Summer Courses AT A GLANCE
V irtually on Z oom
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Course Title Leader Sessions Day and Time Dates American Civics 101 Alan Perper 5 Tuesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/18 An Introduction to Secular Meditation and its Psychology Douglas Greve 4 Wednesdays, 5pm - 6:45pm 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5 Ancient Egypt Through Hieroglyphics Hannah Male 4 Mondays, 10am - 12pm 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10 Autism in 2023 Simone Dufresne 4 Thursdays, 10am - 12pm 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/7 Casablanca and High Noon: Exploring Two Cinematic Classics From Hollywood’s Golden Age Allan Elfant 2 Tuesdays, 1pm - 4pm 6/20, 6/27 Exploring Race: Appropriation or Appreciation of a Makers Work Valarie Poitier 5 Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12 Ferdinand Céline, Journey to the End of Night (1932)VIRTUAL Emese Soos 4 Tuesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11
How Chinese former president Jiang Zemin guided China into Global Market and Sino-US relationship at that era
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Title Leader Sessions Day and Time Dates Guided Meditation Yolanta Kovalko 4 Mondays, 4:30pm - 5:30pm 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10 History of India Padmini Das 4 Tuesdays, 6pm - 8pm 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11
Course
Yinhan Shi 4 Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5
Literacy: Navigating Information in the Age of Fake News Lark Escobar 1 Wednesday, 10am - 12pm 6/14 Intrepid Women Travel the Globeand Beyond... Margaret Lourie 4 Thursdays, 10am - 12pm 6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/6 Introduction to Human Rights Lark Escobar 4 Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12 The History of the Roman Republic James Himberger 4 Mondays, 6pm - 8pm 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10 A Scientific Inquiry of Trust and Truth Audrey McGlothlen 4 Mondays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10
Information
Course Title Leader Sessions Day and Time Dates 4
n -P erson at B rookha V en at l exington Course Title Leader Sessions Day and Time Dates
n -P erson at t ufts m edford / s omer V ille C am P us
“us vs. them”: In-group bias, contact theory and the West Eastern Divan Orchestra Elke JahnsHarms 1 Thursday, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/29 On Walking: Writing and Identity Jared Pence 4 Tuesdays, 10am - 12pm 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11 Reading Sally Rooney Rebekah Waalkes 3 Thursdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm 6/15, 6/22, 6/29 Ferdinand Céline, Journey to the End of Night (1932) - IN PERSON Emese Soos 4 Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm 6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5
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Summer Course DESCRIPTIONS
V irtually on Z oom
All of the following will be held virtually on Zoom. All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.
American Civics 101
Alan Perper, Outside Instructor
Tuesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11, 7/18)
5 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
$125
Just imagine if you now had to take a government civics test every year to remain a U.S. citizen… Would you be able to pass? Could you identify the co-equal branches of government and what their functions and responsibilities are? Explain the electoral college? The U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights? Know your Congressional representatives? Explain the concept of “gerrymandering?” Explain the National Debt? American Civics 101 is a timely 5-part discussion that provides a simple but comprehensive path to understanding what every person applying for U.S. Citizenship today need to know… How our U.S. Government actually works!
