CSU OLLI Spring 2024 Catalog by CSU Online

JANUARY 29 – MAY 16

Spring 2024

Table of Contents Class Locations....................................................................3 Announcements................................................................. 4 How to Register.....................................................................5 Contact Information.........................................................5 Membership Info and Policies....................................6 Classes by Start Date.....................................................10 Art and Design.....................................................................14 Cultural, Domestic, and Global Affairs...............19 Health and Wellness......................................................26 History, Psychology, and Philosophy..................38 Literature and Communication............................ 46 Music, Theatre, and Film..............................................52 Nature, Science, and Technology.........................57 CSU Spur Campus Classes........................................... 70 Meet the Instructors.......................................................76 Honor Roll of Donors.......................................................92 Give the Gift of Learning..............................................93

Important Dates Jan. 8 Online-only registration opens at 8 AM Jan. 17 Spring Open House and registration, Drake Hall, 2 – 4 PM Jan. 29

Spring 2024 classes begin

March 11 – 15

CSU Spring Break – no OLLI classes

Center group photo on cover courtesy of Ken Jessen

Spring 2024 Director’s Message As we usher in a new year and a new term, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) team at Colorado State University extends a warm welcome to both familiar faces and new members joining our vibrant community every day. With over 100 courses this spring term – all designed for learners over 50 - we're excited to share another season of intellectual exploration, social connection, and the joy of learning with you. For new members, OLLI at CSU is celebrating its 18th year serving members across northern Colorado (and beyond). Initially endowed by the Bernard Osher Foundation in 2006, OLLI is a membership-driven program within the CSU Office of Engagement and Extension. We thrive on the collective enthusiasm of over 1000 annual members—individuals from diverse professions and educational backgrounds united by a shared passion for continued growth and discovery. At OLLI, learning is fun because there are no tests, quizzes, or grades and our instructors bring a lifetime of expertise to every session. You’ll soon discover OLLI is more than just a place to take classes, it is also a unique community of engaged learners who find shared inspiration and outlets for curiosity, creativity, and connection. This catalog highlights our spring 2024 lineup and features an array of in-person, online, and experiential courses encompassing the arts, cultural and global issues, history, literature, the natural world, and wellness. While we are not yet publishing hybrid offerings, we will continue to expand our online options this spring by streaming classes from Drake Hall to participants at home. Whether you're drawn to exploring new topics through lectures and discussions, engaging in learning beyond the traditional classroom through trips and experiences, or simply seeking the joy of curiosity, our diverse offerings offer something to everyone. I look forward to seeing our collective energy continue to grow and thrive this spring - at Drake Hall in Fort Collins, CSU Spur in Denver, and online through Zoom. The OLLI community is special and strong, and I’m grateful every day to get to know our members and their stories, to support our phenomenal instructors, and to be a part of a dedicated staff team. Warmly,

Meredith Naughton

OLLI at a Glance 960+ members

Diverse in-person and online program offerings:

5% out-of-state members

• Art & Design • Cultural, Domestic

100+

• Health & Wellness • History, Psychology

noncredit classes & lectures

30+ visiting instructors bonus 7 member lectures & tours

"It is a wonderful opportunity, and I am happy it is in our community!"

& Global Affairs

& Philosophy

• Literature & Communication • Music, Theatre & Film • Nature, Science & Technology

"OLLI is a great way to stay curious!"

"OLLI is the best and most fulfilling deal in town!"

What Our Members Say "I tell all my friends that OLLI is a worthwhile learning experience!"

"OLLI classes are fantastic. There is a class for every interest, and the instructors are very knowledgeable."

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Class Locations 5

Fort Collins

287

Drake Hall 1 CSU 2545 Research Drive

Downtown Fort Collins

Gillette Museum 2 C.P. 600 Hughes Way

First Presbyterian Church 531 S. College Ave.

4 14

W Mulberry St

Cooking Studio 4 The 123 N. College Ave. Lyric Theatre 5 The 1209 N. College Ave.

E Vine Dr

2 Colorado State University

E 51st Ave.

W Prospect Rd

S Lemay Ave

S Shields St

S Overland Trail

Temple Grandin Equine Center 725 S. Overland Trail

287

W Drake Rd

Na tio na lW es te rn

N Broadway

4777 National Western Dr.

Washington St

Spur Campus 7 CSU Hydro Building

Denver

287

7 E 47th Ave.

National Western Stock Show E 46th Ave.

Spring 2024 Announcements Your Choice: OLLI In-Person or Online

We are excited to continue offering 70% of the spring curriculum inperson at Drake Hall, 20% will continue to feature nationally recognized instructors presenting online classes and lectures, and another 10% will be offered in-person at the CSU Spur campus in Denver. With 120 multiweek courses, OLLI Talks, experiential tours, and OLLI member bonus activities, we think you’ll find there is something of interest for everyone.

Online Registration Encouraged

We encourage members to continue using online registration and ask that you email OLLI@colostate.edu if you need help with this process. If members cannot register online, the OLLI team will be available for limited in-person registration at the Spring Open House at CSU Drake Hall on January 17 at 2 – 4 PM. Catalogs will be available for pick up beginning January 17 at the OLLI office, 2545 Research Blvd., Fort Collins.

Spring 2024 CSU Drake Hall Public Safety

OLLI follows the COVID-related guidelines established by CSU: • COVID vaccinations are highly recommended but not required. • Masks are optional but not required on university grounds. • Stay home if exhibiting symptoms.

OLLI Monthly Email Newsletter

To receive the OLLI Monthly Newsletter, please complete the OLLI Newsletter Request Form, found under the FAQ’s on the OLLI website, or email OLLI@colostate.edu and request to be included in the email list to receive program highlights and learn about upcoming events.

Complimentary Member Bonus Activities

OLLI is pleased to continue offering the extremely popular series of complimentary bonus activities for our Spring 2024 members. This Spring, members can enjoy an on-site tour of the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity, five Drake Hall presentations on a variety of topics, and an online lecture. These activities are made possible in part thanks to your generous donations and are free to spring term OLLI members; however, space is limited, and registration is required.

How to Zoom

Are you new to Zoom or would you like a Zoom refresher? Please contact the OLLI Team at OLLI@colostate.edu to set up a personal tutorial session with one of our helpful OLLI team members.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

How to Register Jan. 8 at 8 AM Online-only registration opens Jan. 17 at 2 – 4 PM In-person registration at Drake Hall There are two ways to register online:

1 Go to www.osher.colostate.edu, select “Courses” at the top of the page, and browse the course list OR

2 Browse the interactive online catalog and select the

“Click to Register” button next to to the desired course.

To complete your registration:

• •

Click the “Add to Cart” button on each course detail page.

•

Login to your account with your email and password to complete the transaction. If you do not have an OLLI account, you will be prompted to create one.

•

After making all your course selections go to your cart and click the “Checkout” button.

Your Zoom access link(s) for online classes will be sent to you in your receipt confirmation email.

If you have difficulty with the online registration process, you may contact our OLLI team at OLLI@colostate.edu or attend the Spring Open House at Drake Hall for in-person registration.

Contact Us OLLI Online Registration www.osher.colostate.edu Comments and Questions OLLI@colostate.edu Meredith Naughton, Director Meredith.Naughton@colostate.edu Julie Braswell, Program Manager Julie.Braswell@colostate.edu Debra Madden-Derdich, Program Coordinator Debra.Madden-Derdich@colostate.edu REGISTER ONLINE AT OSHER.COLOSTATE.EDU

Membership Info and Policies About the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

The San Francisco–based Bernard Osher Foundation was started in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected business person and community leader. The Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life by supporting higher education and the arts. In partnership with the Bernard Osher Foundation, 124 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes are now located on the campuses of prestigious colleges and universities, from Maine and California to Hawaii and Alaska. Each provides a distinctive array of noncredit courses and activities specifically developed for intellectually curious adults of all ages, with special attention to “seasoned adults” 50 or better. Initially endowed by the Bernard Osher Foundation, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Colorado State University was established in 2006 and is a membership-based, self-supporting program committed to fostering lifelong learning and enriching lives. Join us and take part in OLLI’s ever-evolving educational opportunities!

Why Become a Member?

Indulge your curiosity! People who are active, engaged in their communities, and enjoy learning throughout their lives feel more productive and purposeful and are healthier and happier. There are no admission requirements, no grades, no tests, and no pressure in OLLI, but rather the opportunity to keep your knowledge of our everchanging world up to date, try new experiences, and join a community of inquisitive minds.

• Expand your experiences and engage your curiosity • Gain access to exceptional classes, lectures, and special programs • Gather with others like you who are committed to learning for a lifetime • Enjoy complimentary member bonus lectures and activities each term Join today because you’re worth it!

Who Belongs to OLLI?

Our members are people like you from all settings, professions, educational backgrounds, and places. We welcome adults of all ages – with special consideration of those fifty and better – with a desire to learn, engage, build new friendships, and actively discover more about the world around us.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Why Membership Fees?

OLLI at CSU is a member-based, member-driven, self-supporting program. Each term, a current membership is required to participate in our many exciting multi-week courses, OLLI Talks lectures, and OLLI Experiences. OLLI non-refundable membership fees include complimentary member bonus lectures and are critical to our institute’s success and sustainability. Along with course tuition and donations, membership fees provide much-needed support for the creation of dynamic, quality programming and the active lifelong learner community. For this spring term only, a generous CSU system grant has provided funding that allows individuals to register for OLLI courses offered at the CSU Spur campus without an active membership. Enroll today to see OLLI at Spur in action!

OLLI Membership

• OLLI offers two membership terms each year: Fall (September December), Spring (January - June).

• The $25 membership fee each term allows access to registration for all in-person and online courses and lectures.

• Enjoy complimentary member-only bonus activities included with your paid membership each term.

• If you are unsure of your membership status, visit the OLLI homepage. go to “My Account” and select “My Profile”. Scroll to the bottom to find your membership information. If you do not have a current membership, one will automatically be added to your checkout cart when you register for classes.

Multi-Week Courses, OLLI Talk Lectures, and Special Program Fees

• A paid membership is required to register for all courses, lectures, and special programs.

• Tuition for each course and special program varies based on the length of the course.

• Registration for each 2-hour OLLI Talks lecture is $10. • Registration for multiple courses is allowed and encouraged. • All courses, OLLI Talks lectures, and special programs enroll on a firstcome basis, subject to space availability. Waitlists are available.

• Registration continues throughout the term until the day a class or lecture begins.

Tuition Assistance

Thanks to the generosity of the Oltjenbruns Tuition Assistance Fund and the Cathy Stawarski Fund, OLLI tuition assistance is available to any new or returning member experiencing financial difficulty. If financial challenges prohibit you from enrolling in OLLI courses, you are invited and encouraged to apply for tuition assistance to help with course fees by filling out a simple Tuition Assistance Application, which can be found under the FAQs on the OLLI website.

Course Waitlists

If an online or in-person course reaches capacity, a waitlist will be available. If you register online, you will have the opportunity to directly add your name to the waitlist of any course marked full. If a course does not show up in your search, the class and the waitlist are both full. If space in a waitlisted class becomes available, you will receive an email notification and will have 48 hours to accept the invitation to register for that class. If you do not register for the class within the 48hour window, the automated system will offer the space to the next person on the waitlist.

Drop, Transfer, and Refund Appeal Policy

OLLI course and membership fees are critical to our institute’s sustainability and are non-refundable. If you need to drop a class, please visit the OLLI website to find a suitable transfer course that might better fit your schedule or needs. To arrange for a course transfer, contact OLLI staff at OLLI@colostate.edu. A full or partial refund will only be considered on a case-by-case basis and for unusual extenuating circumstances. If you feel you have a unique situation requiring a refund, please complete a Refund Appeal Form, which can be found under the FAQs on the OLLI website. Members will be asked to provide written information detailing the reason for the refund request and will be notified once a determination is reached.

Unable to Attend

If you register for a class and cannot attend, please notify our office right away. Do not offer your class seat to someone not registered for the class since we will reach out to members on the waitlist to fill that vacancy. Attendance is taken during each class period, and unregistered visitors will not be allowed to remain in the class.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Class Cancellations

If a course or lecture is canceled, OLLI staff, when possible, will provide a two-hour notice of cancellation and will reach out to all affected class members by email or phone if email is not an option. Members will have a 48-hour window to request a transfer to another course. Please check the OLLI website for alternative class options. After 48 hours, a full refund will be processed. Credit card refunds require ten business days.

Inclement Weather Days

If Colorado State University announces a weather-related school closure, OLLI classes are also canceled that day, including online classes. In the event of a snow day or emergency cancellation of a single class, OLLI staff will notify all class members as soon as practical and will coordinate with the instructor regarding a makeup date. To guarantee we can contact you in case of cancellation, please ensure your contact information is current. Email OLLI@colostate.edu if you need help updating your personal information.

Participant Guidelines

The mission of education is to promote and protect the intellectual, personal, social, and ethical development of the individual and to provide an environment that encourages reasoned discourse, intellectual honesty, openness to constructive change, and respect for the rights, opinions, and needs of all class participants without divisive, or polarizing comments. Thanks for keeping our virtual and in-person classrooms a positive learning experience for all!

Support Your OLLI at CSU

Your tax-deductible contributions are essential to support and maintain a high-quality OLLI program, allowing us to keep membership and course fees down. As a self-supporting program, OLLI depends on your membership and tuition fees as well as contributions to sustain our program. Every dollar you give makes a difference. With your contributions, we can enhance, grow, and continue to create an engaging and thoughtful learning environment. Please consider making a valued donation by emailing giftplanning@colostate.edu.

Classes by Start Date Start Class/Lecture Date

Location Pg.

1/29

2036 Art for the “Non-Artist” (Watson-Lakamp)

Drake

1/29

6083 Evolution of U.S. Policies with Native Americans (Carroll) Drake

1/29

3170 Finishing Strong: Soul and Who You Are Matters (Feller) Drake

1/29 or 4042 The Song Inside the Song (Patterson) 1/30

Drake

1/29

8060 Birthstones (Slahor)

Zoom

1/29

9027 Passport on a Plate: Italy; South America (Canepa)

Zoom

1/30

3192 Reframing Retirement (Feller)

Drake

1/30

6105 Slavery, Antislavery, & the Sectional Crisis (Danbom)

Drake

1/30 or 7001 Cinema du Jour (Merriman) 1/31

Lyric Theatre 52

1/31

6102 Middle East Is Conflict Inevitable? (Katzir)

Drake

1/31

9037 The Nuts and Bolts of Death and Dying (Rubin)

Drake

1/31

2018 20th Century: Innovations in Painting (Sharkoffmadrid) Drake

1/31

9004 ESSENTRICS® Aging Backwards (Nolan)

FPC

1/31

3202 Denmark: Land of Happiness and Hygge (Lopez)

Zoom

2/1

3121 Brain Structure and Function (Azari)

Drake

2/1

4041 Wisdom Writers (Hoffman)

Drake

2/1

3183 Mindfulness: It’s Not What You Think (Schneider)

Drake

2/1 or 1222 Who You Are Matters! Boardgame (Feller) 2/15

Drake

2/1

2020 More Drawing FUNdamentals (Marander)

Drake

2/1

7034 Hollywood Scores: A Fertile Land (Abramovits)

Zoom

2/2

6086 Brain and Religious Experience (Azari)

Drake

2/2

8067 A Home in the Trees (Cook)

Drake

2/5

3179 An Introduction to Ireland (Weisser)

Drake

2/5

9042 Navigating Chronic Conditions (Agape)

Drake

2/6

5064 Message in a Bottle (Wilshusen)

Drake

2/6

8071 All About Clouds (Schlatter)

Drake

2/6

6099 The Life and Times of Oppenheimer (Menzel)

Zoom

2/7

5005 Great Decisions 2024 (Dauth/Heckman)

Drake

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Start Class/Lecture Date

Location Pg.

2/7

4036 Red Herring (Hansford)

Drake

2/8

1241 Tour of the Gillette Museum of Arthropod (Harp/Cooke) Offsite

2/8

8034 Modern Cosmology (Friedman)

Zoom

2/9

8066 The Ornamental Landscape (O'Connor/Davidson)

Drake

2/12

9029 Coronary Prone Behavior Pattern (Alles)

Drake

2/13

1236 Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease (Grant)

Drake

2/13

2063 The Magic of Monochrome (Paylor)

Zoom

2/13

7032 The History of Rock and Roll, Pt. II (Rogers)

Drake

2/14

9048 Is it Soup, Yet ? (Canepa)

Zoom

2/15

8074 Colorado’s Glacial Landscape (Matthews)

Zoom

2/15

6103 Remarkable Stories (Rubin)

Drake

2/16

9047 Detoxing and Intermittent Fasting (Thiel)

Drake

Zoom

2/26 5066 The Presidential and Nominating Processes (Caputo) Zoom

2/27 3189 The Magical Art of Music for the Movies (Morrison)

Drake

2/27 4060 Anglo-Saxon Charms, Spells, Recipes (Wernsman)

Drake

3196 Embracing Self Compassion (Locricchio)

Drake

3/4 or 1233 Tour of the Temple Grandin Equine Center (Butler) 3/8

TGEC

3/5

4059 Short Story Workshop (Wernsman)

Drake

3/5

5069 Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Cultural and Icon (Andersen)

Zoom

3/6

3197 Considerations of Wolf Reintroduction (Crooks/Gonzalez) Drake

3/6

7037 Early Days of Film Noir (Rakowski)

Zoom

3/7

6107 Chaco and Mesa Verde (Wilshusen)

Drake

3/8

8069 Edible Gardening, Trees & Lawns (O'Connor/Davidson) Drake

3/18

8073 Insects & Mites with Cannabis Sativa (Cranshaw)

Drake

3/19

3173 En-Roads Climate Change Workshop (Mitchell/Hand)

Drake

3/19

8068 The Mighty South Platte (Gimbel)

Drake

3/20 2047 Acrylic Painting Techniques (Osmann)

Drake

2/20 4044 Today's Polarization, Sources and Solutions (Hunter) 2/21

3/4

7036 Movie Divas (Caponegro/Caponegro)

Classes by Start Date Start Class/Lecture Date

Location Pg.

