to reporting news and sports on both his high school and college radio stations and reporting and editing on his college’s newspaper. Uncle Sam was waiting in 1969 when he graduated from college, so Bob went to Army Officers Candidate School and fortunately came back from a tour in Vietnam in one piece. He then spent eight years as a local television journalist sandwiched between graduate degrees from Syracuse and the University of Iowa where he wrote one of the country’s first dissertations on journalism ethics. For 20+ years he taught ethics to professional journalists and in newsrooms across the country. In retirement, he loves taking and facilitating OLLI courses. This class on Colorado Stories is a chance to highlight quality journalism from all corners of the Centennial State.

Steven (Dutch) Thomson

Dutch is a Neuroplasticity Coach and Trainer. He holds 15 certifications in brain-based training. As owner of MP3 (Move Past Pain to Performance), Dutch helps people realize their potential at work and play. At MP3, Dutch also helps people suffering from various neurological issues including strokes, physical and emotional trauma, chronic pain, concussions, and ADHD/ADD. Dutch’s passion for Neuroplasticity comes from his personal experience overcoming numerous obstacles and setbacks.

Dutch is an endurance athlete, and has completed two Ironman races, as well as many other endurance events. He loves all things outdoors, and hiking the mountains of Colorado is one of his favorites. He has climbed 48 of Colorado’s highest mountains/14ers.

Alec Tsoucatos

Alec Tsoucatos, PhD, was born to Greek parents in Alexandria, Egypt, a day before Pearl Harbor in 1941. He attended a primary British school in Alexandria and finished junior and senior high school in Athens, Greece. Alec has lived in Egypt, Greece, England and America. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Economics from UC Berkeley and his PhD from CU Boulder under the tutelage of Kenneth Boulding. Alec’s main interests are in new economics, progressive politics, integrative medicine, positive psychology, and mystical Christianity.

Paul Turelli

Paul Turelli holds master’s degrees in history and education. He has taught classes in American Cultural History, The Beatles, Laurel Canyon, Bob Dylan, The Blues, and Bruce Springsteen, among many others at Littleton Public School, OLLI, Lifelong Learning Academy, Regis University, and the University of Denver. His collection of albums, memorabilia, and books on various musicians is also a lifelong hobby. He brings a great deal of passion to the understanding of those who have written the songs of our time.

Mitra Verma

Mitra Verma is an art educator, artist, and craft designer. She received a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts (BFA) and completed her master’s from a distinctive handicraft design institute in India. Mitra creates because she loves and wants to feel colors, forms, and nature in her creations. Working in various mediums, she creates paintings celebrating the Indian culture and tradition with distinctive colorful designs, which are treated with religious and mystical motifs and patterns. Mitra is a self-motivated, conscientious, passionate artist and for the past twelve years she held classes and workshops in painting and crafts. She is eager to share her love of art with students who want to venture into new areas.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET OUR FACILITATORS

Dixie Vice

Dixie Vice, Master Facilitator, retired in 2015 from state and federal government where she worked as a computer programmer/analyst and has been taking OLLI classes in Music, Literature, and Film ever since. Her background includes a degree in Anthropology from CU with an effective minor in Film Studies. Her interest in Foreign Films began at 16 when she was finally old enough to be admitted to the art film theatres in Indianapolis. She lives with her longtime partner, John, and their 3 orange kitty boys Jimmy, Eddie, and Sparky.

Duke Weiss

Duke Weiss is a recording and archival film researcher, with a special focus on African American music. Duke has appeared on the radio and the Internet in Southern California for over 40 years. He has been lucky enough to have seen many of the post-war blues, soul and gospel artists in live performances. Duke retired six years ago from teaching high school students with special needs the disciplines of running a business on eBay in a school district setting. He is very excited to be part of the OLLI adventure.

Barbara Werren

Barbara Werren was born in New Orleans. She moved to Colorado when she was 14 and rapidly adopted the Colorado lifestyle, becoming an avid skier, hiker, biker, and traveler. She has hiked on all 7 continents and traveled to 100 countries. She has been on both sides of the travel business, having been a hiking and skiing guide for adventures in the mountains of the world and more recently a participant in less strenuous journeys with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT - 33 trips), Roadscholar, Viking, Vantage, etc. Barbara has combined a passion for travel with her passion for photography. She is a noted travel journalist, giving travel presentations to groups throughout Colorado. As much as she has seen the world’s most beautiful and interesting places, she realizes her great fortune in living in the very best place, our beautiful state, Colorado!

