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History & Political Science   


Cultivate a greater understanding of ancient and modern peoples and cultures, history, philosophy, religion, film, and the arts with our thought-provoking classes. Expand your knowledge of the world in a safe and intellectually challenging environment. Discuss new ideas with your peers and instructors. Increase your understanding of the world with new frames of reference. Especially helpful if preparing for travel.
 

For course description, click on the course title below. Hover on instructor name for biography.

 

 

A Social and Cultural History of Antebellum America Through the Life of Abraham Lincoln
Item: AHP1000      Instructor: Charles Wise
Sessions: 6       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-116
Tu 4/21/2026 - 5/26/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $89.00                   

 

 

Renaissance Italy: The Social Foundations and Artistic Triumphs of a New Age NEW!                         
Item: AHP1001 Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 6  STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab)   Rm 3-112
Tu 4/21/2026 - 6/2/2026 Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS MAY 26.                                                   

 

 

 

The Great War and the Modern World: 1914 - 1918 NEW!                         
Item: AHP1002 Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 6  STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab)   Rm 3-116
W 4/22/2026 - 6/3/2026 Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS MAY 27                                                   
 

1959: The Year Everything Changed - Buddy Holly, "surf music" and much more!
Item: AHP1003      Instructor: Melvyn Hoffman
Sessions: 4       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-112
W 4/22/2026 - 5/13/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
1:30 PM - 3:30 PM     
Fee: $79.00                   

 

 

Understanding the Holocaust: History, Hate, and Human Behavior - Glenridge
Item: AHPG1004      Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 6       Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab) Rm Mac I
Th 4/23/2026 - 6/11/2026        Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS MAY 21 & MAY 28        

 

 

Sea to Shining Sea: America's Empire of Liberty
Item: AHP1005      Instructor: Charles Wise
Sessions: 6       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-119
F 4/24/2026 - 5/29/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $89.00                   

 

 

World War II and Hollywood Heroes . . . or Not - Glenridge
Item: AAFG1003      Instructor: George Young
Sessions: 1       Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab) Rm Mac I
F 4/24/2026 - 4/24/2026        Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $33.00           ONE DAY CLASSES ARE NONREFUNDABLE.         

 

 

Before They Were Beatles - Glenridge NEW!                         
Item: AAG1001 Instructor: Alan McKee
Sessions: 4  Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab)   Rm Glenridge Theater
Tu 4/28/2026 - 5/19/2026 Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $59.00                                                              
 

Cover-up: The Watergate Scandal
Item: AHP1008      Instructor: Alan McKee
Sessions: 4       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-119
Th 5/7/2026 - 5/28/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $59.00                   

 

 

Presidential Health: Balancing the "Right to Personal Privacy" and the Public's "Right to Know" - Glenridge NEW!                         
Item: AHPG1009 Instructor: John Scibak
Sessions: 1  Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab)   Rm Mac I
Tu 6/2/2026 - 6/2/2026 Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $29.00           ONE DAY CLASSES ARE NONREFUNDABLE.                                                   

ONE DAY CLASSES ARE NONREFUNDABLE

 

 

From the Bottom Up: The Role of Ordinary Americans in The American Revolution NEW!                         
Item: AHP1010 Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 6  STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab)   Rm 3-114
M 7/13/2026 - 8/24/2026 Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS JULY 20                                                   

 

 

 

The Roaring Twenties: Culture, Conflict, and Consumption NEW!                         
Item: AHP1011 Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 6  STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab)   Rm 3-114
M 7/13/2026 - 8/24/2026 Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS JULY 20.                                                   
 

Understanding Modern Russia: Domestic Realities and Global Ambitions - Glenridge
Item: AHP1012      Instructor: Thomas Boeke
Sessions: 4       Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab) Rm Mac I
W 7/15/2026 - 8/5/2026        Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $79.00                   

 

 

The Robber Barons: Business Tycoons of the Gilded Age
Item: AHP1013      Instructor: Alan McKee
Sessions: 4       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-117
Th 7/16/2026 - 8/6/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $59.00                    

This class covers the story of five men who rose from obscurity, even poverty, to become business giants. It is about visionaries; indeed, the greatest asset these men had in common was their ability to imagine the future and see how they could triumph within it. We'll learn about Cornelius Vanderbilt (railroads), Henry Ford (automobiles), J.P. Morgan (finance), John D. Rockefeller (oil), and Andrew Carnegie (steel). These men were instrumental in making America the industrial and financial powerhouse of the world. And yes, they broke and rewrote some of the rules along the way.

 

 

"The Pact of Silence": Franco's Spain & the Stolen Generations - Glenridge NEW!                         
Item: AHPG1014 Instructor: Sharon Sweeney
Sessions: 3  Glenridge Academy (opens in new tab)   Rm
Th 7/23/2026 - 8/6/2026 Location: 7333 Scotland Way Sarasota, FL 34238
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM     
Fee: $49.00                                                              
Suggested reading: Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetysl
 

What Causes War and Peace in the World? The Puzzle of Global Power NEW!                         
Item: AHP1015 Instructor: Thomas Boeke
Sessions: 6  STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab)   Rm 3-117
M 8/10/2026 - 9/21/2026 Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM     
Fee: $109.00           NO CLASS SEPTEMBER 7.                                                    
 

Exploring Perspectives: Understanding Current Issues Through Civil Discourse
Item: AHP1016      Instructor: Alan McKee
Sessions: 4       STC Sarasota Bldg 3 (opens in new tab) Rm 3-117
Tu 8/18/2026 - 9/8/2026        Location: 4748 Beneva Rd Sarasota, FL 34233
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM     
Fee: $79.00                   

Join us as we unravel the complexities of today's news and embrace the power of constructive dialogue. 

 

The 1960s in America: Transformation & Turmoil  Class already in session...in some cases it may be possible to allow a late registration.  Please call the office at 941-361-6590.
Item: HPS1014 Sharon Sweeney
Day of the Week: W          
Dates: 3/25/2026 - 4/29/2026 
 

Supreme Court Decisions That Changed America  Class already in session...in some cases it may be possible to allow a late registration.  Please call the office at 941-361-6590.
Item: HPS1009 Sharon Sweeney
Day of the Week: Tu          
Dates: 3/31/2026 - 5/5/2026 
 

Inside a US Embassy: Diplomacy in Action  Class already in session...in some cases it may be possible to allow a late registration.  Please call the office at 941-361-6590.
Item: HPS1013 Tony Kolankiewicz
Day of the Week: Tu          
Dates: 4/7/2026 - 4/14/2026 
 

Leading a Nation: The Art of Presidential Leadership  Class already in session...in some cases it may be possible to allow a late registration.  Please call the office at 941-361-6590.
Item: HPS1008 Sharon Sweeney
Day of the Week: Tu          
Dates: 2/17/2026 - 4/14/2026 
 NO CLASS MARCH 10, 17 & 24.
 

Register early to avoid disappointment, as classes will fill up quickly!

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Adult & Community Enrichment Center at Suncoast Technical College | Grades: Adults | Website: https://www.sarasotacountyschools.net/schools/ace
Danelle Gilberti, Program Manager | Phone: 941-361-6590 | Fax: 941-925-6662
Address: 4748 Beneva Road | Sarasota, Florida 34233 | Map it.

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