3/20 2034 The Startling Story of French Impressionism (Osmann) Drake

3/20 4043 Little Songs, Praise Songs, Sorrow Songs (Leisure)

Drake

3/20 6003 Introduction to Judaism (Katzir)

Drake

3/20 5065 Everything About Presidential Elections (Ferro)

Zoom

3/21

2062 Goya: The Birth of a Modern Artist (Mencos)

Zoom

3/21

5043 Making Sense of the Soviet Century (Purath)

Drake

3/21

9028 The Power of Self-Compassion (Locricchio)

Drake

3/21

6106 Secret Weapon That Shortened the Pacific War (Hirai) Drake

3/22 8015 Wildlife as a Destination (Cook)

Drake

3/22 1215 Loose Watercolor Painting (Griggs) or 5/17

Drake

3/22 3122 Live NOW! (Barton)

Zoom

3/25 3194 CASA of Larimer County (Ryan/Montez)

Drake

3/25 1239 A Wine Tour of Italy (Hensey)

Drake

3/25 1237 Learn, Cook, & Enjoy a Traditional French Meal (O'Neill) Offsite

3/26 8057 Mindful Birding (Patterson)

Drake

3/29 3200 Chakras: Ways to Keep Your Batteries Full! (Mason)

Drake

4/1

6024 Rail Transportation in Northern Colorado (Jessen)

Drake

4/1

5028 Larimer County for Newcomers (Jessen)

Drake

4/1

3180 Perspectives on the American Civil War (Weisser)

Drake

4/1

3190 Japanese Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer (Cranshaw)

Drake

4/1

6108 A Crisis in Democracy? (Day)

Zoom

4/1

9050 Building Resilience (Robinson)

Zoom

4/2

8064 Plant Genetic Diversity (Byrne/Volk)

Drake

4/3

7038 Late Days of Film Noir (Rakowski)

Zoom

4/4

7033 Music Controversies and Curiosities (Abramovits)

Zoom

4/5

6104 Greek Goddesses: Ritual, Art, Archetype (Agape)

Drake

4/8

4061 Nature Writing: The Story of a Literary Genre (Cook)

Drake

4/9

2061 Designing & Building Small Additions (Osmann)

Drake

4/9

4054 Tricks Our Minds Play (Reiter)

Drake

4/10 3187 2nd Great American Electrification (Danforth/Hruby)

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Start Class/Lecture Date

Location Pg.

4/15 8070 Tales of 10 Insects (Cranshaw)

Drake

4/16 5070 El Arte Antiguo y Conexiones Culturales (Leeman)

Zoom

Drake

4/18 3148 Passover Seder: A Festival of Liberation (Katzir/Rubin)

Drake

4/19 1235 Forecasting Hazardous Weather with AI (Mazurek)

Drake

4/22 7035 Reel Music: Listening to Movies (Morrison)

Drake

4/23 3199 The Hidden Gifts (Grandin)

Drake

4/23 5067 Redistricting Cases in the US Supreme Court (Alper)

Drake

4/24 3135 Writing a 'Legacy Letter' (Sherwin)

Zoom

4/25 8072 Colorado Longitudinal Study (Guerrero/Schultz)

Drake

4/25 9036 Advanced Mindfulness Meditation (Hentschel)

Drake

4/25 5068 International Trade, Tariffs, & the Dollar (Olienyk)

Drake

4/26 3201 May You Be Well (Barton)

Zoom

4/30 3198 Relativism: Humanity's Path to the Moral Life (Hoffert)

Drake

4/30 8056 Hiking the Geology of Colorado's Northern (Kendrick)

Drake/ Trail

4/17

4058 Spark Your Creativity (Reiter)

5/1

3191 Gardening for Insects - or Not! (Cranshaw)

Drake

5/1

3195 The Economy and the Presidential Election (Olienyk)

Drake

5/1

5071 SCOTUS June 23 landmark Decisions (Alper)

Drake

5/6

1238 Crafting a Traditional Indian Meal (O'Neill)

Offsite

5/7

9008 Breathing with the Trees (Marchell)

Drake

5/7

6109 Tiptoe Through the Tao: An Intro to Alan Watts (Reiter) Drake

5/8

1240 Arapahoe Bend Natural Area (Carroll)

Drake/ Trail

5/10 2033 Hands On Mosaic Making & Brain Building (Walkup)

Drake

5/10 8065 Your Neighbors in the Plant World (Bayer/Pickett)

Drake/ Trail

5/10 1234 Colorado Railroad Museum Tour (Jessen)

Offsite

Drake

5/13

3181 Russia, Ukraine and their War (Weisser)

5/14 3193 Music of Freedom: History of Protest Songs (Singer)

Drake

5/16 3186 Retirement! 24/7 (Daggett)

Drake

2/13 – Additional courses at CSU Spur Campus 4/18

Denver

Art and Design OSHR 2036

Monday

Art for the “Non-Artist” - Uncovering your Inner Creativity Dates: 1/29 – 3/4 | Instructor: Paula Watson-Lakamp Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $70

Join with other like-minded people as we explore the wonderful world of creativity and artmaking. You will begin by making an art journal to hold all your creative ideas and then work with different art media and techniques each week. This course will bring out your inner creativity using watercolor pencils to ink and set you up for success in art practice. There is a little something for everyone, with no straight lines or stick figures required! Creating art can bring amazing things into your life! Not only can it reduce stress, help with mental focus, and bring joy, but it will also give you a new, exciting chapter in your life and a new way of observing and expressing feelings and thoughts. Come with an open mind, nimble fingers, and a curiosity to learn and grow.

OSHR 2063

Online

Tuesday

The Magic of Monochrome: Creating Black and White Masterpiece Photographs Dates: 2/13 – 3/5 | Instructor: Mark Payler Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online (in conjunction with DU) Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40

Explore the timeless art of black and white photography in the digital age with this intensive and comprehensive four-week course. Designed for both beginners and intermediate photographers, as well as smartphone and digital camera technology, this course will unlock the secrets to capturing stunning monochrome images that evoke emotion, depth, and narrative power. Smartphone and camera techniques, as well as post-production apps, will help the monochrome student understand both seeing and converting the world of color into one of monochromic and timeless beauty.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Back to Class List

OSHR 2061

Tuesday

The Owner-Builder: Designing and Building Decks, Sports Courts, and Small Additions

Dates: 4/9 – 4/30 | Instructor: Joe Osmann Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40 If you are considering adding a deck or small addition to your home, whether using a contractor or doing some or all the work yourself, this course will be of value. Design concepts, planning, applying for permits, basic construction techniques, appropriate tools, and safety topics will assist you in the completion of a successful project. Each participant will create a basic project design with the help of the instructor. Join a group of DIY enthusiasts and take charge of your dream project.

OSHR 2018 Wednesday

A Taste of the 20th Century: Innovations in Painting and Sculpture Dates: 1/31 – 3/6 | Instructor: Margaret Sharkoffmadrid Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60

This course will explore the art world’s dizzying changes that came fast and furious throughout the 20th century. Innovation, imagination, evolution, revolution, and the continual search for personal voice, led the artists’ charge. Picasso spoke of painting what he knew, not what he saw. Pollock believed new needs needed new methods, and Saul Bass asked, “Have you ever thought that radical ideas threaten institutions, then become institutions, and in turn reject radical ideas which threaten institutions?” The course will begin with pioneers of the century such as Matisse and Picasso, follow chronologically through the decades, and end with the installations and new media of the 1990’s. The format of the class will be illustrated lecture/discussion with optional readings.

Art and Design

OSHR 2047 Wednesday

Acrylic Painting Techniques

Dates: 3/20 – 4/24 | Instructor: Joseph Osmann Time: 9 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $100 This course will focus on a wide range of acrylic painting techniques you can apply to any subject. Topics include materials, canvas stretching, brush and palette knife effects, color mixing, and glazing. Acrylic is a very versatile medium. With instruction, it can offer many of the rich properties of oil paint with added practical advantages of its own.

OSHR 2034 Wednesday

The Startling Story of French Impressionism Dates: 3/20 – 4/24 | Instructor: Joseph Osmann Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $60

French Impressionism was the first modern artistic movement to produce works of art that reflected the world in which they lived. In the process, these artists rebelled against classical subject matter and the powerful French Art Establishment. While Impressionism is arguably the most enduringly popular art style, it was met with strong criticism as it emerged in the 1870s. Writers declared that sunglasses should be provided to protect viewers from the bright colors. One critic warned pregnant women would miscarry if they had the misfortune of wandering into an Impressionist exhibition.    This course will examine the personal stories and artistic achievements of the men and women who explored the nuances of light, form, and color that transformed how we see. Open discussions and the participants’ observations are essential features of this course.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Back to Class List

OSHR 2020

Thursday

More Drawing FUNdamentals–Bringing Out Your Inner Artist! Dates: 2/1 – 3/7 | Instructor: Carol Marander Time: 9 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $100

"I sometimes think there is nothing so delightful as drawing." –Vincent van Gogh. Take your drawing skills to the next level with this fun drawing class. Participants will learn various drawing techniques using conte crayons, graphite pencils, pen and ink, and various other drawing implements. Learn how to draw what you see. Enhance your knowledge of using line, value, shape, pattern, and repetition in your drawings. Gain skill with composition, perspective, and proportion. Examples of drawings through the ages will be presented.

OSHR 2062

Online

Thursday

Goya: The Birth of a Modern Artist

Dates: 3/21 – 4/18 (No class 4/11) | Instructor: Isidra Mencos Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 The Spanish painter Francisco de Goya y Lucientes lived in a period of intense political upheaval, civil wars and a discredited monarchy. His early work showed the influence of the Enlightenment and had a critical point of view that aimed to not only please but also educate his viewers. As time went by, the ravages of illness, war, and political repression showed in his paintings through impactful and enigmatic imagery that upended the traditional role of an artist. For Goya, art was not a way to interpret the world according to an immutable order dictated by God, but an urgent reflection on the lack of meaning in modern society. From the royal tapestries and portraits, to the incisive Caprichos, the impactful Disasters of the War and the mysterious Black Paintings, we will examine Goya's major works and his stunning evolution.

Art and Design

OSHR 1215

OLLI Experience

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Friday

Loose Watercolor Painting

Dates: 3/22 OR 5/17 | Instructor: Steve Griggs Time: 10 AM – 4:30 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $125 Join Steve for this ‘Paint Along’ class, where he will construct a painting from start to finish while you paint along with him. Steve will take you through the process step-by-step. He will demonstrate how he moves through the steps to create a loose, moving, and evocative painting. Plan to have fun, try some new painting techniques, and see what you can do when you paint with a loose watercolor style!

OSHR 2033

Friday

Hands-On Mosaic Making & Brain Building Dates: 5/10 – 5/17 | Instructor: Renee Walkup Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30

Learn the classic art of mosaic making and stimulate your active brain with creativity. Mosaic design techniques require touch, sight, spatial reasoning, color decisions, and more. Using three-dimensional materials in new and different ways, this class explores the unexpected with your own spin on your project.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs OSHR 5066

Online

Monday

Understanding the Presidential and Other Nominating Processes - Implications for the 2024 Elections Dates: 2/26 – 4/1 (No class 3/11) | Instructor: David Caputo Time: 4 – 6 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $50

Examine the 2024 presidential, vice-presidential, and congressional nominating processes and review the prior twelve months of political decision-making. The course addresses the lessons to be learned from this round of nominations and explores if the 2024 nominating process is different from prior nominating processes. Discuss what events and issues will determine the 2024 electoral outcomes at the presidential and congressional levels and consider if American democracy as we know it is safe. The course is nonpartisan and will cover a wide variety of issues. The instructor will provide the reading materials and other handouts. Class discussion and participation will be a major part of the class.

OSHR 3194

OLLI Bonus

Monday

Empowering Voices: CASA of Larimer County Date: 3/25 | Instructor: Jen Ryan and Dakota Montez Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0

CASA of Larimer County is a local nonprofit advocating for safe, nurturing, and permanent connections to family and community so children who have experienced abuse and neglect have the opportunity to thrive. This session will focus on the systems involved in child welfare, the impact of trauma-informed services, and how community members are making a positive difference for children and their families. Join this presentation to learn more about the work of CASA of Larimer County and ways you can support these efforts.

Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs OSHR 5028

Monday

Larimer County for Newcomers

Dates: 4/1 – 4/15 | Instructors: Kenneth Jessen Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $30 Larimer County for Newcomers provides three highly illustrated twohour classes as an orientation to Larimer County’s geography and topology, emphasizing the discovery of the county’s many interesting places. You will learn about establishing towns and outdoor resources such as scenic trails, natural areas, state parks, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Discover where to find some of the area’s most beautiful lakes, streams, and waterfalls. Maps to find these hidden gems will be provided. Instructor Ken Jessen may even help newcomers understand our local, confusing road system.

OSHR 5064

Tuesday

Message in a Bottle

Dates: 2/6 – 2/20 | Instructors: Richard Wilshusen Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30 In 1977, humanity sent a “message in a bottle” out into interstellar space with the launches of Voyager 1 and 2. Included with each spacecraft were gold-plated copper disks with 115 images of Earth and its place in the solar system, photos of human beings, and photos and diagrams illustrating our technologies. There were also audio recordings of the natural sounds of birds, whales, and animals, spoken greetings in 55 languages, and music from different cultures and time periods. The records were intended to be a greeting from, and introduction to, our world for intelligent life elsewhere in the galaxy. In the first class, we will consider how the golden record came into being and its contents selected; in the second class, we’ll look at how universal messages to other “cultures” can either succeed or fail; and in the third, each of us will offer a small sample of what we would include in the way of universal greetings to another culture or a distant world. What would be on your “golden record?

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 5069

Online

Tuesday

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Date: 3/5 – 4/2 (No class 3/12) | Instructor: Lauren Andersen Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 Join Lauren Andersen for an examination of the Late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Lauren will discuss the many contributions Justice Ginsburg made to the legal landscape, including her work as an advocate for gender equality, her role as the co-founder of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, and her opinions on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court. Her early influences will also be discussed. Clips from the documentary RBG will be shared and discussed - you may have seen the film, but this talk will cover much more!

OSHR 5070

Online

Tuesday

El Arte Antiguo y Conexiones Culturales de las Culturas Zapoteca, Teotihuacána, Mixteca y May Date: 4/16 – 4/30 | Instructor: Hugh Leeman Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

Sumérgete en el rico y complejo arte y patrimonio cultural de los zapotecas, teotihuacanos, mixtecas y mayas. Exploraremos estas culturas únicas pero interconectadas, arrojando luz sobre sus logros artísticos, creencias religiosas y estructuras sociales, desde la arquitectura y las urnas funerarias zapotecas hasta los murales de Teotihuacán y los códices mixtecos, pasando por la astronomía maya y nuevas investigaciones sobre la sociedad maya. Prepárate para ser asombrado por la profundidad del antiguo Mesoamérica mientras nos encontramos con rituales, dioses y emperadores que cambiaron el mundo.

Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs OSHR 3202

Online

OLLI Talks

Wednesday

Denmark: Land of Happiness and Hygge

Date: 1/31 | Instructor: Sandy Lopez Time: 11:30 AM – 1 PM | Location: Online (Hosted by Penn State) Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10 Descended from the fearsome Vikings, the people of this small Nordic country are among the most successful and happy in the world. Hygge, the Danish experience that includes the secrets to happy living became part of American popular culture in the 2010s. This class will explore the history and societal and cultural reasons why the citizens of this small Scandinavian country have kept their top-three ranking for more than a decade.

OSHR 5005 Wednesday

Great Decisions 2024 Part 1

Date: 2/7, 3/6, 4/3, and 5/1 | Instructor: Jerry Dauth and Karen Heckman Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 22 participants | Cost: $65 Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on World Affairs and is part of the Foreign Policy Association. The purpose of this course is to introduce participants to critical foreign policy issues and to have open, respectful discussions on our collective future in this interdependent world. During each session, we will watch a video presentation covering one topic: (1) Mideast Realignment, (2) Pandemic Preparation, (3) NATO, and (4) Climate Technology and Competition, and then discuss the issue presented. Participants will be encouraged to prepare for the discussion each month by reading the assigned chapter from the Great Decisions 2024 Briefing Book* based on that month’s topic. This course seeks to enable participants to grow in their awareness and understanding of US foreign policy and global issues by adapting culturally and maintaining the ability to cooperate across diverse backgrounds. Great Decisions Part 2 will be offered in the fall of 2024 and will cover the remaining topics in the Great Decisions 2024. *Participants should pick up a copy of the Briefing Book from the OLLI office and familiarize themselves with the first chapter prior to the first class. The book is included in the course tuition.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 5065

Online

Wednesday

Everything You Wanted to Know About Presidential Elections but Were Afraid to Ask Dates: 3/20 – 4/3 | Instructor: Greg Ferro Time: 11 AM – 12:30 PM | Location: Online (Hosted by Penn State) Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

On November 5th, Americans will be voting in a presidential election. What do you know about the election process, and will you be ready for November 5th? As the title of this course indicates, we will spend time on your questions. One topic to be covered is the Electoral College. Questions to discuss are: Will there be a third party in the 2024 election? Who will the Republican nominee choose for their vice-presidential running mate? What is the importance of presidential debates? Join us for this timely and interesting discussion.

OSHR 5067

Tuesday

Beginners Guide to the Chaos of Redistricting Cases in the US Supreme Court Date: 4/23 – 5/14 | Instructor: Richard Alper Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40

This course will consider the wild, woolly, and unpredictable world of Congressional redistricting and gerrymandering by state legislatures. Through the lens of the Constitution’s election clause, the 14th Amendment, and the 1965 Voting Rights Acts, we will look at issues such as racial and partisan gerrymandering and the diluting and inflating impact of such gerrymandering on individual voters. The course will start with background cases in the US Supreme Court from 1946 to 2019. Then, it will take an in-depth look at two cases from Alabama and North Carolina decided in June of this year, followed by a pending case from South Carolina argued in October of this year before the Court. The course will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, leaving ample time for thoughtful participation and discussion.

