Prepare for Tomorrow
Sign In  |  View Cart  |    |  *
Return to Course Catalog

> Courses > -Session A Courses

-Session A Courses   

These courses are in alpha order by course title (courses with "" in the title are listed first)

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

Spring 2025 membership is required in order to register for these COURSES, member benefits, and member only programming.  Click HERE to purchase your membership.


*Courses are not recorded due to copyright and privacy regulations.


 

 

100 D-Days: The Air War Against the Rising Sun NEW!

Instructor: Buck Beasom

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

  • Day of the Week: W
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   
  • Dates: 3/5/2025 - 4/2/2025 

  • Number of classes in this course: 5   
  • Fee: $60.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA ONLINE 
  • Limit: 100 

Enrolled members will receive an enrollment reminder with the link: a week before the first class and again before each class in this course. Registration for this course will close the day before it begins to ensure all enrolled members receive the link. 

*Courses are not recorded due to copyright and privacy regulations. 

Course Description: 

100 D-Days is the bookend to the course War in the Skies: Europe 1939-1945. It covers WWII in the Asia/Pacific theater with special emphasis the air war, both land and carrier based. The course runs from Japan’s emergence as a major world power to its ultimate immolation under US firebombing and—ultimately—two atomic bombs.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

A Rebellious Spirit: Exploring Outside the Lines in Carmen and The Pirates of Penzance NEW!

Instructor: Leanne Clement

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/20/2025 - 2/20/2025 


Number of class sesssions in this course: 1  

Fees:
    Member: $12.00
    Non-Member: $27.00

Course Location: Unity of Charlottesville - Sanctuary

Location Address: 2825 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 100


Course Description:

Charlottesville Opera’s 48th season brings two swashbuckling classics to The Paramount in summer 2025: Bizet’s Carmen and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance. These productions explore bold characters who forge their own paths, whether on land or at sea. General Director Dr. Leanne Clement and Education Director Dr. Bridgid Eversole delve into the themes of rebellion and independence that connect the stories of Carmen and the tender-hearted Pirates of Penzance, offering fresh insights into these timeless works. This discussion will include performances by two of Charlottesville Opera’s 2025 Ader Emerging Artists who will be in residence with the company, performing in shows and concerts throughout the summer.


NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.


 

A Time To Listen, A Time To Speak has reached maximum enrollment

Please add yourself to the WAIT LIST by clicking the ADD TO WAIT LIST button below. 

OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 2/27/2025.  We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Adding your name to wait list is free, if you are invited and choose to enroll the $60.00 fee will be collected at that time.  

A Time To Listen, A Time To Speak  with John Bates

Day of the week: Th, Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM. 

Limit: 12

Sessions: 5      

Dates: 2/27/2025 - 3/27/2025  

Course Description: 

Simply put, ‘A Time to Listen, A Time to Speak’ has as its mission to create an environment where participants can freely express their thoughts and feelings on a variety of topics which range from political to social to current events and beyond. I act as the moderator who introduces a topic through such means as handouts, projections, videos etc. and then stand back to allow the group to engage, interjecting comments or ideas to keep the conversation going. It is a forum for all to have the floor and for none to dominate. These topics have no right answer that will end the talking and thus all comments are welcome and encouraged. Past sessions have been very illuminating and I can say that I have learned just as much as the participants. Past groups have wanted me to add sessions to continue the forum and I have done so. So, it comes down to an opportunity to get together with fellow citizens and talk about some topics often ignored for lack of a suitable environment or opportunity. After they settle in, the groups open up quickly and said what was on their minds. This is the level of communication which I seek. NOTE: As topics from previous sessions will be included, this group is intended primarily for newcomers.

 

Anne Spencer, Writer: Visions of Creation in Locality NEW!

Instructor: Alison Booth

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 11:15 AM - 12:45 PM   

Dates: 3/5/2025 - 3/5/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 1  

Fee: $12.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Professor Alison Booth will offer a discussion-centered class on the published and private writing of a
celebrated Black woman poet who lived most of her life in Lynchburg, Virginia: Anne Spencer (1882-1975). Spencer has a lasting presence in 30 published poems, a few biographical studies, a US postage stamp, and an outstanding museum in her house and garden. This class will begin by describing the work UVA faculty, librarians, and students have done in collaboration with the museum and as curators of the exhibition in Harrison-Small Library October 2024-June 2025. Our focus will be the papers of Anne Spencer at UVA and the many uncharted opportunities for further study of this astounding career. Students may explore the Finding Aid for Spencer Papers. Together, we will read a selection of her poems and prose writings, with images of the manuscripts, to showcase how she transformed her work across the years and how scholars work with a writer’s papers.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Art and the Totalitarian State has reached maximum enrollment

Please add yourself to the WAIT LIST by clicking the ADD TO WAIT LIST button below. 

OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 3/5/2025.  We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Adding your name to wait list is free, if you are invited and choose to enroll the $48.00 fee will be collected at that time.  

Art and the Totalitarian State with Timothy Snider

Day of the week: W, Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. 

Limit: 25

Sessions: 4      

Dates: 3/5/2025 - 3/26/2025  

Course Description: 

The first three decades of the 20th Century witnessed revolutionary changes in the arts. Stravinsky stretched the boundaries of music and ballet with Le Sacre du Printemps, the Paris premiere of which almost caused a riot. Schönberg became the prophet of atonalism in music, as the traditions of Romanticism crumbled. Picasso created a visual world hitherto inconceivable to his contemporaries. Millions suffered and died in the wake of the Great War and the pandemic that followed. Bolshevist Russia appeared to be creating a new way of organizing society. The Leninist state hardly welcomed the avant garde in the arts, but still the seeds of a new liberalism seemed to have been planted. With the seizure of power by Stalin in the 1930s, the all-powerful state crushed opposition and stifled creative freedom. How did artists respond to the suppression of free expression? We will explore how brutal state repression affected the arts and artists.

 

Beyond the Basics: Part II of Yes, You Can Learn to Draw (Beginners Welcome too)

Instructor: Pam Roland Lengel

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: M

Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM   

Dates: 3/31/2025 - 5/5/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 20

Course Description:

If you recently took Yes, You Can Learn to Draw (OLLI Fall 2021) and want to learn more, this course will provide time for practice and feedback. We will explore the geometry and patterns of the world around us, including nature, man, and the things we love. Plan to bring something you have drawn to the first class.

Recommended reading: The Drawing Book by John Deacon, How to Draw What You See by Rudy De Reyna, Drawing for the Absolute Beginner by Claire Watson Garicia, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Birdlife of Central Virginia

Instructor: Jennifer Gaden

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 8:30 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/25/2025 - 4/1/2025 

8:30-10 a.m. (Field Trips); 10-11:30 a.m. (Classroom). No session on 3/4.

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: Ivy Creek Natural Area - Classroom

Location Address: 1708 Earlysville Rd Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 33

Course Description:

The course will look at groups of birds in central Virginia, with an emphasis on the unique adaptations that enable them to live successfully in particular habitats. These will include birds of prey, woodland birds, birds of open areas, and migratory birds. The course will include three lectures and three field trips to nearby public parks with level trails. Course sessions will alternate between classroom sessions and field trips. More information will be sent to registered members. 

Session A | Tuesday, 8:30-10 a.m. (Field Trip Dates); 10-11:30 a.m. (Classroom Dates)
Classroom Dates: 2/25, 3/18, 4/1 (No Session on 3/4)
Field Trip Dates: 3/11, 3/25, 4/8

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Breath, Functional Anatomy, & Chair Yoga Movement NEW!

Instructor: John Kortmulder

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: F

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/21/2025 - 3/7/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 3  

Fee: $36.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 25

Course Description:

This course helps us understand how breath physiology affects our nervous system and state of mind, using breath exercises, meditation and exploring mindful relationships.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Change Agents: Three Influential Americans NEW!

Instructor: Robert Toplin

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 3/19/2025 - 4/2/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 3  

Fee: $36.00

Course Location: Unity of Charlottesville - Sanctuary

Location Address: 2825 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 100

Course Description:

We’ll examine the life and times of three individuals that raised public awareness of significant problems.Their calls for reform faced enormous resistance, but over the course of history the value of their struggles became evident. Lucretia Mott was prominent in the anti slavery movement. She was an abolitionist. Men were appalled that she and other women participated in public events. That opposition awakened Mott’s interest in women’s rights and equality. Rachel Carson, a biologist, writer, and conservationist, published a book that accelerated the environmental movement. Al Gore called attention to climate change long before that issue excited public interest.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Thanks for your interest in Change the Way You Age  NEW! with John Burt, Jeanette Bowman.

