Thursdays, October 3rd - November 7th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

This course will explore the legal history of gender and the law, understanding gender in its broadest sense including sex, sexuality, and gender identity. We will discuss sex discrimination doctrines under the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution as well as under federal laws such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. 

By focusing on US Supreme Court decisions and gender equality advocates, we will explore the relationship between law and justice in many areas that affect gender minority lives, including employment, schools, health care, family, and beyond. The work of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Brenda Feigen, Sandra Day O’Connor, and Pauli Murray will be discussed. Some film clips will be used in class.

Speaker: Lauren Andersen, JD

Lauren Andersen is the director of the Utah Judicial Institute. Andersen practiced appellate law in the state of California and presented arguments to the California Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court. During this time, Andersen closely studied the Roberts Court. She has lectured about the Supreme Court and the death penalty. Her opinions were quoted by The New York Times and the ABA Journal. She was previously the director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah.

Tuesdays, October 1st - November 5th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

Explore the peacebuilding stories behind the headlines. Within the broad field of peacebuilding, the scales are decidedly tipped to study the phenomena around conflict resolution, transitional justice, and third-party interventions ~ most of them at the hands of diplomats and politicians. While these areas represent legitimate efforts to negotiate treaties and monitor compliance, history has shown the Sisyphean nature of these approaches in terms of implementation and securing sustainable peace. 

What has drawn far less attention are the valiant and courageous efforts of peace builders on the ground who are working in unimaginable circumstances, and in many cases in partnership or cooperation with sworn enemies. This course will examine the elements of a construct known as “positive peace,” which can and does exist, even in areas where conflict continues, through the lens of peace activists working on the ground. 

This six-week program will include a mix of background reading, video, faculty presentations, and small-group interaction.

Speaker: Aleen Bayard, PhD

Aleen Bayard, PhD has been a long-time adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University, teaching courses in leadership and change management for the School of Professional Studies, and Kellogg’s Center for Nonprofit Management. Bayard served as the primary faculty member in Northwestern University's partnership with Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership to develop the curriculum for the Certificate in Jewish Leadership and taught in the program for several years. She holds degrees from Stanford University, Columbia University, Northwestern University, and earned her doctorate from the Center in Values Driven Leadership at Benedictine University where she studied peacebuilding. Bayard is the Vice Chair of the Leadership for Peace group of the International Leadership Association and has published two book chapters on peacebuilding. Bayard works with organizations through her consulting practice developing programs on leadership, culture, employee engagement, and team performance.

Wednesdays, October 2nd - November 6th
6:00PM - 7:30PM Central 

“Introverts are hermits. Introverts don’t like people. Introverts can’t hold a conversation.” These are some of the myths associated with introversion, the highly misunderstood personality type. In a society where the most extroverted are celebrated and rewarded, how do introverts fit in? For those who acknowledge and embrace their introversion, they know how to create a space for themselves. For those who are masquerading as extroverts, they are exhausted because they haven’t mastered how to be their true, authentic selves. For others, they don’t even realize they are introverts because of the stigma attached to the word - - who wants to be associated with such negative descriptions? In this course we will unpack this together and discuss the power of introverts, the beautiful balance of relationships with extroverts, how we support and honor both personality types, and much more.

Speaker: Jeri Bingham

Jeri Bingham is an introvert advocate and strategist, and the founder of HushLoudly: Introverts Redefined, an award-winning WGN Radio podcast and brand. Dedicated to amplifying the voices of introverts in a world that celebrates and rewards the most extroverted, Bingham is on a mission to empower, through education and understanding, the most ill-defined, misunderstood personality type. Bingham is an adjunct lecturer for Northwestern University and speaks frequently on the topic of introversion at universities and companies. She has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Cosmo UK, Color Magazine, WGN Radio Chicago, and the Myers-Briggs Company Podcast. She is a contributing writer for the Myers-Briggs Magazine and Rolling Out magazine. Her Myers-Briggs articles include "Inclusivity Includes Black Introverts" and "Be a Champion for All, Including Your Introverts." Bingham is a higher education administrator and marketing communications executive who has served in leading accountability positions in academia and non-profits for more than 25 years.