Cultural, Domestic & Global Affairs OSHR 3195

OLLI Talks

Wednesday

The Economy and the Presidential Election Date: 5/1 | Instructor: John Olienyk Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

When asked about what he saw as the main issues during the presidential election campaign in 1992, James Carville, who was a strategist for Bill Clinton, famously said, “The economy, stupid!” and that phrase became the mantra for the successful Clinton campaign. We are once again in a position where an incumbent president must deal with voter sentiment on this issue going into an election. We will briefly review the relationship between economic conditions and presidential election outcomes over the past several decades and examine how current economic conditions and perceptions of the direction of the economy might influence the outcome in November.

OSHR 5071 Wednesday

A Review of Two US Supreme Court Landmark Decisions (June 23): Student Debt Forgiveness and Affirmative Action Dates: 5/1 – 5/15 | Instructor: Richard Alper Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

Through PowerPoint presentations and ample class discussion, this course will review two Major Supreme Court decisions of the term just ended in June of this year: a) Biden vs. Nebraska, the student debt forgiveness case, and b) Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard University. We will review a few major cases leading up to these two decisions and touch upon new and old doctrines, including separation of powers, equal protection, strict scrutiny, and the major question doctrine.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3148

OLLI Talks

Thursday

Passover Seder: A Festival of Liberation for All Date 4/18 | Instructors: Rabbi Hillel Katzir and Nina Rubin Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $15

Rabbi Hillel Katzir and Nina Rubin once again offer the opportunity to experience the stories and prayers of the Jewish festival of Passover. The festival and its ceremonies not only commemorate the biblical freeing of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt; it also insists that no one is completely free until all are free. Unlike at an actual Seder, no meal will be served, but some symbolic foods will be offered.

OSHR 5068

Thursday

International Trade, Tariffs, and the Value of the Dollar on the Foreign Exchange Market Dates: 4/25 – 5/2 | Instructor: John Olienyk Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20

While nationalist leaders around the globe have been pushing for restrictions to free trade in recent years, a recent report from the International Monetary Fund states that growing protectionism could make the world less resilient, more unequal, and more conflict prone. In this course we will examine this issue by first analyzing the US balance of trade and current US trade policy, then extending the analysis globally. The analysis will include a discussion of the major factors determining the value of the dollar on the foreign exchange market since about half of world trade is denominated in dollars, even though the US share of global trade is less than 10%.

Health & Wellness

OSHR 9027

Online

Monday

Passport on a Plate: France’s Greatest Wine Regions; Italy, South America Dates: 1/29 – 2/12 | Instructor: Larry Canepa Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

Travel with Chef Larry Canepa as he takes you on a visual, culinary tour of Italy, France, and South America. Learn about Italy’s incredible monuments, fascinating history, artistic masterpieces, centuries-old architecture, and renowned cuisines of Rome, Florence, and Venice. Explore the prestigious wine regions of France, including Bordeaux, Burgandy, and Loire Valley. Hear about world-famous wines, vineyards, elegant gardens, gorgeous châteaux, lush landscapes, fine produce, cheeses, and magical recipes. Finally, fly down to South America to sample the cuisine of Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, and the mysterious Lima, Peru, where South American cuisine blends African, Spanish, and Portuguese cultures and foods to present travelers with unforgettable culinary experiences.

"OLLI offers informative, entertaining, worthwhile classes and opens up the opportunity to learn about subjects I would not necessarily explore on my own."

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3170

OLLI Talks

Monday

Finishing Strong: The Good Life, Role to Soul and Who You Are Matters Date: 1/29 | Instructor: Rich Feller Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Aging well requires practice, connections, and embracing life as “a challenge in search of joy.” Age doesn’t dictate the way you live. Quality of life is lived individually, not as a group, and we’re learning much about life design, HEROICg Mindsets, and the 3I’sUA Formula. Translating research and lived experiences while exploring powerful questions can “nudge” us to focus on “what’s next” possibilities in daily living and beyond. Uplifting mini-lectures, video clips, and short, fun, and experiential activities can remind us how we all matter!

OSHR 9042

Monday

Navigating Chronic Conditions: Companioning Ourselves and Others Dates: 2/5 – 2/26 | Instructor: Amy Agape Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40

In a culture that routinely presents a narrow, fixed view of health, persons experiencing chronic illness face extensive challenges, many of which are disregarded, misunderstood, and even invisible. Yet, if we live long enough, each of us will navigate a chronic condition, whether physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. Far from being an interruption in our life, such a condition can provide a potent portal through which we can grow in new and surprising ways. This course weaves together current neurological data with ancient wisdom to support participants in both exploring their own chronic conditions and learning to journey with others through theirs. We will begin by deconstructing any ideas, beliefs, and fears we hold about chronic illness and scrutinizing the ways these may impact our ability to navigate such conditions. We will then introduce embodied mindfulness techniques to aid in our examination of companioning/being companioned, the place of grief and loss throughout chronic illness, and the role of identity in learning to live with a chronic condition.

Health & Wellness OSHR 9029

Monday

Coronary Prone Behavior Pattern: A CognitiveBehavioral Group Discussion to Prevent and Manage Self-Induced Stress Dates: 2/12 – 3/25 (No class 3/11) | Instructor: Wes Alles Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60

This course focuses on a cognitive-behavioral group approach designed to prevent and manage self-Induced stress. Coronary prone behavior pattern was identified in 1956 by Dr. Meyer Friedman, a cardiologist in San Francisco who observed a common behavioral pattern that placed individuals at significant risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, premature death, and personal and social risk factors that led to a substantial loss in one’s quality of life. The cognitive-behavioral curriculum presented in this course is evidence-based and has been highly rated by both corporations and the military as an approach to managing stress.

OSHR 3196

OLLI Bonus

Monday

Embracing the Mindful Art of Self-Compassion Dates: 3/4 | Instructor: Jo Locricchio Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $0

Participants will gain an overview of how self-compassion has been misunderstood, the power & benefits of Mindful Self-compassion, and how we can help to eliminate burnout and empathy fatigue while gaining a sense of fulfillment and happiness simultaneously.

"OLLI allows you to continue to use your mind and to interact both with like-minded people and with those not like-minded, so you continue to grow."

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 1237

OLLI Experience

Monday

Bon Appetit - Learn, Cook, and Enjoy a Traditional French Meal Dates: 3/25 | Instructor: Trish O’Neill Time: 1 – 4 PM | Location: The Cooking Studio Class Size: 16 | Cost: $100

Whether you spend your days crafting delicious creations in your kitchen or simply wish to broaden your cooking horizons, you’ll enjoy this culinary experience. Are you ready to cook a delicious meal with a professional chef guiding you? Come in and learn cooking skills as you prepare a delicious meal, and after you eat, you don’t have to do the dishes! The classic French menu will include gougeres, chicken Provençal, mustard roasted potatoes, and chocolate soufflés.

OSHR 1239

OLLI Experience

Monday

A Wine Tour of Italy

Dates: 3/25 – 4/22 | Instructor: Christopher Hensey Times: 4 – 6 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $160 Wine enthusiasts are invited to join sommelier Chris Hensey for a fiveweek survey of the wines of Italy. Bottles from Tuscany, Piedmont, Puglia, Sicily, and other regions will be sampled while their unique aspects are presented and discussed in an informal atmosphere. Cheese and crackers will be provided. One class will be devoted to a structured, step-by-step analysis of wine. Please bring four wine glasses to each session and come prepared with a sense of oenoadventure.

Health & Wellness

OSHR 9050

Online

Building Resilience

Monday

Dates: 4/1 – 4/22 | Instructor: Katherine Robinson Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 Faced with the challenges of life, you may wonder: How hard will this hit me? How soon will I recover? And most importantly, how can I help myself? In this course, Katherine will teach you about learning how to flow with life’s challenges by synthesizing neuroscience, intuitive medicine, psychology, and subtle energy techniques to build your inner sense of resilience.

OSHR 1238

OLLI Experience

Monday

A Taste of India: Crafting a Traditional Indian Meal Date: 5/6 | Instructor: Trish O’Neill Time: 1 – 4 PM | Location: The Cooking Studio Class Size: 16 | Cost: $100

Whether you spend your days crafting delicious creations in your kitchen or simply wish to broaden your cooking horizons, you’ll enjoy this culinary experience. Are you ready to cook a delicious meal with a professional chef guiding you? Come in and learn cooking skills as you prepare a delicious meal and, after you eat, you don’t have to do the dishes! This traditional Indian menu will include green bean and chickpea poriyal, classic butter chicken, simple spiced basmati rice, mango panna-cotta.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3192

OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Reframing Retirement: Using Time, Building Community, Finding Awe Date: 1/30 | Instructor: Rich Feller Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Personally defining, intentionally exploring, and enjoying retirement with others seems wise. It helps us move from the costs of “private perfection.” Many aim “to retire” and soon learn that “getting through retirement” is equally as important. This session is for those seeking or within retirement with the goal of reframing it to better understand the relationship of time usage and finding joy. Engagement and connecting with community, appreciate how belonging helps us navigate a lifetime of life role transitions. Within a safe and structured set of fun activities, you’ll complete (1) a tool to explore preferences needed to enjoy retirement, (2) a card sort to expand and prioritize preferred leisure activities, and (3) small group discussions about finding “awe” and its power to elevate us. It promises to bring a smile and remind us that we no longer need to change or fix others to be happy. This material complements and does not replicate the “Finishing Strong” or “Who You Are Matters!” sessions offered this term.

OSHR 9008

Tuesday

Breathing with the Trees - The Health Benefits of Walking Among Trees Date: 5/7 – 5/14 | Instructor: Madeline Marchell Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $20

The Health Benefits of Walking Among Trees is easy and fun. Connect with your own nature by spending time in nature. Whether it is a short walk, looking out the window at greenery, or gazing upon indoor plants, nature heals. You will learn the healing properties of various species, guided imagery for your walk, and how to share energy and breathing with trees practice.

Health & Wellness OSHR 9004 Wednesday

ESSENTRICS® Aging Backwards Dates: 1/31 – 3/6 | Instructor: Terry Nolan Time: 10 - 10:55 AM OR 11:05 AM - Noon Location: First Presbyterian Church Class Size: 24 | Cost: $45

ESSENTRICS® is designed to restore and maintain mobility in joints, flexibility in muscles, relieve pain, and stimulate cells to boost energy, vibrancy, and the immune system. Using music to cue movement, it’s a dynamic full-body stretch and strengthening program created by Miranda Esmonde-White, author of Forever Painless and the New York Times bestseller Aging Backwards. This class will include workouts for OLLI members who are moderately fit and whose doctors approve of their exercising, along with a discussion about posture, everyday alignment, and how ESSENTRICS® keeps our minds and bodies active.

OSHR 9037 Wednesday

The Nuts and Bolts of Death and Dying: What You Need to Know Before You Need to Know it. Date: 1/31 – 2/14 | Instructor: Nina Rubin Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30

We are told that all that is guaranteed in life are death and taxes. Sadly, despite the inevitable fact of death, most people remain woefully unprepared when the time comes, leaving their surviving loved ones to make decisions under the worst possible conditions. This class will address your questions and concerns and help prepare you with the information you need to make informed decisions in advance. The course will cover end-of-life concerns, advanced directives, options for final disposition, costs, and laws and consumer protections in place.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 9048

Online

Wednesday

Is it Soup Yet?

Dates: 2/14 – 2/21 | Instructor: Larry Canepa Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20 From Albondigas to Zuppa, we’ll explore the fundamentals of soup making and taste the world’s greatest soups. Chef Larry P. Canepa is a Certified Culinary Educator with a dynamic, innovative & engaging style that incorporates food history, culinary arts, education, and ‘foodtainment’ into every program. Each presentation is a fun experience, including analyses of the historical, social, and cultural aspects of food and culture. Chef Larry believes in the Farm-to-Table approach to food, education, and dining and works closely with local farmers, growers, and food artisans to create a delicious and informative food experience.

OSHR 3183

OLLI Talks

Thursday

Mindfulness: It’s Not What You Think! Date: 2/1 | Instructor: Sue Schneider Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Our busy thoughts can be our constant companions, creating stress in body and mind. We can learn to turn down the volume by bringing mindful awareness to our active minds. Mindfulness is a practice, set of attitudes, and way of being that supports our ability to choose how to be in relationship with our mind. The implications are profound as we learn how to use our minds to train our brains for the good! In this workshop, we will explore fundamental mindfulness principles and practices that can help us see our minds more clearly, stabilize the flow of activity, and rewire our brains through positive neuroplasticity.

"My favorite thing about OLLI is that it offers the opportunity to continue using your mind and to interact with others. "

Health & Wellness OSHR 1222

OLLI Experience

Thursday

Who You Are Matters! Discovery Experience and Boardgame Dates: 2/1 OR 2/15 | Instructor: Rich Feller Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Spark meaningful conversations around the question, “What’s next for me?”. Using a safe and highly structured board game to discuss what really matters to you, enjoy deeper conversations, laughter, and personal feedback with (3-5) fellow game players. Generate specific possibilities for your future and receive encouragement to take inspired action. You’ll finish with a personalized statement and a feeling of clarity and confidence about your “what’s next.” Who You Are Matters is more than a game...it’s your life! See video at onelifetools.com/pages/whoyou-are-matters

OSHR 9028

Thursday

The Power of Self-Compassion

Date: 3/21 – 4/4 | Instructor: Jo Locricchio Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30 Self-compassion is different than Self-Care. In this class, you will discover what new research is uncovering about self-compassion and how many of us have not realized many of the benefits. Benefits like increasing our sense of well-being, increasing our optimism and simultaneously reducing depression, fatigue, and stress. It takes practice to observe and honor all that we do for others and even more practice to learn how to fill our tanks back up and avoid empathy fatigue; giving us full capacity to thrive in our daily lives! Please join me in this restorative, compassionate practice.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 9036

Thursday

Advanced Mindfulness Meditation

Dates: 4/25 – 5/16 | Instructor: Margit Hentschel Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40 This course offers a variety of advanced mindfulness practice tools for diverse audiences and contributes to stress reduction and relaxation, increased focus and concentration, and overall well-being. This course will build on mindfulness meditation practices offered in Fall 2023 and previous years. Newcomers are welcome, too. Sessions will focus on mindfulness meditations with attention to compassion practice and objects like patience, generosity, mental clarity, and death. We’ll also engage in Qigong mindful movement. New mindfulness practices will be introduced each week, in addition to reviewing the previous week’s experiences. Participants will be invited to engage in 20-30-minute “hands-on” guided practices. A group Q&A and sharing will follow each practice for collaborative learning. If you have an existing meditation practice you are interested in expanding or wishing to begin in a deep dive, please feel free to join this class.

OSHR 3186

OLLI Bonus

Retirement! 24/7

Thursday

Date: 5/16 | Instructor: Suzie Daggett Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $0 Retirement can be a big life change, resulting in excitement or confusion. Find ways to make retirement fit you for a better life.

Health & Wellness

OSHR 9047

Friday

Detoxing and Intermittent Fasting Date: 2/16 – 3/8 | Instructor: Christy Thiel Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40

Learn how to make your metabolism flexible, burn fat, reduce inflammation, and prevent disease. This 4-week class is a metabolic fire hose but will give you the tools to increase energy, insulin sensitivity, and your innate immune system.

OSHR 3122

Online

OLLI Bonus

Live NOW!

Friday

Date: 3/22 | Instructor: Jane Barton Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $0 It’s time for us to realize that with age comes an incredible opportunity to experience an EXTRAordinary life! In the first half of life, our focus is often on family and career — giving priority to the needs and desires of others. As our families mature and our careers plateau, questions arise that tickle the imagination and prompt serious reflection. Who am I? What ignites my passion? What do I choose to do with my life? Who do I choose to become? This is the gift of aging — utilizing the wisdom derived from the first half of life to engage and explore the challenging questions prompted by significant life changes. Granted, many of the transformations prompted by aging are uninvited and disconcerting. However, with every ending, there’s the possibility of a new beginning, a new way of being in the world. So, let’s choose to live an EXTRAordinary life — right NOW! What are we waiting for?

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3200

OLLI Bonus

Friday

Chakras: Practical Ways to Keep Your Batteries Full! Date: 3/29 | Instructor: Erika Osmann Mason Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $0

Having low energy is something many of us complain about, especially as we get older. Oftentimes, we charge only one or two of our seven batteries. For example, you can excite your mind with interesting information and warm your heart by spending time with people you love. However, the need for energy can come from any of our seven energy batteries, and most of us get into energy habits that leave parts of us feeling unfulfilled, low, and even continually drained. Finding balance is important for energy management. This free introduction will provide information about all seven energy batteries, and practical strategies to keep energized.

OSHR 3201

Online

OLLI Talks

Friday

May You Be Well

Date: 4/26 | Instructor: Jane Barton Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10 Regardless of age, human beings long for a fulfilling, life-giving existence. This is achieved by having an overall sense of well-being, evidenced by flourishing. According to experts in the field of positive psychology, recognizing and sharing our gifts with the world enhances the lived experience for one and all. We flourish! In order to live in full bloom, a bit of groundwork is required. It doesn’t just happen. So, let’s consider how the various aspects of well-being (mind, body, and spirit) serve to enhance our ability to flourish.

History, Psychology & Philosophy OSHR 6083

Monday

Evolution of US Policies with Native Americans: An American Elegy Dates: 1/29 – 3/4 | Instructor: Brian Carroll Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

Popes, Queens, Presidents, Generals, Citizens! Did they affect US Policies regarding Native Americans? This class will take a deep dive into history, looking for answers. Along the way, we will look at historical figures such as Preacher Colonel John Chivington and Lawyer Colonel William O. Collins to see how these figures managed their responsibilities and US policies.

