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Note: Courses are not recorded due to copyright and privacy regulations.

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NEW! The Crisis in the Sahel and the Collapse of Francafrique

Instructor: David Throup

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

Day of the Week: F

Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM   

Dates: 4/10/2026 - 5/22/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 7  

Fee: $91.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 35

Course Description:

The course will examine the crisis in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad, tracing the growth of jihadi strength from the defeat of Islamist forces in Algeria in the 2000s and the impact of the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in Libya in 2011 on the Tuareg regions of the Sahel. It will trace the development of jihadist sentiment in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the growth of anti-French sentiment, the decline of Francafrique, and the turn to the Wagner Group and other Russian forces. It will also discuss the impact of Boko Haram on southeastern Niger, northern Cameroon and southwestern Chad.

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NEW! The Withering American Dream: Causes, Consequences, and Revival

Instructor: Grant Cameron

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Day of the Week: W

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 4/1/2026 - 4/22/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 35

Course Description:

The American Dream—defined as the pursuit of a better, richer, and happier life—has long served as a marker of progress and a source of national identity. While 92% of Americans born in the early 1940s would earn more than their parents, fewer than half of those born in the 1980s achieved that same upward mobility. This four-week course explores the economic forces driving this decline and their impact on personal well-being and social norms. Drawing on lessons from modern US history, we will consider strategies that offer a path to reviving the Dream today

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A Sisterhood of Spies has reached 18 enrolled, maximum enrollment.

This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 4/23/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $52.00 fee will be collected at that time.

  • Date: 4/23/2026
  • Day of the Week: Th
  • Fees: $52.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

    “...The casual reader, or even a close student of history, would be forgiven for thinking that for most of its existence, only men worked at the Central Intelligence Agency. Not only that: very manly heterosexual men...” Liza Mundy, The Sisterhood This class will focus on women’s services in the CIA as spies at the end of WWII,during the Cold War, and as terrorist groups formed and acted after the breakup of the Soviet Union. What talents and skills did women have, and how did they use them? Are women more tactically geared to expose male vulnerability? What tensions were there among intelligence agencies and within the agency itself during these times? Come learn what roles women have played in the operation of the CIA and how important their service has been. There are interesting tales to tell.
 

NEW! Another Time to Listen, Another Time to Speak

Instructor: John Bates

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Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM   

Dates: 4/9/2026 - 5/7/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 5  

Fee: $65.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 12

Course Description:

This advanced discussion group is designed for individuals who have completed the initial course, A Time to Listen, A Time to Speak. Conversations will engage with more complex and rigorous themes.

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Demystifying Dementia Basics, Resources, and Brain Health

Instructor: George Worthington

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Day of the Week: M

Times: 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM   

Dates: 4/6/2026 - 4/27/2026 

*One-Hour Class Sessions

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 25

Course Description:

This course, taught by the Dementia Services Director from the Virginia Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services, examines the latest knowledge around brain health and dementia risk reduction and prevention. Based on scientific evidence, you will learn about several pillars of brain health and practical ways to incorporate small changes into your lifestyle. You will learn about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia and become a Dementia Friend. The instructor will share resources and programs that can support caregivers and people living with dementia, and you will be introduced to innovative caregiving strategies that can support improved dementia care.

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Drawing Basics: Yes, You Can Learn to Draw! has reached 20 enrolled, maximum enrollment.

This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 4/27/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $65.00 fee will be collected at that time.

  • Date: 4/27/2026
  • Day of the Week: M
  • Fees: $65.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

    Drawing is a way to discover an entire new world. Before modern techniques about learning to draw were developed, many of us thought we couldn't draw or had no talent. Now we can learn to ""see"" like never before and give up saying things like, ""I can't even draw a straight line."" (After all, maybe that's what rulers are for!)

    Required Materials:

    ESSENTIAL - Bring a ""can-do"" attitude, the willingness to practice, and an eagerness to do something you didn't think you could do! These are the things to bring.

    Paper: Look for paper that is 60-90 lb. and smooth to the touch. Sketchbooks with this weight of paper are found in the art section of department and craft stores.

    Pencils: Bring any that you like to make marks with or even a fine-tip pen. Pencils come in many options, from very light to very dark. You can achieve a variety of effects depending on how hard you press on the pencil. There is no need to buy a set of pencils, unless you just want to.

