FALL 2025
Learning programs for adults age 50 and better at the University of Pittsburgh
REGISTRATION OPENS WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025
FALL 2025 TERM Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
on an item in the table of contents will take you to its corresponding page in the
DATES AND DEADLINES
ABOUT OLLI
Established in 2005 at the University of Pittsburgh, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) is one of 124 OLLI programs located on college campuses throughout the United States. OLLI at Pitt seeks to create a dedicated intellectual environment for learners aged 50 and better by offering non-credit and engaging college-level courses, providing opportunities for social interaction, and maintaining connections to the vibrant University community. OLLI at Pitt’s instructors include current and retired faculty from the University of Pittsburgh and others from the diverse and talentfilled Pittsburgh area and beyond. The OLLI at Pitt program nurtures a passion for learning and contributes to the health and engagement of the older adult community.
CONTACT US
Phone: 412-624-7308 | Email: osher@pitt.edu | Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 4227 Fifth Avenue, 710 Alumni Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
MAKE A GIFT TODAY TO SUPPORT OLLI’S CLASSROOM OF THE FUTURE
OLLI has embarked on an exciting effort to renovate and reimagine a 3,000-square-foot space in the lower level of the iconic Alumni Hall on the University of Pittsburgh’s main campus.
This state-of-the-art space will be designed with OLLI members in mind: making the learning experience as welcoming, comfortable, and inclusive as possible.
The space includes a 46-seat classroom, a fullyequipped conference room, a lounge area for members, a welcoming reception area, and the most up-to-date computer stations.
MAKE A DONATION TODAY TO TURN OLLI’S FUTURE OF POSSIBILITIES INTO A REALITY .
Your gift makes a difference in ensuring that the space is fully equipped and maintained so members can continue to stay engaged, both intellectually and socially. Donations may be made directly online or in person. Other donation methods include distribution from funds, appreciated assets, or IRAs. Gifts of $5,000 and above will be recognized within the renovated space.
MEMBERSHIP AND REGISTRATION
An active OLLI membership is required to register for courses.
WHAT DOES MEMBERSHIP INCLUDE?
• Unlimited access to in-person and online OLLI at Pitt courses
• Admission to in-person and online onetime lectures and special events
• Ability to join local tours, day trips, and travel opportunities
• University of Pittsburgh privileges (Wi-Fi, campus shuttles, library)
• Discount tickets to Pittsburgh cultural events through the Pitt Arts Cheap Seats program
• Ability to audit up to two undergraduate Pitt courses each term without additional costs
Annual memberships ($250) cover three consecutive terms (terms are fall, spring, and summer)
Term memberships ($150) cover just one term.
Scholarships based on financial need are available per term.
COURSE TYPE
What can you expect from your OLLI at Pitt course? Our course type categories will help you understand the structure of the class and instructor expectations of participation:
LECTURE —These courses are primarily oral presentations where information, history, theories, or ideas are presented by instructors with occasional contributions from participants through questions and answers.
DISCUSSION —These courses can be on academic, cultural, or enrichment topics where participants are welcome to talk and contribute to class dialogue through open class discussions.
For more information on membership, course registration, auditing classes, and scholarships, visit the website:
ACTIVE LEARNING —These courses require a high degree of participants' active involvement and practice (language, painting, exercise, etc.).
FALL 2025: SESSION 1 SCH EDULE AT-A-GLANCE
Aug. 25 – Sept. 30, 2025 (no classes Sept. 1 or 23)
The courses below are current as of July 14, 2025. For the most up-to-date course information, always consult the OLLI at Pitt website at olli.pitt.edu. Clicking on each course title will take you to its course description in the catalog. Online course In-person course
MONDAY
Gentle Yoga A
Hybrid course (classes that meet in person and are also streamed online) AL: Active Learning D: Discussion L: Lecture
From Normality to Terror: Inside Nazi Germany
Organizational Failure Processes and Governmental Results
The Soviet Union: The Revolution and First Decade
Chair Yoga
Art In Times of Turmoil: Bulgakov's The Master & Margarita
Beyond the Basics: The Emotional Side of Money
Life and Philosophy of René Descartes
Watercoloring the Essence of Autumn
Unknown Goodness and Events of the Holocaust
Rest Is Silence: Music Between Notes
Ba Duan Jin: Healing Qigong for Vitality and Balance
and Political Assassinations
TUESDAY
Best Rock Songs of All Time
for Wild Edibles
Reimagining Yourself Through Creative Writing
From the Merrimack to the Missouri
in America: Making of a Multibillion-Dollar Business
Romance of William Shakespeare
WEDNESDAY
FALL 2025: SESSION 1 SCH EDULE AT-A-GLANCE
Aug. 25 – Sept. 30, 2025 (no classes Sept. 1 or 23)
WEDNESDAY
Arts-Charged Reiki 1: Reiki for Creatives
Roots of the Movie Musical: The First Dozen Years
Educational Authoritarianism, Black History, and Slavery
The Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century
Ancient Civilizations of the Andes, Part 1
Imprisoned Without Trial: Japanese Internment in WWII
Intro to Astronomy, Part 1: The Solar System
and Lows in Pittsburgh Jewish History
Red Wines of Italy
THURSDAY
Testing the Limits of Presidential Power
Word Processing Made Simple: Beginner's Guide for Everyday Use
Spanish
Founding Mothers: Women in the American Revolution
How to Talk So Doctors Will Listen
Reading Nonfiction: The New
FRIDAY
Intermediate Level French: Grammar
Let's Talk Musicals, Part 2
Central European Literature
Relations with Canada, 1817–1984
What's Philosophy Good For?
Nontraditional Relationships in Five Popular Films
Gundersen
FALL 2025: SESSION 2 SCH EDULE AT-A-GLANCE
Oct. 13 – Nov. 14, 2025
The courses below are current as of July 14, 2025. For the most up-to-date course information, always consult the OLLI at Pitt website at olli.pitt.edu. Clicking on each course title will take you to its course description in the catalog.
MONDAY
Gentle Yoga A (continued)
Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown
Life of Abraham Lincoln
One Thousand Years of Illuminated Manuscripts
Chair Yoga (continued)
Beyoncé and Her Cultural Significance
Whiskey Rebellion, 1791–1794: Collision of Crises
Baroque Art, Part 2
of the Steelers 1933–1980
the Essence of Autumn (continued)
on the Ballot, Part 2
Jane Austen and Carl Jung: A Dynamic Duo
Designing for Food, Biodiversity, and Justice
TUESDAY
Beginning Italian, Part 2 (continued)
Santimauro
Geography of U.S. Presidential Elections
the Power of Your iPhone
Learned from Antoni Gaudí’s Material Craftsmanship
Level French (continued)
Keys to Understanding Africa’s Cultures and Economies
Great Sopranos
Delfini
FALL 2025: SESSION 2 SCH EDULE AT-A-GLANCE
Oct. 13 – Nov. 14, 2025
WEDNESDAY
Yoga B (continued)
Text and Art: Five Bible Stories
Watercolor and Ink (continued)
Eugene O'Neill and Modern American Drama
Hiking in the County Parks
The Soviet Union: Stalin to Collapse
Inventing the Modern: Profiles from the Enlightenment
Word Processing in Action: Practical Everyday Documents
Human Origins and Evolution, Part 2
Group of Seven: Composition, Color, and Style
Intro to Astronomy, Part 2: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
Sampling British Humor
Civilizations of the Andes, Part 2
Parlez-Vous French Design?
THURSDAY
Balance! Steady and Strong™ (continued)
Intermediate Spanish (continued)
The Four Gospels in Art
City of Rome: Art and Architecture, Part 2
Salsa: Where Cultures Dance Together
"Reel" Vietnam: The Vietnam War and Hollywood
Advanced Conversational Spanish (continued)
Modern
Age of Exploration: The European Exploration of America
FRIDAY
Chakra Yoga (continued)
Making Sense of Some of the Hard Sayings in the Bible
Intermediate Level French: Grammar (continued)
Zentangle™ with Sacred Geometry
Grogan
With A Song in My Heart, Part 4 Sam and Candy Caponegro
Intro to Improv Comedy
Lethal Love Triangles
McCanlus
Shifren
FALL 2025 COURSES BY TOPIC
CLASSICS, AND PHILOSOPHY
FALL 2025 COURSES BY
FALL 2025: SESSIONS 1 & 2
COURSES LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
10 Keys to Understanding Africa’s Cultures and Economies
Tchetchet Digbohou
TUESDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
A Century of Fiction in The NewYorker
David Walton
THURSDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Acts of the Apostles: From Jerusalem to the Nations
Rebecca Denova
TUESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Advanced Conversational Spanish
María Franco de Gómez
THURSDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Africa is a vast and diverse continent that is, unfortunately, largely unknown beyond the mostly stereotypical depictions and impressions we tend to see today on media platforms. This course uses 10 objective cultural, economic, political, societal, geographical, and historical data points and topics to help improve your understanding of some of the complex dynamics at play in Africa.
We will read a selection from the 100th anniversary collection of The New Yorker short fiction, two or three stories each week. We will read a few familiar stories, but the selection will also include less familiar stories, prompting freer and robust discussion. This will be the first in a series of classes based on this anthology.
The Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament was written by someone named Luke, as the sequel to his gospel. Christian tradition promoted it as the earliest Christian history, which resulted in the separation of Christianity as a new religion from ancient Judaism. In context, however, new interpretations of Acts are revealing that Luke did not “create the Gentile-Christian church,” but presented the movement as “the fulfillment of the prophets of Israel,” God’s original plans for all of humanity.
Designed for participants who are comfortable and successful at communicating in Spanish, this course will further develop reading and conversational skills. Participants are expected to be able to use present, past, and future tenses, and have significant vocabulary and understanding of syntax (and/or have successfully completed Intermediate Spanish). The course is taught in Spanish and focuses on analyzing and discussing reading material. Note: This course is often taken several times and each term includes different class material under the same goals every term.
Note: Members may take only one level of Spanish per term.
Age of Exploration: The European Exploration of America
Michael Rizzi
THURSDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
America’s Bad Laws
Ralph Bangs
TUESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
American Presidential and Political Assassinations
Ken Koncerak
MONDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Ancient Civilizations of the Andes, Part 1
George Scheper
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Ancient Civilizations of the Andes, Part 2
George Scheper
WEDNESDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
This course covers the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and English exploration of the world from 1492 to roughly World War I. It includes major figures like Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, Francis Drake, Vasco da Gama, Jacques Cartier, Giovanni Verrazzano, and the Spanish conquistadores. We will discuss early interactions between Europeans and Native Americans, and how both cultures influenced each other. We will cover the economic, religious, and political motivations that led Europeans to build large colonial empires and learn how the exchange of technology, food, and disease across the Atlantic helped to shape our world today.
Many popular laws perpetuate hate, racial bias, injustice, and inequality. These laws were passed by all-white, all-male congresses and state legislatures. They do not reflect our pluralistic society and need to be repealed. Based in part on the book, Bad Law (Mystal, 2025), the course will explore voting, immigration, deregulation, criminal acts, gun manufacturer immunity, felony murder, Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground, Hyde Amendment, “Don’t Say Gay,” and religious freedom laws.
This course will be a chronological examination of political assassinations in U.S. history. Focus will be given to the murders of Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy, and attempted assassinations up to the present date. The deaths of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and Robert Kennedy will also be discussed.
In five richly illustrated lectures, this class explores the 2500-year history of Pre-Columbian civilization in the Andean world. Beginning with Caral, the first city of Ancient America, we look at the shamanistic Chavin culture, and then Paracas, famous for its textiles used for mummy bundles, and Nazca, with its famous earth-lines. We will then turn to the Moche, featuring extraordinary art and the richest tomb of Ancient America, and the Tiwanaku and Huari highland cultures.
This course focuses on the dynamics of the Inca Empire and the spectacular stone monuments of Cusco, Pisac, and, of course, Machu Picchu. Members will explore the Incas' famous road system and system of Imperial religion, with its temples, palaces, and royal estates. The course concludes with the adaptations of the Inca to Spanish colonial culture and how the modern discovery of Machu Picchu led to fresh insights and interpretations of the Inca Imperial system.
