Stillwater Courses   

Back again by popular demand, retired CIA officer Meredith Woodruff, who served 25 years in the Agency and retired as its most senior female officer in operations, will describe life in the world of espionage. With only two sessions, she’ll provide an overview of how spies work and then leave most of the class time for those questions you’ve always wanted to ask.

To make the course beginner friendly, we will introduce useful stretches and lead warm-up exercises at the beginning of each class. The stretches will help you improve your flexibility, balance and coordination as well as strengthen your muscles.

After the warm-up session, we will teach the movements of the Swimming Dragon Fist Form up to ten moves.

A note from the instructors:

Although Tai Yi You Long Quan (Tai Yi Swimming Dragon Fist) is called a “Quan” (Fist), actually and technically it is a traditional Taoist longevity exercise Gong Fa. It is a slow and soft style traditional martial art form that contains Qi Gong, that emphasizes inner energy circulation, incorporates some core features of Tai Chi, and stretches and makes the body flexible.

Compared to a formal Tai Chi form, it only requires a 6x6 foot space, is beginner friendly, but can still stretch the whole body, naturally and gradually improve flexibility, coordination and balance with better circulation.

Do not be scared by imagining this is a “martial art form” that must be practiced in large stances or low postures. Like all other traditional Chinese health-preserving exercises or longevity training, this form is different than a combat or competitive style martial art form that has rigid standards about the angle, width and height in postures.

People can feel free to adapt the width of their stance or height of their posture while practicing the forms based on their own physical ability but still receive the benefit. Meanwhile, for the people who want to learn Tai Chi or other advanced forms, this form can prepare them physically.

Another advantage of learning this form is that each move has its own focus. Thus, each move can be used as an individual exercise to improve flexibility, and coordination and balance with better circulation. This allows people to have a break between learning moves of the form.

The purpose for us teaching the class is to help people to learn how to safely stretch and exercise, especially for the middle-aged and seniors. Thus, slowly softening the body from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet, to get every joint flexible, is necessary and critical.

Thus, we plan to divide each class into two parts:

The first part is the warmup exercises, including static stretching, strengthening and balance exercises before doing the form. There is considerable benefit to these warmup exercises because they can be used as daily stretches to increase the strength of muscles and flexibility of body.

The second part would be teaching the moves of the form. We will demonstrate and explain the sequence of movements. Because each move requires coordination of hands, arms, feet, legs, and the brain to move together, people would not only benefit physically but also mentally.

Thus, it is worth giving such a unique “dynamic meditation” a try.

We also would never push students beyond what they are comfortable with. Feel free to stay and participate, stay and watch, or simply leave if you decide the first part is sufficient for you or you need to take care of some errand for the day.

 

This course will be in three parts. In the first part, I will share my personal experiences. My final quarter as an undergraduate was abruptly cut short by activities instigated by the May 1970 Kent State tragedy. Twenty-five days after graduation, I was drafted into the U.S. Army. I was trained for combat and shipped to Vietnam. For several months, our unit occupied locations a few miles south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that formed the border between North and South Vietnam. In the second part, I will offer my perspective on how and why the U.S. got into and eventually out of the War and how both the U.S. and the South Vietnamese military drafts influenced the outcome. In the second part, I will offer my perspective on how and why the U.S. got into and eventually out of the War and how both the U.S. and the South Vietnamese military drafts influenced the outcome. In the third part, I will examine the history of military drafts and propose an alternative to the flawed U.S. Selective Service System, suggesting a new model that would enable choice and foster civility.

The course offers an overview on the development of American opera during the 20th and 21st. centuries by exploring the operas that have established their place in the American opera repertoire. The course also provides composers’ biographical information and their contribution to this genre.

One of the most iconic lines in all of philosophy is Descartes’s, “I think, therefore I am.” In this six-week course, we will work through René Descartes’s most famous work, Meditations on First Philosophy, which is the source of this iconic line. The book is divided into six parts. Each week, we will take a deep dive into one of the Meditations. The book is a classic for a reason. Descartes asks (and answers!) some of the most fundamental questions that we as humans face. What can we really know? What is the nature of the self? Is there a God? What is reality like, in itself? This class presupposes no prior knowledge of Descartes or philosophy. Classes will be discussion-based, so come ready to dig into philosophical discussion together.

Remember when there were only three commercial television networks? One or two local newspapers? No internet? Times have changed! Join us to explore how to navigate the present-day bombardment of our senses with media messages through learning to “read” media like we learned to read books as children: step by step, source by source. We will examine a variety of current and historical examples from sources including advertising, TV, movies, and social media.