OSHR 3179

OLLI Talks

Monday

An Introduction to Ireland and its History Date: 2/5 | Instructor: Henry Weisser Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

This course will be an introduction to Ireland, its people, its culture, and its often-troubled history.

OSHR 6024

Monday

Rail Transportation in Northern Colorado Dates: 4/1 – 5/6 | Instructor: Kenneth Jessen Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $60

Develop a deeper understanding of the first modern transportation system and its contribution to the economic success of north-central Colorado and an appreciation for the complexity of this critical industry in our region. Through a series of lectures and a guided virtual tour of historic depots and car barns, you'll discover the impact of eight regional railroads.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OLLI Talks

Monday

Some Perspectives on the American Civil War Date: 4/1 | Instructor: Henry Weisser Time: 1 – 3 PM Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

The American Civil War was the great epic of American History. Debates about its origins, its leaders, and the myth of the lost cause continue. They will also continue in this class. Participation is encouraged.

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Online

Monday

A Crisis in Democracy? Lessons From the Past and Present Dates: 4/1 – 4/22 | Instructor: Jared Day Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 This set of 4 lectures examines one of the central concerns of many Americans today: are we living through a crisis in our basic democratic system of government? We will be exploring this question through two historical cases and an examination of contemporary developments here in the 21st century. We will examine the origins of the world’s first democracy in Athens in the 5th century BCE and the reasons for its decline. We will then examine the rise and fall of the democratic government of Weimar Germany between 1918 and 1933. We will also give close attention to the rise of “illiberal democracy” since 1991 and how most democracies today are experiencing flirtations with authoritarianism, neo-fascism, and other severe challenges to the essential checks and balances of a democratic state.

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OLLI Talks

Monday

Russia, Ukraine, and Their War Date: 5/13 | Instructor: Henry Weisser Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

This course addresses questions about the fundamental nature of Russia and Ukraine. What are the recurrent themes in Russian history? What are the similarities and differences between these two nations? Who are famous Ukrainians? What is the nature of their war?

History, Psychology & Philosophy OSHR 6105

Tuesday

Slavery, Antislavery, and the Sectional Crisis Dates: 1/30 – 3/5 | Instructor: David Danbom Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

Slavery is the greatest blot on the history of the United States, and the Civil War that resulted from slavery was its greatest crisis. This class will explore slavery and the antislavery movement that ultimately led to slavery’s end.

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Online

Tuesday

OPPY: The Life and Times of J. Robert Oppenheimer Date: 2/6 – 2/20 | Instructors: Don and Kay Menzel Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30

Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, known as Oppy by his colleagues and friends, was a brilliant theoretical physicist who unlocked the secret of splitting the atom (nuclear fission). This profound accomplishment led to the development of the atomic bomb that ended WWII. Despite this achievement, he faced public circumstances that caused significant political and personal turmoil. This class will examine his complex life and troubling times.

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OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Relativism: Humanity’s Path to the Moral Life Date: 4/30 | Instructor: Robert Hoffert Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

This talk is based on two major premises - that humans have great difficulty accepting their limitations and that relativism is the framework that brings together human limitations and personal responsibility. Various forms of authoritarianism and perfectionism ignore or deny human limits and lead to grotesque impositions, self-righteousness, inertia, and/or escapism. Relativism will be defined, explained, and illustrated as the foundation for humanity’s moral life.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 6109

Tuesday

Sailing through the Tao: Introduction to Tao Philosophy and the Writings of Alan Watts Dates: 5/7 – 5/14 | Instructor: Kate Reiter Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20

“This is the real secret of life— to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now— and instead of calling it work, realize it is play.” Never calling himself a guru or teacher but rather a “spiritual entertainer,” Alan Watts nevertheless was an influential 20th-century teacher/philosopher instrumental in bringing the spiritual ways of the East to the Western World. He insisted on teaching Zen with a light and humorous touch, in keeping with the true spirit of Zen. Kate Lyn Reiter is a humorist and actor who follows up her popular OLLI talk on “The Spirituality of Humor” with this light-hearted introduction to the Spiritual Ways of Zen and Tao, drawing from the Alan Watts book, TAO: the Watercourse Way, as well as his many radio lectures and Zen stories.

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Wednesday

Middle East Geography and History: Is Conflict Inevitable? Dates: 1/31 – 3/6 | Instructor: Rabbi Hillel Katzir Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60 The history and geography of the Middle East have led to conflicts throughout recorded history, from biblical times to the present. We will look at how the geography and the history of the region have contributed to so much conflict and discuss whether those factors have created an environment in which long-term peace is unlikely or impossible.

History, Psychology & Philosophy OSHR 6003

Wednesday

Introduction to Judaism: Everything You Always Wanted to Know but Didn’t Have a Rabbi to Ask Dates: 3/20 – 4/24 | Instructor: Rabbi Hillel Katzir Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $60

Judaism has been the origin of many ideas that influenced the Western world far out of proportion to the size of the Jewish People. This class will examine some of those ideas, the role they play in Judaism, and how they have impacted the world at large.

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OLLI Experience

Weds. or Thurs.

Arapahoe Bend History and Tour

Class Date: 5/8 | Instructor: Brian Carroll Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 15 | Cost: $30 Tour Date: 5/15 OR 5/16 Tour Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Arapahoe Bend Natural Area From prehistoric and historic Native Americans to early Fort Collins trappers, to early settlers like George Strauss and stay-behind Fort Collins soldiers, to the importance of our area in Colorado water laws, this area is rich with traces of our past. Join local historian Brian Carroll for an in-depth examination of this beautiful and important natural area. Listen to the stories. Investigate the remains. Learn about the past.

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Thursday

Remarkable Stories - Wisdom from the Other Side Date: 2/15 – 3/7 | Instructor: Nina Rubin Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40

When loved ones pass, we are left in an emotionally and spiritually vulnerable state. Many people experience encounters with their loved ones either in dreams, signs, or visitations. These experiences serve as a delivery system for meaning. Join Nina Rubin, LCSW, and learn how sharing end-of-life stories can bring healing and new perspectives. Many people have stories that carry wisdom that can be useful in better understanding our lives and our relationships. Come share your stories and experiences in a safe place and find the wisdom hidden there.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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Thursday

Intertwined Histories: Chaco and Mesa Verde

Dates: 3/7 – 4/4 (No class 3/14) | Instructor: Richard Wilshusen Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $40 The archaeology of the American Southwest is dominated by the histories of two great centers of influence, Chaco and Mesa Verde. Outwardly, the two cultures look very different from one another. When we think of Mesa Verde, we visualize the cliff dwellings and great pueblos in southwestern Colorado. In contrast, Chaco Canyon is exemplified by a dozen immense multistory pueblos, or “great houses,” within a 14 km stretch of a very dry canyon in northwest New Mexico. Yet over a 700-year period each region shapes the history of the other as the political center of gravity swings between one and then the other. Accounts of both places are found in the oral histories of the Native peoples of the Southwest and influence how these groups conceive of themselves. Over four classes, we will try to untangle this history and then tie it back up so that we can see it as a whole.

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Thursday

The Pacific War Secret Weapon That Possibly Saved a Million Lives Dates: 3/21 – 4/4 | Instructor: L Stuart Hirai Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

During World War II, little was known about the nearly 6,000 Americans of Japanese descent who served in the U.S. military and in the militaries of our allied forces. On the home front, this “secret weapon” faced prejudice, war hysteria, and incarceration in internment camps. This class is an American story that recounts the contributions of a disenfranchised minority. On March 8, 1972, Executive Order 11652 was signed by President Richard M. Nixon. This Executive order paved the way for Americans of Japanese descent to speak freely for the first time about their military experiences during the war in the pacific. This course will highlight how the experiences and discoveries of these Americans helped to end the war sooner rather than later. Students will learn that “Ancestry is not a crime.”

History, Psychology & Philosophy

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Thursday

Making Sense of the Soviet Century Dates: 3/21 – 4/25 | Instructor: Sally Purath Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

Those who lived during the Cold War will remember when the Soviet Union was considered to be the Evil Empire and America’s deadliest enemy. Are they still? We will examine the major players and events of the Soviet twentieth century, focusing on Karl Marx, Nicholas II, Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, and ending with Gorbachev. We will begin with the two Russian Revolutions and end with the fall of the Wall. We will also look at what communism actually was and how it was twisted, plus communism in American history.

OSHR 6086 Friday

The Brain and Religious Experience Dates: 2/2 – 3/8 | Instructor: Nina Azari Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

This course will consider the question: “What’s going on in the brain when someone reports having a religious experience?”. Included will be information on basic brain structure and function, religious vs. other types of experience, and a popular hypothesis about the involvement of the brain and religious experiences.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 6104 Friday

Greek Goddesses: Ritual, Art, and Archetype Dates: 4/5 – 4/26 | Instructor: Amy Agape Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $40

Bright-eyed Athena. Heavenly Aphrodite. Strong-voiced Artemis. Fairhaired Demeter. Far from static, one-dimensional metaphors, these powerful beings were viewed as forces that governed all life forms and the earth itself during antiquity. They were vibrant components of daily life, sometimes companions to humans, sometimes adversaries, always present. We have lost a fullness of understanding their significance to the lives of people in pre-classical and classical Greece. We also may have lost their potential significance to us. This course will consider these four female deities by studying their principal sanctuaries to learn about the rituals held there and what they may have meant to practitioners of the day. We will further our exploration by examining their portrayal in ancient visual and literary arts. Finally, we will ponder if there might be anything for us to discover from these goddesses and the archetypes they represent – about our own lives, our drives, and our values.

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OLLI Experience

Friday

Colorado Railroad Museum Tour

Date: 5/10 | Instructor: Ken Jessen Time: 9:30 AM – 4 PM | Location: Colorado Railroad Museum Class Size: 30 participants | Cost: $75 The Colorado Railroad Museum in Golden is ranked number two among railroad museums in the United States and includes equipment and history spanning over one hundred years. Within this tour of its 15-acre site are over 100 locomotives, passenger cars, and freight cars. Both standard-gauge and narrow-gauge equipment are represented. It is also an operating railroad with several fully restored steam locomotives and a functional roundhouse with a hand-operated turn table. Within its 1880-era depot are several displays recounting Colorado’s rich railroad history. NOTE: This tour is not suitable for those with limited mobility because it requires walking up to a mile throughout the museum grounds. Transportation to the museum will be provided by a CSU charter bus. Please bring a sack lunch.

Literature & Communication

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Monday or Tuesday

The Song Inside the Song: Danusha Lameris as Muse Dates: 1/29 – 3/4 OR 1/30 – 3/5 | Instructor: Veronica Patterson Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 15 | Cost: $70

Using poems by Danusha Laméris, we’ll discover what’s meant by the song inside the song. How do her poems engage and surprise readers—and how can they inspire us as writers? Each week we’ll write in class, and course members will receive writing prompts each week. We’ll focus on how using Laméris’s poems can deepen our writing. New writers are welcome.

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Monday

Nature Writing: The Story of a Literary Genre Dates: 4/8 – 5/13 | Instructor: Kevin Cook Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

Several national surveys rank nature writing as America’s second most popular literary genre, outranked only by the fiction genre of novels. State and national surveys also reveal that wildlife-watching as a personal pursuit now generates more revenue with a more substantial economic impact than hunting and fishing combined, hence the term “ecotourism.” And the concept of “master naturalist” has grown and now includes national certification. These details reveal that Americans obviously enjoy Nature. This class will trace the history of nature writing as a literary genre and establish specific criteria by which to assess good nature writing from bad nature writing.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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Tuesday

How Could They Believe That - Today’s Polarization, Sources and Solutions Dates: 2/20 – 3/19 (No class 3/12) | Instructor: Bill Hunter Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $40

Both the participants and the instructor of last spring’s “How Could They Think That? Understanding Today’s Polarization suggested that the topic needs more time. This four-session expanded program will examine how we become polarized, how that polarization tends to intensify, the impact of intense polarization on our nation, community, and individuals, and what steps we can take to reduce polarization by opening our minds to explore creative solutions to extremely complex and difficult problems.

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Tuesday

Anglo-Saxon Charms, Spells, Recipes, and Remedies Date: 2/27 – 3/5 | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $20

The early English people faced numerous hardships and difficulties in their lives, such as the threat of water-elf disease and swarms of bees. Many of these obstacles were managed with “spells,” combinations of herbal remedies, holy items, religious prayer, or repeated chants. This class will explore the wonders, the absurdities, and the science behind Anglo-Saxon cures and remedies.

"OLLI members are fortunate to have so many highly qualified specialists available to teach the classes."

Literature & Communication OSHR 4059

Tuesday

Creative Writing: Short Story Workshop

Dates: 3/5 – 3/26 (No class 3/12) | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $30 Everyone has a story inside of them; let’s get yours on paper! This workshop will focus on helping you unlock your inner muse. Together, we will focus on the craft of short story writing, honing narrative, word choice, voice, and many other technical aspects. Classes will include in-class writing prompts, sharing work in large and small groups, and constructive feedback to help you in your writerly goals.

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Tuesday

Tricks Our Minds Play

Dates: 4/9 – 4/16 | Instructor: Kate Reiter Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20 From optical illusions to confirmation bias, our brains are always fooling us. We’ll take a tour through Daniel Kahneman’s groundbreaking book, Thinking Fast and Slow. Why does the brain resist self-doubt and give us overconfidence? How can holding a warm cup of coffee before interviewing someone give you a better impression of them? Will wearing a lab coat help you perform better when you take a test? All the Games our Brains can play! A light-hearted look at a serious topic, we’ll explore cognitive biases and hopefully come to see ourselves with more understanding and humor.

"The OLLI program is one of the bright spots in the intellectual and social scene in the Fort Collins area."

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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Wednesday

Red Herring Book Club

Dates: 2/7, 3/6, and 4/3 | Instructor: Nancy Hansford Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30 Crime fiction lovers are invited to discuss three assigned mystery books. The titles cover a wide variety of authors. Participants are emailed five questions two weeks before each session to consider the upcoming mystery novel. The class meets once a month for three months. Reading List:

• Resurrection Walk by Michael Connelly – February 7 • Track of the Cat by Nevada Barr – March 6 • World of Curiosities by Louise Penny- April 3 OSHR 4043

Wednesday

Little Songs, Praise Songs, Sorrow Songs Instructor: Chloé Leisure Dates: 3/20 – 4/24 Time: 1 – 3:30 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $90

In this class, we will explore three poetic forms: the sonnet, the ode, and the elegy. The sonnet comes from the Italian sonetta, or “little song”. The word ode comes from an ancient Greek word for song or chant. And elegy comes from Greek elegos, a lament for the dead. We will read and discuss modern/contemporary adaptations of each form in search of inspiration and guidance to write our own sonnets, odes, and laments. New writers welcome.

Literature & Communication OSHR 4058

Wednesday

Spark Your Creativity

Dates: 4/17 – 4/24 | Instructor: Kate Reiter Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $20 Want to be more creative? Want to silence the inner critic that stops you before you begin? Want to get into the mental state of “Flow”? Now’s the time to start - or continue - or complete that creative project you’ve had on the back burner of your mind. Creativity is not something you “have” but a WAY of doing! Kate Lyn Reiter’s experience as a comedian, playwright, and actor will lead you to discover and practice exercises that ignite your creativity. Drawing on the insights of Stephen Nachmanovitch’s book, Free Play: Improvisation in Life and Art, we will have fun with exercises that include journaling, free-writing, and improvisation play. Come and connect with your inner sense of play. Whether your creative project is writing, painting, music, cooking, photography, or life itself, you will kick-start your endeavor and learn how to keep going. “Life is the Art; Art’s just the way to balance the madness and joy of each day.”

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Online

OLLI Talks

Wednesday

Writing a ‘Legacy Letter’

Date: 4/24 | Instructor: Jay Sherwin Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 20 | Cost: $10 A legacy letter (also called an “ethical will”) is a written document that allows you to share your life lessons, express your values, and transmit your blessings to future generations. A legacy letter is shorter than a memoir, typically just a few pages. Writing one is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for your family and friends. This online workshop includes discussion and brief writing exercises to help you examine your life history, explore your values, and capture important insights. It offers advice, encouragement, and a model structure to help you draft and complete your own legacy letter.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 4041

Thursday

Wisdom Writers

Dates: 2/1 – 3/7 | Instructor: Sara Hoffman Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60 Join us in exploring the enchanting world of storytelling. For six weeks, we’ll learn about various components of the craft, study essays by authors who excel in those components, and then write our own tales. You can create your own prompts or use one of many provided in class. Here’s your chance to put into words a childhood memory or describe an event that changed your life. You’ll have the opportunity to write in class, but you may find yourselves polishing your work at home. Each week, class members will have the chance to share their stories. We’ll all share our best writing at the end of the six weeks. (Also optional, although odds are you’ll be in the mood by then.)

"OLLI provides a fantastic learning opportunity and social interaction with motivated students."

Music, Theatre & Film OSHR 7035

Monday

Reel Music: Listening to Movies

Dates: 4/22 – 5/13 | Instructor: Michael Morrison Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 Film music is one of the most powerful and least understood elements of cinema. In this stand-alone course, we’ll explore the art of film music and how it enriches the experience of watching a movie. So you can appreciate the effects of film music (and to encourage discussion), we’ll watch and listen to clips from films dating from the birth of cinema to the late 20th century. Some have been modified so we can compare a scene with and without music or with the “wrong” music. We’ll go behind the scenes at the creation of film music using interviews with composers as they discuss their creative process, constraints under which they must function and the challenges of being part of a filmmaking team. Finally, we’ll focus on long-term composerdirector collaborations such as Stephen Spielberg’s with John Williams and Bernard Herrmann’s with Alfred Hitchcock. This course is designed to give you insight into and an appreciation of the unique role music plays in your moviegoing experience. Hopefully, it will kindle a desire to listen closely the next time the credits roll, and the music invites you to new worlds and new adventures.

