Spring 2022

The Spring 2022 Term of the Lifelong Learning Institute of OWU kicks off March 14th! Featuring 10 courses on a variety of topics including Supreme Court Greatest Hits, Civil War nurses, American history (with trivia!), artificial intelligence and much more! There is something for every lifelong learner.

Courses are taught by volunteers, including professors, practitioners and others in a non-competitive environment, with each class meeting for approximately two hours. Join the community of lifelong learners 55 and older for the exciting classes presented below.

The term begins March 14th and ends April 22nd.  Registration for the Spring term has closed. All classes will be held in the 1st floor Benes Rooms of the Ohio Wesleyan Hamilton-Williams Campus Center unless otherwise noted.  The campus map can be found here. 

Be sure to join our email list to be kept up-to-date on LLI happenings.

We look forward to seeing you this spring!

A Deep Dive into DNA Tools

Kelli Bergheimer, nationally known DNA testing and genealogy expert

Mondays, 10:00 am - Noon (March 14, 21, 28; April 4,11,18)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in Merrick Hall Room 204. The campus map can be found at https://www.owu.edu/campus-map/ with Merrick Hall found under the Academic Buildings category.  Campus parking lots closest to Merrick Hall are behind the Schimmel Conrades Science Center and at Selby Stadium off of Henry Street.

If you have a DNA test, worked on your matches, and are wondering what other tools you can use to analyze your results, this class might be for you! This laptop workshop will cover Ancestry Thrulines, DNA Painter, Genetic Clustering, and chromosome browsers. (This class is not for y-DNA or mt-DNA tests, just autosomal DNA.) 

Required for class: laptop during class (not tablet); autosomal DNA test (Family Tree DNA, Ancestry, MyHeritage, 23andMe)--results loaded

Note: Enrollment is capped at 20 participants.

History through the Decades

Van Young, Historian, President of Griswold History Study Group, Worthington

Mondays, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (March 14, 21, 28; April 4, 11, 18)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms except for the April 4th session, which will be held in the the Beeghly Library 2nd floor Bayley Room (the library has an elevator).  The Beeghly Library is right across from the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center with campus parking next to and behind the building off of Park Avenue.

Explore events and decades of our country's history.

• American History Facts and Trivia
  March 14
  An entertaining and educational presentation on various facts (both historical and unique) as well as trivia about our nation’s history.  Covers everything from the founding fathers, entertainment, sports, and culture.  Audience members are asked questions and there is lots of interaction.
• Marietta - Ohio's First Settlement
  March 21
  Based on the David McCullough’s book, “The Pioneers”, this talk tells the story of how Ohio came into existence and how the first pioneer settlers were able to carve out a successful existence in a wilderness filled with indigenous peoples, wild animals, and harsh conditions.  Not only a story of survival, but of courage.  The talk will discuss the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, living in colonial times, the significance the city of Marietta had in the development of our country.  
• What if the South Had Won the Civil War?
  March 28
  A real “what if” question.  The talk suggests several key points where certain battles, events, and decisions could have altered the end of the Civil War.  If the South indeed would have won that war, what would our lives be like today?  How many “countries” would America be comprised of.  What effects would it have had on economy, slavery, international relations, travel, and global impact?  
• WWII - The Homefront
  April 4
  Many Americans are aware of the tremendous contributions the military men and women made during WWII, yet what is sometimes forgotten are the hardships and sacrifices U.S. citizens made on the home front during that war.  The talk describes the toll of the rationing programs, shortages, our economy, and the effect they had on families, and workers, between 1941-1945.   It was American patriotism at its best. 
• The 1950's - The Times and the Politics
  April 11
  A trip down memory lane as the presentation reviews the times and politics of the 1950’s.  Starting with the Truman administration and ending with the Eisenhower era, the talk reviews key events and happenings that lead up to the Cold War and many of the attitudes on race, politics, and morals that we have imbedded in us today.  It’s a review of our entertainment and social culture and how we lived, played, and worked during the decade of the 1950’s.
• 1968 - The Year that Changed Everything
  April 18
  No year has had as much impact or was filled with so many profound events, as was 1968.  In this talk I go through the chronological events that had our country at the brink of revolution.  Violence and outrage led to divisions between families, students, and the sexes.  It was a time like no other in America and helped shaped so many of the values and beliefs we hold today.

Religions of the World and the World of Religion

Dr. Blake Michael, Professor of Religion, Ohio Wesleyan University

Tuesdays, 10:00 am - Noon (March 15, 22, 29; April 5, 12, 19)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms except for the April 12th session, which will be held in the the Beeghly Library 2nd floor Bayley Room (the library has an elevator).  The Beeghly Library is right across from the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center with campus parking next to and behind the building off of Park Avenue.