Rae Wiseman

Rae Wiseman is a life-long lover of history with degrees in history and anthropology. For the last 22 years, she has been a volunteer at History Colorado, the Governors’ Residence at Boettcher Mansion, and the Center for Colorado Women’s History giving museum tours and school programs.

MEET THE STAFF

Tamara Barkdoll, OLLI at DU Central Campus Program Coordinator

Tamara Barkdoll, Central Program Coordinator, comes to OLLI with a background in adult training and administering adult classes in a non-profit setting, as well as with several volunteer groups. She is very active with a variety of volunteer activities throughout the Denver Metro area. She is an alumnus of the University of Denver and a strong believer in lifelong learning.

Amber Barthel, OLLI at DU Technology Coordinator

Amber Barthel has spent her professional life in various positions in education, primarily at the Pre-School and Elementary School levels.  Her experience ranges from volunteer to teacher to leadership roles and many others in between. Training and technology have been a constant part of her responsibilities throughout her career, and she is excited to support OLLI at DU as the Technology Coordinator.

Ana Cadury do Prado, West Program Assistant

Ana Cadury do Prado moved from Brazil to the US in 2015. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Literature and has always been involved in education teaching English as a Second Language classes and supporting educational institutions as an administrator. She really enjoys reading, learning new languages, hiking and taking pictures of nature, and is really happy to be able to support OLLI at DU as a Program Coordinator.

Sherry

Feinbaum, OLLI at DU West Campus Manager and Volunteer Manager

Sherry Feinbaum joined OLLI as a member in 2019 after a long career in sales selling in both business to business and directly to non-profits. She became the program assistant at the Boulder Campus before becoming the West Campus Site Manager in May 2022. In addition to work life, she spent many years as a volunteer for multiple nonprofits in the Boulder area and now serves on the board of Congregation Har Ha Shem in Boulder. She is an avid outdoor person and especially enjoys time hiking or bicycling in addition to traveling and taking dance classes.

Maria

Elena Garcia, OLLI at DU Curriculum Director and DU On Campus Manager

Maria Elena Garcia has over 30 years’ educational leadership experience in schools, school districts, universities, and state departments of education. She was a managing consultant, program designer, and trainer with an international, educational research and development organization. Her focus areas are systems improvement and organizational development. She really enjoys working for OLLI at DU.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / MEET THE STAFF

Candace Hyatt, OLLI at DU Central Campus Manager

Candace (Candy) has been an educator, preK-adult for over 50 years with experience as a middle school teacher and principal, an elementary school principal, a professional development central office administrator and a leadership and English language acquisition consultant in an educational research and development non-profit setting. Her work is characterized by a mission to provide access to high quality educational opportunities for learners of all ages, cultures, and abilities in a wide variety of both formal and informal settings. She’s a long-time Colorado resident with a love for reading and the outdoors.

Dave Johnson, OLLI at DU Support Specialist

Dave Johnson has been employed as Support Specialist by OLLI at DU since June of 2022. He is semi-retired with a background in theater. He has worked for the Denver Center for Performing Arts, Chicken Lips Comedy Theater, Town Hall Arts Center and was a co-owner of the Avenue Theater in downtown Denver. He’s worked in all areas of theater including box office, administration, marketing, performing, maintenance and cleaning.

Christine Liptak, OLLI at DU Support Specialist and Zoom Assistant

Christine Liptak has an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a Master’s of Business Administration and over 30 years of experience in business administration consulting with start-ups, training and analysis for the telecommunications industry, retail management and office administration.

Mary Ann Mace, OLLI at DU On Campus Program Coordinator and Curriculum Assistant

Mary Ann has had an extensive career in the non-profit sector, working as an assistant to executive management. Mary Ann’s experience includes nonprofit/corporate executive support, project management, special events, client services, social media maintenance, marketing, and operations. In addition, Mary Ann assists undergraduate and graduate students with research papers and writing assignments as a writing consultant.

