|
|
- 10903 Great Photographers - Focus on Color
-
Dates: 3/31/2026 - 4/28/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 5
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Larry Greenbaum
Fee: $0.00 (if any, due after allocation)
Let color speak and guide your perception as we view the images of Alex Webb, Susan Meiselas, Eve Arnold, Gordon Parks, and Melissa O’Shaughnessy. Their street and documentary photography brings us subjects ranging from whimsy to war and more. Mainly color, the few black and white images we’ll also visit add to and enhance each photographer’s experience of seeing – the primary skill for both making and viewing photographs.
|
|
|
|
|
- 10913 Life is a Work of Art
-
Dates: 4/28/2026 - 4/28/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Lucy Rose Fischer
Fee: $0.00 (if any, due after allocation)
It can happen in a moment. You notice a deep crease on your forehead or a blossoming of gray hairs or someone mentions the term “elderly” and you realize they are talking about you. How can we live creatively and make the most of our years? There is a “use it or lose it” principle for cognitive ability—if we stimulate our brains, we continue to grow dendrites, even in old age.
Recommended reading: LIFE IS SHORT AND SO AM I by Lucy Rose Fischer, Temuna Press, 2024.
|
|
|
|
- 10918 Masculine Crises
-
Arthur Schlesinger’s 1958 essay in Esquire, “The Crisis of Masculinity,” reminds us that our contemporary concerns with men in crisis have a long history. To better understand today’s perspective, this course examines the history of men in postwar America, focusing on the World War II generation that settled in suburbia. Discussions will interrogate both contemporary and historical interpretations.
|
|
|
|
- 10924 Gwendolyn, Louise, and Two Roberts: Four Great American Poets
-
The twentieth century produced an abundance of great poets. In this course, we will explore four singular and vital voices in the American dialogue: Gwendolyn Brooks, Louise Glück, Robert Frost, and Robert Hayden. Each of our four sessions will be dedicated to one of these poets and will include opportunities for both full class and small group discussions. Neither experience nor comfort with poetry is necessary to enjoy these discussions–just a desire to ponder ideas, ask questions, welcome discovery, and embrace uncertainty. A course packet will be provided.
|
|
|
|
- 10925 OLLI Scholar: On Keeping a Notebook: Writing Creatively Through the Journal
-
Dates: 3/31/2026 - 5/12/2026
Times: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 7
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Sadia Khatri
Fee: $0.00
This creative writing class will introduce you to the journal as a site of play, process, and catharsis. Whether you are journaling for the first time, or you have kept a diary for decades, you will be introduced to a range of methods to try in the journal. Through guided exercises and weekly prompts, we will write poetry and fiction in our diaries and dig into a deep reflection of our private lives. We will also read the notebooks of famous writers, and think about the ways the journal can help us be more present and alive in the world around us. Recommended reading: “On Keeping a Notebook” by Joan Didion from Slouching Towards Bethlehem, FSG, 2008; Reborn: Journals and Notebooks 1947-1963 (journal excerpts) by Susan Sontag, Picador, 2009.
|
|
|
|
- 10930 Seduction & Symbolism: The Scandalous History of Flowers
-
Dates: 5/12/2026 - 5/12/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Diana Pierce
Fee: $0.00
From forbidden meanings to royal obsessions, flowers have whispered secrets through history. This course explores the dark, dazzling stories behind blooms—how they’ve symbolized lust, power, betrayal, and rebellion across cultures and centuries. Join award-winning photographer and storyteller Diana Pierce as she unveils how petals have shaped art, politics, and romance. A vibrant journey into the most seductive garden you’ve never seen.
|
|
|
|
- 10933 A Global History of the American Revolution
-
When we think of the American Revolution, we picture 13 colonies squaring off against the British Crown in a spirited bid for independence. But this version of the story is only half the truth—and perhaps not even the most interesting half. In this riveting program, historian and author Richard Bell invites us to rediscover the Revolution as a world war that unleashed chaos, opportunity, and transformation across six continents—from the sugar fields of the Caribbean to the court of the King of Mysore, from refugee camps on the Canadian frontier to political uprisings in Sierra Leone and Peru. Recommended reading: The American Revolution and the Fate of the World by Richard Bell, Riverhead, 2025.
|
|
|
|
- 20630 Genetics, Health and Society
-
The course will provide an overview of the basic patterns of inheritance, the structure and function of DNA, and applications of genetics. We will review the technologies and applications for molecular genetics, with a focus on applications for disease biology and novel therapeutic approaches, as well as the ethical and societal implications of the collection and uses of genetic information. The course will also cover other applications of genetics including agriculture, forensics, and cancer.