An Introduction to Secular Meditation and its Psychology
Douglas Greve, Outside Instructor
Wednesdays, 5pm - 6:45pm (6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5)
4 Sessions, Minimally Interactive - Mostly Lecture
People often meditate to feel more peace and clarity. However, meditation is not easy or straightforward. This class approaches meditation with these challenges in mind. Participants will be taught the basic mechanics of mindfulness-style meditation to understand how meditation leads to beneficial results and to troubleshoot difficulties that arise. The instruction will be a mixture of formal meditation and lectures on psychological theory. The theory is based on Buddhist psychology, but the class will be purely secular (no references to supernatural processes). Appropriate for any level. $75
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Ancient Egypt Through Hieroglyphics
Hannah Male, Tufts Alum
Mondays, 10am - 12pm (6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10)
4 Sessions, Minimally Interactive - Mostly Lecture
This class will go over the translations of common Egyptian words on a variety of objects and the hieroglyphic system of writing overall. It will be mostly lecture with PowerPoint visuals. At the end of the course, I hope that students can go into an Egyptian exhibit in a museum and translate some of the common phrases and words that appear on these objects. Selected categories will include the following: words/phrases having to do with monarchy/kingship, members of a family, masculine and feminine versions of words, and words/phrases commonly found on private/royal stelae that concern offerings to deceased family members. $100
Autism in 2023
Simone Dufresne, Tufts Graduate Student
Thursdays, 10am - 12pm (6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/7)
4 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
According to the CDC, 1 in 54 children will be diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. Chances are, if you do not already know an autistic person, you will likely meet someone on the spectrum in the future. This course will explore the historical and current understanding of autism, demonstrate how autism impacts an individual and their family, and introduce course members to best practices for supporting autistic people in their own lives. Through lecture, discussion, and guest speakers, the goal of this course is to promote awareness, acceptance, and understanding of the autism community for those who are new to this world. Please note that this is an introductory course so it may be most informative for individuals who don’t have a significant background in autism; however, anyone is welcome to join the course. We take a strengths-based, pro-neurodiversity approach and draw heavily from the work and perspectives of autistic scholars and advocates. $100
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Casablanca and High Noon: Exploring Two Cinematic Classics From Hollywood’s Golden Age
Allan Elfant, OLLI Member
Tuesdays, 1pm - 4pm (6/20, 6/27)
2 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
Two of the most notable films from the Golden Age of Hollywood were Casablanca and High Noon. We will view each film together via Zoom. We will explore the reasons
Casablanca has been so beloved and is considered a classic. We will also examine High Noon’s popularity and importance as well as its controversial connection to the tumult of the McCarthy era. Classes will be up to 3 hours in length. Optional internet readings will be provided. $50
Exploring Race: Appropriation or Appreciation of a Makers Work
Valarie Poitier, OLLI Member
Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12)
5 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
Are you surrounded by art that has been dishonorably appropriated then reproduced for profit? Perhaps you have seen relics put on display then wondered if the gesture was found to be demeaning by members of the culture of origin? In this study group we’ll survey what’s known about the original purpose of each week’s artwork. Using a method like “Looking to See,” we will provide a safe space to observe, give feedback, or to sit and listen as members will have an opportunity to learn and strengthen their art critiquing skills. There will be exercises designed to expand the groups cultural awareness. Questions from the group will be an important part of the learning process and will help guide our study group’s journey. The following are all optional opportunities for members to participate more: short 3-4 minute presentations, homework, internet searches, volunteering and short readings. $125
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Ferdinand Céline, Journey to the End of Night (1932) - VIRTUAL Emese Soos, OLLI Member
$100
Tuesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11)
4 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
Journey to the End of Night, considered one of the great French novels of the 20th century, leads the reader on a lively tour from WWI battlefields to an African jungle, to New York City, a car factory in Detroit, and back to France. Prone to imaginative exaggeration of his observations, its protagonist Bardamu uses black humor to denounce the idiocy and cruelty he finds everywhere. We will use the Ralph Mannheim translation, published by New Directions in 2006, easily available on Amazon.
