Wednesday   

In this course, we will celebrate the music of this volatile decade, while appreciating the context in which it emerged. The music of the 1970s can be understood as a reaction to the advances of the sixties. While rock styles and audiences become irreversibly fragmented, a new generation of fans emerged, throwing off the 60s burden of creative thought and imploding towards disco. 

 

The United States Constitution comprises 7,591 words.  In this class, we will read every one of them aloud.  After each passage is read, the course leader will add comments and an explanation.  In this way, we will gain an understanding of how our constitution works.  We will learn how it allows us to govern ourselves, how it protects our rights, and how its amendments have changed it.

 

In February 1964, over 70 million Americans watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan — and nothing was the same again. This seven-session course takes a deep dive into the musical earthquake that followed: from the Beatles' ascendancy to the Rolling Stones' dangerous swagger, from Dusty Springfield's blue-eyed soul to the Who's amplifier-smashing fury. We'll explore not only the music, but also the music business, the technological changes, and the cultural forces that made it all possible. Beatle boots or go-go boots — optional.  

 

As part of the America 250 recognition for July 4, 2026, this course will explore the little-known impact the American Revolution had on the "Franklin: The Lost State." At the conclusion of the American Revolution, North Carolina ceded nearly 26-million acres of land to the United States. This left citizens in that unorganized territory on their own to create a new state: the State of Franklin. This presentation will explore why residents created their own state, where it was located, and the reasons why it ultimately failed.

This course will walk through one of the most famous studies of fascism across time, Robert Paxton's Anatomy of Fascism. Each week, will cover the main ideas from a chapter of the book, as well as advances in the field since its publication in 2004. Learners are invited but not obligated to read each chapter at home before each class. Note: this class meets twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Recommended reading: The Anatomy of Fascism, by Robert Paxton, Vintage, any edition. 

 

Biochemistry converts DNA genomes into RNA, and this RNA gets transcribed into protein. Since the 1990s, we have learned that this is only part of the story. Scientists have found that RNA does much more than carry information. It can regulate expression of genes, act as an enzyme, and bind to specific targets - just like proteins - and each of these roles has been engineered in the lab. This course will provide a short survey of some of the surprising new roles researchers have found for RNA.

 

Executive functioning (EF) and self-regulation (SR) involve the highest level of human brain function, are required to perform new and challenging activities and are activated when we encounter obstacles in interpersonal interactions. Learn how the brain develops to provide EF/SR and its trajectory across the life span. How do relationships impact EF/SR? Trauma? How do EF/SR contribute to resilience? The course provides a nontechnical and comprehensive view of recent findings and their applications. Small group discussions will explore implications for you and your community. 

The compensation for the stiffness in our bodies is the breadth of our imaginations. Aging is not just about growing older, it's about making the most of every moment. Aging can be a rich and fertile space for a fresh sense of purpose, creativity, and opportunities to contribute. Seniors will be inspired to explore new possibilities for their lives. Even the smallest of steps can lead to happiness, fulfillment, and a sense of accomplishment.This presentation explores how to cultivate a mindset of curiosity, contribution, and lifelong learning.

Recommended reading: If You're Alive, Your Mission on Earth Isn't Finished by David McNally, WISE INK, 2024.

 

The adoption of new technologies and the mass commercialization of culture has opened the door for more deceptive advertising. This course will examine how deceit and scams manifest in multiple forms of contemporary advertising, from ads that don’t look like ads, misleading verbiage, consumer tracking/targeting, ponzi schemes, and plain old snake oil peddling. What are the rhetorical strategies of deceptive ads? Are devices really listening to you? How do we regulate advertising? And most importantly, how do you spot a scam? 

Recommended reading: Doublespeak: From “Revenue Enhancement” to “Terminal Living”: How Government, Business, Advertisers, and Others Use Language to Deceive You by W. Lutz, Ig Publishing, 2015; "The Importance of Being a Complainer: You have the Power to Hold Deceptive Marketers Accountable," B. Patten, 2024, https://truthinadvertising.org/blog/the-importance-of-being-a-complainer/.

 

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most iconic landscapes on Earth, combining vast breathtaking scenery with deep geological and human history. From rim to river this course introduces how the canyon was formed, and describes human experience from ancestral Native cultures to more recent exploration, exploitation, conservation, and recreation.

In addition to information on options for a rewarding visit, this course includes a first-hand account of a recent visit to the park including an unforgettable 3 days at the South Rim combined with a 4-day backpacking experience below the rim.

 

Seasons: So much life, color, and expectation are packed into that single word. It conjures images of holidays, weather extremes, life cycles, culinary flavors, holy day calendars, agricultural cycles, sports schedules, and those oscillating periods of idleness and activity – with a suitable time for every purpose under heaven. Seasons are filled with cultural symbolism, moods, and commentary. Over the next year our OLLI @ Mia courses will delve into the overarching theme, “The Expansiveness of Seasons,” starting with Fall and its many meanings and implications for our lives.

 

The leaves are changing and dropping from the branches of the trees all around us. This is the best time of year to learn how to identify trees using their leaves! Join a Garden Naturalist on a guided walk to learn how to use dichotomous keys and field guides to identify trees using their leaves, bark, and other key characteristics.  We'll meet at the Wirth Beach parking lot: 3200 Glenwood Ave. Hiking surfaces include paved and natural surface trails that feature changes in terrain and some hills. 

 

The leaves are changing and dropping from the branches of the trees all around us. This is the best time of year to learn how to identify trees using their leaves! Join a Garden Naturalist on a guided walk to learn how to use dichotomous keys and field guides to identify trees using their leaves, bark, and other key characteristics.  We'll meet at the Wirth Beach parking lot: 3200 Glenwood Ave. Hiking surfaces include paved and natural surface trails that feature changes in terrain and some hills. 

 

On Nov 4, we will visit the Raptor Center for a program in which Raptor Center staff show live birds. Afterwards, we will go into the area where the birds are kept. On Nov. 11th, we will visit the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory. The staff will show us the public display gardens and talk about the Conservatory. Then, we will visit the research collection and do a treasure hunt. There may be an option to join lunch outings after each session (own expense). 

Learn more about Minnesota/ Native American history and Dakota culture through a guided tour of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Cultural Center. Established in 2019, Hocokata Ti, located near Mystic Lake and surrounded by restored native prairie grasses, is a not-to-be- be-missed architectural gem and cultural treasure.  Meet at Hocokata Ti. We will begin with a 1-hour guided tour of the museum. After a short break to visit the gift shop and library, we will spend 45 minutes with the relics. Join an optional lunch (own expense) following the tour. Note two and a half hour tour.

This approximately 1-mile tour of Lakewood Cemetery highlights the courage, resilience and influence of women whose essential contributions shaped cultural, educational and social advancement. Featuring a diverse array of trailblazers, advocates and quiet leaders, the walking tour honors both celebrated and lesser-known women whose legacies continue to resonate today. 

 

Oct 7--Davu Seru, Givens Collection of African American Literature and Life

Oct 14--Ellen Engseth, Immigration History Research Center Archives

Oct 21--Aiden Bettine, Tretter Collection in GLBT Studies

Oct 28--Erik Moore, University Archives

Nov 4--Kate Dietrick, Upper Midwest Jewish Archives

Nov 11--Maggie Ragnow, James Ford Bell Library and Special Collections and Rare Books