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
|
- 20633 No More Secrets? The Past, Present, and Future of Cryptography
-
We need to share secrets with those we trust. But how to communicate the secret if we're not face-to-face? And who should we trust? Powerful people and institutions have met their demise because of failures to communicate secrets to trusted parties. The science of cryptography is continually advancing. This leads to an unending battle between those who encrypt secret messages and those who try to intercept them and break the encryption. We will explore the history of cryptography and predict what lies ahead. Are we prepared to keep secrets in a future that includes quantum computing?
|
|
|
|
|
- 31195 US Presidential History: A Thematic Approach
-
Dates: 3/31/2026 - 5/12/2026
Times: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 7
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Phil Kibort
Fee: $0.00 (if any, due after allocation)
This course will explore the lives of America's presidents—beyond the politics—such as family relationships, health secrets, assassination attempts, and scandals, while also debating who were the most and least impactful of presidents.
|
|
|
|
|
- 31200 The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
-
Given the magnitude of the assassination of JFK, the more than 6 million pages of government documents, 1 to 2 thousand books (95% of which don't support the Warren Commission), that more than half of Americans believe there was a conspiracy and that the event generated distrust in the American government that persists to this day, we recognize this is an overly ambitious project. Bring an open mind, your questions and comments as we explore the spirit of the times, the evidence, various interpretations and contradictions, the people and the theories surrounding the assassination.
|
|
|
|
- 31201 US-China Collaboration?: Climate Change and Advanced Technologies
-
Dates: 4/28/2026 - 4/28/2026
Times: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Larry Walker, Robert Scarlett
Fee: $0.00
What would the world look like if the US and China decided to work together to fight climate change and pursue advanced technologies? The US leads the West and is a leader in advanced technologies. China equals the US in advanced technologies, leads the world in manufacturing, is the leading trade partner with most nations, and its Open Source technology improves common prosperity for all. What might this collaboration entail?
|
|
|
|
|
- 31203 Witness to War: A Journalist in Vietnam
-
Dates: 4/7/2026 - 4/7/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Lucy Rose Fischer
Fee: $0.00 (if any, due after allocation)
It has been fifty years since the fall of Saigon. America’s Vietnam War seemed to arrive suddenly—body counts, the draft, and protests on college campuses. How did this all begin? Jerry Rose, a young journalist in Vietnam in the early 1960s, was a witness to the secret unfolding of this war. Through his articles and photographs—including the first major article to be written about American troops fighting in Vietnam—he exposed the secret beginnings of America’s Vietnam War—risking his life in the process. Recommended reading: The Journalist: Life and Loss in America’s Secret War by Jerry A. Rose and Lucy Rose Fischer, SparkPress, 2020.
|
|
|
|
- 31205 Books for Those too Busy to Read
-
March 31: Sherrie Gette will present Jason Stanley’s 2024 Erasing History: How Fascists Re-write the Past to Control the Future, which explores how the far-right has sought to reverse the broad expansion of civil liberties in the 20th century US.
April 7: Peter Hairston spent a career developing ways to measure airborne particles. He will present on Carl Zimmer’s 2025 book: Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe.
April 14: Lt Col. Steve Birch’s book is Andrew Ross Sorkin’s 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History and How it Shattered a Nation. The book describes the greed, false optimism, and human folly that led to the market collapse and the Depression.
April 21: Jim Martin’s book is The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the dawn of the Cold War by historian Scott Anderson. The author covers CIA efforts to combat the perceived threat of Soviet communism in the 1940s and 50s and the fatal missteps along the way.
April 28: Merrily Mazza takes on William Shirer’s 1960 epic, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. If past performance is a predictor of future output, Merrily is clearly up to the task.
May 5: Attorney at Large Phil Fishman will challenge all with his presentation of The Bill of Obligations: Ten Habits of Good Citizens by political scientist Richard Haas. In a word, the message is use them or lose them. We must re-envision citizenship if American democracy is to survive.
May 12: Dan Hunt examines race and American housing policy through his discussion of Richard Rothstein’s 2017 The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America. Rothstein argues that segregation was the result of ill-advised laws and not the result of individual choice.
