Mondays, July 8th - August 12th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

Join this class to delve into the world of bugs, creepy crawlies, and anything without a backbone. Bugs are interesting, not gross (ok, maybe a little), and understanding their outlook on life can, in turn, change how we perceive the world. Based on biological principles, this course will explore these animals in our lives, society, homes, and even our bodies. Discussions and activities will be a part of every class to more deeply engage in how these creatures go about their lives. 

Speaker: Brian O'Neill, Ph.D. 

Brian O’Neill is an invertebrate biology professor and community ecologist at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. He has conducted research on a wide variety of invertebrates including: how the invertebrates of rivers of the U.S. Great Plains cope with floods; the food webs of temporary wetland communities in shortgrass prairies; and the ecotoxicology of common agricultural pharmaceuticals on wetland invertebrates. He has a productive international research initiative aimed at understanding the impact of humans on mammalian wildlife communities in South Africa, Costa Rica, Jordan, and the USA. His teaching interests include Aquatic Biology, Invertebrate Biology, Community and Introductory Ecology, and Introductory Biology for non-science majors. 

Tuesdays, July 9th - August 13th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

This course will give an introduction to film movements and some of the greatest films made (according to critics…but you can judge for yourself) from the 1920s to the 1960s. We will begin by discussing how and where films were made in the 1920s and how the filmmaking process evolved over the next 40+ years. We will also cover what to look for as you watch the films selected for the course. During weeks 2 through 6, we will watch at least one film during the week, and then during the class session will unpack the film in terms of style, story, filmmaking technique, and impact on society and culture. Over the six weeks of the course you will discover some of the best films made and learn about what makes them great. 

Speaker: Jeremy Fackenthal, Ph.D. 

Jeremy Fackenthal is an independent filmmaker and nonprofit director. In addition, Jeremy served as Director of the Common Good International Film Festival from 2019 through 2023. After completing a PhD in Philosophy of Religion and Theology from Claremont Graduate University, he began using his philosophical background beyond the academy to raise questions and craft narratives. Jeremy shot and edited a short documentary on spoken word poetry as a means of personal formation for adolescents, and he is currently working on a feature-length documentary. From making films to curating a film festival, Jeremy enjoys films as an art form, a means of expression, and of course as entertainment.

Tuesdays, July 9th - August 13th
6:00PM - 7:30PM Central 

The women included in this course were practitioners of psychoanalysis and wrote extensively about their work. These women have been selected because of the significance of their thought for psychoanalytic practice. Some of them were ostracized by other psychoanalysts and the importance of their thought may have been neglected, ignored, or forgotten, and their work may have been derogated. We will articulate what is different about the contributions of women to psychoanalytic theory. And we will concentrate on women who were considered important: Karen Horney, Melanie Klein, Anna Freud, Ana Maria Rizzuto and others. The goal of this series is to bring out the indisputable contributions of these four women to psychoanalysis and the practice of psychotherapy.

Speaker: Olivia Espín, Ph.D.

Oliva M. Espín is Professor Emerita in the Department of Women’s Studies at San Diego State University and the California School of Professional Psychology of Alliant International University. A native of Cuba, she received her BA in Psychology from the University of Costa Rica and her PhD from the University of Florida, specializing in counseling and therapy with women from different cultures and in Latin American Studies. She has done post-doctoral work at Harvard University with a fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Wednesdays, July 10th - August 14th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

There are more than 400 parks in the National Park System spanning 11 time zones. Have you ever wondered how a place becomes a park, what it takes to manage a park, or why there are so many different types of parks? Take a behind-the-scenes look at the National Parks as we reveal the laws, regulations, policies, and practices of managing these special places of American nature and history. Explore both famous and lesser-known parks and prepare yourself for your next park visit with a better understanding of fees, costs, lodging and camping opportunities, reservation systems, and best times to visit. National parks are in the news almost every day. Become a national park “insider” by learning more about these memorable places. 

Speaker: Constantine (Costa) Dillon

Constantine (Costa) Dillon is a retired National Park Service ranger and superintendent who worked in more than a dozen parks in his 35-year. His awards include the Department of the Interior’s Meritorious Service Award and the National Parks Conservation Association's Stephen Mather Award. In addition to his time working in parks, Costa was also the Chief of Training and Employee Development for the National Park Service and managed the National Park Service’s Albright Training Center at the Grand Canyon. He has a B.S. in Environmental Planning and Management (Park Option) from the University of California, Davis, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado.

Thursdays, July 11th - August 15th
12:00PM - 1:30PM Central 

American writer James Baldwin (1924-1987) may be best known as an activist and essayist, but he was also a groundbreaking writer of novels and short stories. While he was born 100 years ago, his voice sounds fresh, urgent, and relevant to our evolving understanding of what it means to be American. We will read two of Baldwin’s novels, Go Tell It on the Mountain and Giovanni’s Room, in which he explores race, religion and sexuality. We will analyze Baldwin’s unique voice and talent as a writer. Together we will discuss the ways Baldwin uses his fiction to help us understand what connects us as human beings, despite our differences. Prerequisites: Participants should be willing to read and engage with complex texts addressing challenging subjects. Required textbooks (all by James Baldwin): Go Tell It on the Mountain (1952), ISBN: 978-0375701870 and Giovanni's Room (1956), ISBN: 978- 0141032948

Speaker: Catherine Frank, Ph.D.

Catherine Frank has taught more than 60 original OLLI courses in 24 years, both as a volunteer and as director for OLLI at UNC Asheville. She holds three degrees in English from UNC Chapel Hill where she wrote her dissertation on Thomas Hardy’s poetry. She developed her interest in African American literature on her own but hopes and believes that through literature we can develop understanding for lives we do not live ourselves and by reading together we enhance our ability to understand literature and life.

Saturdays, July 13th - August 17th
10:00AM - 11:30AM Central 

The automobile has shaped the way we conduct modern life — from the way we eat our meals down to the songs we sing. It is endlessly fascinating to learn where we have come from and where we are going on our automotive journey. This couse will make relevant the impact of the automobile on our everyday lives so even those who do not tout the title of “gearhead” may enjoy the experience and walk away with more knowledge and insight into our world than they had before.

Speaker: Catherine Frank, Ph.D.

Pandora Paúl is the Curator at America’s Automotive Trust and LeMay America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington. She grew up in Southern California enjoying drives in her father’s red ’59 Convertible Corvette, her mom’s ’70 Opel GT, and cruising while in high school in her ’77 Malibu Classic station wagon. Her career has included both work and play in museum education, training, and curation. Pandora was part of the team at the San Diego Automotive Museum, creating award-winning exhibits. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Automobile Museums. She loves to showcase vehicles that have not seen before, as well as interpreting cars in unique ways that inspire conversation and create wonder and awe. She believes that automobiles are snapshots of our culture.