Kim

Penoyer,

OLLI at DU Operations Coordinator

When Kim Penoyer retired from the University of Colorado, a friend introduced her to OLLI at DU. She decided that OLLI was a wonderful way to ease into retirement. While working for CU Kim was Manager of the Online Program Development for CU Online/Office of Digital Education, Director of CU at Interlocken and Executive Director of the Continuing Engineering Education Program. Her CU experience has proven helpful with her work at OLLI. Kim earned her MBA from the University of Colorado Denver and her BS in Education from Michigan State University.

David Schoenhals, OLLI at DU CoExecutive Director for Curriculum, Operations, and Finance

David Schoenhals is an experienced educational leader with a track record of implementing strategic initiatives to drive excellence and ensure financial stability. He has held various roles in education including teacher, coach, coordinator, principal, and director. Skilled in data-driven decision-making, program management, and collaboration, he graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Mathematics and obtained his Principal License from the University of Denver.

Sherilee Selby, OLLI at DU South Campus Program Coordinator

Sherilee Selby joined OLLI in 2009 after retiring, first from her role as a child and family therapist, then from retail management. Sherilee accepted the OLLI South Program Coordinator role in 2017. She loves reading and values travel and exploring other cultures, whether in print or in person. Sherilee and her husband live in the Denver area and treasure time with their adult grandchildren and son. Connection with OLLI members has enriched her life.

Laura Uzzle, OLLI at DU Co-Executive Director for Marketing, Communications, and Development

Laura Uzzle has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, specializing in partnership development and community engagement. Her background includes leadership roles at two national nonprofit organizations where she focused on member recruitment and retention, communication/marketing, program development, and building strategic partnerships. Laura earned her BA from the College of William and Mary. She enjoys traveling with her family, reading, and taking long walks with her dogs.

Darcey VanWagner, OLLI at DU South Campus Manager and Membership Engagement Manager

Darcey VanWagner, South Campus Manager, joined OLLI at DU in 2016. Prior to working at OLLI at DU she worked in the financial industry and has been actively involved in public education. She is a Colorado native and graduate of Colorado State University. She is married and parent to two great kids. She enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, gardening and exploring Colorado. She is honored to be part of OLLI and getting to know and work with a wonderful diverse group of people.

Mitra Verma, OLLI at DU Support Specialist and Graphic Designer

Mitra Verma joined OLLI at DU in December 2021 as a program coordinator. In her current role with OLLI, she assists members, managers, and the executive directors, ensuring smooth operations and effective communication. She excels in graphic design, creating engaging flyers and mini catalogs for OLLI at DU. Mitra holds a master’s degree in handicraft designing and has been recognized as a Handicraft Designer by the Development Commissioner Handicraft (DCHC) in India. She has over 20 years of experience in art, design, and education and has taught art fundamentals and conducted research and documentation in the field. Her art reflects the richness of her diverse cultural background.

OLLI@DU / 2025 SPRING / THANK YOU

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO

OLLI thrives because of its volunteers! Thank you to our facilitators, class assistants, and our Site and Core Curriculum Committees.

Curriculum Committees work diligently to create a robust catalog of in-person and online courses. Thank you to each committee and to individual committee members. You have made this extraordinary lineup of courses possible!

OLLI at DU Core Curriculum Committee

David Schoenhals, OLLI@DU

Maria Elena Garcia, OLLI@DU

Candace Hyatt, Central

Darcey VanWagner, South

David Lippman, Central

Sherilee Selby, South

Mitch Stewart, Central

Patty Smilanic, South

Michael Prevedel, Central

Patricia Paul, South

Sherry Feinbaum, West

Linda Lange, Ad Hoc

Mary Ann Mace, OLLI@DU

Shelly McHugh, Ad Hoc

Penny Friedberg, West

Central Campus

Curriculum Committee

Susan Lauscher, Curriculum Chair

Barbara Holme

David Lippman

Mike Prevedel

Gordon Appell

Jon Young

Gloria (Lori) Eastman

South Campus

Curriculum Committee

Bob Steele, Curriculum Co-Chair

Janet Kester, Curriculum Co-Chair

Gary Wyngarden, Curriculum Co-Chair

Bill Baird

Anne Bennett

Anne Christner

Karen Dvorchak

Jan Friedlander

Sheila Jones

Pat Paul

Patty Smilanic

Ralph Winn

West Campus

Curriculum Committee

Sherry Feinbaum