Required material: Ferdinant Céline, Journey to the End of Night; Click to purchase on Amazon, $15.95 (New), Used books available
Guided Meditation
Yolanta Kovalko, Tufts Staff Member
Mondays, 4:30pm - 5:30pm (6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10)
4 Sessions, Minimally Interactive - Mostly Lecture
In this class Yolanta, a Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health certified yoga teacher and meditation practitioner, will introduce participants to Yoga Nidra, a form of meditation and transformation grounded in the wide and deep field of yogic tradition. Students will be guided through what Yoga Nidra teaches are the five levels of being: Physical Body, Energy Body, Emotional Body, Mental Body, and Intuitive/Spiritual Body. In the process, they will have the opportunity to experience becoming more aware, and to explore the deepest place within themselves, their true Self. Participants will be encouraged to find a place to recline or lay down while participating in the course. $50
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History of India
Padmini Das, Tufts Graduate Student
Tuesdays, 6pm - 8pm (6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11)
4 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
Have you ever wondered how one-sixth of humanity lives in India? What’s the story behind India’s immense diversity? Are you curious about the developments that changed India? If you are a history buff and you wish to know more about the events which shaped India’s existence from ancient to modern times, this course is perfect for you! We begin by tracing the earliest societies and political establishments in the sub-continent, through the Indus Valley Civilization, the Vedic Age, the Mauryan Age, the Gupta Empire, the Indo-Iranians, the Indo-Greeks, and all the way to the Satavahanas and the Harsha Empire. Then, we move on to Medieval India by studying the reigns of the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire, and the Marathas.
How Chinese former president Jiang Zemin guided China into Global Market and Sino-US relationship at that era
Yinhan Shi, Tufts Alum
Wednesdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5)
4 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
When former president Jiang Zemin died on November 30, 2022, many people in China held events to memorialize him. To many foreign politicians, Jiang was humorous and had a very charming personality unlike most Chinese leadership members. In the early 1990s, Jiang led China overcame huge difficulties, steered the country toward market-led growth and military modernization. During Jiang’s tenure, Sino-US relationship was best since the foundation of People’s Republic of China. This course will allow students to discuss deeply some topics of President Jiang and Sino-US. relationship.
Required material: Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Jiang Zemin Put China’s Economic Opening Into Practice; Click to access material, Free
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$100
$100
Information Literacy: Navigating Information in the Age of Fake News
Lark Escobar, Tufts Graduate
Student
$25
Wednesday, 10am - 12pm (6/14)
1 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
This course teaches participants how to analyze sources to determine the credibility of information in print media, TV, social media, and beyond. The session will include a lecture and a Q & A session to help participants refine their information evaluation skills.
Intrepid Women Travel the Globe - and Beyond...
Margaret Lourie, OLLI Member
Thursdays, 10am - 12pm (6/15, 6/22, 6/29, 7/6)
4 Sessions, Minimally Interactive - Mostly Lecture
$100
Except for a few notable examples, like Amelia Earhart, the travels of brave and independent women have not received as much recognition or as lasting a place in history as they deserve. In this study group we will try to rectify that by celebrating the lives of some of the brave women who traveled far and wide in search of adventure and knowledge about the broader world. Through short videos and other materials, this study group will present a brief introduction to the lives, travels, and achievements of approximately 35 women from a variety of times, places, and travel destinations. Participants will have the opportunity to volunteer to give a short presentation to the class about a woman traveler of their choice. This course is a repeat of the one offered in May 2021.
Introduction to Human Rights
Lark Escobar, Tufts Graduate Student
Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm (6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12)
4 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
$100
This course will examine universally-protected human rights by breaking down in layman’s terms the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). The course will include an overview of the historic roots of the UDHR, the UDHR goals, and comparative examples of how the UDHR gets applied in the real-world. Each session will include Q & A to ensure every participant has a chance to understand the lecture topics.
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The History of the Roman Republic
James Himberger, Tufts Alum
Mondays, 6pm - 8pm (6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10)
4 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mixture of Lecture and Discussion
$100
This course will introduce the Roman Republic’s history, beginning in the mythical days of the eighth century B.C. and ending with the cataclysmic civil wars of the first century B.C. Special attention will be paid to the causes of Roman military and political success as well as the reasons for the Republic’s collapse into autocracy. The final session will be dedicated to discussing the idea of the Republic in the Western political imagination. Class time will be divided between lectures (50%) and discussions (50%) of the assigned readings. Up to approximately 30 pages of reading will be assigned for each class. The instructor will provide all class readings, which will heavily prioritize the writings of ancient historians and poets such as Virgil, Livy, Polybius, Cicero, Plutarch, and Sallust.