    Erasers: Try to find a "kneaded" eraser, great for erasing mistakes. They are grey, wrapped in plastic, less than 2" square, and can be held in your hand to warm them up and become malleable for a spot you might want to erase. These erasers don't damage the surface of the paper as much as other kinds.

    Suggested Reading: Edwards, Betty. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, 1999. Dodson, Bert. Keys to Drawing, 1990. Garcia, Claire Watson. Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner, 2003.
 

NEW! Emma, A Novel by Jane Austen

Instructor: Evelyn Edson

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Day of the Week: Th

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 4/9/2026 - 4/30/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: Christ Church Glendower, St. Anne’s Parish, Glendo (opens in new tab) - Meeting Room

Location Address: 900 Glendower Rd Scottsville, VA 24590

Limit: 15

Course Description:

The novel, a work of prose fiction in an unheroic setting, came to maturity in the 19th century. Not only were many of the most outstanding works written by women, but majority of their audience was also female. Jane Austen, one of these novelists, is still widely read and admired today. “Emma,” her last major work, centers on the title character about whom Austen remarked,” I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” The opening sentence of the novel: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich with a comfortable home and a happy disposition... had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with little to distress or vex her.” The reader can imagine that this is about to change.

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Enchanted has been cancelled.
 

Four Autobiographical Poets

Instructor: Stephen Kennamer

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Day of the Week: Th

Times: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM   

Dates: 4/2/2026 - 5/14/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 7  

Fee: $91.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Much of 20th century literary criticism insisted that the speaker of a poem is always a “persona” and must never be confused with the poet. A codicil to this dogma held that information about the poet’s life from any source – memoirs, biographies, letters including even those of the poet – should never be admitted to a discussion of the meaning of any poem. This course offers a contrarian view. We will examine the strongly autobiographical currents in Shakespeare’s sonnets and the most famous poems of Keats, Emily Dickinson, and Gerard Manley Hopkins.

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NEW! Great Decisions in US Foreign Policy.

Instructor: Richard Kilroy Jr.

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Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 4/7/2026 - 4/28/2026 

*LOCATION CHANGE

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room

Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Great Decisions in US Foreign Policy is a program of the Foreign Policy Association which chooses 8 topics of current interest for each year’s program. The course will explore four of these topics and solicit guest speakers from UVA and elsewhere to enhance discussions. These will be different topics from those offered in the spring OLLI 2025 course.

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How to Get Your Article Published in Newspapers and Magazines has been cancelled.
 

Identifying Native Woody Plants has reached 20 enrolled, maximum enrollment.

This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 4/14/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $39.00 fee will be collected at that time.

  • Date: 4/14/2026
  • Day of the Week: Tu
  • Fees: $39.00
  • Location: Ivy Creek Natural Area (opens in new tab) 1708 Earlysville Rd Charlottesville, VA 22903

    Discover the native trees, shrubs, and vines that make up our local landscape. This class will help beginning botanists build their identification skills.

    Note: There are two books required for this course. Please bring $8 to the first class, either a check or exact change. Hand lenses will be available to borrow during class or bring your own. Weather permitting, much of the class time will be spent outdoors, so dress accordingly. There will not be any strenuous walking.
 

NEW! Immigration Updates 2026

Instructor: Alyson Ball

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Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 3/31/2026 - 3/31/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 1  

Fee: $13.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 35

Course Description:

As the immigration landscape continues to unfold, are you confused about what’s happened and how to make sense of it? Come learn about the basics of US immigration, hear about the recent policy and procedural changes, and discuss how these changes are affecting immigrants as well as non-immigrants throughout the country.

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NEW! Kind Kin: Gandhi’s Gift

Instructor: Shelley Bryant

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Day of the Week: W

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 4/8/2026 - 5/13/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 6  

Fee: $78.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 12

Course Description:

Before the term “influencer” applied to social media stars, Howard Gardner coined the term “Influencer” to describe a person who has accomplished positive and significant change by affecting the “thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of others.” To do this, Gardner says, the Influencers possess extraordinary skill as communicators who employ the concept of “Story” as their principal vehicle of influence. The most successful twentieth century Influencer, of course, is Gandhi who in turn inspired many others who have also peacefully fought against and prevailed over tyranny and injustice. This class will examine three of these Influencers–Cesar Chavez, Vaclav Havel, and Alexi Navalny–to show how they also used Story to achieve profound societal change.