Note: Part 1 is not a prerequisite for Part 2
Art In Times of Turmoil: Bulgakov's The Master & Margarita
Bridget Keown
MONDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Arts-Charged Reiki 1: Reiki for Creatives
Deborah Cohen
WEDNESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Astronomy Before Telescopes
Kerry Handron
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Atmosphere and Weather
Stephen Lindberg
MONDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (4 classes)
Modality: Online
Ba Duan Jin: Healing Qigong for Vitality and Balance
Mengjun Wang
MONDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Mikhail Bulgakov's The Master & Margarita is a startling, stunning novel that confronts the nightmares of Stalin's Terror and the revolutionary potential of love and art. In this course, members will learn about the life and work of Ukranian-Soviet author Mikhail Bulgakov and the novel to which he devoted twelve years of his life. Together, we will read the most complete translation of The Master & Margarita and discuss the historical circumstances that inspired it. We will discuss Bulgakov's belief in power of the artist and consider why this novel remains among the most important and subversive works of the 20th century.
This course will introduce participants to Arts-charged Reiki, a new branch of Reiki that combines arts practice with Reiki. Reiki is an energy-based healing modality and complementary therapy that channels universal energy to promote balance and physical and psychological healing. The course will focus on the many benefits that Reiki provides to older people and how it can stimulate creative expression. This course will require some work outside of class.
In this age of incredible new telescopes and research with enormous data sets, this course will take a step back and look at the sky as multiple cultures did before Galileo pointed his telescope up. We will study motions of the sun, moon, and planets, look at constellations from different cultures, and explore a wide variety of calendars built on observations of the sky. Course time will be a mixture of lecture and hands-on activity.
This course will be held at the Allegheny Observatory in Riverview Park. This historic building is only partially handicapped accessible and there are steps. Parking is free.
How and when did the atmosphere of the Earth form? How do the layers of the atmosphere interact with solar radiation and each other to produce the weather conditions we experience here on the surface? Global circulation, air masses, pressure systems, fronts, severe storms, and other weather factors will be covered in this course as we survey the weather of planet Earth.
Discover the ancient art of ba duan jin, an accessible form of qigong known for enhancing vitality, balance, and overall well-being. This course introduces the eight-section movements designed to improve flexibility, circulation, and energy flow. Each session includes guided practice, breathing techniques, and explanations of the health benefits rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. This course promotes both physical and mental harmony. No prior experience required—just comfortable clothing and a willingness to explore the healing power of qigong.
Baroque Art, Part 2
Katherine Zoraster
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Battleships: From the
Merrimack to the Missouri
Buck Beasom
TUESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:45 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Beginning Italian, Part 2
Cinzia Delfini
TUESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Beginning Level French
Cathleen Sendek-Sapp
TUESDAYS, 3 – 4:30 P.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Beginning Spanish
Álvaro Bernal
THURSDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
The dramatic and theatrical Baroque style of the 17th century rapidly travels through Europe and evolves with its geographic regions and patronage. Originally emerging as part of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, when it reaches the northern Protestant regions, it expands to accommodate a growing open art market. Flanked by Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt van Rijn, these two artists, along with all of the artists that they inspire and influence, define the Northern Baroque tradition.
Follow the development of giant metal ships with big guns, from the first ironclads to the giant naval dinosaurs of WWII. We will trace the development of primitive steam engines, the slow but inevitable shift from pistons and coal to turbines and oil, the early triumphs and disasters of battle fleets, and the vast and far-flung engagements of the great dreadnoughts. Participants will learn why the entire lifespan of battleships was less than a century— with the treasure and sons of nations resting on the ocean floor. Central to this course are the stories of the officers and men who envisioned, designed, fought, and went down to the sea in battleships.
This course is a continuation of Beginning Italian. The class will build on grammar, enhance communication skills, and explore Italian culture in greater depth with each lesson.
In this course, designed for members with minimal prior knowledge of French, our focus will be on mastering phrases and set structures that may be useful for communicating across a variety of situations. Members will be encouraged to develop strategies to try to make themselves understood where language proficiency may be lacking. The material presented in this course will vary each term according to the needs of the participants.
Note: Members may only take one French course per term.
This course is appropriate for beginners who have no or very little experience with Spanish language. The course will focus on basic vocabulary and themes (greeting others, numbers, days of the week, etc.), useful expressions for travel (making reservations, asking for directions, expressing likes and dislikes, etc.) and some grammar, primarily present tense verbs. Communication strategies will be emphasized. This course is often taken several times. Participants are invited to repeat this course for additional practice and to reinforce grammar and vocabulary.
Note: Members may take only one level of Spanish per term.
Best Rock Songs of All Time
Emanuel Abramovits
TUESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Better Balance!
Steady and Strong™
Diane Markovitz
THURSDAYS, 9 – 10 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Beyoncé and Her Cultural Significance
Hannah Strong
MONDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Beyond the Basics: The Emotional Side of Money
Aaron Kahn
MONDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Bob Dylan: A Complete Unknown
Michael Tanenhaus
MONDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Put some music fans in the same room and sooner or later they will ask each other, "what's your favorite song?" Rock fans may choose Smoke on the Water, Bohemian Rhapsody, Stairway to Heaven, or many other choices. With audiovisuals, stories, and anecdotes, we will discuss what makes these songs great, the context when they became classics, the songwriters, the performers, cultural significance, and why it is advised to wear a black t-shirt in at least one class. From the 50s until today, there is plenty of great music to talk about. Let's build our own top 100!
Are you looking for an exercise program designed to improve your everyday life? Work with a physical therapist to learn balance and strengthening exercises. Come join the fun and learn a program designed to improve your daily function while also decreasing your risk of falls and injury. No special equipment is necessary, and all exercises are completed sitting or standing. This program is suitable for beginners yet appropriate for those with more exercise experience, as it can be adapted to fit individual needs. Participants will be given instructions on how to complete this program at home for continued benefits. Wear comfortable clothes and supportive shoes.
Beyoncé is the most decorated woman in Grammy history. Ranging from hip hop to country music, she has broken records at every career stage. This course will examine several of the most pivotal moments of Beyoncé’s career, beginning with her first visual, and eponymously titled album, Lemonade, her collaborative album with husband Jay-Z, The Carters, Renaissance, and culminating with Cowboy Carter. Course topics will include the return of the concept album, the function of a visual album, Southern imagery and its legacy, Black country artists, her storied Coachella performance, and autobiographical documentation of her private life.
This course will explore the human side of money—how emotions, values, and experiences influence every financial decision we make. We will not cover investment strategies. Instead, we will examine the softer side of money, focusing on the cognitive factors that shape how we view and manage our financial ecosystems. Guided conversations will broach common relationships with money, and members are encouraged to engage at their comfort level. Ultimately, our goal is to awaken understanding of how feelings about money are both rooted in history and evolve throughout life, before discussing how to use experiences to feel more content with money.
The recent movie A Complete Unknown was inspired by Elijah Wald’s book Dylan Goes Electric and has led to renewed interest in Bob Dylan, and in particular, his emergence and evolving personas as a music and cultural icon. This course will begin with a discussion and analysis of the movie, including how it diverges from the historical record. This will provide the framing for four subsequent classes that examine Dylan’s emergence as an early performer and songwriter and his musical evolution.
Broadway Now!
Ken Gargaro
THURSDAYS, 2:45 – 4:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Hybrid
Central European Literature
Orin James
FRIDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Chair Yoga
Susan Gillis Kruman
MONDAYS, 11 A.M. – NOON
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Chakra Yoga
Jill Donnette Clary
FRIDAYS, 9 – 10 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
City of Rome: Art and Architecture, Part 2
Nora Hamerman
THURSDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
This is a survey course for the person who wants to know what is buzzing on Broadway for the 2025 season and what shows coming to Pittsburgh are worth seeing. Classes will revolve around reviews, trailers, and insider comments. With ticket prices at the highest level in history, it is best to do a bit of reconnaissance to inform one’s decisions. Promising shows for the upcoming season include Water for Elephants, a revival of The Who’s Tommy, and The Great Gatsby
This course examines the connection between region, religion, language, identity, politics and economics in formation of 20th century Central Europe. We will explore these themes through the lens of 19th and 20th centuries literature from Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bosnia.
This gentle form of yoga is practiced using a chair as a prop/stabilizer for support during standing poses or adapted for sitting on a chair. It is especially beneficial for people concerned with balance or coordination issues or those who have felt they are unable to participate in other yoga experiences. The class includes poses for strength training, mobility in the joints, and more relaxing poses to help steady the mind. Modifications will be offered throughout the course so that participants learn to adapt to their personal situations and comfort as well as challenge themselves. The course is appropriate for all levels.
This course moves through traditional yoga poses (or asanas) that align each individual chakra, moving up the spine from the root chakra to the crown chakra. Chakras are energy centers located across different points on our spinal column. When energy becomes blocked in a chakra, it triggers imbalances that manifest in symptoms such as anxiety, lethargy, or poor digestion. This course is for members who like fluid, mindful practice that links alignment, movement, and breath. Participants should wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing and have a yoga mat. While still accessible to a beginning student, this class is more challenging than the Gentle Yoga classes.
From the Renaissance Rome of Nicholas V and Julius II to the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, this course will explore how Rome became the model for beautiful cities. We will highlight Sixtus V’s plan for joining the major monuments with straight streets, fountains, piazzas, and obelisks in 1585-90 and the contributions of great artists including Michelangelo and Bernini.
Contemporary European Film
Lucy Fischer
WEDNESDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Democracy on the Ballot, Part 2
Lynn O'Connor
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Educational Authoritarianism, Black History, and Slavery
Ralph Bangs
WEDNESDAYS, 10:30 A.M. – NOON
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Hybrid
Energy Geology and the Environment and Economy
Timothy Carr
TUESDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
English Country Dance
Gaye Fifer
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
This course will survey contemporary European cinema from the late 1980s through the present, selected from such countries as France, Germany, Scotland, Great Britain, Spain, and Italy. It will interrogate notions of national cinema in the age of globalism and transnationalism and consider issues of economic co-production and the circulation of movie talent and personnel. Class sessions will be organized largely in terms of chronology, but also in relation to various important social issues that the films raise, such as colonialism, immigration, race, gender, and surveillance. Beyond such themes, notions of cinematic style and genre will also be examined.
Last year in Part 1, we looked at the essential pillars of democracy. We identified the role played by each pillar and discussed the threats posed to each. One year later, we will look at those same pillars of democracy and evaluate their status: healthy existence or historical post-script? Will the United States go the way of Poland—which went to the brink of authoritarianism but course-corrected itself, or the way of Hungary— which allowed a strongman to dismantle key pillars such as an independent judiciary, independent universities and educational system, and a free press?
Authoritarian leaders have banned books, diversity-related words, DEI programs, and teaching race and other subjects that make white people uncomfortable. Funding has been cut for Head Start, K-12 schools, universities, libraries, museums, and the arts. They push “patriotic” education that focuses on whites, men, and Christians. Most of all, authoritarians want uneducated citizens. We will examine these issues in part through the books: Erasing History, Black AF History, and Making Sense of Slavery.
This course examines the geologic science in humanity’s past, present, and future energy resource options and their impact on our environment and economy. Civilizations require energy, providing food to eat, water to drink, phones to text, heat for homes, and transportation. The demand for energy will continue to increase with population growth and increased quality of life. To provide energy needs, we draw on a portfolio of energy resources from the earth for both renewable and nonrenewable sources. What role does geoscience play in the impact of continued energy use?
This course, appropriate for members of any level, begins by teaching the basic figures used in English country dancing and practices them in the context of beautiful historic and modern dance compositions. Members will explore the grace, elegance, and playfulness of this dance form (think of Pride & Prejudice). No partner or experience necessary. Participants will regularly switch partners in our dance sessions. Be prepared for physical, mental, and social stimulation! The focus will be on dancing and enjoying moving with the music.