Basic knowledge of the major religious traditions of the world is essential for understanding life on twenty-first-century Earth.  Examination, analysis, and comparison of the teachings and practices will illumine their similarities and differences. Traditions surveyed may include the “Prophetic” Traditions of the West: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; and the “Mystical” Traditions of the East: Hinduism, Buddhism, and Chinese & Japanese Religion. 

Recommended reading:

Huston Smith, World’s Religion (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2009). [Earlier editions entitled Religions of Man are substantially the same and fully serviceable]

The Delaware County Main Library, 85 East Winter Street, will have some copies of this suggested book available in late February to be checked out by patrons.  If you go to the library for the book, library staff ask that you check with the circulation desk as they will know where to find books listed for the "Lifelong Learning book group."

The Supreme Court's Greatest Hits

David Hejmanowski, Judge, Probate/Juvenile Division of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas

Tuesdays, 3:30 - 5:30 pm (March 15, 22, 29; April 5, 12, 19)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms except for the April 12th session, which will be held in the the Beeghly Library 2nd floor Bayley Room (the library has an elevator).  The Beeghly Library is right across from the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center with campus parking next to and behind the building off of Park Avenue.

This six-part course will examine the decisions of the United States Supreme Court that most directly affect our daily lives, from headline-making social policies to impactful, but less-noticed cases that don't generate major news overage.  Sessions will also include a look at Supreme Court procedures from the issuance of emergency orders to the process by which cases get accepted for review and assigned to Justices for decision writing.

Film Noir

Tracey Peyton, Managing Director, Strand Theatre

Wednesdays, 9:00 - Noon (March 16, 23, 30; April 6, 13, 20)

Class Location: This class will be held each week at The Strand Theatre, 28 East Winter St. Delaware.

This class will examine six true film noir classics and their stylized techniques from what most critics cite as its first and last noir film in the classic period in the true sense of the genre. Film noir, French for dark film, is categorized to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas that contain elements such as cynical heroes, stark lighting effects, frequent use of flashbacks, intricate plots, and an underlying existentialist philosophy. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the classic period of American film noir.    

• The Maltese Falcon (1941)
  March 16
  Director: John Huston.  Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor.  Sam Spade and some eccentric criminals search for a statue.
• Double Indemnity (1944)
  March 23
  Director: Billy Wilder.  Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray.  Seduction of an insurance rep to kill her husband.
• Out of the Past (1947)
  March 30
  Director: Jacques Tourneur.  Starring: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer.  The past catches up to a man in a corrupt world of danger.
• Night and the City (1950)
  April 6
  Director: Jules Dassin.  Starring: Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney.  A grifter takes advantage of circumstances to try and become a big-time wrestling promoter.
• The Killing (1956)
  April 13
  Director: Stanley Kubrick.  Starring: Sterling Hayden, Colleen Gray.   Circumstances surrounding a daring racetrack robbery.
• Touch of Evil (1958)
  April 20
  Director: Orson Wells.  Starring: Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh.  Murder, kidnapping and police corruption in a Mexican border town.

LLI Potpourri - Wednesday

Explore an array of topics with distinguished professors and other professionals representing multiple disciplines as they share their expertise. 

Wednesdays, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (March 16, 23; April 6)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms.

• The Illogical Logic of Public Policymaking, with Franchesca Nestor, Assistant Professor of Politics and Government, Ohio Wesleyan University
  March 16
  Anyone who cares about the pursuit of major and necessary policy change is likely to feel very frustrated much of the time. From climate change, to the pandemic, to healthcare, to voting rights, to…everything else, the structure of our system and realities of our politics often bring the possibility of major policy shifts to a shuddering halt. This talk, peppered with examples from the American and, occasionally, international policy landscape, will introduce you to concepts that will help you understand and assess the likelihood of policy change under a variety of conditions. 
• Beyond Clara Barton: Other Civil War Nurses, with Vickie Sheets, JD, BSN, BA/OWU '72
  March 23
  Clara Barton is probably the most famous Civil War nurse, but there were thousands of individuals who cared for sick and wounded soldiers. Some of them became famous for other achievements such as Dorothea Dix, Harriet Tubman, Walt Whitman and Louisa May Alcott. Some were lost to history. This lecture will explore nursing as it evolved during the War Between the States and identify other individuals who contributed to the care of soldiers on both sides.
• "Axis Sally": Ohio Wesleyan's Most Notorious and Least Understood Alum, with Michael Flamm, Professor of History, Ohio Wesleyan University
  April 6
  During World War II, an American woman broadcast Nazi propaganda to Allied troops, who dubbed her “Axis Sally.” Her real name was Mildred Gillars, and two decades earlier she had attended Ohio Wesleyan University. Three decades later, she returned to Delaware to receive her OWU degree.  The strange saga of Mildred Gillars contains more twists and turns than a Hollywood thriller and plenty of questions that remain unanswered today.