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Labyrinth: A Practice of History, Mystery, Beauty, and Wellness

Instructor: Mary Ann Wamhoff

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Day of the Week: Tu

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 4/21/2026 - 5/12/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: Unity of Charlottesville (opens in new tab) - Sanctuary

Location Address: 2825 Hydraulic Road Charlottesville, VA 22901

Limit: 20

Course Description:

Have you ever wondered why some folks walk in circles and seem to love it? Do you know the difference between a labyrinth and a maze? Have you ever wanted to build a labyrinth in your yard or on a beach? Are you interested in exploring moving meditation? Would you like some inspiration? Are you in a process of discernment? Would you like to think more metaphorically? Come, explore with us! We’ll learn about the varieties and history of what is constructed using sacred geometry and why it works! We’ll practice on various labyrinths in each session.

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NEW! Seeking Joy 

Instructor: Anna Askounis

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Day of the Week: F

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 4/10/2026 - 4/10/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 1  

Fee: $13.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 12

Course Description:

In these turbulent, troubling times in our country, it is important to learn how to change perspective and not allow ourselves to be consumed by the daily chaos. 

In this class we will discuss ways in which we can seek joy , both in intentional and unintentional ways, to provide the balance we need. 

Please join me in this hands on, discussion driven class and bring a small journal and pen. Let’s seek joy together!

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NEW! Springtime in Arizona

Instructor: John Burt, Jeanette Bowman

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Day of the Week: M

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM   

Dates: 3/30/2026 - 4/20/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 4  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 16

Course Description:

How would you like to bike through a cactus garden, the Painted Desert, and the Petrified Forest - all from the comfort of our OLLI classroom! Have you ever chased a roadrunner? The most recent research points to the health benefits of awe experiences. Join us for this epic adventure!

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Tai Chi for Health-Introduction to Sun Style Tai Chi has reached 12 enrolled, maximum enrollment.

This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 4/3/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $91.00 fee will be collected at that time.

  • Date: 4/3/2026
  • Day of the Week: F
  • Fees: $91.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

    Tai Chi for Health is a gentle, easy to learn form of Tai Chi. The course will emphasize slow, continuous movement to help with balance and maintenance of strength. Please wear comfortable, loose clothing and flat shoes.
 

NEW! The Sisters of Nathaniel Hawthorne

Instructor: Kris Hansen

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Day of the Week: Th

Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM   

Dates: 5/7/2026 - 5/21/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 3  

Fee: $52.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 12

Course Description:

This course takes participants back to early 19th century Massachusetts to introduce two fatherless girls, Elizabeth and Maria Louisa Hathorne, who had a profound impact on their brother, Nathaniel. Excerpts from personal letters illustrate their opposing personalities and their changing relationship with their brother as childhood expectations were forced to cede to a new order in adulthood. Class participants will learn of the most painful event in Hawthorne’s life. Finally, participants will discover in some of Hawthorne’s writings, how he, intentionally or not, infused certain personality traits of his sisters into those of his fictional characters.

Reasons you may be unable to register:

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Trump: Year Two NEW! has reached 21 enrolled, maximum enrollment.

This is full, please add yourself to the WAIT LIST.
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OLLI staff monitor enrollment and work to open seats before 4/14/2026. We will contact those on the wait list to invite them to enroll when seats become available. Joining the wait list is free; if you are invited and choose to enroll, the $78.00 fee will be collected at that time.

  • Date: 4/14/2026
  • Day of the Week: Tu
  • Fees: $78.00
  • Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

    A discussion on the second year of the Trump administration. Where are we on the democracy-autocracy continuum? Come to the class ready to listen and get your two cents in.
 

Vietnam: What It Was Like to Be There

Instructor: Bob Lorish

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Day of the Week: M

Times: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM   

Dates: 4/13/2026 - 5/11/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 5  

Fee: $65.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 35

Course Description:

Using film, you tube videos, books and the instructors personal experience, this course will attempt to give the student a realistic picture of what combat veterans experienced in Vietnam. Presentations will be occasionally disturbing and graphic in nature.

 

 

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Walking Reimagined!

Instructor: Daniel Kulund

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Day of the Week: M

Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM   

Dates: 4/20/2026 - 5/18/2026 

Number of class sessions in this course: 5  

Fee: $65.00

Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level

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

Limit: 12

Course Description:

Join Walkman Dan to reimagine walking. Each class offers a short talk and a set of simple satisfying skills to turn your everyday walks into memorable events. We’ll explore a new theme every week: the world of walking, walking with MOTOS, walking and props, thinking on your feet, and walking into the future. Whether you’re a casual stroller or a seasoned walker, you’ll quickly discover there’s much more to walking than walking.