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
- 40296 Unlock Minnesota's Digital Treasures: Research, Explore, and Learn
-
Dates: 4/21/2026 - 5/12/2026
Times: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 4
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Beth Staats, Greta Bahnemann
Fee: $0.00
Explore free digital resources for all Minnesotans through eLibrary MN (ELM) and the MN Digital Library (MDL). Access ebooks, digitized newspapers, articles, reference materials, and historical documents. Great for research, family history, or curious minds. Learn to navigate the platforms, search effectively, and get the most out of these trusted tools. No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and a device!
|
|
|
|
- 40311 Writing a 'Legacy Letter' - New Section
-
Dates: 5/5/2026 - 5/5/2026
Times: 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Online
Room: Zoom
Instructor: Jay Sherwin
Fee: $0.00
Merriam-Webster defines a letter as “a direct or personal written or printed message addressed to a person or organization.” A legacy letter (or ethical will) is a written document that shares your values, life lessons, memories, wishes, and blessings with future generations. Shorter than a memoir, legacy letters are typically just a few pages comprising an enduring gift for those you love. Writing such a letter can be a profoundly rewarding experience, and in this course you’ll learn how to craft a legacy document, mine your life history and values, and capture your most important insights.
|
|
|
|
- 50150 A Visit to Holman Field
-
Dates: 5/5/2026 - 5/5/2026
Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Day of Week: Tu
Sessions: 1
Building: Holman Field, aka St. Paul Downtown Airport
Room:
Instructor: Karen Koepp
Fee: $0.00
In-Person
Join OLLI members for an informative bus tour of historic Holman Field, just across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Paul. Named for Charles "Speed" Holman, a pioneering Minneapolis-born flier who became Northwest Airlines’ very first pilot, it hosts three runways, a flight training school and the Minnesota Army National Guard. Start by parking in the Holman's Table lot, 644 Bayfield St., St. Paul; after the tour, stay if you can for an optional lunch at this acclaimed restaurant.
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
|
- 50152 Woodcocks: Stalk the Dusk Sky Dancers
-
Start by viewing videos from home to learn the natural history of this fascinating fowl, then meet at dusk at Eastman Nature Center in Maple Grove to stalk the "timberdoodle" off-trail. Maneuver for position in the growing darkness, then sit and listen as the male swoops and twitters in a high aerial dance, and hope he lands nearby. This is an auditory treat, with a chance for sightings. Watch your email the week prior to the event for instructions and links to the class videos.
|
|
|
|
- 50155 Getting Started with Birding
-
Join a Garden Naturalist to learn and practice the basics of birding as you explore the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious beginner, all are welcome. We will learn how to identify early spring migrants and resident bird species by both sight and sound as we wander the trails. You'll have the opportunity to hone your birding skills and learn tips to help you better enjoy our fine feathered friends. Bring your own binoculars and a field guide or borrow ours. Meet at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden parking lot. Course fee: $10
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
- 50156 April Spring Wildflower Tour
-
Come for a wildflower-filled walk! In April, when the trees have yet to leaf out and more sunshine is available, early woodland wildflowers carpet the forest floor, including some of the spring ephemerals native to our region. The Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary is one of the premier locations in the Twin Cities metro area to see these beauties. You will learn about characteristics of the various species in bloom as you walk the trails with a Garden Naturalist. Meet at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden parking lot. Course fee: $10
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
- 50157 May Spring Wildflower Tour
-
Come for a wildflower-filled walk! By May, spring in the woodland is in full swing and the forest floor is carpeted with colorful wildflowers. Many spring ephemerals native to our region are in bloom. The Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary is one of the premier locations in the Twin Cities metro area to see these fleeting beauties. You will learn about characteristics of the various species in bloom as you walk the trails with a Garden Naturalist. Meet at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden parking lot. Course fee: $10
Course Full and Waitlist Closed.
|
|
|
|
|
- 50157 May Spring Wildflower Tour
-
Come for a wildflower-filled walk! By May, spring in the woodland is in full swing and the forest floor is carpeted with colorful wildflowers. Many spring ephemerals native to our region are in bloom. The Eloise Butler Wildflower and Bird Sanctuary is one of the premier locations in the Twin Cities metro area to see these fleeting beauties. You will learn about characteristics of the various species in bloom as you walk the trails with a Garden Naturalist. Meet at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden parking lot. Course fee: $10
|
|
|
|
|
- 50158 Spring Birding
-
With spring migration underway, the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary is a prime spot to observe birds, providing habitat for over 130 resident and migratory bird species. Join a Garden Naturalist on the trails for a guided birding walk where you’ll learn to observe birds by both sight and sound. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious beginner, all are welcome! Bring your own binoculars and a field guide or borrow ours. We’ll meet at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden parking lot. Course fee: $10
|
|
|
|