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Tuesday or Wednesday

Cinema du Jour

Dates: 1/30 – 3/5 OR 1/31 – 3/6 | Instructor: Joannah Merriman Time: Noon – 3 PM | Location: Lyric Theatre Class Size: 30 | Cost: $110 Come enjoy a series of six films and post-film discussions in the comfort of the NEW Lyric Cinema Café, 1209 N. College Avenue. The class will gather at The Lyric to watch a selection of movies with unique storylines and observe filmmaking techniques that often vary from the standard studio fare; however, this is not intended to be a filmmaking course. After each cinematic adventure, you’ll be able to discuss these thought-provoking films together. Movies may be subtitled and carry various ratings. Your theater ticket and a small popcorn are included in the course cost.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 7032

Tuesday

The History of Rock and Roll, Pt. II: 70s–80s

Dates: 2/13 – 3/26 (No class 3/12) | Instructor: Jack Rogers Time: 4 – 6 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $60 Join Jack for an examination and facilitated conversation on the history of rock and roll and the popular music forms that grew out of it, splintering out of the psychedelic era into a myriad of styles. The course will examine the individual decades, iconic personalities, and the cultural contexts of the artists, the music, and the individual time periods from the 70s through the 80s.

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OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Lights! Camera! Music? The Magical Art of Music for the Movies Date: 2/27 | Instructor: Michael Morrison Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

Since the birth of cinema in the 1890s, music has been an essential element of the movies. During the early silent film era, musical accompaniment provided by live performers in each theater was necessary to mask the clatter of the projector. Soon, however, improvements in projector design (and soundproofing!) eliminated this necessity. But film music did not go away. With every passing year, from The Great Train Robbery (1903) to Oppenheimer (2023), film scores have become increasingly important. They also have become increasingly popular. In 1977, the double-LP soundtrack to Star Wars sold over 1,000,000 copies and appeared on the 1977 Billboard top-20 list. But why? After all, nearly every film strives to represent the world realistically. What business does music have playing in the background? The intent of some pieces is that the audience does not notice them. So, what are they doing in the movie? How does film music work, anyway? How does it enhance your viewing experience? We’ll investigate these and other questions using extracts from interviews with famous composers along with audio and visual clips from wellknown movies. You need no specialized knowledge of music or cinema, just curiosity and a love of film. I hope you’ll leave this course with a heightened awareness and appreciation of film music, the motion picture art that is heard but not seen.

Music, Theatre & Film

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OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Music of Freedom: History of Protest Songs in America Date: 5/14 | Instructor: Deborah Singer Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $10

This course will provide an overview of music used in the Civil Rights, Labor, and Anti-War Movements in mid-20th Century America. Deb will teach with her guitar. Participation, in the form of singing or strumming along (lyrics and chords provided), is welcome but not required.

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Online

Movie Divas

Wednesday

Date: 2/21 – 3/27 (No class 3/13) | Instructors: Sam & Candy Caponegro Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $50 What is a MOVIE Diva? There are many attributes that define “Diva,” and we will discuss them all with clips of the multi-talented, larger-thanlife divas of motion pictures. Join us on Zoom as we watch and dissect some of the performances of Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Ruby Keeler, and many more. You’ll be “Ready for your close-up” at the end of the course. If you liked our Broadway Diva class, you will love our Movie Diva class.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 7037

Online

Wednesday

Early Days of Film Noir

Date: 3/6 – 3/27 (No class 3/13) | Instructor: Brittney Rakowski Time: 1 – 2:30 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30 Film noir, a crime genre with a distinctive black-and-white style, appeared mostly in America for only about 20 years in the mid-20th century, but it has had a lasting impact on American film and television ever since. From Double Indemnity (1944) to Strangers On A Train (1951), it engaged with some of the most important questions of modernity right after the Great Depression and into the postwar years. We will study film style, literary adaptations, influences on modern films, and more to explore why early film noir still resonates with audiences today.

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Online

Wednesday

Late Days of Film Noir

Date: 4/3 – 4/17 | Instructors: Brittney Rakowski Time: 1 – 2:30 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30 Film noir, a crime genre with a distinctive black-and-white style, appeared mostly in America for only about 20 years in the mid-20th century, but it has had a lasting impact on American film and television ever since. From Double Indemnity (1944) to Strangers On A Train (1951), it engaged with some of the most important questions of modernity right after the Great Depression and into the postwar years. We will study film style, literary adaptations, influences on modern films, and more to explore why late film noir still resonates with audiences today.

Music, Theatre & Film OSHR 7034

Online

Thursday

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Hollywood Scores: A Fertile Land for Immigrants Dates: 2/1 – 3/7 | Instructor: Emanuel Abramovits Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60

As doors were closing in Europe in the 1930s, they were opening in America despite the Great Depression. Students will discover how immigrants, some of them escaping the Nazi regime, created the Hollywood music that we have all loved since childhood. This lecturebased course will explore how that migration changed the landscape of American culture. Using sound and film clips, we will learn how famous scores--like those of Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, Ben-Hur, or Psycho--were written and performed. Anecdotes and stories, combined with music samples, will help us see how some composers analyzed the protagonists’ psyche, as well as the director’s intentions, and then enhanced the final product for a complete filmgoing experience.

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Online

Thursday

Music: Controversies and Curiosities

Dates: 4/4 – 4/25 | Instructor: Emanuel Abramovits Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40 Music has often been a source of controversy. In their goal for originality, musicians sometimes push the envelope too far and pay the price. Let’s analyze some of these controversial pieces of music. Some of them were revolutionary pieces that challenged established norms and created great discord. Some even created moral panics that led to cries for censorship when they were released or even decades later. It happened in classical music, pop music, and music for the stage and screen. In this course, I will use audiovisual examples of music that created public controversy and even outrage. I will complement these examples with anecdotes from my twenty years as a concert promoter.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

Nature, Science & Technology

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Online

Monday

Birthstones

Dates: 1/29 –2/12 | Instructor: Stephenie Slahor Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30 Tradition holds that there is a precious or semi-precious gem associated with each month of the year to serve as the birthstone for that month. We will explore the 12 traditional birthstones and their origins, locations, mining, processing, marketing, and care as jewelry or decorative items.

OSHR 1233

OLLI Experience

Monday or Friday

Tour of the Temple Grandin Equine Center

Dates: 3/4 OR 3/8 | Instructor: Sharon Butler Time: 10 – 11 AM OR 2 – 3 PM | Location: Temple Grandin Equine Center Class Size: 15 | Cost: $10 Many conditions of mind and body can be treated by animal-human interaction. The Temple Grandin Equine Center (TGEC) aspires to create a new home for equine-assisted service: a place where individuals with physical, emotional, and developmental challenges can heal, where therapists can treat, where students can learn, where scientists can research, and where horses can be studied, cared for, and advanced. The TGEC celebrates and elevates the horse’s role in society through the physical and emotional benefits of serving those in need. Join this tour of the TGEC to see how the facility integrates research and education to promote evidence-based practices and works for the betterment of horses and humans alike.

Nature, Science & Technology

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Monday

Insects and Mites Associated with Cannabis Sativa Plants Dates: 3/18 –3/25 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $20 Over the past decade, there has been an enormous increase in the legal production of various crops derived from Cannabis sativa. In this short period, a great deal of new information has been developed regarding the kinds of insects and mites associated with these crops, much of it done in Colorado. Problems vary greatly depending on the type of production (e.g., outdoor vs. enclosed system) and crop (e.g., flower buds, seeds, fiber). This class will review the primary insects/mites affecting various crops and present management options.

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OLLI Talks

Monday

What You Need to Know about Japanese Beetle and Emerald Ash Borer Date: 4/1 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $10

In recent years, two new insects that have serious potential to damage landscapes and gardens have become established in Colorado – emerald ash borer and Japanese beetle. Both have been spreading in the state and will become increasingly important in the Fort Collins area in the near future. This will be a review of these two insects – how to recognize them, what kinds of injury they may produce, how they live – and what can be done to best manage them.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 8070

Monday

Tales of Ten Insects

Dates: 4/15 – 4/29 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30 This course will be an in-depth discussion of ten of the more interesting or important insects that one might find in Colorado - from army cutworms (miller moths) and grasshoppers to leafcutter bees and yellowjackets. Each topic will take between 30-45 minutes, and the program is designed for 3, 2-hour class periods.

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Tuesday

All About Clouds

Date: 2/6 – 2/13 | Instructor: Thomas Schlatter Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $20 This course promises to satisfy your curiosity about clouds. Bring your interests and questions to explore clouds through photos, charts, and graphs—no math! Topics covered will include cloud naming and identification, how clouds form, what goes on inside of clouds, and the role of clouds in Colorado weather and climate.

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OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Emerging Scholar: Brain Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Date: 2/13 | Instructor: Randy Grant Time: 1 - 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Brain aging is an inescapable phenomenon characterized by various molecular hallmarks leading to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Randy will explore the overlap between brain aging and Alzheimer’s Disease and how researchers attempt to bridge the gap for a more complete understanding of brain health in old age.

Nature, Science & Technology

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Tuesday

The Mighty South Platte: Economic Engine for Colorado Dates: 3/19 – 4/2 | Instructor: Jennifer Gimbel Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30

The South Platte River provides water to 3.8 million people and to the most productive agriculture in Colorado. The South Platte River basin had an annual value of sales and services well over $250 billion a year. This course will look at the history of development and creation of unique water laws that have influenced the other Western states. Presently, population growth and climate change have increased the competition for water supplies. Environmental and recreational contributions are important and at risk. What will the future bring to the South Platte Basin?

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OLLI Bonus

Tuesday

En-ROADS Climate Simulator Workshop Date: 3/19 | Instructors: Jim Hand and Tony Mitchell Time: 4 – 6 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 participants | Cost: $0

Do you want to learn how we can mitigate Climate Change? Then, join the En-ROADS climate simulator workshop. The En-ROADS Climate Workshop is an interactive experience that helps build support for strategies to address climate change by testing the En-ROADS Climate Simulator. The resulting experience is hopeful, scientifically grounded, action-oriented, and eye-opening. Co-developed with the MIT Sustainability Initiative, the workshop is set up as an interactive group learning experience that promotes a greater understanding of the causes of climate change and the solutions essential to mitigating it.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 8057

Tuesday

Mindful Birding - Getting Excited for Spring Dates: 3/26 – 4/2 | Instructor: Barbara Patterson Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $20

This special mindful birding class will prepare us for the wonders of birding in spring. Mindful birding combines observing birds with mindfulness techniques, creating a practice that incorporates heightened awareness. Labeling or identifying birds is not the primary focus; instead, the intention is slowing down and noticing, using birds as our guides. Birds are charismatic wildlife that capture our attention and create curiosity, wonder, and awe. Deepening our experiences with nature by intentionally engaging our senses and being aware of the present moment is beneficial to our health. It is also a joyful way to reconnect with our natural world and using birds as a gateway fosters stewardship and bolsters conservation. This class will meet indoors and outside and incorporate indigenous knowledge with Western science.

OSHR 8064

Tuesday

Conserving and Using Plant Genetic Diversity Dates: 4/2 – 4/9 | Instructors: Patrick Byrne and Gayle Volk Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 40 | Cost: $20

Plant breeding depends on sources of genetic diversity to respond to challenges like climate change and evolving pathogen and pest populations. Unbeknownst to many Coloradans, the nation’s largest repository of crop genetic diversity is housed in USDA’s seed bank on the CSU campus in Fort Collins. Researchers in USDA’s National Plant Germplasm System acquire, characterize, conserve, and distribute seeds and other propagules from this collection of over 600,000 samples. This two-session course will cover the domestication of crops from their wild ancestors, methods for collecting and conserving plant genetic resources, and techniques for evaluating and using those resources to develop new cultivars. The course will include a virtual tour of the Fort Collins seed bank and a sensory evaluation of a fruit or vegetable crop to sample the flavor and texture characteristics variation.

Nature, Science & Technology OSHR 3199

OLLI Talks

Tuesday

Temple Grandin: Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions Date: 4/23 | Instructor: Temple Grandin Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 100 | Cost: $10 Join author, activist, researcher, and Distinguished Professor Temple Grandin as she discusses her recent book, Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions. With her genius for demystifying science, Grandin draws on cutting-edge research to take us inside visual thinking. Visual thinkers constitute a far greater proportion of the population than previously believed, she reveals, and a more varied one, from the photo-realistic “object visualizers” like Grandin herself, with their intuitive knack for design and problem-solving, to the abstract, mathematically inclined “visualspatial” thinkers who excel in pattern recognition and systemic thinking. She also makes us understand how a world increasingly geared to the verbal tends to sideline visual thinkers, screening them out at school and passing over them in the workplace. Rather than continuing to waste their singular gifts, driving a collective loss in productivity and innovation, Grandin proposes new approaches to educating, parenting, employing, and collaborating with visual thinkers.

OSHR 8056

OLLI Experience

Tues. or Thurs.

Hiking the Geology of Colorado’s Northern Front Range Foothills Class Date: 4/30 | Instructor: Mike Kendrick Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 15 | Cost: $60 Tour 1 Location: Lory State Park Tour 1 Date: 5/2 OR 5/7 | Time: 8 AM – 1 PM Tour 2 Location: Red Mountain Open Space (new trail) Tour 2 Date: 5/9 OR 5/14 | Time: 7:30 AM – 2 PM Field observations are the best way to learn geology. This course will consist of an introductory lecture session followed by two field sessions at Lory State Park and Red Mountain Open Space. We will discuss the geologic foundation of the foothills landscape, examine and identify rocks, and discuss resource use and geologic hazards.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3197

OLLI Talks

Wednesday

Social-Ecological Considerations of Wolf Reintroduction

Date: 3/6 | Instructors: Kevin Crooks and Mireille “Ray” Gonzalez Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10 Join faculty experts from the CSU Center for Human-Carnivore Coexistence, an institution focused on integrating transformative science, education, and outreach to minimize conflict and facilitate coexistence between humans and carnivores, to learn about the latest social-ecological considerations of wolf reintroduction. This presentation will focus on both wolf ecology and the social aspects of wolf reintroduction.

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OLLI Talks

Wednesday

The Second Great American Electrification, the Why, the How, and the Help Date: 4/10 | Instructors: Jim Danforth and Frank Hruby Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Climate change threatens our health and way of life. We have the tools and the technology to control the threat if we all work together. This course will tell you how!

Nature, Science & Technology OSHR 3191

OLLI Talks

Wednesday

Gardening for Insects - or Not!

Date: 5/1 | Instructor: Whitney Cranshaw Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 30 | Cost: $10 The benefits of improving habitat for various “beneficial” or desirable kinds of insects have increasingly been recognized. While the general principles on how this is achieved are often well known, at least for insects such as butterflies and some kinds of bees, the details of how to adapt these practices to local conditions are necessary for them to be most effectively applied. In this program, we will discuss how to build up populations of a wide range of “good bugs” that one can find in the region – from butterflies and “hummingbird moths” to various kinds of bees and natural enemies of insect pests – and what can be done to avoid a few that are less desired (miller moths).

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OLLI Talks

Thursday

Brain Structure and Function Date: 2/1 | Instructor: Nina Azari Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

This course will provide basic information on how the brain is structured and how it functions--what parts of the brain do what? The participants may acquire knowledge about their own medical experiences, including what happens when certain parts of the brain are not functioning the way they should normally.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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Online

Thursday

Modern Cosmology

Date: 2/8 –3/21 (No class 3/14) | Instructor: Ed Friedman Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: Online Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60 This class is a survey course of six 2-hour classes related to the recent revolution in cosmology and astrophysics covering:

• Our current understanding of the large-scale structure of the universe • The early universe and its production of light elements • The cosmic microwave background • The geometry of the expanding cosmos • New observational methods, including gravitational waves • Updates on the latest discoveries as they occur • Unanswered questions in cosmology and how they are being explored • New results from the James Webb Space Telescope This is not a typical astronomy class; we won’t have much to say about our solar system. We’re thinking about the big picture using material culled from recent professional journals. Lecture notes and videos will be available to students.

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OLLI Bonus

OLLI Experience

Thursday

Tour of the C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity

Date: 2/8 | Instructors: Crystal Cooke and Chuck Harp Time: 9 – 10:30 AM | Location: C.P. Gillette Museum of Arthropod Diversity Class Size: 40 | Cost: $0 Join OLLI for a tour of this fascinating CSU museum filled with nearly five million different specimens representing about 60,000 species. More than 10,000 specimens are added to the collection each year. As a large and comprehensive holding of arthropods, predominately insects, in the Southern Rocky Mountains, the collection is a major resource for regional and national biodiversity investigations. Examples of the unique quality of material include the aphids, other Homoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and all aquatic orders. The museum also serves as the repository for arthropod inventories of several National Parks, including Canyonlands, Great Sand Dunes, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountain, Dinosaur, and Yucca House, and Colorado National Monuments.

Nature, Science & Technology OSHR 8074

Online

Thursday

The Wonders of Colorado’s Glacial Landscape Dates: 2/15 – 3/7 | Instructor: Vincent Matthews Time: 9:30 – 11:30 AM | Location: Online (Hosted by DU) Class Size: 50 | Cost: $40

This course is based on the manuscript of a new book on the fascinating features and landforms found in Colorado’s glacial landscape, which is the culmination of a three-and-a-half-year journey. It will include a potpourri of some of the more interesting glacial, periglacial, proglacial, and paraglacial features explored on jaunts around Colorado.