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Thanks for your interest in A Beautiful Mind: The Science and Practice of Building Wisdom and Resilience with Scott Fulton!

This opportunity begins 3/17/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.

  • Dates: 3/17/2026 - 4/21/2026 
  • Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Days: Tu 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: Homewood Suites (opens in new tab) - Albemarle Room
  • Location Address: 2036 India Road Charlottesville, VA 22901
  • LOCATION CHANGE.

Description: 

Brainspan — extending how long our mind stays sharp, steady, and capable. Participants will build a personalized Cognitive Health Scorecard to guide long-term resilience. This six-week course explores how the brain ages and what the latest science shows about protecting memory, function, balance, and clarity. We’ll distinguish normal vs abnormal cognitive changes and focus on practical, hands-on, evidence-based prevention strategies. Each session includes fun, active, self-assessments, and take-home activities.
 

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

This opportunity begins 3/11/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -5 seats available.

  • Dates: 3/11/2026 - 3/25/2026 
  • Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $39.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • *90 minute class sessions

Description: 

Our founders feared democracy, thinking its passions would overrule reason. They crafted the Constitution to prevent the very dangers we face today: extreme polarization, social unrest and selfish special interests. This seminar explores how notable leaders have tried to prevent these problems by fostering civic responsibility. We’ll discuss: James Madison’s Federalist #10 explaining the Constitution’s solution; Thomas Jefferson’s Inaugural Address after the 1800 election had threatened national unity; Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address and his warning about mob rule; and Theodore Roosevelt’s Citizenship in a Republic speech on the danger of rampant individualism. All offer insights on what responsible citizenship means for today.
 

Thanks for your interest in Foundations of the Early Church with Timothy Snider!

This opportunity begins 3/12/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -9 seats available.

  • Dates: 3/12/2026 - 4/2/2026 
  • Times: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Days: Th 
  • Fee: $52.00
  • Course Location: WTJU-UVA's Community Radio Station (opens in new tab) - WTJU Radio Station
  • Location Address: 2244 Ivy Road , VA 22903
  • *WTJU is the University of Virginia's radio station. It is a working radio station. Please know the seats are wood, you may wish to bring a seat cushion with you. 

Description: 

At the time of the death of the Apostle Paul sometime in the first century of the Christian Era, there was no Christian church. Instead, there were small, isolated congregations scattered throughout the ancient world. Not all believers accepted the same faith, and indeed there was one school that viewed the new faith as little more than a sect of Judaism. In this series of lectures, we will explore how these diffuse groupings of believers evolved into what became the Christian church, with millions of adherents.
 

Thanks for your interest in Funeral Blues: Poems of Grief and Consolation with Susan Sharpe!

This opportunity begins 3/25/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 6 seats available.

  • Dates: 3/25/2026 - 4/15/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $52.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

Can poetry really console us? Here we are together, not young anymore. We have all experienced losses, and we all wonder about what’s ahead. This is not a course in grief therapy, only in listening to the voices of poets. Sad or angry, peaceful, curious, or triumphant, these voices give expression to a great range of responses to the ida of death, and the thoughts that have comforted humankind. Each week we’ll begin with a poem that expresses some form of grief, followed by poems in a long tradition of consolation. I will provide some interpretation and background but leave much to class discussion.
 

Thanks for your interest in Greek Tragedy and the Problem of Evil with Stephen Kennamer!

This opportunity begins 2/19/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 9 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/19/2026 - 3/26/2026 
  • Times: 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Days: Th 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

The hardest question for every religion is why evil exists if an all-powerful god (or pantheon of gods) is above us and paying attention to us. Whether the Greeks of Periclean Athens believed literally in the Olympian gods is open to debate. This much, however, is incontrovertible: the Greek tragedies were performed as part of a religious festival. The thesis of this course is that every Greek tragedy confronts “the problem of evil” by taking on the hardest cases. In spite of their harrowing content, they all attempt to provide an answer that can be considered “religious.”
 

Thanks for your interest in Guided Autobiography (GAB) 2 with Ingrid Reynolds!

This opportunity begins 2/18/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/18/2026 - 3/25/2026 
  • Times: 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • *Two-Hour Class Sessions

Description: 

This course is a continuation of the GAB 1 curriculum that was taught in Fall 2025 at OLLI. GAB 2 continues 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. Prerequisite: Guided Autobiography Part 1
 

Thanks for your interest in International Relations with Patricia Wrightson!