A Scientific Inquiry of Trust and Truth
Audrey McGlothlen, Tufts Alum
Mondays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/12, 6/26, 7/3, 7/10)
4 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
What is science? Why does it matter? And who can we trust? With this group sponsored by a research university, amidst a pandemic and climate crisis etc, it is no doubt we encounter science on a daily basis. By critically examining the process of science from funding to publication, and its interaction with our various identities, we can begin to unpack and hopefully re-understand science and society as inseparable. Our weekly sessions will consist of activities and discussions based on articles (~2-5 pages) and videos viewed in between sessions or in class together. While it is a class on science, no previous scientific experience is required. $100
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OLLI Members attending courses in-person on Tufts’ Somerville/Medford campus are required to be vaccinated and boosted, have proof of vaccination available to be shown upon request when visiting campus, and complete a supplied COVID-19 attestation form the first day of in-person courses. Tufts OLLI will be following all COVID-19 protocols in place throughout the term. Any changes affecting members will be communicated via the Tufts OLLI offices.
Beyond “us vs. them”: In-group bias, contact theory and the West Eastern Divan Orchestra
Elke Jahns-Harms, Tufts Faculty
Thursday, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/29)
1 Sessions, Somewhat Interactive - A Mix of Lecture and Discussion
$25
Even those of us who try to be open-minded often judge people differently based on the groups we each fall into: red state or blue, Black or White, Israeli or Palestinian. How can the idea of in-group bias help us understand and change our own thinking? Do interactions with the “other” really help, and if so, under what conditions? We’ll draw on the fields of sociology and conflict resolution as we talk about a world-famous orchestra composed of young Arab and Israeli musicians trying to bridge their divides through music.
On Walking: Writing and Identity
Jared Pence, Tufts Graduate Student
Tuesdays, 10am - 12pm (6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 7/11)
4 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
$100
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking,” writes Nietzsche, a claim this course tests by examining writers’ great thoughts about walking. We will consider walking as a physical experience and mode of transportation but will focus our discussions on what walking reveals about our cultural, social, and existential place in the world. We will see how different settings and modes of walking influence and are influenced by identity, including how characteristics like gender and race privilege and limit walking. For each class we will read and discuss a text on walking as we contemplate the relationship between walking, writing, and identity. Readings will be 50 pages or fewer for each class and will include texts by Henry David Thoreau, Virginia Woolf, and Garnette Cadogan. The last class meeting will be held at Walden Pond in Concord, MA. Students will be responsible for their own transportation.
i n -P erson at t ufts m edford / s omer V ille C am P us 12
Reading Sally Rooney
Rebekah Waalkes, Tufts Graduate Student
Thursdays, 1:30pm - 3:30pm (6/15, 6/22, 6/29)
3 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
Sally Rooney is one of the most popular authors of the twenty-first century: her novels are about romance, but also class conflicts, life in contemporary Ireland, and the feeling of being a millennial. She is an avowed Marxist but also something of a celebrity novelist. In this class, we’ll read Rooney’s most latest novel, Beautiful World, Where Are You? to discuss what she shows us about contemporary life. Is she rebelling against the family as we know it? Asking us to imagine a different world? What do we gain from reading her fiction and what picture of society does Rooney give us? Expect to read about 100 pages of prose (though it’s fairly light) per class, since we’ll move through this novel in three weeks.
Required material: Salley Rooney, Beautiful World, Where Are You?; Click to purchase on Amazon, $11.79 $75
i n -P erson at B rookha V en at l exington
OLLI Members attending courses at Brookhaven at Lexington (1010 Waltham St. Lexington, MA) are required to be vaccincated and boosted. We will be following all COVID-19 protocols in place for visitors at Brookhaven at Lexington.