Fridays, October 11th - November 15th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

American writer Patricia Highsmith first published The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1955. The story is told from the point of view of Tom Ripley, a man who is young, clever, and has a knack for fraud. A case of mistaken identity earns him a ticket abroad to a scenic coastal village in Italy, a far cry from his hardscrabble life in New York City. He soon becomes obsessed with Dickie Greenleaf, heir to a shipbuilding fortune and embarks on a series of deceitful and sinister acts that beget more of the same. Highsmith’s story builds its suspense as the reader traverses Tom’s physical and psychological journey through an affluent world too obtuse to recognize the extent to which he is a threat. 

The Talented Mr. Ripley has been adapted from book to screen multiple times, with the most notable being the 1999 film directed by Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon and Jude Law. Such is the influence of the story that it has invited comparison to the 2023 film Saltburn, whose main character commits a similar subterfuge on a wealthy British family over the course of a summer in their country castle. As stories of frauds and scammers endure across popular media, Tom Ripley’s is one that confronts the reader to examine how far they would go to gain access into a world whose entry requires reinventing oneself to the point of moral collapse. 

In this course, we will study the Highsmith novel as well as the 1999 film adaptation. We will close out the course with a discussion of Saltburn, which is indebted to the novel.
 

Speaker: Heather Brown, PhD

Heather Brown has a PhD in English with a concentration in rhetoric and composition from the University of Maryland, a master of arts in English from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and a bachelor of arts in English with a concentration in creative writing from Hollins University. She has taught courses in academic writing, English literature, language and linguistics, women’s literature, feminist theory and criticism, rhetorical theory and criticism, and more. Brown began working as a learning designer primarily serving graduate and professional studies programs in not-for-profit higher education institutions and library training organizations, and most recently the Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. 

Brown is also an adjunct associate professor of academic writing at the University of Maryland Global Campus, one of the largest distance-learning institutions in the world, where over a third of the students are Black and African-American and the University serves more than 55,000 military-affiliated students worldwide.
 

Mondays, September 30th - November 4th
2:00PM - 3:30PM Central 

Did John Adams listen to Abigail? Was Mary Todd Lincoln depressed? Did Eleanor advise Franklin? Did Edith Wilson really take over for the president? Was Hillary really a co-president? These are questions frequently asked about the first lady. She has no job description, and her position is unpaid. There is nothing she is required to do, but much that we expect. From the birth of our country through the present, this course will explore the evolution of the role and the Office of the First Lady. In addition to biographical information, we will explore topics and themes related to the women behind the men. We will examine how they helped shape history and how they left lasting legacies that impact many of us today.

Speaker: Diana Carlin, PhD and Myra Gutin, PhD

Diana Carlin, PhD is Professor Emerita of communication at Saint Louis University. She teaches courses on and written about First Ladies for 30 years and is the co-author of U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies and Remember the First Ladies: America's History-Making Women. Carlin has also published articles and book chapters on a variety of First Ladies and researches and writes on the topics of women in politics, presidential communication, and political debate.

Myra G. Gutin, PhD is Professor Emerita of communication at Rider University. For the past 40 years, her research has focused on American First Ladies. She is the author of The President's Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century and Barbara Bush: Presidential Matriarch. She has authored book chapters, articles, and op-eds about first ladies and is currently at work on a biography of Betty Ford. A frequent media commentator, she is the immediate past president and one of the founders of FLARE, the First Ladies Association for Research and Education.

Mondays, September 30th - November 4th
6:00PM - 7:30PM Central 

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of medieval scientific thought, encompassing various disciplines such as medicine, astronomy, and geography. We will delve into the groundbreaking insights and theories proposed by influential figures like Alhazen and Hildegard of Bingen. Through in-depth analysis and interactive discussions, we will uncover the complex network of scientific inquiry that defined the medieval era. This journey into medieval science promises intellectual enrichment. Additionally, it offers a unique opportunity to engage with historical methodologies and scientific concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of the medieval worldview. Join this enlightening exploration, as we discover the wonders of medieval science.

