-SUMMER OSHER ONLINE   

Magic Kingdom to those who critique it and everywhere in between. This course offers a comprehensive look at how Walt Disney’s vision became a cultural force shaping today's entertainment industry.

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YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Maria Massad

Maria Massad is a seasoned marketing leader and storyteller with a lifelong connection to the magic of Disney. Early in her career, she contributed to PBS’s acclaimed American Experience, a Walt Disney documentary, helping bring Walt’s visionary story to life for audiences nationwide. Massad also served on the leadership team of The Walt Disney Birthplace, where she led digital marketing and strategic partnerships to preserve and celebrate the Disney brothers’ legacy. With a an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Massad has worked across marketing, media, and storytelling, helping organizations craft impactful campaigns and connect with audiences. Her deep knowledge of Disney’s history, combined with her professional expertise, offers unique insights into the company’s evolution and enduring influence.

Architectural history follows a canon of both traditional and eclectic styles from ancient to contemporary times. But what happens when a mix of whimsy, eccentricity, humor—and sometimes the creator's genius—insert themselves into the mix? Occurring throughout time and in various parts of the world, these unconventional structures exist to serve the cultures they were created for, from ancient religious sites to modern car-culture merriment. This course explores a myriad of structures set against the backdrop of the societies in which they existed, the construction methods used, the patrons for whom these structures were constructed, and the notions of the builders and architects who created them.

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YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Eleanor Schrader

Eleanor Schrader is an award-winning educator, lecturer, and author. She lectures and leads tours worldwide on art and architectural history. She has been named a distinguished instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture, and decorative arts. Schrader is a Professor Emerita of art and architectural history at Santa Monica College. She has completed graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby’s Institute in London and New York. She has served as a design review commissioner for the City of Beverly Hills and currently serves on the board of directors of the John Lautner Foundation.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Arnold Blumberg, PhD

Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg is a publisher, author, artist, and pop culture historian. He has taught courses in media literacy and cultural studies at University of Maryland, Baltimore College (UMBC), the University of Baltimore, Community College Baltimore College (CCBC), and the Osher Institute at Towson University. With fifteen years of experience in the comic book industry and five years curating a pop culture museum, he now runs his own publishing company, ATB Publishing.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Beth Hill-Skinner

Beth Hill Skinner has graduate degrees in Theology and International Diplomacy with a specialization in transnational terrorism. She has educated individuals and organizations for the purpose of empowering citizens to improve their community, state, and country. She believes there is a clear difference between providing information and education. She enjoys transforming the opaque or complex into clarity for her students or audiences.

This course will explore the history of Manhattan, emphasizing the unique traits that drew into its harbor millions of immigrants and millions more tourists seeking its many resources, rich culture, and complex history. Together, we will explore the history of New York City’s parks, city shopping, entertainment venues, museums, and concerts. We will also discuss the social and arts movements that grew out of the city. Gain an appreciation of what the city has to offer its visitors and an insight into the history behind the tourist attractions. 

This course provides a comprehensive overview of key public health topics across the human lifespan, from prenatal health to aging care. We will examine major health challenges, interventions, and policies that impact individuals at each life stage. By focusing on health disparities, preventive care, and the role of public health systems, the course equips us with the knowledge and skills to understand health issues in diverse populations. Through readings and case studies, we will gain insight into the life-course approach to public health, emphasizing the importance of early intervention, continuous care, and aging with dignity.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Michelle Boyd, MPH Michelle Boyd is an epidemiologist and public health researcher dedicated to advancing health equity through data modernization and effective health communication. With a focus on infectious disease data collection, surveillance, and maternal and child health, she brings expertise in analyzing public health data to uncover meaningful patterns and trends. Boyd holds a Master of Public Health in epidemiology from Indiana University Indianapolis and BS in human communication sciences from Northwestern University. Boyd is a board member for Fearless Brown Girls, a nonprofit organization aimed at empowering young girls and increasing financial literacy. Her passion for health equity and public health education drives her commitment to improving healthcare outcomes through data and community engagement.

Are you interested in stories rich with murder, intrigue, and sharp wit? This course will explore the Norse sagas, which are medieval tales rooted in Old Norse mythology, written in Iceland centuries after the Viking era. These stories range from realistic travel chronicles to epic sword-and-sorcery adventures, and they offer a fascinating glimpse into "Dark Age" swashbuckling. In this course we will also discuss how these stories continue to profoundly influence modern culture. STORIES OF ADVENTURE: THE NORSE SAGAS

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Vic Peterson Vic Peterson is the author of The Berserkers (Hawkwood, 2022; Recital, 2023), a novel set in a fictional Nordic country. He holds a BA in English from Kenyon College, and MA degrees in humanities from The University of Texas at Dallas and in religious studies from the University of Chicago, where he also completed coursework at the Booth School of Business. After a successful career as a business executive, Vic now focuses on writing and teaching.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Geof Woglom, PhD

Geof Woglom, PhD is professor emeritus of economics at Amherst College, where he taught for over 40 years. He has held visiting positions at Cambridge, Harvard, and the London School of Economics. Woglom was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town and at Nanjing University. Over his career, he has served as an economic consultant for the International Monetary Fund, the Federal Reserve Board, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist led the U.S. Supreme Court for nearly 19 years (1986–2005), overseeing cases on privacy, civil rights, the environment, the First Amendment, and states' rights. Under his leadership, the Court actively struck down federal statutes and precedent, often with conservative outcomes. However, as its composition shifted, some conservative rulings diminished. This course examines the legacy of the Rehnquist Court, as well as his 15 years as an associate justice under Chief Justice Warren Burger. We will explore landmark cases, including Woodson v. North Carolina (1976), Craig v. Boren (1978), Miller v. Johnson (1995), Bush v. Gore (2000), Atkins v. Virginia (2001), and Lawrence v. Texas (2002). THE REHNQUIST COURT, 1986-2005: MOVES TOWARD SMALL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

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YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Lauren Andersen, JD Lauren Andersen is the director of the Utah Judicial Institute. Andersen practiced appellate law in the state of California and presented arguments to the California Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court. During this time, Andersen closely studied the Roberts Court. She has lectured about the Supreme Court and the death penalty. Her opinions were quoted by The New York Times and the ABA Journal. She was previously the director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Utah.