This class will offer an exciting journey into the joys amateur radio can offer. We'll learn about the science behind radio, and we'll take a good look at the history and uses of amateur radio over time, including today's many uses. Whether you're curious about amateur radio, you're a science or history buff, or you're already deeply engaged in amateur radio operation, this class is for you!

This course will walk through the ABC's (Accommodation, Barriers, Challenges) that may be experienced by older adults with and without neurological disorders.

Santa Fe, NM is one of the oldest and most unique cities in the U.S. The course explores the history, architecture, cuisine, religion, art, cultures, people, landscape, museums, and traditions of a city that is always surprising. The course is divided into two parts: (1) a multi-media presentation with photographs, music, and a spoken narrative and (2) a fully open discussion for questions and audience comments. The multi-media presentation is a 50-minute video with photographs taken by the instructor, aerial photographs, historical photographs, music specially chosen by the instructor to enhance the experience, and a spoken narrative written by the instructor.

Join us for an eclectic mix of weekly speakers who will present interesting and relevant information you’ve come to expect from Osher programming. 

Stillwater Town Hall Schedule:

• September 22: Dawn Dobson, Chief Public Affairs Officer - City of Stillwater Emergency Services
• September 29: Tyler Bridges, SPS Superintendent - Stillwater Public Schools
• October 06: Norman McNickle, retired STW City Manager & Laura Arata, Associate Professor of History and Director of Public History - Washington School Update
• October 13: Kevin Gerfen, Retired U.S. Air Force Major - The White House Social Aide Program

 

Our Paint & Sip for Adults program offers a relaxed and engaging creative experience designed for beginners and experienced painters alike. This structured 4-week session allows participants to select one painting from our studio’s curated collection of 160+ available designs and develop that piece over four 1-hour guided classes. BYOB. Participants will receive step-by-step instructions, individualized support, and access to all necessary materials. The extended format allows for thoughtful layering, detail work, and skill development, resulting in a finished artwork of professional quality. This program provides a welcoming, social atmosphere that encourages creativity, connection, and relaxation. It is ideal for adults seeking a consistent creative outlet, a structured art experience, and an enjoyable social environment.

Life is a complicated tapestry of continuous endings and beginnings. We have all experienced those pivotal moments in life when some destabilizing event occurs that shakes us to the core. It might be the death of a loved one, a divorce, a life-altering diagnosis, or some traumatic brush with death. Blending psychological insight, practical, evidence-based self-care tools, and mindful practices designed to explore self-awareness and enhance support during life transitions, you're encouraged to embrace change with courage, confidence, and compassion. This class offers a steady guide and a hopeful perspective to help you reimagine who you truly are when life changes and to discover what gives your life meaning and purpose.

Please join us for 4 weeks of humor, all that it entails and insights into the benefits it provides. Humor can be used for influence, well-being, and entertainment. What's amazing: 1. Memory recall increases 23% after watching a funny video. 2. In anticipating humor, stress decreases by 39%. 3. A person is 2 times more productive after taking a humor break. We'll explore what science and research have to offer on the subject and most importantly, we'll gain connection with others who value humor and who seek more humor in their lives. Bring your funny stories and your funny bone. We'll have a blast getting healthier and happier with humor.

Dawna Riding in Hare followed in her parents' footsteps as an educator and has a richly storied family history. She has committed herself to preserving the stories of native peoples across our state and beyond. This course will offer us an important opportunity to grow in our understanding of sovereign nations.

Georgia OKeeffe is one America's greatest artists. She made many summer visits to New Mexico and moved to New Mexico for the last 37 years of her life. This course tells the story of O'Keeffe's life in New Mexico and the art that this time inspired. A 50-minute multi-media presentation with 400 photographs, special music, and a spoken narrative connects the actual places in New Mexico O'Keeffe lived and painted, and the paintings these places inspired. The multi-media video includes 87 of O'Keeffe's paintings. An open discussion for questions and comments follows the multi-media video.

"Adolescents are often described as “crazy” or difficult to deal with. With the rise of the digitally born generation and increasing AI usage, the challenges that parents, teachers, or caregivers face at home and school may feel even more complex. In this course, we will read Lost at School together to deepen our understanding of adolescents. Rather than simply labeling them as lazy, disruptive, or overly emotional, we will explore how to identify the underlying factors contributing to their behaviors. How are their physical, cognitive, and social development connected to these challenges?

Additionally, by integrating diverse cultural perspectives (e.g., South Korea and Vietnam), our goal is to develop a more holistic understanding of adolescence both locally and globally. Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, a grandparent, or simply interested in the ways adolescents have been viewed over time and across a variety of socio-cultural spaces, this class is for you! "

Drawing is fundamental when making art. We’ll spend four weeks improving our observation and drawing skills.  We’ll use both pencils and charcoal.  We will draw from both still life and photo references. The grid method will be covered for working from photographs. References will be provided but feel free to bring your own photos for subject matter. This class is good for both beginners and those with drawing experience.  

