Center for Senior Citizens’ Education to offer short courses again this fall
The University of St. Thomas Center for Senior Citizens’ Education again will offer several short courses this fall on the university’s campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The courses are designed especially for those 55 and older and are taught by faculty members and experts from the community. The cost for each course is $60. Scheduled this fall are:
“From Ottoman Empire to Modern Middle East” will be offered from1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 6 to Nov. 15, in the auditorium of O’Shaughnessy Educational Center on the university’s St. Paul campus. Dr. John Mazis, a native of Greece who teaches Russian and European history at Hamline University, will examine the Ottoman Empire and its influence on Europe and the Middle East from the 14th to the 21st centuries.
“Media Matters: Issues in the Mass-Mediated World” will be offered from 10 a.m. until noon Mondays from Sept. 17 to Nov. 5 in Thornton Auditorium on the university’s Minneapolis campus. Seven professors from St. Thomas’ Communication and Journalism Department will examine the role of media, ethical and social issues, and what citizens can do about media content.
“Visual Arts and the Christian Mysteries” will be offered from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays from Sept. 18 to Nov. 6 in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center on the university’s St. Paul campus. Father Jan Michael Joncas, a composer, author and member of the Catholic studies and theology departments at St. Thomas, will explore how central Christian beliefs are expressed in a range of visual art.
“Voices and Visions of Ireland” will be offered from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays from Sept. 26 to Nov. 14 in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center on the university’s St. Paul campus. Eleven scholars from universities in Ireland, Wisconsin and Minnesota will look at the history of Ireland through literature, film, linguistic traditions, music, dance and more. This course is presented in cooperation with St. Thomas’ Center for Irish Studies.
“The Anatomy of Opera” will be offered from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesdays from Sept. 26 to Nov. 14 in O’Shaughnessy Educational Center on the university’s St. Paul campus. Speakers from St. Thomas, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Opera and Germany will look at where opera came from and how it has been constantly redefined to reflect the culture and era that produced it. Participants will be able to purchased discounted tickets for the Minnesota Opera’s Nov. 18 matinee of “The Italian Girl in Algiers.” This course is presented in cooperation with The Minnesota Opera.
“‘I, Claudius’: Fact, Fiction, Film and Fantasy – Part 1” will be offered from 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays from Oct. 1 to Nov. 19 in Thornton Auditorium on the university’s Minneapolis campus. “I, Claudius” originally was shown on PBS in 13 episodes in 1976. The first half of the series will be presented in this course, with commentary by speakers Dr. George Rochefort, who holds a doctorate in classics from Tufts University, and Dr. Charles Buzicky, a member of the history faculty at the College of St. Catherine.
Returning to downtown Minneapolis this fall are three “Lunch ’n Learn” programs sponsored by the Center for Senior Citizens’ Education and the Medica Skyway Senior Center.
- Mike Lynch, meteorologist for WCCO Radio, will discuss “Make the Stars Your Friends” on Wednesday, Sept. 12.
- Dr. Nicholas Hayes, author and history professor at St. John’s University, will discuss “A Memoir of My Father, Mark Hayes (1909-1956): From an Irish-American Boyhood to Architect’s Life” on Tuesday, Oct. 9.
- Hank Shea, senior distinguished fellow at the St. Thomas School of Law and former assistant U.S. district attorney, will discuss “Exploring White Collar Crime: Its Causes, Consequences and Remedies” on Friday, Nov. 9.
Each luncheon program runs from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Room 201 (the Great Hall) of Opus Hall on the university’s Minneapolis campus. Cost of each lunch and talk is $25.
The Center for Senior Citizens’ Education also offers one-to-one peer consultation services and a program that allows senior citizens to attend regular academic courses on a free, space-available basis.
For more information about the short courses or other programs, call the center at (651) 962-5188.
