Spring 2023

The Spring 2023 Term of the Lifelong Learning Institute of OWU is scheduled from March 27 - May 5. Featuring 11 courses on a variety of topics including ragtime literature, an armchair history of Delaware County, putting sustainability into practice, and an immersive experience with the Central Ohio Symphony! There is something for every lifelong learner, and gift certificates are available! (See tab to the right).

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 27 and ends May 5. Registration for the Spring 2023 Term jas closed. 

Class Location: All class sessions will be held in the first-floor Benes Rooms of the Ohio Wesleyan Hamilton-Williams Campus Center except where noted in the individual class descriptions below. The campus map can be found here.  

Please note other highlighted class locations include:

• The Strand Theatre, 28 E. Winter St., Delaware
• Various locations on the OWU campus:
  • Gray Chapel, located inside University Hall
    • Parking is available in campus lots near Edwards Gymnasium/Simpson Querrey Fitness Center and Schimmel-Conrades Science Center
  • Schimmel/Conrades Science Center
    • Parking is available in campus lots near Edwards Gymnasium/Simpson Querrey Fitness Center and Schimmel-Conrades Science Center
  • Bayley Room, located on the second floor of Beeghly Library (elevator available)
    • Parking is available in campus parking lots next to and behind the library, off Park Avenue.

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

We look forward to seeing you this spring!

Studios Behind the Stars - Dean and Monroe

Tracey Peyton, Managing Director, Strand Theatre

James Cretella, Projectionist, Strand Theatre

Mondays, 9 a.m.-noon (March 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1, 8)

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

We will explore the studio histories of Warner Brothers, United Artists, and Metro Goldwyn Mayer and the "star-system" with each studio's "development" (i.e., makeover) of these two prolific stars who were the prototypes for the current star-system we see in place today. 

• Rebel Without a Cause
  March 27
• East of Eden
  April 3
• Giant 
  April 10
  Note: Since the movie runs for 3 hours 21 minutes, the class will be extended to 1 p.m.
• The Asphalt Jungle
  April 17
• The Prince and the Showgirl
  April 24
• Some Like it Hot
  May 1
• The Misfits
  May 8
  BONUS WEEK!

Sustainability in Practice: OWU and Delaware

John Krygier, Professor of Environment and Sustainability, and OWU students

Mondays, 2:10-4 p.m. (March 27; April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1)

Join OWU students in the Ohio Wesleyan Environment & Sustainability Department's ENVS 399: Sustainability Practicum course in putting sustainability principles into practice on campus and in the community. Participants will hear about and respond to OWU student plans for campus habitats, food sustainability, and other projects. Meetings with local OWU partners such as Preservation Parks, Seminary Hill Farm, Food Recovery Network, and other examples of sustainable practices and businesses are included along with a campus sustainability tour.  A book on collaborative practice will be co-read and discussed with OWU students in the course: The Uncommon Knowledge of Elinor Ostrom: Essential Lessons for Collective Action. Erik Nordman, 2021. A link to the e-book version will be sent to registrants of the class, along with more information for each session.

• OWU students present projects, progress, and plans to the LLI attendees for feedback
  March 27

• Presentations from and meeting with Preservation Parks and Rapid 5 organization and OWU Student Groups followed by discussion 
  April 3
• Co-discuss Uncommon Knowledge book and possible additional material
  April 10
• Campus Sustainability Tour
  April 17
• Meeting with Food Recovery Network, Seminary Hill Farm, City Watershed Coordinator, etc.
  April 24
• Final Course Presentations by OWU Students
  May 1

NOTE: Participants will engage in discussions, readings, and projects with OWU students.  Click on this link to view the Syllabus and Schedule tabs at the top of the page:  https://sites.owu.edu/sustainability-workblog/.  Enrollment is limited to 12 participants and the class will meet in the OWU Schimmel/Conrades Science Center Room 206. 

Is America Facing a Mental Health Crisis?

Richard Leavy, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Ohio Wesleyan University

Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-noon (April 11, 18, 25; May 2) 

The four sessions will address one overarching question in each. 

• Haven't we always had a mental health crisis?
  April 11
• What do statistics show us when we compare pre-COVID America with now?
  April 18
• How has the crisis affected us personally?
  April 25
• What can be done to improve America's mental health through treatment and prevention?
  May 2
  

NOTE: The April 18 class will be held in the OWU Beeghly Library's second-floor Bayley Room. 