OSHR 8072

Thursday

Biobanking, Health Equity, and the Colorado Longitudinal Study

Dates: 4/25 –5/2 | Instructors: Meredith Guerrero and Valerie Schultz Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10 Health is our most valuable currency. When we are in good health, we naturally have a higher quality of life and are able to enjoy everything life has to offer fully. For too many of us, health declines with age. New research methods are required to study the early stages of disease in order to discover better diagnostics and therapeutics. Research must be inclusive of historically marginalized and underrepresented communities so that as new discoveries are made, everyone can benefit. The Colorado Longitudinal Study (COLS) is cultivating an inclusive cohort and new research tools that we believe will accelerate research on aging while simultaneously advancing health equity. During this two-part course, you will gain a better understanding of biobanks and their role in supporting researchers who are studying healthy aging, as well as chronic and acute diseases. We will connect the current state of biobanking and innovations being implemented at COLS that are working to dismantle the barriers to participation and inclusivity that often restrict research participation. By trailblazing an innovative way to connect researchers to a diverse resource, COLS will support research about disease trajectories that make connections that can shift the health paradigm from health treatment to health prevention.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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Friday

A Home in the Trees

Date: 2/2 – 3/8 | Instructor: Kevin Cook Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60 A tree, viewed with fresh eyes and a sharper perspective, assumes the identity of a home as if it were a hotel where animals, fungi, and even other plants can check in to live their lives. Some wildlife comes and goes; some wildlife comes and stays; always, they share in common that the tree is vital to their individual lives and well-being. Through the tree, they interconnect as a community. This class will develop those fresh eyes and that sharper perspective of the trees in our lives. When the stories are told, a walk in the woods will never be the same!

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Friday

The Ornamental Landscape

Date: 2/9 – 2/23 | Instructors: Alison O’Connor and Deryn Davidson Time: 1 –3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30 This class, with Deryn Davidson and Alison O’Connor from CSU Extension, will cover approaches to landscaping in Colorado, including soil health, waterwise gardening, and a focus on native and adapted plants for the arid West. The goal is to keep landscapes beautiful and more sustainable.

Nature, Science & Technology OSHR 8069

Friday

Edible Gardening, Trees, and Lawns

Date: 3/8 –3/29 (No class 3/15) Instructors: Alison O’Connor and Deryn Davidson Time: 1 –3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $30 This class, with Deryn Davidson and Alison O’Connor from CSU Extension, will cover approaches to landscaping in Colorado, including soil health, waterwise gardening, and a focus on native and adapted plants for the arid West. The goal is to keep landscapes beautiful and more sustainable.

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Friday

Wildlife as a Destination

Date: 3/22 –4/26 | Instructor: Kevin Cook Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $60 People travel for reasons as diverse as fulfilling business needs, attending concerts, and cheering favorite sports teams; even scenery entices people to travel. Those who hunt and fish eagerly travel to expand the scope of their interests, and birding enormously elaborated the idea of wildlife as a destination for travel. Wildlife watching has become a huge and legitimate interest for recreation, education, and commerce. This class will present information about watchable wildlife at various geographic levels, including local, state, national, and international, with specific details about what to look for, when to look for it, and where to find it.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OLLI Talks

Friday

OLLI Emerging Scholar: Forecasting Hazardous Weather with Artificial Intelligence Date: 4/19 | Instructor: Allie Mazurek Time: 1 –3 PM | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 50 | Cost: $10

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we predict hazardous weather. This presentation will provide an overview of how our research group works with meteorologists across the country to build artificial intelligence-based weather products to help predict tornadoes, hail, severe wind, and heavy rainfall.

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OLLI Experience

Friday

Get to Know Your Neighbors in the Plant World

Class Date: 5/10 | Instructor: David Bayer and Rob Pickett Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: Drake Hall Class Size: 20 | Cost: $20 Tour Date: 5/17 | Tour Time: 9 – 11 AM | Location: Pineridge Natural Area Familiarizing yourself with the trees and forbs of the foothills and mountains of Colorado will enrich your outdoor walks and travels. By becoming familiar with and using a dichotomous key, you will get to know “by name” some of the more common trees and forbs of the Foothills and Mountains of Colorado. On Day One, David Bayer will introduce and explain the conifer group of plants. He will facilitate the use of a dichotomous key and practice in pairs with eleven native conifer species and add information about the animals that are associated with them so that you can develop a meaningful connection with those “neighbors.” On Day Two, Rob Pickett will lead a tour of the lower loop of Pineridge Natural Area to study spring’s emerging blooms on the short grass prairie by pointing out key forb species and their habitat. Suggestions will also be offered of various field books and websites that you can use to self-identify future blooms of your “neighbors” throughout the parade of blooms that occurs through the seasons. Armed with this new knowledge, you should become more equipped to confidently relate to the plant world around you, making them your friends and neighbors.

CSU Spur Campus Classes OSHR 2035S

Denver

Tuesday

Principles of Indian, Chinese, & Japanese Art: A Comparison Date: 2/13 | Instructor: Sally Purath Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Tour Time: 1 – 2 PM | Tour Location: Denver Art Museum Class Size: 40 | Cost: $20

This course will compare the basic principles of art in India, China, and Japan. Participants are then invited to drive to the Denver Art Museum for an hour-long tour of the Asian collection. Stops in the museum will include special pieces often missed by visitors. Museum entrance fees are NOT included with course tuition.

OSHR 3126S

Denver

Tuesday

You + Science=Better Communities: An Intro to Participatory Science Date: 2/13 | Instructor: Sarah Newman Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

Searching for answers to questions about the world is what science is all about. And there is so much we don’t know about – yet. How many bald eagle nests are there in Colorado? What will happen to bloom times as our climate warms? Where will a new crop variety grow best? These questions, and more, are just a few you can help answer through participatory science. Join us as we explore questions best answered with the help of everyday people around the world, using the techniques of participatory science (also known as citizen science). We’ll explore fascinating projects from Victorian times to the present. And we’ll introduce you to tools and techniques for jump-starting your participatory science journey – by joining an existing project or starting your own.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3138S

Denver

Tuesday

Ukraine in Context: A Historical & Personal Perspective Date: 3/19 | Instructors: John Olienyk Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

The Ukrainian people have historically lived under the rule of foreign powers for extended periods of time but have nevertheless constantly worked to preserve and develop their unique cultural and ethnic identity. The contemporary, independent, democratic nation of Ukraine was born during a period of great upheaval in Central and Eastern Europe in the early 1990s that culminated with the collapse of the Soviet Union. The reverberations from that upheaval continue today with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This course will examine the evolution of Ukraine from its very beginning, with emphasis on relevant events of the past century.

OSHR 3166S

Denver

Tuesday

The Global Impact of the War in Ukraine Date: 3/19 | Instructor: John Olienyk Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

The consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine extend well beyond the devastation wrought by the Russians on the people, infrastructure, and economy of Ukraine. Global supply chains have been disrupted, particularly in the food and energy sectors, but in other areas as well. Economic conditions in the rest of Europe, as well as in the two warring nations, have been significantly affected. Some global alliances have been strengthened, others have been weakened, and new alliances have been created. We will examine the short-term and longer-term effects of these developments from both economic and geopolitical perspectives.

CSU Spur Campus Classes OSHR 3184S

Denver

Tuesday

Longing to Belong

Date: 4/16 | Instructor: Jane W. Barton Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10 According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, human beings long to belong - to feel like an integral part of a community (family, friends, society). Fundamentally, we are relational beings. We need and want each other! But as we age, situational changes often threaten our sense of belonging as the nature and composition of our respective communities change. For example - if widowed, “we” becomes “me.” After moving, we feel like strangers in a foreign land. And if family and friends predecease us, we struggle with social isolation. So, where and with whom do you belong? Please join us to explore this question and many more. Coming together is the essential first step toward satisfying our longing to belong.

OSHR 1215S

Denver

Thursday

Loose Watercolor Painting

Date: 4/18 | Instructor: Steve Griggs Time: 10 AM – 4 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 20 | Cost: $125 Join Steve for this 'Paint Along' class, where he will construct a painting from start to finish while you paint along with him. Steve will take you through the process step-by-step. He will demonstrate how he moves through the steps to create a loose, moving, and evocative painting. Plan to have fun, try some new painting techniques, and see what you can do when you paint with a loose watercolor style! Paint and other materials will be listed in the online course description and must be provided by each participant.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 8064S

Denver

Tuesday and Thursday

Conserving and Using Plant Genetic Diversity

Dates: 4/16 and 4/18 | Instructors: Patrick Byrne & Gayle Volk Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $20 Plant breeding depends on sources of genetic diversity to respond to challenges like climate change and evolving pathogen and pest populations. Unbeknownst to many Coloradans, the nation’s largest repository of crop genetic diversity is housed in USDA’s seed bank on the CSU campus in Fort Collins. Researchers in USDA’s National Plant Germplasm System acquire, characterize, conserve, and distribute seeds and other propagules from this collection of over 600,000 samples. This two-session course will cover the domestication of crops from their wild ancestors; methods for collecting and conserving plant genetic resources; and techniques for evaluating and using those resources to develop new cultivars. The course will include a virtual tour of the Fort Collins seed bank and a sensory evaluation of a fruit or vegetable crop to sample the variation of flavor and texture characteristics.

OSHR 3182S

Denver

Thursday

Concepts of Basic Soil Science and Composting 101 Date: 2/15 | Instructor: Wilma Trujillo Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

This course will explore the basics of soil concepts and composting for homeowners, gardeners, small acreage farmers, and ranchers.

CSU Spur Campus Classes OSHR 3188S

Denver

Thursday

Colography: The Nitty-Gritty Colorado Date: 2/15 | Instructor: Kevin Cook Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

If “geography” means “documentation of Earth,” logical reasoning extends the concept to “colography” as “documentation of Colorado.” Our state sprawls across three great geologic landforms, and their blending creates mountains and plains, water drainages as well as grassland, shrubland, and treeland lifescapes. So how many mountain ranges and parks do we have, and what is a “park,” anyway? How many cactuses and orchids, owls and hummingbirds — how much life — garnishes the landscapes with distinctive lifescapes? "Colography: The Nitty-Gritty Colorado” will examine physical and biotic details of the state we call home, all with a mind for traveling to see it.

OSHR 3168S

Denver

Thursday

To Boldly Go: The Rise of the English Language Date: 3/21 | Instructor: Abigayil Wernsman Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10

English: we write it, read it, and translate it. These don't seem to be radical acts worthy of banishment, beheading, or worse. But once upon a time, they were. Discover the figures who fought for the freedom to write in English; learn the language's rich and epic past, how it brought together a nation and then nearly tore it apart. Meet the king and the monks who still impact our modern language today. Assassinations, incest, and intrigue: the battle for English will make the Game of Thrones seem tame.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

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OSHR 3183S

Denver

Thursday

Mindfulness: It’s Not What You Think!

Date: 3/21 | Instructor: Sue Schneider Time: 1 – 3 PM | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 40 | Cost: $10 Our busy thoughts can be our constant companions, creating stress in body and mind. We can learn to turn down the volume by bringing mindful awareness to our active mind. Mindfulness is a practice, set of attitudes, and way of being that supports our ability to choose how to be in relationship with our mind. The implications are profound as we learn how to use our minds to train our brains for the good! In this workshop, we will explore fundamental mindfulness principles and practices that can help us to see our minds more clearly, stabilize the flow of activity, and rewire our brains through positive neuroplasticity.

OSHR 3185S

Denver

Thursday

Starting a Home Hydroponic Garden

Dates: 4/18 | Instructors: Jake Holley and Dan Goldhamer Time: 10 AM – Noon | Location: CSU Spur Hydro Building Class Size: 30 | Cost: $30 Hydroponics is the technique of growing plants using a water-based nutrient solution rather than soil. Hydroponic production systems are used by small farmers, hobbyists, and commercial enterprises and can be created at home. Learn the fundamentals and practical knowledge needed for starting a home hydroponic garden. In addition to 2 hours of class presentation, this course also includes a workshop component where participants will go home with a starter kit. All materials are included in the course fee.

"I have told many friends about OLLI - so many exciting and affordable programs!"

Meet the Instructors Emanuel Abramovits is a Mechanical Engineer with an MBA and has been a concert promoter since 2000, directly involved in many events by international artists, including Itzhak Perlman, Gustavo Dudamel, Sarah Brightman, Roger Hodgson, ASIA, Journey, and Kenny G. He designed and staged many original orchestral events, including an Event of the Year winner and several world premieres. He served as the Cultural Director at UNION ISRAELITA DE CARACAS from 2008 to 2019, releasing books and organizing film cycles, concerts, and art exhibits. He has been teaching online and in-person since 2020. Dr. Amy Agape’s first career as an archaeologist and professor of art history and archaeology was interrupted when she encountered a rare terminal illness that led her to the terrain of actively dying three separate times. Throughout this journey, she amassed gifts from diverse wisdom traditions, teachers, texts, and spiritual practices. Her doctoral dissertation weaves together these resources in a groundbreaking work on Thanatology and Theology. A healthcare chaplain, Amy dreams of a world where all people experience the profound blessing of being companioned with loving presence. She intends to spend the remainder of her days helping to create that world. Dr. Wes Alles was a professor at the University of New Mexico for three years, Penn State University for ten years, and a Senior Research Scholar at Stanford for over 30 years. He was a Principal Investigator and group facilitator for the Meyer Friedman Institute for over 30 years and taught classes at Lockheed for ten years. Dr Alles also taught at Visa International, where the program presented in this course was offered to employees as an option within the employee benefits program. He had many enrollees take the course because their cardiologist strongly recommended it after suffering from a heart attack or stroke. Richard Alper earned his law degree with a concentration in real estate and state and local government from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is co-founder and past chair of the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County and served as co-chair of the community and public affairs section of the Maryland State Dispute Resolution Commission. He has practiced law before state and federal courts in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. This includes limited practice in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and the US Supreme Court. Lauren Andersen is the director of the Utah Judicial Institute. For two and a half years, Lauren practiced appellate law in the state of California and presented arguments to the California Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court. During this time, Lauren 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 as well as the ABA Journal. She was previously the director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah for four years.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

Dr. Nina P. Azari earned her first Ph.D. in human cognitive experimental psychology, followed by postdoctoral training and research in human brain imaging at the National Institutes of Health and in Germany. She then earned a second Ph.D. in Religious and Theological Studies, with a dissertation that studied the philosophical-theological implications of the neuroscientific study of religious experiences (specifically focused on her collaborative work investigating brain imaging and Christian religious experiences). Dr. Azari is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions (Publisher: Springer). Dr. Azari was a faculty member in the psychology department at the University of Hawaii-Hilo. Jane W. Barton, MTS, MASM, CSA, author of Caregiving for the GENIUS, is a passionate national speaker, writer, and listener. As the founder of Cardinal, LLC, she provides educational programs, books, videos, podcasts, and blogs to assist people in confronting the daunting challenges posed by aging, serious illness, and the end of life. Jane is well-versed in the areas of grief and bereavement, caregiving, hospice and palliative care, change and transition, and spirituality and health. She presents innovative, transformational programs to community members, healthcare providers, pastoral caregivers, clergy, funeral service providers, and national audiences. As a Local Aging Expert collaborating with AARP Colorado, Jane offers educational programs throughout Colorado. David Bayer has an undergraduate degree in Biology, a minor in Natural Resources, and an M.S. in Biology. He taught high school BSCS biology and Advanced Placement biology for 34 years in Appleton, Wisconsin. After retirement, David worked as a county seasonal horticulture agent for ten years, presenting horticulture topics throughout his county. Simultaneously, he volunteered for a decade as a trail guide at a local nature center. After moving to Fort Collins, he volunteered as a Naturalist and guided many interpretive hikes for the City of Fort Collins for over 12 years. David has occasionally presented continuing education talks to volunteer naturalists and natural history presentations for the Senior Center’s Front Range Forum.

*Dr. Patrick Byrne is an emeritus professor in the Department of Soil and

Crop Sciences at Colorado State University. His research has focused on the genetics of drought tolerance, disease resistance, and agronomic traits in wheat, maize, and dry beans. He currently co-coordinates a project to develop learning materials on the conservation and use of plant genetic resources.

Chef Larry Canepa has a background in the culinary arts, including teaching, hospitality management, etiquette training, wine expertise, and even a certificate of tea mastery. Larry Canepa's portfolio is as flavorfully diverse as the menus he has created for his unique food and culture 'food-tainment' classes. Larry has taught culinary and restaurant operations classes at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Phoenix and Le Cordon Bleu, Scottsdale, AZ. He is a frequent instructor for OLLI at Arizona State University.

Meet the Instructors Sam and Candy Caponegro have worked in all aspects of theater for over 40 years. They hope to keep the Classic Movie Musical and the Golden Age of Broadway alive through their lectures. Dr. David Caputo has been teaching OLLI courses for several years. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University in Political Science and has taught at Purdue University, Hunter College, Pace University (he is President Emeritus at Pace), and at Colorado State University as an adjunct. He continues to do political commentary and has extensive experience in media coverage of presidential elections. Brian Carroll retired from the FBI in 1996 after a 27-year career as a Special Agent. He has resided in Fort Collins for over 25 years and has researched various historical topics important to the area. In retirement, Brian consulted with the FBI and US State Department, furnishing instruction to foreign police managers about managing terrorist incident investigations. He helped establish the Security Management Program for the University of Denver's University College. Brian is the author of an excellent book on Fort Collins history, William O. Collins, From the Mayflower to the Rockies with Stops in Between. Kevin Cook has worked full-time as a self-employed writer-naturalist since earning his biology and wildlife biology degrees from Western State College and CSU. As a lifelong naturalist, Kevin has explored Colorado to experience its wildlife firsthand and has spent his entire adult life addressing issues between people and the natural world. Kevin writes natural history columns for newspapers and magazines, edits technical articles for scientific publications, leads wildlife observation tours, teaches various wildlife classes, and presents monthly wildlife lectures at several Colorado venues.

*Dr. Whitney Cranshaw is an Emeritus Professor of Entomology at Colorado

State University, where he has worked since 1983. During this time, he has conducted a wide-ranging Extension/Research/Teaching program with the primary focus of improving the understanding of and effective management of insects of horticultural crops (vegetables/fruits, flowers, trees/shrubs, turfgrass, hemp). Although he retired from CSU in July 2020, he has not retired from “bugs” and continues to write, speak with diverse audiences, support websites and listserv discussion groups, and conduct research on projects of interest.