Speaker: Ilya Dines, PhD

Ilya Dines, PhD a native of St. Petersburg, Russia, completed his doctorate on the topic of medieval bestiaries at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dines pursued postdoctoral research in Cologne and Cambridge, where he focused on the production of medieval pigments, stained glass, and bells. Dines has authored three books and 20 articles on medieval animals, cartography, and medieval manuscripts.

Tuesdays, October 8th - November 12th
2:00PM - 3:30PM Central 

This course explores mental, spiritual, and physical health and wellness through interactive discussion, brief meditation, creative writing, reading aloud, and plenty of humor. The workshops explore universal human issues while offering valuable techniques for enhancing both written and oral communication. Classes are low-tech, focusing on meaningful interaction, and a satisfying shared experience. Topics include managing stress, creative self-expression, the power of words, the value of self-care, adapting to change, and establishing healthy boundaries.

Speaker: Mónica E. Gómez

Mónica E. Gómez has made her living with words as a writer, songwriter, teacher, broadcast journalist, and voice talent. Her writing appears in numerous anthologies including Red Boots & Attitude: The Spirit of Texas Women Writers and The New York Times 2020 on-line edition. In her hometown of El Paso, Texas, she hosted NPR’s State of the Arts and moderated National Issues Forums for the local PBS station. As a performing songwriter she released three CDs and presented performances and workshops through the Texas Commission on the Arts and other state and regional arts agencies. Distilled from years of work with diverse populations, Gómez’s creative writing workbook, EXPRESSERCIZE: Write Answers contains more than 100 exercises in expression and self-discovery. Gómez’s workshops integrate diverse forms of inspiration and highlight the literal creative power of writing.

Tuesdays, October 8th - November 12th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

Welcome to this introductory course designed to provide a broad, yet insightful, glimpse into different areas of psychology. We will learn more about how psychology can help us understand humans’ individual personalities, as well as group dynamics. We will look at the influence of geography on psychology, and what psychology can learn by becoming more cross-cultural. Whether this is your first step into the world of psychology, or you are looking to deepen your existing knowledge, the discussions around classic studies, as well as the presentation of novel research findings, promise something new and exciting for everyone.

Speaker: Andrés Gvirtz, PhD

Andrés Gvirtz, PhD is an assistant professor at King‘s College London, University of London. His research aims to improve our understanding of behavior by combining personality data (who somebody is) with spatial information (where somebody is). He is also a research affiliate at the King's Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Before joining King’s College London, he was a supervisor for marketing and organizational behavior at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and taught psychometrics at the department of psychology, University of Cambridge, where he was nominated for the Student-Led Teaching Awards. He has been awarded an Innovation Education Fund, shortlisted for the Dean’s Awards, and nominated for the King’s Education Awards.

Gvirtz holds a PhD in psychology from the University of Cambridge and was a visiting fellow at Harvard Business School. He received a MPhil in psychology from the University of Cambridge and a BA in economics and psychology from Clark University.
 

Saturdays, October 5th - November 9th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

As the world watches the best athletes on the planet at a veracious rate during the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, learn what it is like to cover those competitors from the proverbial press box. What research do sports reporters need to have at the ready to understand the psychology and business of the best teams in the NFL, MLB, or NHL? Where do journalists get it right or wrong when writing or editing features in a rapidly changing gender dynamic of college athletics as Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Women's Basketball team proved? How do we understand from outside the ropes the familial and financial dynamics at play when talking about controversies like the PGA vs. LIV saga which is lighting the world of golf on fire? Answer these questions and more with Professor Annie Krall, a sports and news broadcaster. This course is for those who are regularly glued to their sports channels and those who simply like knowing who to root for during the big games. Yes, in the world of heroes and villains there is always more at play on and off the court.

Speaker: Annie Krall

Annie Krall is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism. She is a former radio news anchor for WLS-Radio (890AM) in Chicago and has taken her storytelling abilities on-air as a TV news and sports reporter to NBC in St. Louis, MO (KSDK-TV) and ABC in Green Bay, WI (WBAY-TV).