Ferdinand Céline, Journey to the End of Night (1932) - IN PERSON
Emese Soos, OLLI Member
Wednesdays, 10am - 12pm (6/14, 6/21, 6/28, 7/5)
4 Sessions, Highly Interactive - Lots of Discussion
Journey to the End of Night, considered one of the great French novels of the 20th century, leads the reader on a lively tour from WWI battlefields to an African jungle, to New York City, a car factory in Detroit, and back to France. Prone to imaginative exaggeration of his observations, its protagonist Bardamu uses black humor to denounce the idiocy and cruelty he finds everywhere. We will use the Ralph Mannheim translation, published by New Directions in 2006, easily available on Amazon.
Required material: Ferdinant Céline, Journey to the End of Night; Click to purchase on Amazon, $15.95 (New), Used books available $100
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Summer Course INSTRUCTORS
Padmini Das is an India-trained lawyer who has written on a wide range of public interest and private sector matters. Currently, they are pursuing an LLM in International Law from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. An ardent history-lover, they’ve taught courses in Indian History and Constitution. Growing up in India, they admired the colourful culture and diversity that surrounds and inspires them everyday. They believe that a study of history is elemental to the study of any subject in the world. Offering this summer course is their way of increasing the world’s awareness and education in history.
Simone Dufresne is a doctoral student in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study & Human Development at Tufts University. She has been working professionally in the autism field for over 10 years supporting youth and families. She cares deeply about disability issues and her work is informed by empirical research and perspectives of multiple stakeholders, most importantly autistic people themselves. For this course, Simone will draw on the perspectives of her brother, who was diagnosed with autism at age 3, her parents, and her own experience as a sibling, professional, and researcher.
Allan Elfant has a B.A. in psychology from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from New York University. He was in clinical practice for over 40 years and held teaching positions at several universities. He has led over 200 presentations at national and regional professional conferences and meetings, and has led nearly two dozen study groups for our OLLI on various cinematic, psychological and philosophical themes. Many of these study groups have been film classes.
Lark Escobar is both an international educator and student scholar, interested in genocide prevention, cultural memory, religious heritage, human rights, international law, terrorism studies, and human security in MENA, Central Asia, and South Asia. She has taught in seven countries in higher education contexts and currently holds six degrees.
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Douglas Greve has been meditating since 2008 when we took part in a brain imaging study of mindfulness. Since then, he has attended many meditation retreats and classes on meditation theory. Professionally, Doug is an assistant professor of radiology at MGB/ Harvard studying brain imaging and neuroscience, both of which influence his practice and teaching. He taught “An Introduction to Meditation and Its Psychology” in Tufts OLLI in Winter of 2023.
James Himberger is a Class of 2021 graduate of Tufts University with a major in political science and a minor in philosophy. James currently works as an archivist for the Society for Science in Washington, DC. He is also a writer with an interest in U.S. foreign policy in South Asia. Having previously researched for the Hudson Institute, he was selected as a Marcellus Fellow at the John Quincy Adams Society. His work has appeared in the National Interest, Foreign Brief, and The Mallard. James previously led the Introduction to British Politics study group in the summer of 2021.
Elke Jahns-Harms holds a PhD in International Relations and a Master’s in Music. She currently teaches International Development Aid at The Fletcher School, and previously taught Music and Social Change at the New England Conservatory. A professional flutist, she has found music to be a crucial means of connecting with people wherever she goes, and her flutes are among the first items she packs on her travels. Her courses often bring together her life-long interests in music, poverty alleviation, social justice, and peacebuilding. She has led dozens of study groups for OLLI and is delighted to be back!
Yolanta Kovalko has been teaching for OLLI since fall 2018 and is thrilled to be part of their team of group leaders! By day, she is the Department Administrator for the Tufts Community Health Department. She is a certified yoga and meditation teacher and has taught yoga and meditation in her Somerville studio, Ball Square Yoga, for the last 5 years. She has been practicing yoga for the last 15 years. In addition to being certified in Hatha Yoga and Chair Yoga, she is also certified as a Guided Meditation teacher with a specialization in Yoga Nidra (Sleep Yoga), a form of meditation grounded in yogic traditions.