Eugene O'Neill and Modern American Drama
Anne Faigen
WEDNESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Founding Mothers: Women in the American Revolution
Joan Gundersen
THURSDAYS, 12:30 – 2:20 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
The Four Gospels in Art
David Brumble
THURSDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
From Normality to Terror: Inside Nazi Germany
Anette Isaacs
MONDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Gentle Yoga A
Jill Donnette Clary
MONDAYS, 9 – 10 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Until Eugene O'Neill brought his honesty and vigor to the stage, American audiences saw "pretty plays," which were mostly bland and flowery. Lifestyles were simple, passive, fairytale versions of American culture. O'Neill opted instead for reality, sometimes harsh and brutal. Theatergoers saw dramas in entirely new ways. Desire Under the Elms, which we will study, is a vivid demonstration of O'Neill's genius.
There is more to women's participation in the American revolution than Molly Pitcher and Abigail Adams. This course explores the many ways women, both rich and famous, poor and obscure, participated in the events of the American Revolution, and the ways that their lives were changed during that period. Topics covered will include women's participation in protests, military operations, and politics; women as refugees and displaced persons; and changes in the law, the family, education and social values that redefined women's lives and roles.
This course explores the four gospels and discusses how the stories have been understood through the years. How the stories have been interpreted in art will be a focus. For example, paintings by Caravaggio, Brueghel, Rubens, Fra Angelico, Rembrandt, and others will be examined, along with images in the stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral and Medieval woodcuts. Much of the content includes Medieval and Renaissance art, but we will stray occasionally into the 19th and even the 20th centuries.
How did an advanced, modern society descend into one of history’s most brutal dictatorships? This gripping five-week course goes beyond the welldocumented terror of the Nazi regime to uncover what life was really like for ordinary Germans in the 1930s and 1940s. Along the way, we will examine Joseph Goebbels' mastery of propaganda, the role of women in Nazi Germany, the actions of unsung heroes, and the chilling Nazi-Islamist connection that fueled Hitler’s ideological war.
This course is geared for those new to yoga, those interested in a slower and more gentle practice, or those recovering from illness or injury. It includes a combination of meditation, breath work, and flowing movement intended for all abilities. Participants will move from seated on the floor (or a chair) to standing and then will return to mats. Participants will experiment with balance, strength, flexibility, and stillness while practicing mindfulness and meditation techniques.
Note: The Gentle Yoga A and B classes are companion courses. Members can just register for both or just one.
Gentle Yoga B
Jill Donnette Clary
WEDNESDAYS, 9 – 10 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
TheGreatGatsby:
100 Years Later
anupama jain
TUESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
The Great Sopranos
Raymond Uy
TUESDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Group of Seven: Composition, Color, and Style
Ann Rosenthal
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Harnessing the Power of Your iPhone
Richard Fitzgibbon
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
See Gentle Yoga A
One hundred years after it was published, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a beloved novel that has been called a perfect work of art, a perpetual enigma, and a profound engagement with the idea of America. In this course, the instructor will familiarize or re-introduce members with the story and varied interpretations over the years. The course will highlight aesthetic and other aspects of the writing that are worth attending to with fresh eyes.
From soaring melodies to agile coloratura passages, the soprano voice commands attention and stirs emotions. Having examined tenors in a previous OLLI at Pitt course, we will now turn our attention to the greatest sopranos in the age of recorded music. Examples will include Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Joan Sutherland, Leontyne Price, Montserrat Caballé, Renée Fleming, and many more. Using their quintessential recordings, we will analyze various aspects of their performances, from timbre and technique to dramatic expression and interpretation. We will begin with an explanation of different soprano types (or fach) and chronologically survey notable sopranos in history.
In this online studio class, we will study the composition, color, and style of the Group of Seven — a cadre of Canadian landscape painters who worked from 1920 to 1933 and initiated the first major Canadian art movement. We will learn from these masters through analysis of their compositional formats, color palettes, and expressionist style featuring dynamic brushwork. Members will apply what they have learned to their own artworks through weekly exercises. The instructor will primarily use acrylics, though members can choose their painting media. The class format will consist of presentations, discussions, and demonstrations.
The iPhone is a communication device, and it is a portable computer in your pocket. Are you using your expensive device to make your life easier or is the frustration level rising? The aim of this course is to develop your confidence in using your iPhone to assist you in your daily life. This course will explore the apps that Apple provides, such as Mail, iMessage, Contacts, Photos, Camera, Notes, Weather, and Maps. For this course, you will need an iPhone running the most recent version of the operating system.
Highs and Lows in Pittsburgh Jewish History
Barbara Burstin
WEDNESDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Hiking for Wild Edibles
Melissa Sokulski
TUESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Hiking in the County Parks
Melissa Sokulski
WEDNESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Historical Geography of U.S. Presidential Elections
Kenneth Martis
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
History of the Steelers 1933–1980
Robert Osborne
MONDAYS, 1 P.M. – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
This course will look at the growth of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh— the highs and lows. Jews faced challenges on a variety of fronts: splits within the community over Zionism, German Jews vs. Russian Jews, Holocaust responses and more. Pittsburgh was not immune to antisemitism. Meet some of the important men and women who have contributed to a variety of fields over the years, not just within the Jewish community, but for the broader community as well.
In this outdoor course, we will explore the abundance of wild edible plant life in Schenley Park this time of year. We will discuss how to identify wild edible plants, how to sustainably harvest them, and how they are used currently and historically as food and medicine. This course will meet rain or shine (except unsafe conditions such as lightening/thunderstorms) and involves walking and hiking on possibly uneven natural paths and surfaces, up to one mile or so each week.
Each week, a hike is conducted through a different county park including Settlers Cabin, South Park, North Park, Hartwood Acres, and Deer Lakes. Each hike is 2-3 miles in length, on sometimes narrow and uneven trails. Members must find their own transportation to the parks.
The goal of this course is to put into context the political, historical, and geographical trends of American presidential elections. The centerpieces of each session are election maps from the book Historical Atlas of U. S. Presidential Elections: 1788-2004. The atlas's four-color maps illustrate the winning candidate and party affiliation in each county. In addition, each major candidate has an individual map depicting their strength in every section, region, state, and county using five levels of color variations. These maps bring alive the story of American presidential elections much more than mere numbers of electoral votes and national vote counts.
This course will look at the history of professional football in Pittsburgh, from pre-NFL years, to the founding of the Steelers in 1933, progressing through decades of struggle on and off the field, until the unprecedented success of the 1970s Steelers. The course will focus on the Rooney family ownership, as well as the players, coaches, and scouts (many of whom were colorful characters) that helped shape the history of the franchise. The class will explore impacts the team’s success had on the Pittsburgh area, and the expansion of “Steelers Nation.”
How to Talk So Doctors Will Listen
Shivaun Corry
THURSDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Human Origins and Evolution, Part 2
Adam Davis
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Imprisoned Without Trial: Japanese Internment in WWII
Dennis Kato
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Intermediate Level
French: Grammar
Cathleen Sendek-Sapp
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:30 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Intermediate Spanish
María Franco de Gómez
THURSDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Doctors interrupt patients after a median of only 11 seconds—how do you make those seconds count? This course teaches strategies for effective communication with healthcare professionals. Members will learn how to ask better questions, understand diagnoses, and advocate for themselves or loved ones in medical settings. Course topics will include differential diagnoses and clinical trials, as well as hands-on activities like using MyChart/myUPMC and finding information on local hospital procedure success rates. Members should bring a laptop and/or smartphone to class to make the most of this course. No out-of-class preparation is necessary.
This course will examine the evolution of new species of life, with an emphasis on the human story. Concepts covered will include macroevolution and speciation, sexual selection leading to difference in mate preferences, the emergence of hominins from earlier primate populations, the fossil history of early humans, the appearance of Homo sapiens and our recent cousins such as Neanderthals and Denisovans, and the intriguing question of why we alone are the last remaining species of upright-walking apes.
Who would have thought that laws and executive orders directed toward the Japanese in WWII would find their way back into current events? We will learn the reasons why nearly 120,000 Japanese, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens, were placed in incarceration camps, without trials, without habeas corpus, simply for looking like the enemy. From the perspective of a third generation Japanese American, we will experience the effects of Executive Order 9066 and the events that followed with emphasis on current applications of the laws that affected the Japanese in WWII.
Each term, the focus of this course will be on studying the formation and uses of various French verb tenses. In addition to grammar-oriented textbook exercises, we will also explore material found online to deepen our understanding of many grammatical concepts. Participants will be encouraged to actively engage in both structured and free-form communicative activities. This course is geared to members who may still have difficulty in comfortably delivering simple sentences in French. Some prior knowledge of French is expected. Advanced speaking skills are not required.
Note: Members may only take one level of French per term.
This 10-week course is appropriate for participants who are comfortable with basic Spanish conversation using the present tense (or members who have successfully completed several cycles of the Beginning Spanish course). The course focuses on the use of the past and future tenses, more extensive vocabulary, and structures and syntax. At the end of the course, members are expected to feel comfortable with standard Spanish conversation.
Note: Members may take only one level of Spanish per term.
COURSES LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
Intro to Astronomy, Part 1: The Solar System
David Nero
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Intro to Astronomy, Part 2: Stars, Galaxies, and the Universe
David Nero
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Intro to Improv Comedy
Connor McCanlus
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Inventing the Modern: Profiles from the Enlightenment
Jared Day
WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Jane Austen and Carl Jung: A Dynamic Duo
Elizabeth Rodenz
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
The universe is unimaginably vast and wonderful. In this course, we focus on the solar system: Earth and the other planets that orbit our sun. We start with a discussion of the nighttime sky. Next, we relate the motion of the Earth around the sun to the passage of seasons on Earth. Then, we introduce the terrestrial planets, followed by the Jovian (gas giant) planets and their moons. Finally, we will discuss the origins of the solar system, ending the course by introducing the ongoing search for life in the universe.
The focus of this course is on stars, galaxies, and the universe. We start with a description of our star, the sun. Next, we look at the properties of other stars, how stars are born and die, black holes, neutron stars, and white dwarfs. We will examine our own galaxy, the Milky Way, and compare it to other galaxies. Along the way, we introduce the mystery of dark matter. Finally, we investigate how the observed expansion of the universe leads us to the Big Bang Theory. We speculate how the universe may eventually come to an end and whether there could be multiple universes.
Note: Part 1 is not a prerequisite for Part 2.
Life never came with a script. Through the fundamentals of improvisational comedy and the "yes, and" philosophy, you will learn new communication and social skills through theatre games and exercises in a fun and supportive environment.
One of the formative periods of European and world history, the Enlightenment is the fountainhead of modern secular Western values: religious tolerance; freedom of thought, speech, and the press; and rationality and evidence-based argument. It emerges out of a series of unlikely developments in 17th and 18th European thought and politics. This course will explore the lives and contributions of titans of the era including Isaac Newton, Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Adam Smith, Denis Diderot, and JeanJacques Rousseau among others.
Psychologist Carl Jung rejected the idea that we are born with a blank slate. Instead, we possess universal patterns of behaviors, which he called archetypes. They exist in everyone around us, but until we bring them into consciousness, we do not understand behavior in ourselves and others. We will explore psychological types and the masculine and feminine archetypes and identify those aspects of the major characters using Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and discuss such questions as: Will Elizabeth and Darcy live happily ever after? Why did they even get together? Is Bingley the best choice of husbands for Jane? Why are all the Bennet sisters so different? Please note: Parts of the BBC version of P&P will be viewed in class, so there is no need to read or reread the novel.
Landscape Photography
Eli Vega
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (4 classes)
Modality: Online
Legends of King Arthur
Alan Irvine
MONDAYS, 3:15 – 5 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Lessons Learned from Antoni Gaudí’s
Material Craftsmanship
Matthew Schlueb
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Lethal Love Triangles
David Shifren
FRIDAYS, 1 – 4 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Let's Talk Musicals, Part 2
Sam and Candy Caponegro
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:30 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
In this highly interactive course, members will learn landscape composition, exposure, lenses, depth-of-field, lighting, timing, HDR, photo editing, photographing different seasons, dealing with flare, shooting in snow, and much more.