THIS COURSE IS FULL.  SPACE WILL OPEN ONLY IF AN ENROLLED MEMBER DROPS OUT OF THE COURSE.  ADDING ANOTHER SECTION OR MOVING TO A LARGER VENUE IS NOT AN OPTION. IT MAY BE OFFERED IN A FUTURE SEMESTER. 

 

Creative Writing for Dabblers

Instructor: Brent Kitching, James Oglethorpe

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 2/25/2025 - 4/1/2025 

Two hour class sessions.

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 10

Course Description:

This course is designed for inexperienced writers who might enjoy exploring their creative potential. In a small class setting, attendees will sharpen their storytelling skills through a series of weekly assignments that will be gently critiqued by their classmates. The weekly prompts will focus on writing skills such as developing an appropriate voice, constructing believable characters and generating effective descriptions. Required material: Just your stories! Suggested Reading: Reading material will be provided to those enrolled.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Darwinian Fundamentalism, Free Will, and Altruism NEW!

Instructor: Stephen Kennamer

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM   

Dates: 2/20/2025 - 3/27/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $60.00

Course Location: R.R. Smith Center for History and Art - Upstairs Lecture Room

Location Address: 22 South New St Staunton, VA 24401

Limit: 25

Course Description:

A Darwinian fundamentalist – Darwin himself was not one – believes that all animal and plant behaviors are explained by the organism's evolutionary imperative to live long enough to reproduce and get replicas of its genes into the next generation.  Culture, art, and social arrangements are all regarded as sublimations of this drive.  Richard Dawkins accordingly titled his book "The Selfish Gene."  On this theory, we are automatons run by genetic algorithms: free will does not exist and genuine altruism is an impossibility.  We will test whether the scientific evidence supports this view of our actions as entirely determined by unconscious motives.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Thanks for your interest in Democracy’s Dangers and Responsible Citizenship   with Terry Newell.

THIS COURSE IS FULL.  SPACE WILL OPEN ONLY IF AN ENROLLED MEMBER DROPS OUT OF THE COURSE.  ADDING ANOTHER SECTION OR MOVING TO A LARGER VENUE IS NOT AN OPTION. IT MAY BE OFFERED IN A FUTURE SEMESTER. 

 

Diseases That Shaped Us and Our World NEW!

Instructor: Addeane Caelleigh

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 3/6/2025 - 3/27/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $48.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Diseases That Shaped Us and Our World will examine the social history and present status of smallpox, malaria, tuberculosis, and polio. The bacteria and viruses that cause them have preyed on humans for thousands of years. Doctors and scientists have struggled to understand the diseases and to treat the victims. Today one of the diseases has been eliminated but the other three continue to attack millions of people every year.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Ethics In Society: How To Argue Right From Wrong When They’re Wrong, But You Can’t Escape Them NEW!

Instructor: Marion Votaw

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM   

Dates: 2/25/2025 - 4/1/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

We all know what’s right, but some folks think they are, when they aren’t. Maybe relatives, colleagues, neighbors… whom you’d prefer not to *call* idiots. How have a *persuasive* discussion, maintaining your working, familial, or community relationship? We can’t just let things go… So, each class has a short portion on ethics, about controversial topics. Week 1 lays out the fundamental structure of ethical argument. The next 4 sessions concentrate on recognizing argument types—and their best counter. Finally, Week 6 is for actual arguing, to demonstrate your new, improved tools for better world-building. Because that is what this class is all about.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Financial Planning for Success and Significance in Retirement

Instructor: David Marotta

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

  • Day of the Week: Th
  • Times: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM   
  • Dates: 2/20/2025 - 3/13/2025 

One hour class sessions.

  • Number of classes in this course: 4   
  • Fee: $48.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA ONLINE 
  • Limit: 50 

Enrolled members will receive an enrollment reminder with the link: a week before the first class and again before each class in this course. Registration for this course will close the day before it begins to ensure all enrolled members receive the link. 

*Courses are not recorded due to copyright and privacy regulations. 

Course Description: 

Most Americans fail to plan adequately for retirement. As a result, they often miss out on opportunities to enjoy the second half of life. Designed for people from age fifty to sixty-five, this course covers how to handle investments; set safe spending rates; navigate retirement benefits, health care, and Social Security; organize estate planning; and manage generational financial planning. By the end of the course, participants will have developed an effective action plan to achieve their life goals. 