An Armchair Tour of Delaware County History

Becky Cornett, retired health care administrator, history enthusiast, and board member of the Delaware County Historical Society 

Tuesdays, 2-4 p.m. (March 28; April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2) 

This course is designed to be informative, entertaining, and challenging as we explore, discover, delight, and wonder about Delaware County's history and heritage in both distant and recent times. Participants will be encouraged to engage in their own tours, readings, and visits during the six-week period and beyond. Think about what your favorite "tidbit" of history is, or something you want others to know -- or something you want to know. We'll address it!

• Overview and Info about DelCo You May Not Know
  March 28
  
• All Things Agriculture: Heritage, Tourism, Agribusiness -  Still #1
  April 4
  
• Delaware County Has Always Been a Transportation Crossroads 
  April 11
  
• The Influence of Faith Communities in Delaware County Past and Present
  April 18
  
• What Can We Learn from Our County's Museums, Landmarks, Sites, and Events?
  April 25
  
• Ortho Hinton: Was He Delaware's Most Famous/Infamous Resident You've Never Heard Of? 
  May 2 

NOTE: The March 28 and April 18 classes will be held in the OWU Beeghly Library second-floor Bayley Room.

LLI Potpourri - Wednesday

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

Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-noon (March 29; April 5, 12, 19, 26; May 3) 

• Songs that Abraham Lincoln Loved, with Maribeth Graham, one of the founders of the Lincoln Society of Dayton, LLI of OWU Steering Committee member, and retired Colonel Allan Howey. 
  March 29
  Lincoln was known for his bouts of depression or deep withdrawal. He was keenly aware of the effect music and songs had on his moods. His small circle of friends was aware of this connection, and he often asked them to sing or play a specific song to change his feelings.
• The American Dunkirk: How People Trapped in Manhattan Got Off the Island on 9/11, with Vickie Sheets, JD, BSN, BA/OWU '72 
  April 5
  When we think about 9/11, we don't always remember how people were trapped on the island, with bridges and tunnels shut down. Not unlike the rescue of the British soldiers in 1940 by so many civilian boat owners, all kinds of boats volunteered to transport people to safety on 9/11. This presentation will tell their story. 
• Fifty Years of Title IX: Then and Now, with Barbara Terzian, Associate Professor of History, Ohio Wesleyan University
  April 12
  Title IX, the federal law that bars discrimination against women in education, was enacted in 1972.  We will look at women's status prior to enactment of the legislation, what the supporters hoped to achieve, what has been accomplished, and what has been the status of women 50 years later.
  
• Death as a Part of Life: Living Mindful of Mortality, with Jackie Mann, RN, Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse, End-of-Life Doula
  April 19
  How might your life be transformed by changing your relationship with death?  How might your death be transformed? We delve into how to bring this companion, death, more fully into our lives to create greater peace in life and in dying.
• Fine Arts Graduating Senior Exhibition, with OWU senior students
  April 26
  Hear artists discuss their exciting works on display in the annual Fine Arts graduating senior exhibit in the Richard M. Ross Art Museum. The students' featured pieces have been juried by their OWU professors.
  NOTE: This class session will be held at the OWU Ross Art Museum, 60 S. Sandusky St. Delaware. 
• The Art of Remembrance, Memorialization, and Tragedy, with Marty Kalb, Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts, Ohio Wesleyan University
  May 3
  This two-class session will look at numerous examples of artwork that evokes memorialization and remembrance. I will discuss how memorialization has a psychological function to address grief as well as a political purpose to perpetuate myths. We will look at many traditional techniques artists have used for centuries to address the tragedy of war with an in-depth look at contemporary memorialization of the war in Vietnam and the Holocaust. NOTE: This is a two-part session with the second class on May 4 from 10 a.m.-noon.

A "Musical Immersion" with the Central Ohio Symphony

Warren Hyer, Executive Director, Central Ohio Symphony

Wednesdays, 2:30-4:30 p.m. (April 5, 12, 19, 26; May 3)

Wednesday, 12:30 p.m. (May 10)

Ever wonder how the music to be performed is decided, how it gets put together, and how orchestras are changing? Then experience and join the next generation in learning about orchestras and music!

• The Symphony String Quartet
  April 5
  A Zig-zagged trip through the orchestra music history. 
• Following the Ninth Film Presentation
  April 12
  Beethoven's Ninth and its role in the world movement for peace and freedom.
• Changing Faces
  April 19
  How George Floyd is diversifying audiences, musicians, and repertoire for orchestras.
• How Does a Concert Happen?
  April 26
  A discussion with Gazette reviewer Tom Wolber and Warren Hyer and a conversation with Conductor Jaime Morales-Matos.
• Link Up
  May 3
  Fourth graders, the Central Ohio Symphony, Carnegie Hall, and the joy of performing music, with Rolf Remlinger and Warren Hyer.
• Experiencing Link Up
  May 10
  LLI participants attend and become part of the annual Link Up education concert.  You have never experienced a concert like this!