Perhaps no name echoes through the ages like that of King Arthur. The collection of tales of Arthur and his knights has grown into a vast cycle over the centuries and has inspired storytellers, poets, novelists, moviemakers, musicians, playwrights, and audiences. This course will explore the origins of the tales and how the cycle has grown and changed over time. We will discuss the key events and main characters, and we will examine the symbols and mythic structures that have given the cycle such power. Each week, the instructor will tell one of the classic stories of Arthur and his knights.
Antoni Gaudí’s architectural works are the synthesis of multiple materials, crafted together by sculptors, blacksmiths, masons, ceramicists, carpenters, and plasterers. From his recent trip to Barcelona, where he led an OLLI at Pitt tour of Gaudí’s essential works, the instructor has brought back hundreds of pictures of the materials illustrating Gaudí’s talent. Gaudí puzzled together brickwork, tile, stone, metal, and other materials to bring his architecture to life. This course will explore the material craftsmanship of Antoni Gaudí, analyzing a different material execution each week and examining his unique collaborations with the artisans who crafted his buildings.
Scheming lovers who target an unsuspecting spouse constitutes a longtime favorite Hollywood storyline. We will screen both film classics and some variations on the theme to analyze how paramours with murderous intent can still seem sympathetic, even likable, as they set the stage for skulduggery and mayhem. Creative premises and ingenious plot-twists ensure these stories serve up surprises. Films will include Body Heat, Double Indemnity (1944 version), Unfaithful, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946 version), and Sea of Love.
Louis Armstrong said that “music is life itself.” Using various clips from Broadway and movie musicals, this course will explore obscure musical numbers, musicals with animals, ethnic musicals, and early television musicals. Join us as we discuss one of America’s true art forms: musical comedy.
Life and Philosophy of René Descartes
Daniel Vitaglione
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Life of Abraham Lincoln
Jack Puglisi
MONDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Literary Connections to Opera
Marilyn Egan
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (4 classes)
Modality: Online
Making Sense of Some of the Hard Sayings in the Bible
Sandra Collins
FRIDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Metafiction
J.D. Wright
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
This course will study the life and thought of Descartes, the famed 17th century French philosopher, in the religious and political context of the Baroque and Counter Reformation period. We will discuss the life of Descartes (the Masked Philosopher) and his bold decision to turn to writing beyond the teachings of the Church and under the scrutiny of the government. Then we will focus on his concepts of physics, soul and body, God, ethics and discrete remarks on government. Finally, the course will follow the influence of Descartes in the following centuries. The instructor will lecture, but questions will be welcome and discussions encouraged.
This course will examine the life and career of Abraham Lincoln, widely considered the greatest of America's presidents. The course will examine Lincoln’s early life from poverty and obscurity to his rise to power at the ultimate crisis point in American history. The course will focus on the mind and character of this unique and exceptional individual.
Many operas have been inspired by literature. When Donizetti was at his peak, the public was interested in Scotland, so he chose Scott’s novel as the basis for Lucia di Lammermoor. When Puccini was creating verismo operas about everyday struggles, he adapted Murger’s Scènes de la vie de Bohème, about a poor seamstress and her artist friends. Has any opera used the exact words from a play? Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was based almost entirely on Shakespeare. In contrast, Catán used elements of magical realism in the style of Márquez in the opera Florencia en el Amazonas. In this course, we will explore four operatic styles while examining the written words that inspired great music.
The words of scripture can often sound harsh to modern ears. Modern readers struggle with some of these challenging messages, especially when the concerns addressed are no longer viable or pertinent in our modern context. This course will focus on those words that set boundaries on social relationships as well as questions around God's mercy. Topics will include food and alcohol; constructions of gender; sex and sexuality; marriage and divorce; and theodicy, or the justice of God. Historical, cultural and linguistic context will be brought to bear on these passages to not only help explain what they might have meant in biblical times but also show how they might still be relevant today.
Welcome to a funhouse-mirror world where short stories twist back on themselves, characters confront their authors, and the boundaries between imagination and reality blur to a haze. It is the playfully philosophical world of metafiction, a postmodern genre with ancient roots that delights in pulling the rug out from under itself. Whether you are a seasoned literary adventurer or a curious tourist of narrative art, reading these short texts—fiction about fiction—offer a joyfully mind-bending challenge. Join us as we surf the limits of what stories can do and dive into the mysteries of how narrative magic gets conjured.
Mid-Century Modern
Jeffrey Swoger
THURSDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Nontraditional Relationships in Five Popular Films
David Shifren
FRIDAYS, 1 – 4 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Northern Ireland:
1966 to 1994
Tony Novosel
MONDAYS, 3:30 – 5 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
One Thousand Years of Illuminated Manuscripts
Frank Santimauro
MONDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Opening to Nature: Our Inheritance as Humans
Thalia Gray
THURSDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Beginning in the late 1940s, the design of houses, and the objects that were put into them, underwent a sea-change. The country’s economy was growing after years of depression and war-time rationing. Rounded forms, open, airy spaces, new materials, and a focus on family life marked those postwar years. Mid-century architecture in America began on the west coast and moved east. Noted designers produced exciting new furniture and household items. European influences mixed with American sensibilities to create and furnish the ever-expanding suburbs that grew around our major cities.
Forget old-school Hollywood's couples flicks. We will screen films that initially threw audiences off-kilter, leaving viewers surprised, intrigued, and at times even scandalized. For our purposes, however, these films will provide starting points for discussion about relationships in both the films' and our own times. Titles will include Sunset Boulevard, Midnight Cowboy, Brokeback Mountain, Fatal Attraction, and Her.
In 2012, a former member of the Irish Republican Army and a former Ulster Volunteer Force prisoner met with Pitt students in Belfast. The opening of the conversation went like this: Ex-prisoners: "You've been in Belfast for two weeks and met with many people on both sides of the divide. Do you understand the conflict any better now?" Pitt students: "No. We are more confused now than when we got here." Ex-prisoners: "Good! You've learned something." Contradictory? Confusing? Counter-intuitive? Nonsensical? Intriguing? All the above? If you say, "all the above" then you will find this class "intriguing" because what you will do is move beyond the inherited histories of the modern conflict in Ireland.
Join us for a fascinating glimpse of the world of European knowledge before the printing press. Our journey back in time begins with the arrival of St. Patrick in the British Isles and ends with Gutenberg's invention of the printing press. We will see the book industry up close: what was being written, for whom (and why), and how they were producing these works of art. In our first meeting, we will look back into the mists of writing and culminate with the beautiful gospel books of the Celtic tradition, including the famous Book of Kells. From there we will continue through the peak of manuscript production in the 15th century and the stunning Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.
This course is an introduction to some of our human abilities as part of a natural world that runs on subtle energies as well as Newtonian laws. More and more discoveries are being made about the way living beings in nature communicate and are interconnected, and humans are no exception. We will explore a variety of avenues by which we communicate with our fellow Earth inhabitants and with ourselves and examine the potential of these systems to be used to improve our own well-being, that of other people, and that of the planet.
Organizational Failure Processes and Governmental Results
Carl Benson
MONDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
The Ottoman Empire in the 19th Century
Jared Day
WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Parlez-Vous French Design?
Eleanor Schrader Kojelis
WEDNESDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Permaculture: Designing for Food, Biodiversity, and Justice
Elizabeth Lynch
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Reading Nonfiction: The New Autobiography
Molly Frounfelter
THURSDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Organizations throughout history have begun, developed, and eventually degrade or collapse for various reasons. This course examines different organizational failures, and considers failure processes which contribute to their demise. The processes considered include organizational failure theories (such as practical drift and collapse of sensemaking), as well as other factors (such as cognitive biases, bounded rationality and paradigm paralysis). The primary question considered in this course is: can governmental failures be explained by the various organizational theories/processes described in the course?
This course explores the Ottoman Empire’s tumultuous 19th century with a special emphasis on the long-term sources of Turkish decline. The course will also explore the long under-appreciated sources of imperial strength that allowed the Sultanate in Constantinople to survive, modernize, and continuously pose a challenge to Europe’s great powers—even as those powers dismissed it as “the sick man of Europe.” The transformation of the Sultanate, the hareem, and the empire’s army of janissaries will all be discussed, as well as the Empire’s fate in the aftermath of World War I.
For centuries, France has been an arbiter of taste in the history of design. This course will trace the myriad influences and the splendid results of artistic endeavors from the French Renaissance through the eras of Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI, Napoleon I, Second Empire, and Art Nouveau. This course will intertwine the various stylistic forces that resulted in beautiful forms of opulence and luxury, created by some of the most imaginative artists in European history. Architecture, interiors, and decorative arts and their placement within the socio-political backdrop of the eras will be discussed.
A marriage of indigenous wisdom and modern technology, permaculture offers solutions to our most pressing societal and environmental problems. Learn the history of this 40+ year movement and what this crazy word really means. Topics covered include systems thinking and efficient design, food forests, mimicking nature while producing an abundance of food and healing the ecosystem, living soil, natural building techniques, managing water in the landscape, and eco-social design.
For the first 100 years of the Pulitzer Prize, Biography and Autobiography were one category. That changed in 2023. In this course, we will survey the Pulitzer Prize’s new category, Distinguished Memoir or Autobiography by an American author, as a way of exploring innovations in autobiography— exciting new uses of literary conventions, research, and craft, as well as how authors have bent the genre to be more multidisciplinary, investigative, and creative. We will read pieces of award-winning memoirs such as The Best Minds, Liliana’s Invincible Summer, and Chasing Me to My Grave: An Artist’s Memoir of the Jim Crow South
COURSES LISTED ALPHABETICALLY
Red Wines of Italy
Ricardo Llovet
WEDNESDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
THURSDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
"Reel" Vietnam: The Vietnam War and Hollywood
Jon Grogan
THURSDAYS, 12:30 – 2:15 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Reimagining Yourself Through Creative Writing
Laurie McMillan
TUESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
The Rest Is Silence: Music Between Notes
Flavio Chamis
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Rhythm of the Cosmos
Elizabeth Burnette
WEDNESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Every time somebody asks me: If you only had a choice to visit one country, which one would you choose? I always answer: Italy! Its art and architecture, history, language, style, and amazing food can make your journey very enjoyable. In addition, there is always a glass of regional wine waiting for you at every destination. Those wines are mostly crafted with grape varietals unique to their regions. Escape from the tirany of international/French varietals and submerge yourself in Sangiovese, Barbera, Aglianico, Corvina, and a myriad other varietals. In this course we will taste and rate 5 Italian reds and explore their terroir.
Note: This course will be offered twice in Session 1: Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Members may only sign up for one section.
Many U.S. military campaigns have been dramatized on film. The Second Indochina War, known in the United States as the Vietnam War, lasted from 1955 to 1975. During that period, nearly three million Americans served, 58,000 died, and thousands more were scarred for life. Public support for the war peaked in the mid-1960s but collapsed after the Tet Offensive in 1968. This course will examine how Hollywood's treatment of the war and its participants changed over time, reflecting America's gradual disillusionment with a conflict thousands of miles from its shores.
This creative writing course will help members refocus, reimagine, and reinvigorate their lives through writing from prompts and discussion designed to employ imagination and insight. Members can write in any genre they wish, and no writing experience is necessary. The course will give members the space and encouragement they need to enhance creativity. Writing tools and ideas to continue work in class and inspire further discovery will be offered.
How is it possible for music to captivate human beings in such a visceral way? How is it possible that the whole universe of western music is built by simply combining twelve different notes, adding rhythm, and coloring these sounds with instruments or voice? This course will embark on the quest of breaking down the elements which composers use in order to build intricate works of artistic excellence that became some of humanity's most expressive cultural treasures, as well as how interpreters add their personal input, and become compulsory “co-composers.”