A Nickel Tour of the Universe, New! Improved! No Extra Charge!

Tom Burns, Retired Director of Perkins Observatory and Professor of English, Ohio Wesleyan University

Thursdays, 10:00 am - Noon (March 17, 24, 31; April 7, 14, 21)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms except for the April 7th session, which will be held in the the Beeghly Library 2nd floor Bayley Room (the library has an elevator).  The Beeghly Library is right across from the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center with campus parking next to and behind the building off of Park Avenue.

We will start from planet Earth and work our way upward and outward to the edge of everything that is, a place we have come to call our universe. Along the way, we will take side trips into some weird and wonderful astronomical regions: the search for extraterrestrial life, the spacecraft exploring the solar system, and proposed methods for traveling to the stars.

LLI Potpourri - Thursday

Explore an array of topics with distinguished professors and other professionals representing multiple disciplines as they share their expertise. 

Thursdays, 2:00 - 4:00 pm (March 17, 24, 31)

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms.

• Artificial Intelligence, with Sean McColloch, Professor of Computer Science, Ohio Wesleyan University
  March 17
  Artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly makes headlines for its impact on many aspects of our lives – with the potential for even greater influence. Explore the history and current state of AI, where AI is headed as forecasted by the academic and business worlds, and the concept of singularity.  Discussion will include my research on artificial intelligence for modern board games.
• Seniors Against Scams, with Alison Chakroff, Community Education Coordinator, Sourcepoint
  March 24
  Seniors Against Scams is an education curriculum that highlights popular scams targeting vulnerable older adults while offering next steps for those who experience financial fraud. This presentation also offers anecdotes and strategies to prevent fraud and scams.
• Project Management: For Projects We Do Everyday, with Richard Vail, former Certified Project Management Professional Instructor
  March 31
  A misunderstood aspect about project management is that it only applies to large scale engineering types of projects.  The truth is, we all are doing projects, everyday.  But we never actually examined the aspects of professional project management that can help us on even the smallest of projects.  A little understanding of this area of our everyday lives can simplify and smooth out many of the challenges we face in getting those smaller projects complete.  This single session presentation is based on the Project Management Institute’s eleven knowledge areas for project management.  This is not a technical seminar, it is a light hearted look at simple concepts that can make life easier for all of us.

Reading for Success: More Books this Doctor Thinks Should Be In Your Library

Offered via Zoom

Dr. Bryan Martin, D.O., MMAS

Fridays, 9:30 - 11:30 am (March 18, 25; April 1, 15)

Based on the positive response to the fall 2021 course, this spring course will review additional books that have been important in my professional life as a physician and which have important ideas that help with social interactions.  While each of these books has been written with a different reading audience in mind, each provides lessons to make life easier or more enjoyable for people of all ages and social interactions. Participants do not have to read the books prior to each class, but it is hoped that the presentation of basic ideas of each book will encourage participants to be curious enough to go on to read them.  The books that will be discussed are:

Session 1:  Good to Great by Jim Collins

This is a business book that focuses on the power of leadership.  Powerful metaphors in the book will help everyone be more purposeful and powerful in their own lives.

Session 2: The Tipping Point: How Little Things can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

New York Times bestseller.  Gladwell is a Canadian journalist, author and public speaker who has been a staff writer for the New York Times since 1996.

Session 3: Obedience to Authority: The Experiment that Challenged Human Nature by Stanley Milgram

Stanley Milgram (1933-1984) received his PhD in psychology from Harvard University.  This book was first published in 1974.  He conducted the famous Milgram experiment on obedience to authority.  The implications of this study continue to reverberate in research, research ethics and in our day-to-day interactions with those in authority.

Session 4: Jonas Salk:  A Life by Charlotte DeCroes Jacobs

Dr. Salk (1914-1995) was an American virologist and medical researcher who found a vaccine for polio.  He died at 80 years old on June 23, 1995, while doing research for a vaccine for AIDS. 

The Delaware County Main Library, 85 East Winter Street, will have some copies of this suggested book available in late February to be checked out by patrons.  If you go to the library for the book, library staff ask that you check with the circulation desk as they will know where to find books listed for the "Lifelong Learning book group."

Health in Action: Diabetes Self-Management  

Offered via Zoom

Laura Smith, Community Engagement Manager, SourcePoint

Fridays, 1:30-4:00 pm (March 18, 25; April 1, 8, 15, 22)

Healthy U has been proven to help you better manage symptoms and improve your health, one step at a time. This six-week series is led by a professional with personal experience dealing with diabetes. In this series, you'll learn to better manage symptoms and emotions, improve diet and physical activity levels, communicate effectively with doctors, make good decisions, and solve problems related to your health.