NOTE: the May 10 class will meet in OWU University Hall Gray Chapel, 61 S. Sandusky St., Delaware. There will be a small materials charge of $7 for those LLI participants who wish to purchase a recorder for the May 10 Link Up concert.

Individuals who register for this class by March 3 will receive a free ticket to the Sunday, March 5, Central Ohio Symphony world premiere UFO Concerto at 3 p.m. in OWU's Gray Chapel. 

Delaware County: The Dynamics of Rapid Growth

Chris Baker, Director, Delaware County Foundation, and representatives of local community organizations

Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon (April 6, 13, 20)

We regularly hear that Delaware County is the fastest-growing community in the state. What does that look like, and what does that mean for residents? How are nonprofits and government working to balance growth and support at-risk populations? These questions and others will be explored as we consider issues including housing, education, diversity, inclusion, and employment. Representatives from local nonprofit, business, government, and other community organizations will contribute to the discussion.

LLI Potpourri - Thursday

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

Thursdays, 10 a.m.-noon (April 27; May 4) 

• 1973: The Year of Shocks and the Age of Limits with Michael Flamm, Professor of History, Ohio Wesleyan University
  April 27
  Fifty years ago, the U.S. received geopolitical, social, and economic shocks to the system. President Nixon announced the Paris Peace Accords, ending American participation in the Vietnam War and the Supreme Court issued the controversial Roe v. Wade decision. The "Battle of the Sexes" pitted tennis star Billie Jean King against Bobby Riggs and the Arab Oil Embargo left motorists searching for gas. This multimedia presentation will explore a pivotal year with important consequences and lasting legacies. 
• The Art of Remembrance, Memorialization, and Tragedy, with Marty Kalb, Professor Emeritus of Fine Arts, Ohio Wesleyan University
  May 4
  This two-class session will look at numerous examples of artwork that evokes memorialization and remembrance. I will discuss how memorialization has a psychological function to address grief as well as a political purpose to perpetuate myths. We will look at many traditional techniques artists have used for centuries to address the tragedy of war with an in-depth look at contemporary memorialization of the war in Vietnam and the Holocaust. NOTE: This is a two-part session with the first session on May 3 from 10 a.m.-noon.

Reading Ragtime: American Literature, History, and Culture

Stephanie Tingley, Professor Emeritus of English, Youngstown State University

Thursdays, 2-4 p.m. (March 30; April 6, 13, 20, 27; May 4)

Using E.I. Doctorow's prize-winning and innovative American novel Ragtime (1975) as our core text, we will take an interdisciplinary tour of turn-of-the-20th-century America -- an era (approx. 1890-1917) of rapid change, innovation, and inequality -- where historical figures like Henry Houdini, Emma Goldman, and Henry Ford mix and mingle with novel's fictional characters. Immigration, racial strife, the birth of the movies, and, of course, Ragtime music are woven into the novel and into the novel and into the course. 

Science Meets the Paranormal

Offered via Zoom

Teckla Dando, retired high school science teacher and adjunct professor in Geology, University of Dayton

Fridays, 9:30-11:30 a.m. (March 31; April 7, 14, 21) 

Paranormal experiences like ESP, awareness of ghosts, aliens, and psychokinesis are often dismissed outright by those who believe in a scientific approach to the world. However, science can and is being used to study various aspects of the paranormal. This class is about the use of science to study experiences and concepts that are by their nature not easily studied by science. This class looks at the scientists who are studying the paranormal and their appropriate use of science and scientific methods and their often extraordinary results. 

A Matter of Balance

Allison Chakroff, Community Education Coordinator, SourcePoint

Tracy Brannon, Community Relations Manager, Options Home Service

Fridays, 2-4 p.m. (March 31; April 7, 14, 21, 28; May 5, 12, 19) 

The award-winning A Matter of Balance program emphasizes practical strategies to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels. Participants learn to set realistic goals to enhance activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and use exercise to increase strength. 

NOTE: Enrollment is limited to 12 participants and the course runs for 8 weeks.  Room locations will be sent to participants.

NOTE: The March 31, April 7, 28, May 12 and 19 will be in the 2^nd floor Bayley Room in the Beeghly library.