*Dr. Kevin Crooks is a professor of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at

Colorado State University and the director of the Center for Human Carnivore Coexistence. His research emphasizes the ecology and conservation of mammals, often focusing on carnivores due to their sensitivities to environmental disturbances. Crooks earned a B.S. in Zoology from Colorado State University, a M.S. in Ecology from the University of California-Davis, and a Ph.D. in Biology from the University of California-Santa Cruz.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

*Suzie Daggett is constantly curious about the human condition and

loves discussing everyday life choices to live a positive, creative life. As an entrepreneur, she was a RE Broker, a publisher, an event producer, a creator of a Healthy Living Directory, a small-town TV and radio host interviewing many local healers, and an author of three self-published books. She has written articles for newspapers and online blogs on healthy living ideas, healthy aging realities, retirement life, and caregiving. As a published writer, Suzie is an award-winning author of The Pink Door ~ Moms’ Journey to the Other Side, a roadmap to assist elders in their dying process and comfort the caregiver. Dr. David Danbom taught history in college for 36 years. This course will be the seventh OLLI class he has offered at CSU. Dr. Jim Danforth is a retired Family Physician who has studied the health threat from air pollution for over 12 years. He is a member of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.

*Jerry Dauth is a longtime host for the Great Decisions program at the Fort Collins Public Library; before retirement, he was an international financial manager for projects worldwide.

Deryn Davidson, Extension Professor, holds a B.S. in Horticulture from Colorado State University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of Arizona. She is the new Sustainable Landscape State Specialist for CSU Extension. In this role, Deryn leads the Landscape for Life program and is responsible for supporting public and private efforts to create more sustainable and resilient landscapes across the state. She firmly believes our cities can serve as urban preserves with thoughtful design and horticultural practices. Dr. Jared Day, PhD, taught American history at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for sixteen years. His areas of specialization are U.S. and European political, urban, and cultural history, as well as Pittsburgh history, AfricanAmerican history, and World history from the 15th century to the present. He lectures regularly at the University of Pittsburgh’s OSHER Academy for Lifelong Learning on a broad range of historical and contemporary topics. He currently lives in Windham, CT. Dr. Rich Feller, PhD, LPC, JCTC, is Professor, Counseling and Career Development Emeritus and one of 12 University Distinguished Teaching Scholars at Colorado State University. He has served as the National Career Development Association President. He is former school, vocational, and admissions counselor and coordinator of graduate programs in Counseling and Career Development and in Student Affairs in Higher Education. His publications include three books, six film series, and over 125 articles and book chapters. He is the co-founder of the Who You Are Matters! board game, and virtual Conversations Matter experience, and the OnlineStoryteller (www. onelifetools.com). He is the Executive Director of the Career Development Network (www.careerdevelopmentnetwork.org) and lead trainer for the Job and Career Development Coach program.

Meet the Instructors Dr. Gregory Ferro teaches American history classes at retirement communities and resorts in North Carolina and throughout the Mid-Atlantic states. Dr. Ed Friedman (B.S., Ph.D. in Physics) worked for 50 years on space systems for astronomy and astrophysics, monitoring Earth's climate and related fields. He was Chief Technologist at Ball Aerospace, Technical Fellow at Boeing, Adjunct Faculty at CU Boulder, and Visiting Scientist at NCAR. While Adjunct at CU, his PhD student completed a dissertation on space telescope optical technology. He has taught college math, astronomy, and a graduate course in orbital dynamics. He consulted with NASA and the National Academy of Sciences on the next generation of space science missions. In retirement, he lectures on cosmology and related topics at various universities and cruise ships. Jennifer Gimbel has a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming, a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Delaware, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wyoming. She currently is the senior water policy scholar for the Colorado Water Center, Colorado State University. She served as the principal deputy assistant secretary for water and science in the Department of the Interior and was deputy commissioner for external and intergovernmental affairs for the Bureau of Reclamation. From 2008 to 2013, Gimbel was the director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, a group within the Department of Natural Resources that works to protect and develop the state’s water resources.

*Dr. Mireille “Ray” Gonzalez is a social and behavioral scientist with a research

background in environmental anthropology and conservation psychology. She completed her Ph.D. in 2023 in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources department at Colorado State University and previously received a B.A. in Anthropology from U.C. Berkeley and an MSc. in Primate Behavior and Ecology from Central Washington University. She has experience working with various cultural groups and animal species and a particular interest in keystone species, predators, and the human-wildlife interface. Her research aims are to explore environmental attitudes and perceptions in order to enhance community engagement in conservation and to foster a more environmentally conscious society. She has focused her research efforts on studying wolf reintroduction in CO.

*Dr. Temple Grandin is one of the world’s most accomplished and well-known

adults with autism. She has a Ph.D. in animal science from the University of Illinois and is a distinguished professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. She is the author of six books, including the national bestsellers Thinking in Pictures, Animals in Translation, and Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions. Dr. Grandin is a past member of the board of directors of the Autism Society of America. She lectures to parents and teachers throughout the U.S. about her experiences with autism, and her work has been covered in the New York Times, People, National Public Radio, and 20/20. Most recently, she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year. The HBO movie based on her life, starring Claire Danes, received seven Emmy Awards.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

*Randy Grant is a Ph.D. student and part of the Healthspan Biology Lab in CSU's Department of Health and Exercise Science. Studying chronic inflammation in the aged brain, Randy hopes to elucidate the fundamental physiology involved with its regulation and progression in disease.

*Dan Goldhamer is an expert on hydroponic plant production within

greenhouses and vertical farms. Dan Goldhamer has been working as part of CSU's extension and outreach and has years of greenhouse experience. Dan specializes in education and outreach to help local businesses and community members succeed in urban agriculture.

Steve Griggs currently has signature membership with the Rocky Mountain National Watermedia Society and the Colorado Watercolor Society. He is a member of the American Watercolor Society, National Watercolor Society, American Impressionists Society, and the Michigan Watercolor Society. Steve frequently displays and sells work in local, state, regional, and national exhibitions and galleries. He consistently wins awards in national and regional exhibits, and he has collections worldwide. His work has been featured in publications such as Southwest Art, Watercolor Artist, and The Artist magazines. Steve is a sought-after workshop and demonstration instructor with students from around the globe.

*Meredith Guerrero is the Chief Operating Officer for the Colorado Longitudinal Study (COLS). After receiving her bachelor’s degree in psychology and English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Mrs. Guerrero took a position at Bain & Company’s global headquarters in Boston. At Bain she was part of a core team that created an investment fund subsidiary. After four years, she left Bain for graduate school at New York University, where she received a master’s degree in integrated marketing, a program that focused on quantitative metrics, direct marketing fundamentals, social media, and ROI analysis by channel. Mrs. Guerrero originally intended to work in the fashion industry and held internships at Prada and Ann Taylor. However, while in graduate school, Mrs. Guerrero lost both of her parents to preventable diseases. That life-changing experience convinced her to pursue a more meaningful, fulfilling path in work and life.

Jim Hand is a retired engineer who spent his career in the energy extraction business, including coal, oil & gas, and oil sands. He held various technical, operational, and managerial positions for ExxonMobil affiliates in Wyoming, Texas, Illinois, Chile, Australia, Angola, and Canada. Since 2018, Jim has been actively involved with Citizens' Climate Lobby, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization focused on policies to address the national and global climate crisis. Nancy Hansford is a long-time freelance journalist who has worked for many Colorado and Wyoming papers. As a columnist for the Coloradoan, she brought many local authors to the OLLI class. Presently, she is pursuing her first reading of love-crime fiction and is having great fun sharing with other mystery novel readers.

Meet the Instructors *Dr. Karen Heckman, M.Ed., has been involved in Adult Education for many years and has enjoyed facilitating many Great Decisions discussions.

Chris Hensey offered Miami University’s Institute for Learning in Retirement wine-tasting courses for fifteen years, nearly as long as he operated his own shop, Main Street Gourmet, in Oxford, Ohio. He has passed the Introductory Exam for The Court of Master Sommeliers and serves as a judge for The Cincinnati International Wine Festival. He is currently the lead Sommelier for Chimney Park restaurant in Windsor. Dr. Margit Hentschel co-founded Colorado State University's (CSU) Center for Mindfulness. Margit teaches mindfulness practices in campus classrooms and community workshops. She has over 25 years of experience in sharing mindfulness practices. Margit also teaches yoga healing, Qigong movement, and meditation for adults and children and believes that a healthy mind/ body connection facilitates a more sustainable relationship with oneself and the community. She holds a Ph.D. from CSU's School of Education, focusing on Peace and Reconciliation Leadership. Stuart (Lynn) Hirai grew up as a Sansei on an irrigated farm/ranch near Adrian, Oregon, in Malheur County, where his mentors served as Nisei Soldiers from the “camps” in the Military Intelligence Service, 100th Infantry Battalion, and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. They were instrumental in shaping him into the person he is today. The Hirai’s were one of 350 families from the Portland, Oregon Assembly Center that were in the first “camp without a fence,” featured in “Uprooted” in the photographs taken by Russell Lee (Curated by Morgen Young). “Stu” went to High School in Nyssa, attended the University of Oregon, graduated from Oregon State University, and received his Master of Science degree in Hydraulic Engineering (Civil) from Colorado State University. Stu retired in 2012 as a water and power policy analyst and is currently working on a book about his Nisei mentors. Dr. Bob Hoffert, a CSU emeritus professor and dean, focused his teaching and research in political philosophy on the US political founding. His most recent publication is The 1960s Segregated South: Youth's Zeal and Aged Reflections. During this time of reactionary degeneration, Bob is renewed by the competent decency of his daughters and the zest and promise of his grandchildren. Sara Hoffman, in one way or another, has been telling stories all her life. She still has some of her earliest works from grade school, such as "The Lost Doll," with illustrations. She's a former journalist and journalism teacher. She's written a historical fiction novel and is currently creating essays for her writing group. She's taught at OLLI for eight years.

*Dr. Jake Holley is an expert on hydroponic plant production within

greenhouses and vertical farms. Dr. Holley has worked in greenhouses for over a decade with a master's from UC Davis in Greenhouse Floriculture and a PhD from Cornell University in Greenhouse Vegetable Production.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

Frank Hruby is a retired corporate attorney. He is concerned about climate change and has personal experience building and retrofitting two homes to eliminate the need for fossil fuels. He is committed to helping others learn about the benefits and help available to save money and improve health through home electrification. Bill Hunter has a B.A. from the College of Wooster, Ohio, and an M.A. from the University of Oregon. He has facilitated adult learning for over 40 years. His management consulting and training firm facilitated the learning of effective management practices. His clients include universities, professional certification programs, local and state governments, and many corporations, including IBM and Westinghouse. He founded and facilitated the first Vistage CEO Peer Groups in Northern Colorado and led those groups for 17 years. Bill has facilitated a number and variety of OLLI programs as well. Kenneth Jessen has taught OSHER classes since 2014. He worked as a journalist for Northern Colorado newspapers for over four decades and has had over 2,300 articles published during that time. He has authored 22 books on Colorado history. Jessen holds a BSEE, MBA, and postgraduate work in telecommunications technology. Rabbi Hillel Katzir has been teaching courses about the Middle East and Judaism at OLLI programs for about fifteen years and has been here at CSU OLLI since 2016. He lived in Israel for several years and has co-led tours of the country. After serving Jewish Communities in Iowa, Maine, and Colorado, he is now retired and lives in Fort Collins. Mike Kendrick worked as a petroleum geoscientist for 33 years and retired to Fort Collins in 2018. He is a volunteer naturalist with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department and a Certified Interpretive Guide. He has also led geology hikes for the Geologic Society of America, the Northern Colorado Geologists, and the Fort Collins Newcomers Group. In September of 2022, he published the book Our Geologic Heritage in Northern Front Range Foothills—A Guide to Larimer County Natural Areas. Hugh Leeman es un artista multidisciplinario y educador, enseñando historia del arte y técnica en inglés y español. Sus obras de arte se han exhibido en el Museo de Young, el Museo de la Ciudad de México y el Museo de Arte Masur. Leeman es conferencista en la Universidad de Duke, la Universidad John Hopkins y el Museo de Arte Crocker. Él cofundó aetatribes.org. Chloé Leisure holds an MA from Northern Arizona University and an MFA in Poetry from Colorado State University. A former CSU English instructor, she currently teaches community and elementary creative writing and art classes. Leisure was the 2014 Fort Collins Poet Laureate and is the author of The End of the World Again.

Meet the Instructors *Jo Locricchio has her master’s in education and is a Licensed School

Counselor (2026); she has her Mindful Teacher Certification through Mindful Schools and has completed over 300 + hours of Mindful Practice and instruction. She has her own practice, In-Visioned Coaching, LLC, where she works with clients and teams (www.invisionedcoaching.com). She is certified by Mayo Clinic/ASU in Mindfulness, Health, and Wellness. She has over 30 years of educational experience working with teens and adults as a teacher, coach, counselor, and curriculum writer and has created mindful retreat centers for her clients.

*Sandy Lopez, a retired social worker/sociologist, lived in Charleston, South

Carolina, for 25 years before moving to the State College area. She fell in love with the South Carolina Lowcountry and its history, foods, and culture, and loves to share them with others. She has also been going to Denmark since 2006, including a semester teaching American Culture as a Fulbright Visiting Lecturer. Her interest in all things Danish began when her son and his Danish wife met at graduate school in the United States. They and their three children have lived in Denmark since 2008.

Carol Marander is an artist living and working in Fort Collins, Colorado. She worked as a graphic designer at Colorado State University for many years while pursuing her fine art. Carol is a signature member of the Pastel Society of America and the Colorado Watercolor Society. Her paintings have been in numerous juried exhibitions locally and nationally. She is excited about sharing her love of drawing with her students. Madeline Marchell is a Naturalist for the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas. She leads outdoor educational hikes and Wellness Walks for the general public, seniors, and school field trips. She also leads Nature Walks and Qi Gong at the Sylvan Dale Ranch. Knowing the beauty and balance of nature provides a deep appreciation for our precious land. Spending time in nature helps you connect with your own nature.

*Erika Osmann Mason practices Occupational Therapy and Coaching in

person in Fort Collins and provides virtual Energy Coaching for people all over the world. She started practicing chakra meditations and teaching yoga in the 1990s, deepening her ongoing experiences and curiosity about her own chakra energy centers. Providing Craniosacral therapy for over 20 years, she has learned to read other people's chakra systems, even at a distance. Occupational Therapists can provide Energy Conservation interventions, and Erika takes energy management to the deeper level of the chakras so that people can have more energy for the things they love to do. She has written a blog series on Self-Care and the Chakras and shares strategies for chakra management on several platforms. She loves helping people understand their subtle energy and helping people understand the "woo-woo" in ways that are tangible, practical, and fun!

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

*Dr. Vince Matthews retired as State Geologist and Director of the Colorado

Geological Survey in 2013. Vince received Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Geology from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He holds Outstanding Alumnus Awards from both institutions. Vince taught at seven institutions of higher education and served as an executive in four publicly held natural resource companies. Matthews is a Senior Fellow in the Geological Society of America where he served as General Chair of the 125th Anniversary Meeting in 2013. He is the author of Messages in Stone: Colorado’s Colorful Geology and recently finished the manuscript for Land of Ice: Jaunts into Colorado’s Glacial Landscape.

*Allie Mazurek is a Ph.D. student in the CSU Department of Atmospheric Science. She studies how we can use machine learning to predict and understand hazardous weather. In her free time, Allie enjoys hiking, skiing, and hanging out with her cat, Luna. Dr. Isidra Mencos is the author of Promenade of Desire—A Barcelona Memoir. She holds a PhD in Spanish and Latin American Contemporary Literature from the University of California, Berkeley, where she taught Spanish language, literature, culture, and creative writing. Her essays and articles have been published in Diálogo, WIRED, Chicago Quarterly Review, Front Porch Journal, The Penmen Review, Stirring Literary Journal, and elsewhere. Originally from Spain, Isidra lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Don Menzel is an emeritus professor at Northern Illinois U. with a Ph.D. in political science at Penn State University. Kay Menzel has a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and taught elementary public school for several years. She had a second career in local government, serving as Deputy Supervisor of Elections in Florida. She taught classes for 15 years in the OLLI program at the University of South Florida. Joannah Merriman, M.A., is a writer, community educator, and retired psychotherapist. Her lifelong fascination with books, music and film continues to feed her curiosity for adventures with words, sounds, and images. She has been an Osher/OLLI instructor, teaching writing workshops and film exploration for over 15 years. When she is not traveling, she lives quietly in Fort Collins with her partner, Neil Petrie, their Golden Retriever, Kali, and two cats, Oscar Wilde, and Sappho. Dr. Tony Mitchell held various technical, commercial, and change management positions in his 21 years at BP before becoming a full-time professional trainer and coach. Tony has 20 years of experience designing and delivering programs to help leaders, teams, and individuals improve their performance, focusing on safety and quality, mainly in the Oil and Gas sector. He has a BSc. in Materials Sciences from Imperial College, London, and a DPhil in Chemistry from Oxford University.

Meet the Instructors *Dakota Montez became involved as a CASA Volunteer in 2019. He was one

of the only adult role models for the youth he was appointed to and saw the youth through 15 placement changes over the course of 2 years.Dakota was inspired by his time as a CASA and became a Case Supervisor to mentor and guide other volunteers. With an abundance of experience, and an immense passion for CASA’s mission, Dakota now spreads awareness and recruits volunteers as Community Engagement Manager.

*Dr. Michael Morrison was the David Ross Boyd Professor of Physics and

General Education of the University of Oklahoma (OU) until he retired in 2010. There, he carried out and directed physics research and indulged in his first love, teaching. During his 40 years in the Physics Department, in addition to teaching obligatory physics classes, he taught courses on literature and film, created a workshop on writing for scientists and engineers, and developed a multi-course curriculum on Science in Contemporary Culture, for which he was awarded the 1997 Medal for Excellence in Teaching. After retirement, he abandoned physics to concentrate on his passions: cinema, literature, writing, and film music. In addition to two physics texts, he has written countless book reviews, many essays, and two books on the literature of the fantastic–the topic of a series of courses he offered in the OU OLLI program. Finally able to live somewhere he wanted to, he moved in 2017 to Fort Collins, where he resides with his husband Gordon and the world’s most adorable cat, Tina.