Margaret Lourie is a librarian who has always enjoyed traveling to foreign lands. She is looking forward to visiting with some of the brave women travelers of earlier and more modern times and sharing and celebrating their accomplishments with other OLLI members.
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Hannah Male, history and archaeology buff, is a 2019 graduate of Tufts History and Museum Studies MA program. She has always had a fascination with the ancient world and ancient Egypt in particular (this only increased after she was able to visit selected Egyptian sites in 2011 as an undergraduate student). Ultimately she hopes to become a curator of Egyptian and/or Near Eastern antiquities. She most recently taught ‘Sites in Depth’ for Tufts OLLI in Winter 2023.
Audrey McGlothlen is a fresh alumn of Tufts ‘22. While at school, she took an interdisciplinary approach in studying biology and psychology alongside civic studies, education research, and interfaith activism. She now works as a science teacher at a local middle and high school in Boston and is an avid swing dancer! Sparked by a love of science but aghast by the harms that have rippled out of it, she is inspired to get anyone and everyone to talk more about how science is impacting their life.
Jared Pence is a PhD student in the English Department at Tufts University and will graduate in May 2023. His dissertation examines nineteenth-century American city literature and its relationship to identity, emphasizing gothic literature, detective fiction, Afropessimism, and environmental criticism. He has B.A. and M.A. degrees from Brigham Young University and has taught college literature and writing courses for 10 years at Tufts, BYU, Emerson College, and Bentley University. Jared grew up outside Des Moines, Iowa and loves teaching and talking about writing.
Alan Perper is a founding member of VoteAsIf.org, an LA based consortium of marketing, advertising and publicity professionals seeking to increase 2020 voter registration and turnout through 501C3 nonprofit partnerships, new media platforms and high-profile endorsements. He has previously trained with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services to develop an adult U.S. Citizenship curriculum and has taught numerous civics and citizenship classes at both OLLI university programs and community adult learning centers. Perper also received his secondary education teaching credential thru CA State University, Northridge and has taught high school Economics, Government and Business classes at two charter LAUSD campuses.
Valarie Poitier, a formally trained lecturer, artist, and writer, has taught professional development workshops, led seminars at regional and national conferences. She has given lectures to local and regional guilds throughout New England and served as Co-Chair of the Artists Beyond the Desk at MIT. Her work has been published in art and history books, viewed on television and exhibited in museums and galleries across the USA and abroad. She is also a retired Board member of the New England Quilt Museum and is a member of National and International Fiber and Surface Design Organizations.
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Yinhan Shi (Emily) is originally from China and graduated from the Fletcher School in 2022. Her concentration at Fletcher School is political economy and business for social impact. She interned in United Nations for half a year and is passionate about empowering marginalized people. She likes traveling during her leisure time.
Emese Soos majored in French and history at Mount Holyoke College, earned a Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and taught at Tufts for over 30 years. One of her favorite teaching experiences was a seminar on five great French novels of the 20th century.
Rebekah Waalkes is a writer and PhD candidate in contemporary literature at Tufts University. She teaches classes in the first-year writing program at Tufts as well as literature courses in contemporary literature at Emerson College.
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SUMMER EVENTS
More events and full event details to be shared in the weekly digest throughout the term, but below are upcoming events to keep in mind!
Elke Jahns-Harms and Weronika Balewski, Flutes
Two Women, Ten Flutes: An hour of Classical and Native American Flute Music
Thursday, May 18, 2023 7:30pm ET Brookhaven at Lexington
What makes a flute a flute? You may be surprised! Hosted with our community partner Brookhaven at Lexington, please join us for an evening concert full of melodious and sprightly duets, haunting Native American flute solos, and other gems from the Baroque era to today.