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

General Robert E. Lee and his Generals

Instructor: James Donahue

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: F

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/28/2025 - 4/4/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $60.00

Course Location: R.R. Smith Center for History and Art - Upstairs Lecture Room

Location Address: 22 South New St Staunton, VA 24401

Limit: 30

Course Description:

General Robert E. Lee and his senior subordinate generals, four of which were Virginians, Lt. Gen. James Longsteet, Lt. Gen. Stonewall Jackson, Lt. Gen. Jeb Stuart and Lt. Gen. Richard Ewell, and Lt. Gen. Jubal Early were instrumental serving in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia combatting Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant , Maj. Gen. George B. McLellan and Lt. Gen. Philip Sheridan and the Union Army of the Potomac. Donahue will present 6 lectures along with DVD’s of Prof. Gary Gallagher and Ken Burns’s American Civil War.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Geology Beneath Your Feet and in Your Future has reached maximum enrollment

Please add yourself to the WAIT LIST by clicking the ADD TO WAIT LIST button below. 

OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 2/24/2025.  We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Adding your name to wait list is free, if you are invited and choose to enroll the $60.00 fee will be collected at that time.  

Geology Beneath Your Feet and in Your Future  with Robert Finley

Day of the week: M, Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. 

Limit: 24

Sessions: 5      

Dates: 2/24/2025 - 3/24/2025  

Course Description: 

*Those waitlisted for this course in the spring 2024 semester will be given priority registration.
*Participants will need to provide their own transportation for the field trip and an alternate date will be set in case of rain.
Earth materials provide resources that humans directly use every day. Rocks and minerals provide metals, sand and gravel, cement, and fossil fuels that are found in unique locations. Further, the geologic history of earth materials shapes our landscape from the scale of global tectonic plates to the hills in our Charlottesville neighborhoods. After all, how did the Blue Ridge get to be a ridge, anyway? This course will first provide a brief geologic history of Virginia (about one billion years will be covered) to create what we see today. We will also meet at the UVA Fontaine Research Park to look at large blocks of major Virginia rock types. We will then cover how the variability in earth materials is now more critical than ever. We will need more lithium, nickel, and cobalt for batteries, copper and aluminum for motors, wind turbines, and thousands of miles of new power lines, and rare earths for magnets. With this course you will now appreciate that this material is where it is because of geologic history, and the politics of access and extraction are not simple issues.

 

Growing A Botanical Garden to Serve Central Virginia

Instructor: Jill Trischman-Marks

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 3/6/2025 - 3/13/2025 

3/13 Tour of the Garden (Tour Rain Date: 3/20)

Number of class sessions in this course: 2  

Fee: $12.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 30

Course Description:

Starting a public botanical garden at the City’s former leaf dump is not an easy feat. Botanical Garden of the Piedmont (BGP) is driven by the Central Virginia public’s input, aspirations, and desire to be a place of beauty, education, healing, sustainability, and unity. Through our continuous outreach, we hope to ensure that the built garden will represent the hopes and dreams of the entire community.

This presentation will briefly outline what has been achieved in the process towards growing this garden, give insight into the road map ahead, and provide information about how the Garden is responding to community needs now and in the future. For more info about PBG visit piedmontgarden.org.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Guided Autobiography Part 2 NEW!

Instructor: Ingrid Reynolds

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM   

Dates: 2/19/2025 - 4/2/2025 

Two hour class sessions.

Number of class sessions in this course: 7  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

*Pre-requisite: Guided Autobiography Part 1

GAB 1 curriculum that was taught in Session A of Fall semester at OLLI. GAB 2 continues on with additional themes and literary device discussion in order to assist participants in their continued drafting of autobiographical stories. With the shared experiences the group already has, these themes become increasingly in depth and sensitive in nature.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Harvesting Mysticism in English Renaissance and Modern Literature NEW!

Instructor: Robin Reid

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 3/12/2025 - 4/30/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 8  

Fee: $96.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 10

Course Description:

The first four classes in this course will examine the ambitious nature of epic literature with its disclosures of ultimate reality, culminating in Shakespeare’s use of epiphany in three celebrated plays. The last four classes in this course will ask if modern times have similarly ambitious “singers of glory” — from Jane Austen to the present.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Historic Black Schools: Preserving the Revolution NEW!

