Thursday Session 1   

Sustainability has become an increasingly important consideration in global, regional, and local arenas. This course will offer participants foundational knowledge about sustainability related to economic, environmental, and equity issues. Using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as our framework, we will discuss how the three domains of sustainability relate to challenges of climate change, food security, and racial justice, among others. Concepts of climate anxiety will be interwoven in the course as we discuss tangible solutions to these issues and historical context that has led us here. Pitt’s Oakland campus will serve as a hyper-local case study.

These two 5-week courses are appropriate for participants who are comfortable with basic Spanish conversation using the present tense (or students who have successfully completed several cycles of the Beginning Spanish course). The courses focus on the use of the past and future tense, more extensive vocabulary, and structures and syntax. At the end of the courses, students are expected to feel comfortable with standard Spanish conversation.

Note: These courses are often taken several times; members should register for BOTH sections if they want to be in the course for 10 weeks.

In this course, we will discuss what defines a culture, different cultural theories, and cross-cultural communication. Working and living in a diverse community allows the chance to gain knowledge and understanding of cultural differences, values, communication styles, and behaviors. We will discuss ways that communication varies across cultures, help participants to recognize those differences, and provide strategies to bridge communication styles. There will be many fun activities for people to share their own cultural experiences and discuss cultural scenarios.

The media tells us that candidates are up in the polls, then they are down in the polls. That unemployment is up. A recession is looming (or not). That every candidate who does X goes on to win (or lose.) What does it all mean? How accurate is all this? Sure, the candidates and media will claim to explain it, but do any of them know what the numbers really mean? In this class, we will consider how to read opinion polls, graphs, and charts, and make sense of all the technical data that candidates and media like to cite, so that you can interpret it all for yourself.

 

Do you ever want more information when presented with new cultural practices, beliefs, and behaviors? To help you develop your agility and competency to better understand our evolving culture, this course will investigate our social worlds and how to sensitively engage with them. We’ll use frameworks to explore “similarity” and “otherness,” particularly around ideas of gender, race, age, and DEIA. We’ll explore ways to navigate uncomfortable or difficult conversations while expanding cultural awareness.

Each class session will read and explain key sections of The Divine Comedy. These key sections and some plot summary will allow us to work our way through the whole of Dante’s magnificent poem. All along the way, we will be looking at and talking about works of medieval art that will allow us better to understand Dante’s meanings. Outside reading of The Divine Comedy will not be required, although it would, of course, add to the experience.

These two 5-week courses are appropriate for participants who are comfortable and successful at communicating in Spanish and want to further develop their 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 (or have successfully completed Intermediate Spanish). The courses are taught in Spanish and focus on analyzing and discussing reading material. Weekly class material is provided. Note: These courses are often taken several times. These are versatile courses that include different class material under the same goals every term.

Thanks to the leadership of local businessman, J. Irwin Miller, Columbus, Indiana boasts a unique collection of major buildings by such architects as Eero Saarinen, I. M. Pei, Robert A. M. Stern and Robert Venturi. Few, if any, cities can match the extraordinary architecture of this small Midwestern town. Students will be encouraged to discuss the buildings.

This class, 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.

This course is an introduction to the Nobel Prize winner’s writing style and major themes though a sampling of his short stories and two of his most fabled novels: The Sun Also Rises and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Many of his other works will certainly come up in the discussions and some of the then-contemporary film adaptations could be added, time permitting.

This course will be a discussion of the characteristics that make a great president. We will examine those presidents that history has judged to be exceptional. We will also look at those who have failed or have not quite succeeded and why they did not make the grade. We will consider interesting facts that explore why the status of some presidents like Woodrow Wilson and Andrew Jackson has fallen recently.

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. Students can expect to study words, phrases, simple sentences, and practice listening/reading. Weekly class material is provided. Note: This course is often taken several times. Participants are invited to repeat this course for additional practice and to reinforce grammar and vocabulary.

This course offers a concise history of World War II and its aftermath. It introduces the social, economic, and political causes and consequences of the war around the world, including the United States, Africa, Latin America, and the South Pacific. Students will learn how World War II fits into a broader historical context and generated the political circumstances that still shape our world today.