About the performers: Elke and Weronika are both professional musicians with Master’s degrees in flute performance. Weronika is a founding member of two chamber ensembles, Marvento Duo and Emissary Quartet, and teaches group classes and private lessons for all ages in Waltham, Concord and Brookline. Elke currently teaches International Development Aid at Tufts’ Fletcher School and courses on music at Tufts’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She previously taught Music and Social Change at the New England Conservatory. Both women are passionate about sharing the arts with broader audiences and using the power of music to connect and heal.
End of Spring Term Celebration
Week of May 22, 2023
In-person on Tufts Somerville/Medford Campus
Join your fellow Tufts OLLI members for an outdoor social! We’ll take advantage of the warmer weather the end of May tends to bring and can gather together under a shady tent to celebrate the end of the spring term and start of the summer!
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Chords and Cannons: Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture
Wednesday, June 28 7pm - 8pm Virtually on Zoom
Anyone who has ever watched the fireworks on the Boston Esplanade has heard Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture … but what are the French national anthem and Russian folksongs doing in this Fourth of July favorite? Packed with drama and emotion, this Romantic masterpiece tells the story of a momentous historic event. How did it become a beloved American tradition? And who decided to throw in the cannons?
Join your fellow Tufts OLLI members and Elke Jahns-Harms (bio on pgs. 15 and 18) as we listen to this great work, interspersed with discussions about the composer, the historical context, and the story told through the music. This is an engaging and interactive presentation for both lifelong musicians and those who claim to know absolutely nothing about classical music.
2023 Annual Meeting
June 2023
Virtually via Zoom and In-person on Tufts Somerville/Medford Campus
We’ll come together in June to review the 2022 - 2023 membership year and learn about plans for the 2023 - 2024 year!
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Become a Member or Renew your Membership for Registration Day
◦Visit our w ebsite: https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/lifelong-learning t o create your account and purchase your membership.
As of July 1, 2022, Tufts OLLI started using a new registration and membership portal. As this is a brand new system for our program, you will have to create a new account, new username, and new password. For more information and assistance with this process, please visit our website, https://universitycollege. tufts.edu/lifelong-learning/osherlli/membership or contact us at osherlli@tufts.edu
◦Membership is required for class registration.
◦ Membership runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 and costs $50 for the year.
◦ Are you joining just for our summer term? The membership fee is reduced to $35 through June 30, 2023.
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Register Beginning May 15, 2023 Through June 9, 2023
◦ Register online by visiting our website, https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/ lifelong-learning/osherlli/schedule , and logging into our membership portal using the username and password created when you renewed or purchased this year’s membership.
◦ Add the OLLI courses you would like to take to your shopping cart and checkout!
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Instantly Know Your Summer 2023 Schedule
◦ Payment is due to complete your class registration, but with our new system, there is no more waiting period to confirm what your summer schedule will be. The same day you register and pay for your classes you will know what courses you are enrolled in and/or what waitlists you are on!
◦ As long as there are seats available for a course, you can adjust your schedule up to three days before the start of the term.
REGISTRATION SCHEDULE
◦Spring Registration Opens: Monday, May 15, 2023
◦Add/Drop Period: Monday, May 15, 2023 - Friday, June 9, 2023
◦Classes Begin: Monday, June 12, 2023
FINANCIAL AID
Partial tuition remission is available on a limited basis. For more information, please contact our office at osherlli@tufts.edu or (617) 627-5699.
REFUNDS, WITHDRAWALS, AND CANCELLATIONS POLICIES
The OLLI policies for refunds, withdrawals, and course cancellations can be found on our website, https://universitycollege.tufts.edu/lifelong-learning . Those members participating in the program are responsible for reading and adhering to all policies found there.
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Thank you to the Curriculum Committee for their dedication, hard work, and assistance with planning our summer term!
Tufts University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
039 Carmichael Hall Medford, MA 02155
Phone: 617-627-5699
Email: OsherLLI@Tufts edu
Web: universitycollege.tufts.edu/lifelong-learning