After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University, Krall covered breaking news in Green Bay, the Ryder Cup international golf tournament, and the Green Bay Packers. Host of her own weekly medical investigative series “Your Health Matters,” Krall has written and produced for ABC NEWS in New York City on the medical and business units for shows like Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, and 20/20.

Sharpening her golf skills as a competitive golfer starting at the age of six, Krall was the first entertainment golf correspondent for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). She has helped spotlight celebrity women who either play or have had their lives changed by the sport.
 

Thursdays, October 10th - November 14th
2:00PM - 3:30PM Central 

Navigating the online marketplace can indeed be challenging. Unfortunately, e-commerce tips the advantage away from the consumer and towards very sophisticated marketers. Whether dealing with a small business on Main Street or a giant firm on Madison Avenue, it is difficult to know who to trust or how to discern a true bargain from a real rip-off. How do you sort fact from fiction and take control of your purchasing power? Most importantly, how do you protect yourself from being duped out of money or having your identity or account information stolen by hackers? In this course, we will cover critical aspects of being both a transactional and a relational shopper. We will discuss factors that can affect information perceptions and good buying decisions. And we will offer a variety of resources to enhance your ability to make safe, sharp, and savvy purchasing decisions with sellers you can trust. We will hear from expert speakers, learn about valuable resources, and engage in helpful discussion. Being a Capable Consumer will change how you respond to social media messages and how you approach online shopping experiences for products and services big and small. You will gain confidence and clarity through six enlightening discussions.

Speaker: Susan Loyd, MA

Susan Adams Loyd is chief executive officer of Better Business Bureau serving Minnesota & North Dakota. Loyd is regarded as an expert in ethical business practices, customer service strategies, and consumer protection. She is passionate about educating buyers to be astute in their purchasing decisions and particularly in protecting themselves from fraud and deception. She is a frequent contributor to the media and panel discussions on factors that make certain consumers more at-risk. In her series The Capable Consumer, she teaches empowering techniques and practical tips to safeguard one’s identity and financial assets and to bolster acumen in knowing who to trust, especially in this online world.

Mondays, October 14th - November 18th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

“Eskimos have many words for snow.” “A language is a dialect with an army and a navy.” “Aborigines speak primitive languages.” “English has the world’s richest vocabulary.” “Children learn languages more easily than adults.” “Languages die because they are not fit enough for the modern world.” “Animals speak their own language.” You may hear many of these statements, but are they actually true? In this course, we will examine these and related beliefs about language. We will investigate what aspects of these statements are true and what aspects are false or even nonsensical. In doing so, we will explore topics including language diversity, language history, children’s language acquisition, adult language learning, animal and human communication, and much more. We will also consider where language myths come from and why they persist despite all the scientific evidence to the contrary.

Speaker: Asya Pereltsvaig, PhD

Asya Pereltsvaig, PhD received a degree in English and History from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a PhD in Linguistics from McGill University. She taught at Yale and Stanford, and has been teaching in lifelong education programs since 2010. Her expertise is in language and history, and the relationship between them. Her most recent book is Languages of the World: An Introduction, 4th edition. Pereltsvaig is a popular instructor for several OLLI programs around the country.

Wednesdays, October 2nd - November 6th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted has been called the most important historical figure that Americans know the least about. This course aims to change that by introducing the multi-faceted life, career, and legacy of Olmsted who was not only a landscape architect, but also a journalist, conservationist, farmer, and public servant. 

Five experts will lead us in an examination of the work of Olmsted and his firm, that over 100 years, literally designed the American landscape. From Olmsted’s birth in 1822 to his death in 1903, we will travel his fascinating life and career as he gathered experiences before finally settling down at the age of 43. We will travel to England with Olmsted on his influential visit to Birkenhead Park; learn more about his groundbreaking work as an undercover reporter for The New York Times; examine his design philosophy; and zero in on specific work at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition and the West.  