We exist in this universe, but the ongoing events in space are beyond our human scales of time and size. What are the natural rhythms of the cosmos and how can we put them in a coherent perspective? Einstein said, "The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious." In this course we will investigate origins, such as simple hydrogen forming the basis of all structure; slow transitions, such as gas cloud to star to black hole; the scale and consequences of collisions and expansion; dynamic events such as quasars and supernovae; and "empty" space, which is full of the unknown and hazardous to humans.
Roots of the Movie Musical: The First Dozen Years
Michael Young
WEDNESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Salsa: Where Cultures Dance Together
Camilo Jauregui
THURSDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Sampling British Humor
Roger Rouse
WEDNESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Senior Living Simplicity
Wendy Zinkone and Jennifer Thayer
TUESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
The Soviet Union: The Revolution and First Decade
Chuck Hier
MONDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
An early hallmark of the sound era of film are musicals. Of course, the most famous early "talkie" is The Jazz Singer and its audio recordings were its musical numbers. Quickly, Hollywood followed the then-Broadway model of a revue with an almost random collection of songs and dancing. It also began to create musical "specialty" pieces, or short films that were added to an evening at the movies. We will begin with a bit of The Jazz Singer, some of the "specialty" pieces, then a few early hits like Golddiggers of 1933, Broadway Melody of 1938, and 42nd Street, and the genre's most famous duo, Astaire and Rogers, with a few films such as Swing Time and Shall We Dance.
Dive into the vibrant world of salsa music, exploring its rich cultural heritage, musical evolution, and lasting impact on global popular culture. This course takes members on a journey through the streets of Spanish Harlem to the dance floors of the world, examining how different cultural influences shaped this explosive genre. The members will gain an understanding about the historical and cultural context of salsa music, will identify key musical elements and instruments in salsa, will recognize influential artists and their contributions, and will appreciate the cultural fusion that created modern salsa. We will explore salsa's global impact and contemporary expressions.
Are you ready for a laugh? If so, you may enjoy sampling British humor beyond what is featured these days on PBS and Netflix. We will focus on pieces produced from the 1950s and beyond, some unfamiliar to U.S. audiences but all popular in the U.K. We will pay most attention to ones involving social and cultural critique. Through the presentation and discussion of short excerpts, some artfully vulgar, we will proceed chronologically to put the critiques in context, to draw lessons about using humor to help deal with the present, and, above all, to have some fun.
Explore the complexities of senior living decision-making in this comprehensive course. Delve into the myriad options available, from staying in the home to assisted care, and master the art of financial planning tailored to senior living. Understand the crucial intersection of wellness and healthcare within these communities. Uncover the emotional and social dynamics that play a pivotal role in the well-being of seniors. Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills needed to make informed decisions that prioritize the holistic needs of older individuals.
Late tsarist Russia was discontented: peasants lacked enough land, workers’ unions were illegal, and there were no constitutional rights. These tensions led to collapse of the tsarist state in February 1917. A provisional government of landed and capitalist elites sought to lead the new Russian state. But Soviets (workers’ councils) contested their right to rule. A struggle ensued resulting in the victory of the Soviets. Simultaneously, a struggle within the Soviets brought the Bolsheviks, one of many currents of socialism within the Soviets, into leadership of the Soviets. A terrible civil war ensued.
The Soviet Union: Stalin to Collapse
Chuck Hier
WEDNESDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Spirituality and Caregiving
David Fetterman
TUESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Testing the Limits of Presidential Power
Tom Allen
THURSDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
TUESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Text and Art: Five Bible Stories
Sarah Rosenson
WEDNESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Tragic Romance of William Shakespeare
Alexa Palilla
TUESDAYS, 6 – 7:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
After seven years of WWI and civil war, the New Economic Policy (NEP) was conceived by Lenin as a kind of retreat from socialism. But once the country had recovered economically, the government again tried to build a socialized economy. The Five-Year Plans and collectivization expanded the economy eight times before the Nazi invasion, enabling the Soviets to out-produce and defeat Germany during WWII. The Soviets recovered from WWII under Khrushchev but began an “era of stagnation” under Brezhnev, Andropov, and Chernenko. The attempts of Gorbachev to reform the system resulted in its collapse.
This course explores the intersection of spirituality and caregiving. We will delve into diverse spiritual perspectives, practices, and resources that can support caregivers and those receiving care. Through readings, discussions, and reflective exercises, we will examine how spirituality can foster resilience, hope, and meaning amidst the challenges and rewards of caregiving.
The Trump administration has acted aggressively to assert and expand the powers of the presidency. Many of these actions have fueled public controversy and legal challenges. In this course we will discuss the status of the lawsuits claiming that the administration has exceeded its powers under federal law. We will also discuss claims by the administration that certain federal judges have exceeded their powers through orders restricting actions of the Executive Branch.
Note: This course will be offered twice, once In-person and once online. It is the same course.
Each week we will study and discuss the text of biblical passages and stories. Then we will look at two to four works by different artists depicting the scene. The stories include pharaoh's daughter, David and Goliath, the Annunciation, the prodigal son, and not casting the first stone. Artists will include Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Poussin, and Alma-Tadema. This is not a religion course; we will read the Bible as literature. No prior knowledge of the Bible is necessary, and people of all religions or no religion are welcome.
"For never was a story of more woe..." than of Shakespeare and his quill. In this course, members will delve into Romeo and Juliet while simultaneously analyzing Shakespeare's sonnets. Each class, we will conduct an in-depth analysis of the most iconic scene from the act covered that week and pair it with an exploration of a sonnet. We will learn the characteristics of a romantic tragedy and identify the traits within the play. At the beginning of the course, the members will also have an introduction into the life and times of Shakespeare, the Globe Theatre, and a crash course in speaking Shakespearean English.
U.S. Immigration Basics
Delores Blough
THURSDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
U.S. Relations with Canada, 1817–1984
John Burt
FRIDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Unknown Goodness and Events of the Holocaust
Howard Kerner
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Watercolor and Ink
Melissa Tai
WEDNESDAYS, 9 – 10:30 A.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
Watercoloring the Essence of Autumn
Elaine Bergstrom
MONDAYS, 1 – 2:30 P.M.
Session: 1 & 2 (10 classes)
Modality: Online
This course is designed for members who desire a deeper understanding of the current immigration laws of the United States. We will explore the many ways individuals come to the United States and the legal paths they take to remain here.
For more than 150 years, the United States and Canada used diplomacy to solve problems and work as allies. The process was not always smooth or easy, and there were occasional cross-border instances of violence on both sides. Yet, the two nations have astonished the world by maintaining one of the longest existing borders without armed fortifications. This course will review the border disputes, tensions, and friendly relations that mark this long history.
Although most people correctly associate the Holocaust with the horrific overt deeds of evildoers, few know about stunning behind-the-scenes events of the 1936 Olympics, or that well-known American corporations partnered with Nazi Germany instead of the United States. Perhaps even more unknown is that in addition to the open and hidden evil of this period, there were many brave and altruistic individuals who risked their lives to rescue persecuted people. During this course, we will learn about unknown evil, but we will also celebrate unknown and inspiring human goodness.
The emphasis of this course will be on emotion and flow rather than realistic representation. Members will enjoy the expressive flow of watercolor juxtaposed to the exact mark of the pen. In the first five weeks, members will start with a background in watercolor that meets criteria for color choice and/or technique. This step will inspire the ink drawing to complete the assignment. During the second five weeks, members will be assigned a drawing prompt. They will complete the drawing first and then decide how to paint it. They can paint within the lines or use one of the techniques from the first five weeks.
Learn to draw and paint colorful subjects of autumn with watercolors, gouache (gwash), and ink in sketchbooks or on watercolor paper. Explore autumn scenes from the golden rod against the blue sky, to the apple orchards and birds flying by, from the changing leaves and bark, to the forest floor. Please plan on being visually present for class discussions and class shares of your work. We learn from one another. All levels are welcome and a suggested supply list will be provided.
What's Philosophy Good For?
Joseph Givvin
FRIDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Whiskey Rebellion, 1791–1794: Collision of Crises
Peter Gilmore
MONDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
With A Song in My Heart, Part 4
Sam and Candy Caponegro
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Word Processing in Action: Practical Everyday Documents
Karen Bigrigg
WEDNESDAYS, 11 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
Word Processing Made Simple: Beginner's Guide for Everyday Use
Karen Bigrigg
THURSDAYS, 10 – 11:50 A.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
There is an old saying that philosophy bakes no bread. It's true that philosophy does not help you start your car on a cold Pittsburgh morning or make you better looking. Why then spend time on philosophizing? We philosophize because we all have questions. What is the meaning of life? What can I be certain of? Can we prove that there is a God? What is the proper role of government? The instructor will lecture to provoke your wonder and thought on these questions. This course is a brief introduction or re-introduction to the field of philosophy. The instructor will provide online optional reading materials.
The sometimes-violent protests against the federal excise on distilled spirits had two conflicting origins: the national debt crisis, and the new national government’s plans to resolve it; and the ongoing crisis in the backcountry facing European incomers—how to obtain farms and gain land security, maintain customary practices, and build a democratic polity. Although usually studied from a national perspective, the Whiskey Rebellion will be viewed differently in this course. Presentations will emphasize the values, outlook, economics, and politics of the communities west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Explore the songs and times of the great songwriters of stage and screen. Using clips from Broadway, film, and television, we will share the life stories of Broadway songwriters, and appreciate their genius. In this course, we will explore the music of the Sherman Brothers of Mary Poppins fame, Alan Menken and Howard Ashman who brought us Little Shop of Horrors and Beauty and the Beast, and Lee Adams and Charles Strouse who taught us to "Put On A Happy Face" with Bye Bye Birdie. We will also explore some modern songwriters such as Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family) and Jason Robert Brown (Parade), among others.
This hands-on course builds on members' foundational word processing knowledge by focusing on real-world applications. Through guided exercises, members will create and refine documents commonly used in daily life, such as flyers, letters, and newsletters. The emphasis is on practical skills that enhance communication, organization, and presentation. This course requires members to use a computer with access to a word processing program such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs to fully participate.
Note: Members must have taken Word Processing Made Simple: Beginner’s Guide for Everyday Use in order to register for this course.
This introductory course is designed to help beginners feel comfortable using word processing software. You will learn the basics of creating, formatting, and editing documents, as well as how to save, print, and share your work. With step-by-step guidance, you will gain confidence in using word processors like Microsoft Word and Google Docs for everyday tasks such as writing letters, creating lists, and formatting reports.
Yoga in America: Making of a Multibillion-Dollar Business
Gautam Mukerjee
TUESDAYS, 1 – 2:50 P.M.
Session: 1 (5 classes)
Modality: In-person
Zentangle™ with Sacred Geometry
Sue Schneider
FRIDAYS, 10 – 11:30 A.M.
Session: 2 (5 classes)
Modality: Online
This course uses lectures and discussion to study how yoga became a multibillion-dollar industry in America. Initially the preserve of transcendentalists, yoga was soon promoted as part of India’s Vedanta philosophy. Eventually, a vigorous health and wellness industry adopted yoga as a proven pathway to youthful health. With physical fitness obscuring spiritual pursuit, yoga underwent further commercialization to become an amalgam of Hatha asanas infused with elements of Tantra and Tibetan Buddhism. Today, yoga is a vibrant field of health and fitness, self-study and therapy, with a plethora of marketable products promising immunity against the ravages of modern living.
Using the Zentangle™ method of meditative drawing, we will explore the designs and concepts of classic sacred geometry. Sacred geometry forms appear in many cultures around the world, giving them a universal appeal. No previous experience is needed. Members will learn to draw geometric designs, that are then filled with patterns. The instructor will also provide templates for some projects.
MINI-COURSE
Strategies for Navigating Health Care after Hospitalization
Natalie E. Leland
MONDAY, DEC. 8 and TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Modality: Online
Each year, 40% of U.S. older adults are discharged from a hospital to post-acute care (e.g., skilled nursing facility, at home with home healthcare) for additional medical and rehabilitative care. Patients and their support network have described this as a challenging time. When making decisions about post-acute care, there are setting-specific differences that should be considered. This mini-course, in two 2-hour sessions, will discuss evidence-based strategies and publicly available resources that can be used to advocate for and make informed decisions about which post-acute care provider aligns with the patient’s care needs and preferences.