Ten years after statehood, Oklahoma had a far different political landscape. There was a sprinkling of socialism in local and legislative seats, labor activism was growing, and an infusion as one historian wrote, of "Marx, Jefferson and Jesus" among state farmers. With this backdrop, the class will describe how, when the U.S. entered The Great War in April 1917, some of Oklahoma's impoverished farmers resisted the demands that their sons risk their lives in "A Rich Man's War but a Poor Man's Fight" overseas. This reached a deadly climax when some 500+ men planned an armed march from the Seminole County area to Washington, D.C., to what they were told was a nationwide rebellion to overthrow of the government and end the country's involvement in the war.

A variety of films exhibiting the range of Mike Leigh’s signature style. Mr. Turner (2014) Historical Biography of English landscape painter, J.M.W. Turner.   Secrets and Lies (1996) Adopted child finds her birth mother creating tension and change in birth mother’s family.  Topsy-Turvy (1999) Challenges of musical team Gilbert and Sullivan during the production of The Mikado.   Vera Drake (2004)  Working class wife and mother suffers the fallout from illegal abortions in Post-War Britain.   Another Year (2010)  Stable couple stays afloat while their circle of friends struggle to find contentment.  Actors include:  Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn,  Imelda Staunton. 

On day one, we'll learn about Whirlwind Woman: A Survey of Ancient Global Tornado Mythology. While gods of thunder and lightning are ubiquitous mythic characters, the tornados that inevitably accompany severe storms seem to be mythically absent. Yet storm and sky deities have played key roles in agricultural societies around the world since at least the Neolithic. This survey will discuss how the tornado was usually conceived as a powerful goddess, closely linked to agricultural societies. Her myths were recorded in a variety of ethnological and historical material from the sixteenth to early twentieth century, often hiding in plain sight. This talk presents evidence that the tornado played a key conceptual role across agricultural societies of the world from Native America to Australia and is amply reflected in oral and material traditions. We will survey a diverse selection of tornado traditions and iconography from all across the world, primarily drawn from ethnographic material collected before and well into the early twentieth century.

During the mid-twentieth century, almost all research on tornadic storms was conducted by the United States military and government weather services in close partnership with just two universities: Oklahoma A&M (OAMC) in Stillwater, OK and Texas A&M University (TAMU) at College Station, TX. On these two campuses research teams forged the first electronic tools for detecting and tracking severe weather and tornadic activity. In1947, Dr. Herbert L. Jones, professor of Electrical Engineering at OAMC, initiated a ground-breaking approach to tornado detection and, as a result of widespread media attention to his work, Herb “Cyclone” Jones became the first nationally celebrated “tornado chaser” in America. His work also helped validate critical advances in tornado detection technology, such as the use of radar imagery developed at TAMU, as well as the meteorology of tornado prediction developed by Air Force meteorologists at Tinker Air Force Base.

We’ll continue our practice with watercolors for those returning, and beginners are welcome! We’ll experiment with washes, wet on wet, controlling edges, color mixing, dry brushing, working with layers, etc. We may include ink lines too. Subject matter will be nature themed and may include flowers, birds, landscapes, etc. Feel free to bring your own references for painting inspiration.

Great Decisions uses material from the American Foreign Policy Association to highlight key foreign policy issues facing the United States at this time. Class sessions include videos from the FPA to provide background, and the whole course revolves around non-partisan discussion. Expert speakers provide rich information for every session. Topics for 2026 include: US tariffs in historical perspective, US-China relations, the third nuclear age, Ukraine, multilateral institutions in a changing world order, engagement with Africa, and the future of human rights and international law. Threads expected to run throughout all topics include the economy, artificial intelligence, critical media literacy, and the need for civil discourse in a time of partisan rancor.

Great Decisions Schedule:

Sept. 24 - Dr. Josh Landry - Ruptured Alliances and the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation 

Oct. 1- Dr. Randy Kluver - US China Relations in New Trump Era  

Oct. 8 - Meredith Woodruff - Ukraine and the Future of European Security 

Oct. 15 - Catherine Seagraves - America and the World: Trump 2.0 Foreign Policy

Oct. 22 - Dr. John Shoeneman and Dr. Martin Brienen - Multilateral Institutions in a Changing World Order 

Oct. 29 - Nelda Villines - U.S. of Engagement of Africa 

Nov. 5 - Dr. Aleks Schaefer - Trump Tariffs and the Future of the World Economy  

Nov. 12 - Catherine Seagraves - Human Rights and International Law 

The origami course introduces participants to the relaxing and creative art of paper folding while supporting hand coordination and cognitive engagement. The course is scheduled to last 4 weeks, with 1 session per week.