Instructor: Jody Lahendro

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 3/5/2025 - 3/26/2025 

3/26 will be a tour

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $48.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 30

Course Description:

This course will examine the history and preservation of early 20th century schools constructed for the education of rural African American children. Today, these vine-chocked, derelict schoolhouses are scattered through the Virginia countryside, remnants of a revolution in African American education. While the early preservation movement focused on sites of white Virginians, landmarks of Black history were ignored or undervalued. They are now close to being lost forever. The presenter will also share his community engagement process, the architectural process used for grants, present case studies, and review the challenges and rewards of assisting laypeople in preserving their historic schoolhouses.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

How Do We Maintain Optimism During These Troubling Times?

Instructor: Russ Linden

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM   

Dates: 2/27/2025 - 3/20/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $48.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

Americans have long been seen as an optimistic people. But that’s changed in recent times. Why the change? How do we maintain optimism, especially during these difficult times? We’ll look at the benefits of optimism, some causes of pessimism, and explain seven practical strategies you can use to maintain optimism and help others do the same.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

How to Get Your Book Published—What Every Writer Wants to Know, But May Be Afraid to Ask has reached maximum enrollment

Please add yourself to the WAIT LIST by clicking the ADD TO WAIT LIST button below. 

OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 2/25/2025.  We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Adding your name to wait list is free, if you are invited and choose to enroll the $60.00 fee will be collected at that time.  

How to Get Your Book Published—What Every Writer Wants to Know, But May Be Afraid to Ask with Judy Mandell

Day of the week: Tu, Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM. 

This schedule has been adjusted.

Limit: 12

Sessions: 5      

Dates: 2/25/2025 - 3/25/2025  

Course Description: 

Many people wait until retirement to write their memoirs, novels, or nonfiction books. This course will help people understand what it’s like to be on the receiving end of queries and proposals. It will also include information about agents, as many book editors will only look at proposals from agents. It’s extremely difficult to get published. This course will be of interest to people who are serious about getting their book published and anyone who is merely curious about the world of book publishing.

 

Immunology 101: How the Human Immune System Works NEW!

Instructor: Brian Pollok, PhD

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM   

Dates: 2/19/2025 - 3/26/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Have you always wondered how our immune system ACTUALLY works to defend us against the myriad of microorganisms present in our everyday world? And how it provides surveillance against cancer and destroys tumor cells? This 6-week course covers the nuts and bolts of how our immune system operates, how it sometimes goes awry, and how it can be modulated for therapeutic benefit. Presentations and post-class resources liberally use diagrams and videos geared to a lay audience - no scientific background or training is required. Just bring your curiosity about this extraordinary part of our biology!

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Interacting with Equity: Conversations about Poverty and Race

Instructor: Robert (Bob) Covert, Pam McFaden

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/27/2025 - 4/3/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

The purpose of this course is to engage participants with issues of diversity, equity, and privilege within the context of a safe, supportive environment. We will examine personal, social, and institutional biases and how they play out in our daily lives. The class connects participant’s personal experiences with Bennett’s Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity to facilitate positive interactions when interacting with different groups. The course structure is an interactive format, including activities and facilitated discussion. We will end looking at our personal responsibility related to each level of discrimination and concrete things you can do.

Topics include: building community, awareness of stereotypes, classism, racism, and how ethnicity impacts identity.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Karma, Dharma, Buckets and Putts: When Eastern Thought Meets Western Sports

Instructor: Shelley Bryant

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/18/2025 - 4/1/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 7  

Fee: $84.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

One needs to know only the most rudimentary principles of a competitive sport to see sports as symbolic of life’s obstacles and its triumphs. We will examine two books that do just that: Sacred Hoops, a basketball memoir by Phil Jackson, and The Legend of Bagger  Steven Pressfield. These two books not only shed insight into the nature of competitive sports but, more importantly, serve as superb examples of the difference between the Western and Eastern worldviews. What we will see is that taking the best from both is not only possible but worthy of consideration in both the personal and political spheres of activity.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Moving Forward to the Future

Instructor: Tracy Meade, Anita Dunbar

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/20/2025 - 2/20/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 1  

Fee: $12.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

"Moving Forward to the Future" is a collaboration with field experts, including Tracy Meade and others. This course has been taught retirement communities in the area, including Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge, to assist families who are considering retirement community.  This course explains the overall process and explores assembling a team of experts such an attorney, family members, financial advisor, home inspector, long term care specialists, as well as someone to assist with personal items, are imperative to a successful move.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Taking the "Dis" Out of Civil Discourse: Bringing Back the Center of American Politics