*Sarah Newman has a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point

and a M.S. from Florida State University. She is a CSU research associate helping organizations design successful community and participatory science programs to answer challenging questions. A wildlife biologist turned invasive species ecologist turned participatory science researcher, Sarah combines her love of natural resources with her passion for people to look for ways to build stewardship capacity in communities across the globe. Sarah has worked with hundreds of project teams, from hyperlocal to global, and they've all reminded her of how critical people are to any research endeavor. Sarah currently serves as Director of Operations for CitSci.org, a global online platform for participatory science hosted at Colorado State University's Natural Resource Ecology Lab.

Terry Nolan loves that ESSENTRICS® makes other activities she enjoys easier. She holds a Level 4 ESSENTRICS® Instructor Certification and worked as an editor with the team that revised its instructor training manuals. Her teaching style is mindful and fun as she guides you through dynamic full-body strength and flexibility workouts that move with a curated playlist. She is certain that OLLI members who do so much to keep their minds active will love this fitness program that brilliantly does the same for their bodies. Dr. Alison O'Connor, Extension Professor, is the Colorado State University Extension horticulture specialist in Larimer County. She's been with Extension for 19 years. Alison coordinates the Larimer County Master Gardener program and assists homeowners and industry with horticultural questions. She attended Iowa State University and Ohio State University, majoring in horticulture, and completed her Ph.D. at Colorado State University in 2014.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

Dr. John Olienyk earned his Ph.D. in economics at Colorado State University. Subsequently he served for 37 years as a faculty member there, first in the Department of Economics, then in the Department of Finance and Real Estate. His research in economics and international finance has been published in various academic journals, and he has served as a consultant for several multinational firms. He has also served as an expert witness in legal proceedings, specializing in matters involving international finance and investments. John also has substantial international experience. He taught in MBA programs in France and Russia and participated in a faculty exchange program involving universities in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Serbia, and Russia. Joe Osmann, M.F.A., is a retired college professor and artist who has studied and taught studio art and art history for forty years. He is an active acrylic painter whose approach emphasizes the creative process from idea development to the finished painting. Instruction is student-centered and interactive. He enjoys researching the hidden connections and concepts that drive cultural and artistic expression. Dr. Barbara Patterson has over thirty years of experience teaching forestry, wildlife, and ornithology in an experiential field program at Front Range Community College. She also teaches sit spots, bird language, and wilderness awareness, combining indigenous knowledge with Western science. She is involved with the Fort Collins Audubon Society, is a part-time educator for the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, and is the author of a mindful birding journey booklet for cancer patients. Veronica Patterson’s poetry collections include How to Make a Terrarium (Cleveland State, 1987); Swan, What Shores? (NYU Press Poetry Prize, 2000), Thresh & Hold (Gell Prize, 2009), & it had rained (CW Books, 2013), Sudden White Fan (Cherry Grove, 2018), and two chapbooks. She was Loveland's first Poet Laureate.

*Mark A. Payler is a practicing Colorado landscape, street, and travel

photographer. With over four-and-a-half decades of photography and teaching experience, Mark’s work has been highlighted in the landmark book, A Day in the Life of America as well as the featured double-page photo spread in the 50th anniversary issue of Popular Photography magazine. Mark’s Route 66 travel photography was also presented in a feature photography and portfolio-style spread in Route magazine. Mark has extensive travel and photography experiences in Italy, Great Britain and Wales, Costa Rica, Jamaica, New York City and various locations in the American Southwest, the greater Yellowstone National Park and throughout Colorado.

Meet the Instructors *Rob Pickett has been leading natural history hikes since the mid-1980s. Rob

was a member of the first graduating class in the University of Virginia’s Environmental Science degree program in 1974. After nearly a decade with the Environmental Protection Agency preparing Environmental Impact Statements and serving as Regional Coordinator of Endangered and Threatened Species, he spent the next 20 years as Supervisor of the gardeners and greenhouses at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Active with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, he became the first Club Naturalist and was honored as Volunteer of the Year in 2003. Currently, he leads hikes for the city of Fort Collins, Larimer County, and the northern chapter of the Colorado Native Plant Society. Sally Purath earned a B.A. in Social Sciences and an M.Ed. at Colorado State University. She taught humanities, history, and language arts for 26 years, specializing in the history and humanities of India, China, Japan, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. She also taught Russian, World, and U.S. history as well as philosophy in the International Baccalaureate program.

*Dr. Brittney Rakowski is a Lecturer in the College of Arts and Sciences at

the University of Oklahoma. Her research and teaching interests include twentieth-century American literature and film, gender studies, and rhetoric.

Kate Lyn Reiter, an MFA graduate of the YALE School of Drama, is an accomplished comedian who has worked in the New York City area and now resides in Northern Colorado. As an Award-Winning Public Speaker, Kate brings a light-hearted touch to all of her classes. She continues to deliver engaging keynotes on Bringing Humor to Life and conducts Comedy Workshops focused on "turning adversity into an asset." Katherine Robinson majored in psychology and anthropology at the University of Vermont. She also did graduate training in mental health counseling and is certified by the McLean Meditation Institute (AZ) and Yoga Body. She recently became a certified Brain Longevity Therapist through the Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation. Her passions are teaching meditation, breathwork, and energy techniques to calm the body & grow new neurons in the brain. She loves to explore the healing vibrations of sound. Jack Rogers has worked in the performing arts for over 30 years. During that time, he has been an artist, an advocate, a tour manager, a festival producer, and a venue director. Jack received his BFA in Acting with a minor in dance and a concentration in music from Long Island University at CW Post and multiple awards for his performance work both professionally and academically. He received his MPA in Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University. Jack’s interests include multi-disciplinary collaboration, event management-safety and security, advocacy, and performing arts programming. Jack is a member of Actor’s Equity of America, Americans for the Arts, the International Association of Venue Managers, and the Western Arts Alliance. Jack currently provides administrative, artistic, and operational leadership to The Lincoln Center, a multi-venue events facility and Northern Colorado’s largest performing arts presenter, and serves as associate faculty for the LEAP Institute for the Arts at Colorado State University.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

Nina Rubin has been a Jewish educator for more than 40 years. She has been teaching nationally on topics of Women's Torah, spiritual practice, and Jewish death practice for over 30 years. Nina has lived in Fort Collins for 43 years, working in medical social work and interfaith initiatives.

*Jen Ryan is the Executive Director at CASA of Larimer County (CLC). For over

35 years, CLC has worked with children impacted by trauma and neglect. CLC provides direct, trauma-informed services such as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Family Time, and Trust Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®). TBRI® is a trauma intervention designed to meet the needs of children with early developmental trauma. Jen is a TBRI® Practitioner and has served as a CASA Volunteer.

*Dr. Tom Schlatter spent most of his career with NOAA, working to incorporate

weather observations from many sources (surface stations, ships, ocean buoys, upper air balloons, aircraft, radars, and satellites) into computer prediction models. This work contributed to what is called the Rapid Update Cycle, an operational system that generates hourly analyses and shortrange predictions of surface and upper atmospheric conditions. He was heavily involved with the NOAA Profiler Network of upward-looking radars that measure winds at various levels from the surface to five miles up and in planning for North American upper air observing systems. He held several posts at what is now NOAA’s Global Systems Laboratory: branch chief, division chief, and acting director, for six months in 2004. He retired from government service in 2004 and worked part-time with CIRES, a Cooperative Institute between NOAA and the University of Colorado. He retired from CIRES in 2009 but kept a desk as a volunteer at the Global Systems Laboratory until 2017 when he retired for good. He wrote a question-and-answer column about weather and climate for Weatherwise magazine for 37 years and has been taking cloud photographs since his college days.

*Dr. Sue Schneider is a medical anthropologist, integrative health coach,

certified mindfulness instructor, and author of two books. She has been teaching mindfulness programs to students of all ages in university and community settings for over a decade. As an Extension Professor and State Health Specialist, Sue leads community health and wellness initiatives with Colorado State University’s Office of Engagement and Extension. Her latest book is titled Meeting the Moment with Kindness: How Mindfulness Can Help Us Find Calm, Stability, and an Open Heart.

*Valerie Schultz is the Community Engagement Manager at COLS. She is a

visionary advocate for global equality. She received her bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and Ethnic Studies from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, where her passion for social justice took root. In 2003, Valerie traveled to Mali, West Africa, as a Peace Corps health volunteer to empower girls and women with knowledge of their rights and reproductive health. Valerie's quest for holistic healing knowledge led to the founding of Laviahn Healing in 2012, offering workshops, certification programs, and retreats. After closing Laviahn Healing in 2021, she embarked on a new journey, pursuing her MBA. Valerie’s current role at COLS fuses her experiences and passion to advocate for health equity and a brighter future. Valerie's story is a testament to the transformative power of dedication and passion.

Meet the Instructors Margaret Sharkoffmadrid teaches Art History for the Colorado Community College Consortium and works with the College Board’s national AP Art History program. She taught art and art history in the Washington, DC area for 18 years and served on faculty panels at the Denver Art Museum, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, and the National Gallery of Art. She has been an OLLI Instructor since 2018. Jay Sherwin has practiced law, donate to five different charitable foundations, and served as a hospital chaplain. In 2019, he created the Life Reflections Project to educate people about legacy letters, ethical wills, and other legacy documents. Jay has extensive experience facilitating online adult learning programs, and he has offered this presentation for OLLI programs nationwide.

*Deb Singer grew up in the '60s surrounded by powerful music designed to

move America toward greater justice and equality. She is a folk/rock and classical guitar teacher, as well as a lifelong learner, holding master’s degrees in music theory and social work, BA degrees in Religious Studies, Dance, and French, as well as extensive coursework in Musicology. Deb has taught at Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, IA, Iowa Wesleyan University, Mt. Pleasant, IA, and through the OLLI Program at The University of Iowa. Dr. Stephenie Slahor holds a Ph.D. and J.D. degrees and is retired from her law practice and university teaching. She now creates informational and fun OLLI courses for universities around the nation.

*Christy Thiel is a Master Nutrition Therapist. She specializes in helping people

understand the connections between food, our environments, and mindsets and the role detoxing and fasting play in healing, balance, and regeneration. The power we have to heal ourselves is at the core of Christy’s work. With over 15 years of professional experience in exercise, personal training, and private nutrition practice, Christy went on to get more certifications and pursued a deeper ‘why’ to our disconnected, imbalanced, and chronically inflamed American culture. Christy is a national educator on health’s missing links: fasting, detoxing, natural medicine, and hydration. She shares the wisdom, science, and resources of these in an approachable way with doable solutions and maintainable habits.

*Dr Wilma Trujillo is the Director of the CSU Soil, Water, and Plant Testing

Laboratory. She joined the CSU Extension Office in 2010 and served as the Extension Agronomist/Cropping Systems Specialist for Logan and Morgan counties from 2015 to 2021. Wilma was born and raised in Colombia, South America. In the early 90s, she came to the USA and attended the University of Florida, where she received her M.S. in Agronomy, emphasizing forage management and animal production. In 2000, Wilma received her doctoral degree in soil science from the Ohio State University. During her time in Ohio, she worked evaluating the potential of carbon sequestration on agricultural soils in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Wilma's extension and research efforts focused on sensor-based technologies for nutrient management and educational support to farmers and ranchers, homeowners, urban agriculturalists, and others engaged in soil health and land use.

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

*New to OLLI for Spring 2024

For full bios please see the course page on the website.

Dr. Gayle Volk is a Research Plant Physiologist at the National Laboratory for Genetic Resources Preservation in Fort Collins. She focuses on improving the management of vegetatively propagated collections in the USDA National Plant Germplasm System, using apple as a model system. She cocoordinates the effort to build and release public training materials on plant genetic resources. Renee Walkup is an accomplished mosaic artist living in Fort Collins. Her work is exhibited in galleries, commercial spaces (Kaiser Permanente, Pathways Hospice), and private collections. She is passionate about the ancient art of mosaics with a contemporary spin and enjoys sharing her skills with her classes.

*Paula Watson-Lakamp is a northern Colorado native. She holds a degree

from Colorado State University in Fine Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design and Art Education. She has had a long career with local governmental agencies as a designer and creative director. She started her second career as a professional artist and art educator seven years ago. She paints and teaches out of her studio near Wellington. She has had various group and solo exhibitions of her oil, watercolor, and acrylic paintings. Paula believes that everyone has a creative spark inside of them, and if somewhere along the way, it was blown out, her mission is to rekindle that flame in her students. Dr. Henry Weisser taught in the history department at CSU for 39 years. He holds a Ph.D. in history from Columbia University. Dr. Abigayil Wernsman is an emerging scholar who recently received her Ph.D. in literary arts from the University of Denver, with a focus on medieval literature. While there, she studied Old English and early medieval Latin literature and early English pedagogy. She achieved her MA from the University of Northern Colorado in Victorian literature, with a focus on the Bronte sisters, and studied Victorian literature at CSU for her BA. She has taught a variety of British literature courses, poetry and writing classes, and Old English language classes. Currently, she is writing and researching a book project on Beowulf and academic translation.

Dr. Richard Wilshusen has worked as an archaeologist/anthropologist for most of his adult life. He began as a field archaeologist and did anthropological fieldwork as a graduate student. In his professional career, he has served as a research director, instructor, curator, and finally an administrator. He has worked with universities, cultural resource management firms, museums, state and federal governments, and tribes.

Donor Honor Roll OLLI at CSU thanks the many members, instructors, and community partners who generously contributed time, talents, and treasures to our program in 2023. We also appreciate the many thoughtful anonymous contributors who provided valuable support to help our community of learners grow and flourish. = In Memory Of

= In Honor Of

John Algiere

Mary Evans

Janet Kamnikar

Bernard Osher Foundation

Toni Ameslav

Pat Gannon

Mike Kendrick

Mark Paine

Cheryl Algiere Elaine Andersen Tom Andersen Charles Andre

Rowena Appel Dr. Nina Azari

Dr. Rich Feller Robert Gannon

Geraldine Gasperut Louis Gasperut James Giffin

Jacqueline Giffin

Susan Barbour

Jennifer Gimbel

David Bayer

Dan Goldhamer

Victoria Benson

Kari Gomez-Smith

Anne Blair

Joe Grim

Rabbi Hillel Katzir Shirley Kendrick Tom Kepler Dru Kepler Ila Leavy

Dr. Jean Lehmann Robert Lewis

Thomas Barbour

Patricia Godwin

Stephen Benson

Benjamin Goldman

Al Litzau

Vicky Green

Dr. Ross Loomis

Dr. Eric Benson

John Blair, Jr.

Dr. Tom Boardman

Dr. Eileen Boardman Kathleen Boeding

Dr. Marvin Boeding Jim Boyd, Sr.

Jane Bradley

David Braswell Julie Braswell

Dr. Michael Carolan Dorothy Childers

Dr. Marvin Childers III Madeleine Collinson Dr. James Collinson William C. Cornell John Cowdrey Marion Croak

Thomas Croak

Nancy D'Albergaria

Thomas D'Albergaria

Dr. James Danforth III Linda Danforth Dr. Dan Ward

Jean Darst

Deryn Davidson Barb DeBonte

Dr. Isaac Eliachar Doug Ernest

Judy Sayre Grim

Charles Grimwood Beverly Hadden

Dr. Joseph Hadden Anne Hall

Jane Lewis

Dr. Kevin Oltjenbruns

Charlene Loomis Cyndy Hunt Luzinski Holly Manley

Dr. Sue Ellen Markey Karla Marroquin Carol Martin

Linda Osmundson Connie Paine

Veronica Patterson Dr. Neil Petrie Ruth Potter

Jocelyn Pring Jim Pring

Thea Rounsaville

Travis Rounsaville Anndevoy Ryan Cheryl Schutz David Schutz Earl Sethre

Lisbeth Sethre

Mark Shelstad Dr. Hal Smith

Peter Martin

Bill Smith

Ronald McGhie

Felice Thorson-Boudreaux

Isidra Mencos

Gary Turner

Bob Michael

Carole Tuttle

Tim and Kathy Monty

Karen Unger

Jean Muirhead

Renee Walkup

Jeanie Hand

Eric Mbading-Nzamba Dr. Cathy Starwarski Dorris Taylor Judith McArthur

Nancy Hansford

Eileen McGhie

Jerry Thorson-Boudreaux

Joannah Merriman

Kathleen Turner

Tony Mitchell

Frederic Tuttle

Harry Mueller

Dr. Don Unger

Brian Hand

Bruce Hansford

Martha Helmers Lani Hickman

Thomas Hickman L. Stuart Hirai

Barbara Hoel Dr. Bob Hoel

Maureen Hoffert Dr. Bob Hoffert Jane Hoover

Karen Howat Frank Hruby

Dianne Hughes Patricia Ivy Mike Ivy

Catherine Janonis Lois Jensen

Barney Jensen

Susan Jones

Deborah Joyce

Dr. Ray Nelson

Noah Newman

Dr. Alison O'Connor Mike O'Connell Wynne Odell Doug Odell

Dr. John Olienyk Penny Oliver

Dr. Henry Weisser Robin Welsh

Matthew Welsh

Dr. Abigayil Wernsman B. James Whitenight Nicole Whitenight

Dr. Arietta Wiedmann Veronica Patterson

Don Oliver

Janene Martin Willey

Leslie Olson

Kay Williams

Susanne Olson Mark Ondrake

OLLI AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

John Willey

Richard Wilshusen

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E As our OLLI fall classes gear up for this term, I hope you will take a moment to consider what the OLLI at CSU program gives to you. Intellectual stimulation? Fun and inspiration? New ideas? Friendships? Social connections? Y A sense of belonging? Members have described all of EARS these in conversation and through course evaluations, and I hope you’ll consider how you might continue the spirit of giving back to a program that gives to you. OLLI at CSU is a member-driven institute and your contribution enables us to enrich the lives of current members and those of future lifelong learners.

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