Natalie E. Leland PhD, OTR/L, BCG, FAOTA, FGSA is a professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh. Drawing on her geriatric clinical experiences working in post-acute and long-term care, Dr. Leland’s research examines access, outcomes, and quality of care for vulnerable older adults with a particular interest in how to accelerate the implementation of evidence into clinical practice to optimize patient-prioritized outcomes and mitigate disparities.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Course registration opens Wednesday, July 23, 2025. After that date, paid members can register for classes and events. After registration, members will immediately receive email confirmation of classes and whether they are registered or waitlisted.
One week before classes start, members will receive the Zoom link (for online classes) or the room location (for in-person classes). This information will be sent again the first two weeks of the course.
Waitlists are monitored and if we can create openings, members will be notified. We do our best to eliminate waitlists.
Members will receive our weekly updates via email. Newsletters include membership information, new event details, information about OLLI at Pitt benefits, and opportunities for activities at Pitt and beyond.
LECTURES
Adult Vaccine Update for 2025/2026
Patricia Coyle, MD
MONDAY, OCT. 6, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Modality: Online
In this time of seemingly varying and contradictory vaccine recommendations, many adults have questions about vaccine safety and efficacy as well as the rationale for current recommendations. This OLLI lecture will address current vaccine recommendations for adults and answer the most common questions that adults have about the current available vaccines.
Patricia Coyle, MD, is a board certified internal medicine physician who practiced as a primary care provider at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for over 30 years. In her role as a PCP, she was responsible for following and conveying current adult immunization recommendations and has had extensive experience with the concerns that adults have about vaccines.
Two Strikes and a Flood in Pittsburgh's Gilded Age
Paul Tellers
MONDAY, NOV. 24, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Modality: Online
This richly illustrated lecture will address the dark side of Pittsburgh's Gilded Age. Industrial growth after the Civil War attracted immigrants from Europe and the American South. While the city grew in population and prominence, labor conditions and suppressed wages led to two violent clashes—the 1877 Railroad Strike and the 1892 Homestead Strike. While muckrakers and social reformers targeted Pittsburgh's unhealthful living conditions, pollution, and political corruption, wealthy families summered at a lake above Johnstown. The lake's dam burst resulting in a catastrophic loss of life.
Paul Tellers is a licensed architect. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Detroit. Most of his career was as a university architect at Carnegie Mellon University. He continued campus planning as an associate at WTW Architects. He is currently a project manager for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's proposed downtown cinema.
Only Hope: My Mother and the Holocaust Brought to Light
Irv Lubliner
THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 2025
Time: 1 – 3 p.m.
Modality: Online
Before she passed away in 1974, Felicia Bornstein Lubliner wrote about her internment in ghettos and concentration camps (Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen) in Nazi-occupied Poland. Her powerful stories have been published by her son, Irv Lubliner, an emeritus Southern Oregon University professor. He will share excerpts from Only Hope: A Survivor’s Stories of the Holocaust, shedding light on his mother’s experiences and indomitable spirit, as well as his experience as a child of Holocaust survivors and his process in bringing the book to fruition.
Irv Lubliner, Professor Emeritus at Southern Oregon University, taught math for 40 years, led seminars for teachers in 39 states, and gave 350 conference presentations, including several keynote addresses. After retiring in 2014, he published his mother’s book, Only Hope: A Survivor’s Stories of the Holocaust and has dedicated himself to speaking about her experiences to groups of teens and adults nationwide, including 86 other OLLI programs.
LOCAL TOURS
All local tours are for current OLLI members only.
Walking Tour of Hazelwood
THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 2025
Time: 9 – 11 a.m.
Join OLLI for a scenic walking tour of Hazelwood and learn about the University of Pittsburgh’s community development and engagement efforts happening in the heart of this neighborhood!
The tour will begin at the OneValley Roundhouse, a modern, welcoming coworking space that fuses Hazelwood Green’s industrial past with Pittsburgh’s current innovative entrepreneurial culture.
The tour will also include the BioForge, the new state of the art biomanufacturing facility; Mill 19; and the site of Pitt’s future Community Engagement Center that will be located within the Center of Life’s forth coming community hub.
Note: This is a two-hour walking tour that will involve steps and some uneven surfaces. Participants should be prepared to be on their feet for extended periods of time.
Space is limited. Transportation is not provided; members need to arrive at the OneValley Roundhouse (4165 Blair Street, 15207) on their own. Parking is free.
Behind the Scenes: the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Non-refundable fee: $17
Put on your walking shoes and get ready to explore the Pittsburgh Zoo! Learn more about the amazing animals and the Zoo’s conservation efforts while getting a behind-the-scenes tour of at least three different animal habitats. After the tour, members can explore the Zoo and Aquarium at their leisure for the rest of the day.
Space is limited. Transportation is not provided; members need to arrive at the Pittsburgh Zoo on their own.
Evening Tour of the Allegheny Observatory
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2025
Time: 7 – 9 p.m.
The Allegheny Observatory, part of the University of Pittsburgh, is a hidden gem that boasts impressive architecture and historic telescopes. This tour is a delightful mix of science, history, Pittsburgh stories, and current research. If the sky is clear, members will be able to view Saturn and the moon.
Note: The Allegheny Observatory is NOT fully accessible and the tour includes walking up and down narrow stairways. Parts of the Observatory are not heated and participants should dress accordingly.
Space is limited. Transportation is not provided; members need to arrive at the Allegheny Observatory (159 Riverview Avenue, 15214) on their own. Parking is free and on the right-hand side of the road that circles the Observatory.
TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES
Visit OLLI’s website for more details on the travel opportunities below: olli.pitt.edu/events/travel-trips
Coming Soon! Fabulous Finger Lakes
OCT. 7 – 9, 2025
Enjoy the art, history, and delights of central New York State on this multi-day bus trip. Travel to the Canandaigua, NY area and enjoy a guided tour of Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion. Other highlights include a visit to the Communications Technology Museum, dinner with a chef demo at the New York Kitchen, exploring the Women’s Rights National Historic Park and the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, cruising on Skaneateles Lake, shopping and tasting wines at Anyela’s Vineyards, a stop at the Christ Episcopal Church to view the beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows, and a visit at the iconic Corning Museum of Glass.
OLLI at Pitt Austria — Holiday Traditions and Christmas Markets
DEC. 3 – 11, 2025
Explore the cultural and historical richness of Austria. Participants will learn about traditions, engage with local people, and immerse themselves in the history of a country that has influenced science, the arts, medicine, and so much more. OLLI instructor Orin James, chair of the Austria Nationality Room, will be joining this unique learning and travel experience.
OLLI at Pitt Ireland — Road to Peace
APRIL 24 – MAY 2, 2026
This customized journey will explore this beautiful country in a unique and meaningful way. Travelers will be immersed in culture, and will take walking tours, take an Irish baking class, and encounter castles and museums. They will also learn about Ireland’s “Troubles” and the Good Friday Agreement signed in 1998. Travelers will hear firsthand from local residents about the origins of the issues, the subsequent turbulent years, the peace agreement, and how life is today in Ireland. The journey will give OLLI at Pitt members (and their friends) the opportunity to truly connect with the people, history, culture, and heritage of Ireland.
Magical Rhine and Moselle River Cruise
AUG. 25 – SEPT. 2, 2026
Discover a dramatic waterway where winding valleys give way to riverside cities and Alpine hamlets. Venture along the Rhine and Moselle rivers from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland and spend time in beloved European cities, getting a taste of the local culture at each stop along the way. Just unpack once and enjoy the delights of small ship travel with your OLLI peers.
INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES
EMANUEL ABRAMOVITS has been a concert promoter since 2000 and directly involved in many events by international artists. He designed and staged original orchestral events and several world premieres. He was cultural director at Union Israelita De Caracas from 2008 to 2019, releasing books and organizing film cycles, concerts, and art exhibits. He has been consistently teaching online and in person across the United States since 2020.
TOM ALLEN, JD, is a lawyer who practiced with a large global law firm for over 40 years before his retirement from the firm at the end of 2021. Early in his career, Allen was a trial attorney with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Justice Department. Allen obtained a BA from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
RALPH BANGS, PhD, MPA, is the retired associate director of the Center on Race and Social Problems at the University of Pittsburgh. His most recent book is Race and Social Problems: Restructuring Inequality He has received racial justice and leadership awards and has taught courses on race for several decades.
BUCK BEASOM, MBA, teaches courses for OLLI programs across the country. He has a two-track career that includes four decades in data management and applications development while also teaching courses in business, accounting and economics. He spent five years teaching history at the middle and high school levels. He holds a BS in management science, with additional majors in history and economics and an MBA in accounting.
CARL BENSON retired in 2015 as an engineer with 40 years of experience in the naval nuclear field. He had developed knowledge and skill in training in the area of organizational behavior and the area of training engineers to anticipate potential failure in their work. The issues of organizational structure, operation, and, most importantly, failure are continuing interests to him. He also has a strong interest in the medical field, where he now practices as a standardized patient.
ELAINE BERGSTROM, BA, earned her degree from the University of Illinois in design, a certification in art education from Carlow University, and a botanical illustration certification from the Morton Arboretum in Illinois. She specializes in oriental, watercolor, acrylic, pen/ink, drawing, colored pencils, and pastels.
ÁLVARO ANTONIO BERNAL, PhD, is a professor of Spanish and Latin American literature at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. He received his PhD from the University of Iowa.
KAREN BIGRIGG, MS, earned a master’s degree in education from Drexel University and a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh. She teaches courses from basic computer skills to advanced data analysis, using hands-on methods to simplify complex concepts. Her background in education and corporate fields helps her tailor her approach to adult learners, boosting confidence and technology skills.
DELORES BLOUGH, JD, has over 35 years of experience as an attorney in both the public and private sector and is an expert in immigration regulations. She began her legal career in as an attorney to individuals applying for political asylum in the United States. For the past 30 years, she has been working with international populations at several universities. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern Mennonite University and her JD from Georgetown University Law Center.
DAVID BRUMBLE, PhD, is professor emeritus of English at the University of Pittsburgh and a recipient of both of Pitt’s most prestigious teaching prizes. Two of his five books are on medieval and renaissance art and literature, and he has published articles on the Bible.
ELIZABETH BURNETTE, MS, earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering physics from Cornell University, then worked at NASA's jet propulsion laboratory with space shuttle experiments. She taught at a community college and taught science at a Montessori school. She earned her master’s degree in astrophysics from the University of Pittsburgh.
BARBARA BURSTIN, PhD, is on the history faculty of both the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University and is the author of several books including Steel City Jews, Volumes I and II and a biography of Sophie Masloff. With degrees from Vassar College, Columbia University, and the University of Pittsburgh, she has been teaching for over 25 years.
JOHN BURT, JD, is a retired history teacher and lawyer. He served as a featured speaker in Safe Harbor, a public television awardwinning documentary on the Underground Railroad in Western Pennsylvania. Since 1986, he has lectured on the history of American reform movements, especially the abolitionist movement, and he has conducted tours connected with Underground Railroad activities.
SAM AND CANDY CAPONEGRO have worked in all aspects of theater for over 30 years. Their goal is to keep the classic movie musicals and the golden age of Broadway alive through their lectures.
TIMOTHY CARR, PhD, is the emeritus Marshall Miller distinguished professor at West Virginia University. He spent more than 40 years working in the energy field. He has focused on subsurface unconventional energy resources including gas shale and shale oil, carbon storage, and geothermal. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, his master’s degree in geology from Texas Tech University, and his PhD in geology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
FLAVIO CHAMIS is a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil and is an acclaimed music conductor and composer throughout the world, winning many awards and honors. In the 1980s, he was a conducting assistant to Leonard Bernstein for several tours. A frequent guest lecturer, he has given presentations on Brazilian and classical music at universities and other cultural and educational organizations across the country.