Instructor: Margaret Heubeck

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 3/25/2025 - 4/22/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 5  

Fee: $50.00

Course Location: R.R. Smith Center for History and Art - Upstairs Lecture Room

Location Address: 22 South New St Staunton, VA 24401

Limit: 35

Course Description:

This course is designed to empower participants with skills to bring back America's political center.  We will examine the causes, effects, and consequences of the lack of civil discourse in our political and social lives and brainstorm strategies to bridge the divide between left and right. 

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The American Renaissance, 1870s-1910s: Architecture, Painting, Sculpture NEW!

Instructor: Richard Guy Wilson

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/18/2025 - 4/1/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 7  

Fee: $84.00

Course Location: Unity of Charlottesville - Sanctuary

Location Address: 2825 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 100

Course Description:

American visual arts underwent a dramatic transformation in the period 1870s-1910sh with the discovery of the Renaissance that took place in Italy and then spread in Europe during the 15th- 17th centuries. In the United States the so-called “Victorian” was replaced by great classical buildings with murals, grand mansions, large sculptures, and Worlds Fairs as in Chicago, 1893 and elsewhere. Huge public libraries based upon Italian palazzos became center pieces of the City Beautiful and grand sculptures by D.C. French and others appeared depicting the American past, from the Revolutionary war to the Civil War. This course will treat the development of a transforming artistic movement in the United States.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Art of Conversation

Instructor: Richard Mason

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/25/2025 - 4/1/2025 

SCHEDULE UPDATE

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 12

Course Description:

Conversation is being challenged by social media, changing values, individual and intergroup bias and a lack of common ground. This course will focus on why conversation is important and how to make it more effective. To address the "how" of conversing, participants will practice in small groups how to start/stop a conversation and how to have that "difficult" conversation.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Greatest Books You Never Read: Middlemarch 

Instructor: Evelyn Edson

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 3/4/2025 - 3/25/2025 


Number of class sesssions in this course: 4  

Fees:
    Member: $48.00
    Non-Member: $63.00

Course Location: Christ Church Glendower, St. Anne’s Parish, Glendo - Meeting Room

Location Address: 900 Glendower Rd Scottsville, VA 24590

Limit: 14


Course Description:

Middlemarch by George Eliot. You always meant to read it, or maybe you did read it many years ago. Taking it up now with the wisdom of age, you will definitely see things differently. How do Eliot's characters speak to us today?


NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.


 

The Liberal Response to the ‘Tribe’ in the 20th Century NEW!

Instructor: John Mason

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 2/26/2025 - 4/2/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $60.00

Course Location: R.R. Smith Center for History and Art - Upstairs Lecture Room

Location Address: 22 South New St Staunton, VA 24401

Limit: 25

Course Description:

This course will examine a group of liberal thinkers—Adam Smith, Jose Ortega y Gasset, Karl Popper, Raymond Aron and Isaiah Berlin—who have much to say about freedom of expression, rule of law and individual rights as crucial to the defence of democracy. The inspiration behind this topic derives from a book written by the famous Peruvian novelist, Mario Vargas Llosa, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010. In his book, The Call of the Tribe, Vargas Llosa charts his journey from the Marxism of his youth to the liberal defence of democracy through his close reading of the thinkers who showed him a different school of thought. Suggested Reading: Mario Vargas Llosa, The Call of the Tribe, 2022.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Life and Times of Four Influential Presidents NEW!

Instructor: Robert Toplin

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 2/19/2025 - 3/12/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $48.00

Course Location: Unity of Charlottesville - Sanctuary

Location Address: 2825 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 100

Course Description:

An examination of the experiences, ideas, and leadership of four consequential presidents in the twentieth century. We will consider changes in American society in the years they served in the White House, noting how those developments influenced their decision-making. Franklin D. Roosevelt responded to two crises, the Great Depression and threats from Germany and Japan. Dwight D. Eisenhower, a war hero, promoted “Modern Republicanism” in the Fifties. John F. Kennedy dealt with civil rights at home and communist challenges abroad. Ronald Reagan, a Hollywood star, changed over his lifetime from a New Dealer to a conservative icon.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Once Hidden and Forgotten Crisis(es) Is Returning NEW!