We will also learn about the Olmsted firm, which operated for nearly 50 years after Olmsted’s death. There, Olmsted’s sons, John Charles Olmsted and Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, carried on their father’s work and professionalized the field of landscape architecture. 2024 marks the 125th birthday of the American Society of Landscape Architects which they founded.
 

Speaker: Dede Petri, JD

Dede Petri has served as the president and CEO of the Olmsted Network since 2020. For over 30 years, she has been a leader and innovator in a wide range of nonprofit organizations. She was the 42nd president of The Garden Club of America, co-founded the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, serving as president from 2003 to 2016, and served as general counsel and congressional liaison for the National Endowment for the Humanities. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Harvard College with an AB in American history and literature, and she received her JD from Harvard Law School.

Tuesdays, October 8th - November 12th
6:00PM - 7:30PM Central 

The 20th century was a time of social and political changes that brought about varied responses in the art world. The social changes manifested during World War I and its aftermath were felt in the cutting-edge art movements that questioned the existing world order. Through the broken planes of Cubism to the jazzy images of the Harlem Renaissance, artists found their voices through varying degrees of despair in an attempt to capture the awaking spirit of the 20th century. In the aftermath of World War II, artists rallied to make sense of the changes brought about through post-war shifts in society to a new prosperity in consumerism. Through the confusing images of the Abstract Expressionists to the playfulness of Pop Art, we will explore how artists challenged and knocked down the walls of not only traditional art but the heretofore avant-garde art forms of the earlier 20th century.

Speaker: Eleanor Schrader

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures and leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She has been named a distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. Schrader is a Professor Emerita of art and architectural history at Santa Monica College. She has completed graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. She has served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the board of directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

Thursdays, October 17th - November 21st
4:00PM - 5:30PM Central 

Would you like to better understand crosswords, have greater success in completing them, increase your enjoyment of the process, and impress your friends as a cruciverbalist? Besides being fun, crosswords have been shown to improve cognitive reserve and mental flexibility. We will introduce other benefits of solving puzzles and explore the highlights of crossword history and culture. We will learn about different types of crosswords, discuss solving strategies and techniques, explore online sources and applications, and introduce the process of constructing crosswords. During each session, we will also solve and discuss crosswords as a group to improve our skills.

Speaker: Steve Weyer

Steve Weyer has been a cruciverbalist (crossword aficionado) since the 1990s. In 2002, he developed CrozzWord, a mobile app for crossword solving. Since 2010, he has been teaching crossword and other courses at the OLLI at Southern Oregon University. He also constructs crosswords for Jackson County Libraries and other organizations and publications. His first New York Times crossword debuted in November 2023. Weyer's crosswords appear weekly in Ashland.news and on his web site.

Wednesdays, October 2nd - November 6th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

This course presents case studies in the history of architecture, civil and structural engineering, and industrial design. Specific design and building types will be discussed and include: computer aided design; skyscrapers; airports and aircraft factories; space craft and launch facilities, sci-fi dreams and reality; and museums and exhibitions that deal with those and related tech subjects. In each session we will explore the past, present, and future possibilities. Those case studies will refer to design and construction technology of their eras and place them in socio-cultural and political contexts. Sessions will generally be in a pro-seminar format with each lecture followed by discussion. The course will examine instances where architecture, design, and engineering are impacted by technological advances catalyzed by rivalry and conflict -- military, political, or economic/commercial -- and overall motivations related to wealth and power as much as to design, scientific, or engineering advances.  

Speaker: John Zukowsky, PhD

John Zukowsky, PhD is an architectural and design historian with over five decades of museum experience, which includes university courses taught in Chicago, New York, and Hamburg, Germany. He earned a bachelor's degree from Hunter College and master and doctoral degrees from Binghamton University. He has been the recipient of awards from the American Institute of Architects, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the republics of Austria and France. While curator of architecture for the Art Institute of Chicago from 1978 to 2004, he organized popular, award-winning exhibitions and books. From 2004 to 2012 he served as a museum executive in Ohio, Chicago, and New York, including sites that are historic landmarks. Recently, he authored the following books: Building Chicago, Architecture-Inside Out, New Military Museums, and A Chronology of Architecture.