JILL DONNETTE CLARY has been practicing yoga since 2003, has completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program, and is registered with Yoga Alliance. Her classes are a blend of different yoga styles, but all focus on a slow flow with longer holds.
DEBORAH COHEN, PhD, is a retired professor and award-winning filmmaker who recently published her memoir, Inner Growth Thru Reiki. Practicing Reiki since the late 90s, she has developed a new school of Reiki combining arts practices with the traditional Usui method. She earned her PhD in computing technology in education at Nova Southeastern University and her Reiki master certification at the Usui School of Reiki.
SANDRA COLLINS, PhD, focuses on women in the Old Testament in her courses at the University of Pittsburgh. She has also taught for Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, and, currently, the Byzantine Catholic Seminary as well as online for the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
SHIVAUN CORRY, PhD, is an awardwinning teacher and researcher in communication. She holds a master’s degree from Simon Fraser University and a PhD from Duquesne University, in which her scholarship focused on the intersection of political and religious communication. While finishing her PhD research, a serious illness led her to understand the need to apply communication theory in doctor/patient relationships. She now empowers patients by teaching these skills.
ADAM DAVIS, MA, is an associate professor of biology at CCAC and teaches the History of Science at Duquesne University. He received his BS in archaeology, biological anthropology, and forensic anthropology from Mercyhurst University, and his MA in paleoanthropology from the University of Pittsburgh. He has been teaching since 2005.
JARED DAY, PhD, taught American history at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for 16 years. His areas of specialization are U.S. political, urban, and cultural history as well as world history from the late 18th century to the present. He is the author of several books along with numerous other popular and peer-reviewed articles.
CINZIA DELFINI, MA, graduated from the masters program of Italian at the University of Pittsburgh in December of 2017. She previously received her degree in Russian and English languages and literature at the University of Verona, Italy. She moved to Pittsburgh in 2023 and, at present she is a part-time instructor at the University of Pittsburgh and teaches Italian language at different levels.
REBECCA DENOVA, PhD, is a senior lecturer emerita in religious studies at the University of Pittsburgh. She regularly teaches courses on the history of early Christianity (her specialty), ancient religions in the Mediterranean world, and several topics related to ancient popular religion and society.
TCHETCHET DIGBOHOU, Ed, MBA, (pronounced "chay'chay' dig-booo"), a native of Cote d’Ivoire (West Africa), is a nonprofit professional, a consultant, and an economic analyst. He is the current president of the Pittsburgh Area African Professionals Organization. He earned his MBA in international management from Middlebury Institute of International Studies and his doctorate in social and comparative analysis from the University of Pittsburgh.
MARILYN EGAN, PhD, is director of education at the Pittsburgh Opera. She enjoys opening new doors to opera for students of all ages. Staff members and opera artists who will share their specific areas of expertise about opera will join some sessions.
ANNE FAIGEN, MA, is a professional writer who has published three historical novels for young people and two mysteries for general readers. She taught at the Community College of Allegheny County and at the high school level. She also is a book reviewer, editor, and contributor to print and online publications. She has her master’s degree in literature.
DAVID FETTERMAN, BA., MDiv, MEd, has degrees in history, theology, and education. He has served as a pastor and spiritual counselor/chaplain in the Pittsburgh area, as director of education and community outreach in the Center for Healthy Aging at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public Health, and as a member of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Aging Research Network, focusing primarily on the brain.
GAYE FIFER, MA, is the current president of the Country Dance and Song Society. After receiving an undergraduate degree from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's in counseling from the University of Missouri, she spent 30 years teaching elementary school. She has been leading English country dance for 12 years both locally and at many dance weekends and weeklong camps across the country.
LUCY FISCHER, PhD, is a distinguished professor emerita of English and Film Studies at the University of Pittsburgh, where she received the Provost's Excellence in Mentorship Award and the Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award. She is the author of many books on film and received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and for the Humanities.
RICHARD FITZGIBBON is a former teacher with 35 years of experience in the Riverview School District and was technical coordinator for the district for 10 years before he retired. Since retirement, he frequently volunteers at Computer Reach where he assists in refurbishing and recycling computers.
MARÍA FRANCO DE GÓMEZ, MA, is a retired instructor of Spanish at Penn State New Kensington, where she served as Spanish coordinator. Her career as a faculty member includes a substantial record of academic service, solid scholarly activity, and strong evidence of outstanding teaching.
MOLLY FROUNFELTER, MFA, is a writer and teacher. She has taught over 20 collegiate writing courses and has written librettos, monologues, and one-woman shows. Her essayistic work has appeared in Jezebel’s FlyGirl and Creative Nonfiction. She holds an MA from Carnegie Mellon University in literary and cultural studies and an MFA from the University of Pittsburgh in nonfiction.
KEN GARGARO, PhD, has a career in the performing arts that spans nearly 50 years. His dedication to the arts, education, and entrepreneurship has transformed the training of performing artists, the employment of these artists, and the access for all to professional musical theatre in the Pittsburgh area. He is the founder of Pittsburgh Musical Theater and professor emeritus at Robert Morris University.
SUSAN GILLIS KRUMAN is emeritus faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, was the first to introduce yoga as a credit class at Pitt, where she taught for over 20 years. She has her 200- and 300hour Yoga Alliance certifications and a Kudalini pre-natal yoga certification with over 1,000 hours of in-class instruction.
PETER GILMORE, PhD, received his doctorate in history from Carnegie Mellon University and is an adjunct lecturer in history at several Pittsburgh universities. He is the author of Irish Presbyterians and the Shaping of Western Pennsylvania, 17701830, published in 2018 by the University of Pittsburgh Press.
JOSEPH GIVVIN, PhD, holds his doctorate in philosophy from St. John’s University, New York, and has been teaching for over 37 years. He enjoys the opportunity to teach for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Pittsburgh and engage with curious minds in thoughtful conversation about the great questions of ethics and human life.
THALIA GRAY, LAc, DiplOM, PhD, is a licensed practitioner of Oriental medicine. She obtained her doctorate in anthropology from New York University and was a freelance biomedical writer for 20 years. She completed her studies in traditional Chinese medicine at Eight Branches Academy of Eastern Medicine in Toronto and returned to Pittsburgh where she runs a private practice.
JON GROGAN, PhD, has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tufts University, a master’s degree in public history from the University of San Diego, and a PhD in American history (with a minor concentration in African colonial history) from Loyola University Chicago. He is also a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer. He teaches for OLLI programs across the country.
JOAN GUNDERSEN, PhD, is professor emeritus of history at California State University, San Marcos. Author of seven history books and numerous scholarly articles, she taught women's history and early American history for more than 40 years at a variety of colleges and universities. She enjoys sharing the fascinating world of American women's history with others.
NORA HAMERMAN, MA, has a bachelor’s degree in art history from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in art history from New York University. She lived in Rome for three years, starting as a Fulbright scholar studying the urban design of Pope Sixtus. She has taught at Shenandoah University and the University of Virginia, and she has many published articles, especially on sacred art.
KERRY HANDRON studied physics at Dartmouth College and space physics and astronomy at Rice University, focusing on the Helix Nebula. Most of her career is in informal education, at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and now at the Allegheny Observatory. The intersection of these interests is the field of Archeoastronomy, which is both fascinating and accessible.
CHUCK HIER, PhD, earned his PhD in Soviet history from the University of Pittsburgh. He has taught history at Pitt, Slippery Rock, the University of Akron, and Indiana University of PA. He has taught history and philosophy courses with OLLI at Pitt since 2015.
ALAN IRVINE, PhD, is a professional storyteller with a life-long fascination with Arthurian tales. His CD, The Red Dragon: Tales of King Arthur, won a Storytelling World Honors award. He has a doctorate degree in sociology and teaches many courses at area universities.
ANETTE ISAACS, MA, who is German born and raised, is a historian and public educator who presents hundreds of programs on her native country's history, politics, and culture across the United States. She holds master's degrees in American studies, political science, and history, and is currently serving as the director of OLLI at Florida International University.
ANUPAMA JAIN, PhD, has been a professor since 2002. After moving to Pittsburgh in 2011, she has worked in community engagement, DEI consulting, running a small business, working for a mayor, and being an executive director. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology at Bryn Mawr College and her PhD in literary studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
ORIN JAMES, MS, is an assistant professor of biology at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. He is also chair of the Austria Nationality Room in the Cathedral of Learning. In addition to biology, he teaches courses that include discussions of social philosophy, determinism, colonialism, race, sex, and gender to individuals of all ages.
CAMILO JAUREGUI is a professional musician with more than 25 years of experience teaching around the world, conducting, and inspiring people to enjoy the magic of the music. He is a Carnegie Mellon University instructor, Waynesburg University teacher, South Fayette High School assistant marching band director, and an active member of many music ensembles in the Pittsburgh area.
AARON KAHN is a second-generation CFP® at WMS Wealth Planners, a family-owned RIA, with over a decade of experience helping his clients find contentment with their money. He received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana UniversityBloomington before earning his MBA from the Katz School of Business at the University of Pittsburgh. Aaron is also a board member at Trail Pittsburgh.
DENNIS KATO, BA, obtained his degree in political science from the University of Cincinnati. He was a first lieutenant in military intelligence in the U.S. Army. He has visited all ten incarceration camps and has conducted research on the camps for over nine years. Fifteen members of his immediate family were imprisoned in the camps during WWII.
BRIDGET KEOWN, PhD, is an associate teaching professor at the Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Program at the University of Pittsburgh, where she leads the Gender and Science Initiative. A historian by training, her research focuses on the experience and expression of trauma during WWI and interwar periods. She is a recipient of the 2024 Tina & David Bellet Teaching Excellence Award and loves exploring literature and history in OLLI courses.
HOWARD KERNER, MA, was English professor for 47 years and published over 100 scholarly articles, mostly on the Holocaust. Since retirement, he pursued his "passion project" by researching and speaking at OLLIs and elsewhere about the inspiring bravery and altruism of unknown rescuers during the Holocaust.
ELEANOR SCHRADER KOJELIS is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author on the history of architecture, interiors, and decorative arts. She has been named a distinguished instructor of design history at the University of California Los Angeles Extension and is a professor emeritus of art and architectural history at Santa Monica College. She has done graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York.
KEN KONCERAK, MA, earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education with a history minor from Penn State University and his master’s degree in history from the California University of Pennsylvania. In addition to teaching high school U.S. history and social studies, he taught U.S. history at the Community College of Allegheny County. He also served as an award-winning high school librarian for 13 years.
STEPHEN LINDBERG, MA, has been teaching since 1978 and has been an adjunct professor in geology in the Department of Energy and Earth Resources at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown since 1997. He teaches courses on principles of astronomy, prehistoric life, earthquakes and volcanoes, meteorology, and geologic field methods.
RICARDO LLOVET is a biochemist who has built his wine knowledge through extensive reading, tasting, and traveling. He has harvested grapes, made wines, and visited winemakers around the world. He has conducted wine tastings for 41 years and taught 15 wine courses at OLLI programs. He founded the American Wine Society City of Pittsburgh chapter and posts wine reviews at www.wineandfriends.net.
ELIZABETH LYNCH has been a permaculture teacher and designer for about 15 years. She has managed several organic farms and has taught conservation education throughout her adult life. She is currently the administrator of the Permaculture Institute of North America.
DIANE MARKOVITZ is a licensed physical therapist with a degree from Marquette University’s School of Physical Therapy. She loves developing and teaching group exercise classes, as it provides her with a way to use her physical therapy experience to reach more people.
KENNETH MARTIS, PhD, is a professor emeritus of geography at West Virginia University. He received his PhD from the University of Michigan and is the author or co-author of nine award-winning books on American elections. The American Association of Geographers describes his lifelong work as having “fundamentally shaped our awareness of political patterns in the United States.”
CONNOR MCCANLUS is a Pittsburgh native and proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild. He is a local comedy performer and producer whose work has been featured in Chicago (Second City, The iO Theater, MCL Chicago, Athenaeum) and New York City (Upright Citizens Brigade, The Magnet Theater, The People's Improv Theater), and serves as the academy director at Arcade Comedy Theater.