Instructor: Theodore Homyk

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/18/2025 - 3/25/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

The course will deal with issues regarding the ability of the world’s population to grow enough food. We will begin by reviewing the realities that resulted when past civilizations faced food crises resulting in famine, and reasons for their failure to deal with it. We will then continue to define the reasons we need to be concerned with regarding the cause of our growing food crises, and sacrifices and practices we must adopt to address the decline of soil fertility, ground water and phosphorus depletion, and the problem of overpopulation before these issues reach a tipping point.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Princess Bride: A Delightful Deep Dive into Its Literary Value NEW!

Instructor: Rona Pavlo

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM   

Dates: 2/19/2025 - 3/26/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 15

Course Description:

You know the movie. You LOVE the movie. BUT that’s only a veneer. William Goldman’s novel is a complex story, not a fairy tale but a story that examines our reality. By weaving his story through framing devices, metafiction, layering of irony and allusions, and the ultimate revelation of historical allegory, Goldman delivers a humorous examination of the best and worst of our human foibles. Through lecture and discussion, we will explore Goldman’s methods and themes. By examining a few key passages through the strategies of new critical/formalist criticism, we will expose the depths of this wonderful piece of literature.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

The Turbulent Tudors NEW!

Instructor: Ruth McWilliams

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: M

Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 2/24/2025 - 3/24/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 5  

Fee: $60.00

Course Location: The Center - Classroom

Location Address: 540 Belvedere Blvd Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 44

Course Description:

*Those enrolled in the canceled fall 2024 course will receive priority registration.

The goal is to share Tudor tidbits of history with the audience.  The Tudor Dynasty is one of the most well-known to history even though it only lasted 118 years.  We'll discuss the founding, the monarchs, their spouses (yep, definitely including the six wives!) and the power plays both within England and the rest of the world. 

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Understanding "Hizballah"

Instructor: John (Win) Dayton

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM   

Dates: 2/18/2025 - 3/4/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 3  

Fee: $36.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

How did Hizballah - a Shia militia born in the chaos of Lebanon's Civil War during the 1980s - become Lebanon's most influential political party and the Middle East's most significant non-state military force?  What are Hizballah's priorities and objectives, and what are their implications for regional stability?  The course will examine Hizballah's leadership and structure, its strengths and weaknesses, its constituencies and partners, its activities within Lebanon and globally, and its relationship with Iran. Attention will be given to US policy toward Hizballah, whose 1983 attack on the Marine Barracks in Beirut remains the deadliest day for US Marines since the Battle of Iwo Jima.  Discussion will draw lessons from Hizballah's roles in Lebanon's ongoing economic and political crises, the 2022 Lebanon-Israel Maritime Border Agreement, and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Understanding the Nuclear Age NEW!

Instructor: Frank Settle, Robert Strong

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: W

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/19/2025 - 3/5/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 3  

Fee: $36.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 25

Course Description:

The Cold War is long over but we still live in the nuclear age. The number of nations possessing nuclear weapons is growing and includes some dangerous aspirants. Threats involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons are credible in Eastern Europe. Enormous resources are being spent to maintain and modernize existing nuclear arsenals. The instructors, one a chemist, one a political scientist, have team-taught courses at Washington and Lee University on the science and politics resulting from the use of the atomic bomb in 1945. This course addresses what it means to live in a world where weapons of mass destruction continue to define our time in world history.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Wounded Knee 1890 and Wounded Knee 1973 has reached maximum enrollment

Please add yourself to the WAIT LIST by clicking the ADD TO WAIT LIST button below. 

OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 3/11/2025.  We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Adding your name to wait list is free, if you are invited and choose to enroll the $24.00 fee will be collected at that time.  

Wounded Knee 1890 and Wounded Knee 1973 with Fred Borch

Day of the week: Tu, Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM. 

Limit: 35

Sessions: 2      

Dates: 3/11/2025 - 3/18/2025  

Course Description: 

On December 29, 1890, the 7th U.S. Cavalry confronted a large group of Sioux who had gathered near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. When the soldiers attempted to disarm a number of these Indians, a melee ensued. Within an hour, nearly 300 Indians were killed, many of whom were unarmed and unresisting women and children. What really happened at Wounded Knee? Why were so many Sioux killed? A little more than 80 years later, on February 27, 1973, about 200 members of the American Indian Movement occupied the site of the so-called Wounded Knee Massacre. What followed was a 71-day occupation- -and a stand-off between the Indians and Federal law enforcement personnel. Historian and lawyer Fred Borch will talk about what happened at Wounded Knee in 1890 and 1973, and the importance of these two events in U.S. history.