Session 1: Participants learn basic folds and simple models such as hearts, tulips, and boats to build confidence and familiarity with folding techniques.

 Session 2: Focuses on classic origami figures, including the traditional crane, butterfly, puppy, pistol..., helping participants practice step-by-step instructions and develop spatial thinking.

 Session 3: Learners explore decorative and practical designs such as lilies, small boxes, and envelopes, allowing them to create useful and aesthetically pleasing objects.

Session 4: Encourages creativity through modular and collaborative projects, such as simple stars or group displays. By the end of the program, participants will have developed basic origami skills and produced a collection of handmade paper creations.

Discover the relaxing and creative art of crochet in this fun, hands-on class! Perfect for beginners and those looking to refresh their skills, this class will guide you through the basics of crochet, including how to hold your hook, create foundational stitches, read simple patterns, and start your first project. Participants will learn at a comfortable pace in a supportive and encouraging environment. By the end of the class, you’ll have the confidence and skills to continue crocheting on your own and creating beautiful handmade items like scarves, coasters, and small accessories. All materials are provided—just bring your creativity and excitement to learn!

Whether you are hoping to learn the fundamentals of American Mah Jongg with confidence and clarity or just coming back for more fun with American Mah Jongg, this class is for you. New players will gain a step-by-step understanding of how the game is played — from setting up to calling “Mah Jongg!”

• Start with the END Goal in Mind: Learn what a winning hand looks like.

• Tiles: Recognize and name the various types of tiles and what they mean.

• The Card: Learn to read the National Mah Jongg League card to avoid a ‘Faux Jongg’.

• Building the Wall and Dealing: Understand how the wall works and dealing the tiles correctly to each player.

• The “Journey” to Finding a Fine Line: Develop your hand thoughtfully—balancing luck and logic.

• The Charleston: Practice the all-important tile exchange that sets up your game.

• Pausing and Calling for a Tile: Learn the rules for calling and how to make exposures strategically.

• Maintaining the Pace of Play: Keep the game fun, respectful, and moving forward.

This class is designed to help you step back into the past and spend time recreating those family stories that are in danger of being lost. You will collect stories from your past, either from your own memory or the memories of others you may contact.  We will work in pairs (sign up with a friend or family member and treat the course like Story Corps of NPR fame with people signIficant to one another having a conversation -- or just bring yourself and we'll pair/group you with others to delve into the past together) to recreate and read these stories.  This is not a performance class, but it will offer an opportunity to record -- and if desired share -- and pay tribute to the family stories we all have.

In this class, we are going to learn about native plants and their value to the ecosystem. When choosing plants for your garden or landscape, understanding that some plants may be pretty and flower but others provide food and habitat for caterpillars that feed birds is key. Some plants provide food and habitat for many species; Doug Tallamy calls these keystone plants. His research is changing the way we see our yards and landscaping. Each person will go home with a native plant for their yard.

Our premiere facility enhances the student experience and our work within the aviation industry, strengthening our position as the premier destination for aviation education and the home of the best-trained aviators in the country. Get unclose with our fleet and learn how our students train to become the next generation of commercial aviators.

Join us for a 60–75 minute guided tour of the garden, where you'll learn about its history, its role within the Land-Grant University system, and its purpose in education and outreach. Along the way, you'll discover how the garden operates, with explanations of the features, systems, and practices that keep it thriving year-round.

The Oklahoma State University Museum of Art will host a guided walking tour exploring the outdoor public artwork and architecture located across the OSU campus. Participants will learn about campus sculptures and university history. The tour follows an approximately one-mile loop that is wheelchair accessible and stroller friendly. Participants should wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes and are encouraged to bring water, sun protection, and any needed mobility or hearing devices. Please arrive 10 minutes early at the designated meeting location. In case of severe weather, registered participants will be notified of any schedule changes. For more information about Public Art on Campus, visit museum.okstate.edu.

The United States is much more religious than European countries, but that is changing. In the 1940s and 50s, the mainline denominations had churches that were packed, and the denominations promoted and taught social justice. Judaism was shaped by the Holocaust, the creation of Israel, and splits within the U.S. community.  The 1960s began a change, both away from the denominations and towards alternatives to Christianity, such as Buddhism and Islam.  Evangelicalism emerged in the Jesus Movement, the charismatic movement, and also in the rise in the South of white evangelicalism.  After 1980, white evangelicalism became increasingly politicized and focused on abortion and distrust of government.  Now, with the second Trump administration, with sexual harassment scandals, and with a public moving away from religion, we are again in times of change.