LAURIE MCMILLAN, MFA, has been writing and teaching all genres for years. She earned an MFA in fiction from Concordia University. She was the co-founder of the Pittsburgh Writers Studio and Pittsburgh Memoir Project. She leads therapeutic writing circles.
GAUTAM MUKERJEE, PhD, is an associate professor emeritus in economics. For nearly 40 years he taught courses at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford in the areas of macroeconomics, statistics, monetary economics, and poverty. His current research interest is in institutional economics, and he actively searches for attractive topics in that field to develop into new course offerings.
DAVID NERO, PhD, is a lecturer in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. He is always on the lookout for ways to use technology to improve education in large-enrollment classes.
TONY NOVOSEL, PhD, is a senior lecturer in history at the University of Pittsburgh. He has worked with both IRA and Loyalist ex-prisoners and former combatants. He has also worked with a program bringing students from Northern Ireland to study in the United States for a year.
LYNN O'CONNOR, ESQ., was a practicing attorney in both the private and public sectors. From working in big law to being a magistrate judge in juvenile court, Ms. O'Connor has a wide variety of legal experience. She began teaching continuing legal education curses approximately eight years ago, and has been teaching at OLLI for two years.
ROBERT OSBORNE, BS, obtained his bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Pittsburgh, where he was also a student athletic trainer. From 1975 to 1980, he worked for the Pittsburgh Steelers, first in the scouting department and then as an athletic trainer. In over 40 years as a physical therapist, he has had the opportunity to supervise students, guest lecture in classes, and to educate patients and caregivers.
ALEXA PALILLA, PhD, holds a bachelor's degree in English and a master's degree in secondary special education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in organizational learning and leadership from Gannon University. Most recently, she earned a certificate in Rock & Roll History.
JACK PUGLISI, BA, is an accomplished teacher and public speaker who has been lecturing on matters of U.S. and world history for over a decade. He has spoken and taught numerous times for various private groups and institutions of higher education. His passion for and knowledge of history stems from a thorough, lifelong practice of reading.
MICHAEL RIZZI, EdD, has taught international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh for over a decade. He is the author of one book and over 20 articles on history, international affairs, and education. He holds master's and doctoral degrees from Pitt and an undergraduate degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.
ELIZABETH RODENZ, PhD, earned her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. She is author of Odd Ducks and Birds of a Feather, a unique approach to teaching psychological types, based on the work of Jung. She has taught a variety of courses at several OLLI programs. She is also the author of Josephine: A Woman of Indomitable Spirit, a saga of social injustice that chronicles the Industrial Age in American history from the 1880s into the 1920s.
SARAH ROSENSON, JD, has a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in Jewish studies from the Spertus Institute. She practiced law for a decade, taught ethics, philosophy, and religious courses at a private high school, and currently teaches adult education courses for OLLIs, retirement communities, as well as various online venues.
ANN ROSENTHAL has more than 30 years of experience as an artist, educator, and writer. Her work has been shown locally at the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory, and SPACE, and has been featured in exhibitions across the United States and internationally.
ROGER ROUSE retired after five decades teaching cultural anthropology, world history, cultural studies, and global studies at several universities in the United States. He spent his first 28 years in the United Kingdom, regularly enjoying surreal and critical comedy there. Since then, he has kept up with British humor while working extensively on the cultural politics of media in the English-speaking world.
FRANK SANTIMAURO, MBA, received his MBA from Duquesne University. He served the last 22 years of his teaching career at Penn State. After retiring, he established FSantimauroStudio, creating photographic art. Frank's love of art, history, and education brought him to the world of illuminated manuscripts.
GEORGE SCHEPER, PhD, earned his PhD from Princeton University. He is professor emeritus of the Community College of Baltimore County, and is currently senior lecturer for Advanced Academic Programs at Johns Hopkins University. He has directed over 20 NEH-funded Study Institutes for college and university faculty, including projects in the Andean world.
MATTHEW SCHLUEB is a licensed architect practicing architecture for over two decades. His designs received awards locally and nationally by juried competitions, and they received praise internationally in both print publications and television media.
SUE SCHNEIDER is a Certified Zentangle™ Teacher (CZT) and an award-winning artist in watercolor, fiber arts, and bookmaking. She brings her broad knowledge and playful teaching style to her Zentangle™ classes. She has been teaching for OLLI at Pitt for several years.
CATHLEEN SENDEK-SAPP, MFA, has her master’s degree in French language and literature. She has taught French at the University of Pittsburgh as a teaching fellow and part-time instructor as well as for noncredit lifelong learning.
DAVID SHIFREN, MFA, wrote film reviews for The Film Journal Magazine and CBS/Fox Video in New York City. He earned an MFA degree in fiction writing at the University of Pittsburgh, and has been teaching OLLI film classes for more than 20 years.
MELISSA SOKULSKI, MAC, is an herbalist, wild food educator, and licensed acupuncturist with a master's degree from the New England School of Acupuncture. She writes personal essays and has won grants and residencies for memoir writing. She has taught many popular classes at OLLI, including Wild Edibles Walks, Ancient Wisdom Modern Health, and Fantastic and Ferocious Fungi.
HANNAH STRONG, PhD, is a PhD candidate in musicology and is receiving a certificate in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's studies (GSWS). In her six years at the University of Pittsburgh, she has taught each of the foundational courses in the music department and intro level courses in GSWS. She presents and publishes frequently on feminism, social movements, and hip hop. She holds a master's degree in music history from Temple University.
JEFFREY SWOGER is a retired graphic designer with a lifelong interest in the arts, specifically design, music, architecture, and film. Much of his life was spent in Chicago where he was involved with the Chicago Architecture Foundation, designing their logo and printed materials.
MELISSA TAI is an adult-taught artist. She teaches art at various locations throughout Pittsburgh. She fancies herself very approachable, recognizing that there are many “right” ways to do things. Artistic marks are like signatures, unique to the individual. She likes to introduce creativity to those who either think they can’t or just haven’t experienced the joy yet.
MICHAEL TANENHAUS, PhD, recently retired from the University of Rochester’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. In 2018, he was awarded the Rumelhart Prize in cognitive science for his work on language comprehension. A longtime Bob Dylan fan, he began a deep dive into the emerging scholarly literature on Dylan to develop this course.
JENNIFER THAYER, RN, CSA, CDC, is passionate about enriching the lives of seniors. She brings a multifaceted skill set as a registered nurse, certified senior advisor®, and certified dementia practitioner. With a focus on senior living options, she conducts thorough assessments, ensuring tailored and optimal living arrangements for individuals.
RAYMOND UY, DMA, is an author, performer, conductor, and awardwinning music educator. He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Boston University, a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Westminster Choir College.
ELI VEGA is a highly published and award-winning photographer and author. He has offered classes and workshops for several OLLI groups throughout the country in addition to his three-day field workshops in Rocky Mountain National Park.
DANIEL VITAGLIONE, PhD, graduated from the Université d’Aix-Marseille, France, in English and psychology, has a master’s degree in comparative philosophy from the University of Hawaii, and has a PhD in English from the University of St Andrews, UK. He is the author of several books and is currently working on a book on French philosophy. He has taught literature and philosophy in the United States and France, including various OLLI programs.
DAVID WALTON, MFA, is retired from the University of Pittsburgh Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, Department of English, where he taught a variety of literature and writing courses over the last 20 years. He is a regular book reviewer for several national newspapers, a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship in literature, and the author of two collections of short stories and a novel.
MENGJUN (KATE) WANG is an international tai chi champion and the deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Tai Chi Association, with over a decade of teaching experience. She has served as a chief judge at international competitions and is a published researcher, known for her innovative approach to tai chi and qigong.
JARRELL DAVID (JD) WRIGHT, JD, PhD, studies the terrain where literature and art intersect with play, games, puzzles, and other forms of recreation. A consultant at the University of Pittsburgh’s teaching center and a part-time instructor in the English department, he earned his BA and JD from the College of William and Mary, and his PhD from Pitt.
MICHAEL YOUNG, PhD, is an awardwinning teacher and author of creative nonfiction, poetry, and short stories. He has many articles in peer reviewed journals and has presented at more than 90 conferences. He has been awarded a number of grants, notably by the Canadian government, and has been included in Who's Who in America. He earned his PhD from the University of Cincinnati.
WENDY ZINKONE, RN, MPH, is the proud owner of Rita's Home Care Agency. She leads her business with a strong foundation of compassion, integrity, and loyalty, ensuring clients receive dignified, personalized care at home. With a blend of clinical expertise and heartfelt dedication, she is committed to enhancing the quality of life for every individual she serves.
KATHERINE ZORASTER, MA, is a contextual art historian specializing in western art from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Having received her master's degree in art history with distinction from California State University Northridge, she began teaching at the college level at several different institutions, and now also teaches at several different lifelong learning programs across the country.
GENERAL OLLI INFORMATION/POLICIES
How to Drop a Course or Event
Please notify the OLLI office if you are unable to attend a course/class so that we can maintain accurate information on our programming and course evaluation efforts. Email us at osher@pitt.edu prior to the beginning of a class or at any time for courses that have multiple weeks. Let us know if you would like to enroll in an alternate course. Event refunds depend on each event and they are marked if the fees are refundable or not, and if they are, by what date.
Postponed, Canceled or Full Courses
Occasionally, courses are postponed or canceled, typically due to reasons beyond our control such as emergencies or illness of instructors, etc. If a class is postponed, you will be notified by email and informed of the rescheduled date, if it is known. If a course is canceled, you will receive email notice as soon as possible.
Course enrollment size varies for several reasons including size of physical classroom space or the nature of the course material (regardless of format). For these reasons, not all courses can be open to everyone who wishes to attend, including online courses. If a course or event is full, you will be given the opportunity to be added to the waiting list in case there are cancellations. People are added to the course or event from the waiting list in the order received.
Double-booking Courses
in a Time Period
During registration, be sure to select only one course during a given time frame. If you double-book your courses by accident, we will contact you by email and ask you to select the one you want to keep, and we will remove you from the other. If you do not reply in the time frame given in the email, we will remove you from both courses.
Refunds
Each catalog will indicate the date by which a membership may be refunded. There are no exceptions. Events or tours that require a fee will indicate if the fee is refundable, and if so, by what date you must request a refund.
Email Notifications
Make sure the OLLI office has your correct email address. The OLLI office sends emails to notify members of Zoom invites and course changes, course cancellations, upcoming events, as well as for our email newsletter. Instructors may also want to contact students regarding class information. Your information is always confidential.
Course Evaluations
During the last week of your courses, you will receive an email with a link to your course evaluations. Please try to respond and share information about your experience of the course. This information helps guide future programming. If you have an issue with your course evaluation, please contact us at osher@pitt.edu Do not contact the University Office of Measurement and Evaluation of Teaching (OMET).
Important Dates
Code of Conduct
In all courses, lectures, and events and in all formats, OLLI members are expected to follow the OLLI Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct is signed (either electronically or on paper) every time a member purchases a membership. OLLI members are expected to respect the learning environment, instructors, staff, and other members and embrace the concept of a civil community as well as follow all OLLI and University policies, procedures, and conduct guidelines. Please visit Member Resources on the OLLI website to read the OLLI Code of Conduct.
Auditing Classes
OLLI at Pitt members may audit preapproved undergraduate courses. Members who audit do not receive credits nor grades and generally do not participate in exams or homework. Auditors learn side-by-side with undergraduate students, but they are guests in the course and participation can be limited or restricted by instructor or department. Full information about auditing and how to register is found on our website, olli.pitt.edu
Last day to purchase Fall 2025 membership: Oct. 24, 2025 (Purchasing an annual membership prior to that date covers three consecutive terms: Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.)
NO REFUNDS ISSUED FOR MEMBERSHIP PAYMENTS AFTER AUG. 15, 2025.
Contact us
Phone: 412-624-7308 | Email: osher@pitt.edu
Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 4227 Fifth Avenue, 710 Alumni Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260