 

Writing Your Life Story

Instructor: Constance (Connie) Jones

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 2/20/2025 - 3/27/2025 

Two hour class sessions.

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $72.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 10

Course Description:

We've all got stories! Wouldn't it be great if we wrote them down - for ourselves and our families and friends? This informal class will get you on the road to writing about your life, from the mundane to the marvelous. You don't have to be a "writer" to take this class, and the priority will not be a critique of your writing style or grammar. Each week there will be a writing assignment, with topics chosen by the group. Take a chance on finding out that you've lived a pretty interesting life after all!

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Yellowstone Through the Lens

Instructor: Robert (Bob) Covert, Pam McFaden

       Hover over an Instructor's name above and their biography will appear.

Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 2/20/2025 - 2/20/2025 

Number of class sessions in this course: 1  

Fee: $12.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA Campus - Terrace Level

Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Limit: 35

Course Description:

This is an hour program with a half hour for questions. Participants will learn tips on how to visit Yellowstone National Park like a pro. Photographs will take us around the Grand Loop Road and to locations that few tourists see. Geysers and collecting data will be discussed. Information on the Geyser Observation and Study Association will be shared. The best locations and times to view wildlife will be shared as well as the best times and places to photograph the many waterfalls of Yellowstone. The logistics of a visit will be discussed.

NOTE: If you do not see the "Add to Cart" button, there are four possible reasons. 1) Registration may not be open 2) You have not added a membership to your cart or renewed your membership (Click HERE to purchase your membership) 3) You are not logged in (Click “Sign In” on the blue bar above) 4) You may need to refresh your screen.

 

 

Thanks for your interest in Interpreting and Participating in Shakespeare’s Plays with Henry McHenryThere are 24 seats available. Online registration has closed.  Call the OLLI Office at 434-923-3600 to register. 

  • Presenter: Henry McHenry
  • Dates: 2/17/2025 - 3/17/2025 
  • Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Days:

Description: 

Reading Shakespeare carefully to examine the design of ideas and the progression of feelings as they build, attending to dramatic texture and poetic nuance, and seeing and thinking about different productions are the main class activities. Again this time, we’ll collaborate with the Queen Charlotte’s Villeins acting troupe, reading and experiencing at least Much Ado About Nothing, and maybe also The Tempest. Having sampled (not exhausted) Shakespearean tragedy this year, we’ll set forth on comedy, and maybe romance. There will be a modest extra opportunity (at your discretion) to compensate our actors for their time and expertise (in the vicinity of $25/class).

 

Thanks for your interest in Rapture Culture: Exploring the Apocalyptic Imagination with Jeffrey PughThere are 4 seats available. Online registration has closed.  Call the OLLI Office at 434-923-3600 to register. 

  • Presenter: Jeffrey Pugh
  • Dates: 2/17/2025 - 3/17/2025 
  • Times: 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
  • Days:

Description: 

According to surveys, over thirty-five million Americans believe that we live in the end times. Some believe they will be taken (or raptured) to heaven in "the last days." Where do these ideas come from? What has shaped the apocalyptic imagination of millions, and how does it influence present day life? This course is designed to explore the way the apocalyptic imagination is shaped by narratives from Hebrew and Christian scripture as well as historical moments that created the realities people live by.

 

Thanks for your interest in The Basics of Poetry with Susan SharpeThere are -2 seats available. Online registration has closed.  Call the OLLI Office at 434-923-3600 to register. 

  • Presenter: Susan Sharpe
  • Dates: 2/17/2025 - 3/17/2025 
  • Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Days:

Description: 

“Poetry makes nothing happen,” said poet Marianne Moore. Even so, we may find in poetry consolation for the disturbing voices of our politics, of wars, of hostility. Looking carefully at a constructed thing—a poem, a painting, a building—can restore our faith in the magnificence of the human brain. In this class we’ll try to get comfortable with poetry by taking on some of its elements one by one: words, rhythm, rhyme, image, symbol, voice. We’ll learn some questions that we can ask of a poem to make it speak to us more clearly.

 

Some Title