This opportunity begins 2/13/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 1 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/13/2026 - 4/24/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: F 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • *Meets Every Other Week

Description: 

This course is an introduction to how and why nation states behave toward each other the way they do. We will look at the four drivers of international relations—need, greed, gumption, and guns—and how they compel nations to vie for, challenge, and give in to power. We will also look at how the impact of modern technology—in weaponry, transportation, communications and now intelligent machines—affect the struggle for power. Finally, we will examine the conditions under which it might be possible to have a world ‘at peace’.
 

Thanks for your interest in Remembering the Things to Come with Theodore Homyk!

This opportunity begins 2/16/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/16/2026 - 4/6/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: M 
  • Fee: $91.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

Time travel? Nope! We are talking about failed civilizations in the past and the likely fate of today’s global civilization, if we do not mend our ways. In the past, regional civilizations were founded when groups of people settled in regions of the planet favorable for agriculture and rich in other natural resources. Time after time, each civilization collapsed when their population grew sufficiently to exceed the carrying capacity of their environment, deplete their resources, and alter the local climate. Sound familiar? We’re following a similar pattern that gives scholars reason to believe our global civilization is headed for collapse, which will prove to be cruel and might become everlasting, unless we mend our ways. We will review indicators that this is happening and discuss why it is happening and the cooperative actions we need to take on a global scale and the urgency we need to take them, if we are to move onto a path of sustainability and preserve our planet as a welcoming home for future generations.
 

Rights vs Dollars: The Uneasy Tension Between American Capitalism and Democracy has been cancelled.
 

Thanks for your interest in Slavery and the Death Penalty in Virginia: Law, Race, and Punishment from Colony to Abolition with Dale Brumfield!

This opportunity begins 2/12/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 7 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/12/2026 - 3/26/2026 
  • Times: 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Days: Th 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • *no class session on 2/26

Description: 

This course explores how Virginia’s laws on slavery and capital punishment intertwined from the colonial era through the Civil War to abolition. The course examines statutes, court cases, and racial ideologies that shaped the death penalty’s use against enslaved Virginians from 1663 to 1865. Major topics include colonial slave codes, changing reforms, race-based sentencing disparities, and the shifting social significance of legal executions. Using primary documents and recent scholarship, students will critically assess how race, law, and punishment intersected in Virginia history, highlighting the legacy and transformation of capital justice from early settlement through emancipation and the post-slavery period.
 

Thanks for your interest in Social Psychology of Bigotry with Marion Votaw!

This opportunity begins 2/19/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 7 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/19/2026 - 3/26/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: Th 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream. But *can* we see the content of the character at all, or only the color of the skin? This course will take a more focused look at bigotry than a general Social Psychology course. We will start with an overview of how social perception and cognition happen in general, then concentrate on how the “Us or Them"" component influences how we see others, and what we read into their behaviors. We will address highly controversial issues, such as police shootings, anti-Semitism, sexism, ageism, politicization of science, and other prejudices and discriminations. We will conclude with how to [try to] work against such divisions.

Note: Recommended materials: colored pencils, paper or laptop for taking notes.

Suggested Reading: King, Martin L. I Have a Dream. Speech presented at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., August 1968. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/mlk01.asp.
 

Thanks for your interest in Talking History with Robert Toplin!

This opportunity begins 3/10/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -2 seats available.

  • Dates: 3/10/2026 - 3/24/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: Tu 
  • Fee: $39.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

Bob Toplin, a historian, will provide some historical background at the beginning of each meeting and then welcome your judgments about three big questions from history. 1st meeting: What would you recommend if President Truman asked in 1945 whether he should use atomic bombs against Japan? 2nd meeting: Jefferson and Slavery: Praise or Criticize his record? 3rd meeting: Free Speech in Wartime? The Case of the Arrest of Eugene Debs for a Speech He Made During the First World War.
 

Thanks for your interest in The Art of Conversation with Richard Mason!

This opportunity begins 2/18/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 4 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/18/2026 - 3/25/2026 
  • Times: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

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.
 

Thanks for your interest in Thomas Jefferson: Politics and Public Image with Gaye Wilson!

This opportunity begins 3/5/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 3 seats available.

Description: 

2026 invites a look back 250 years to the founding of the American Republic and to those now labeled the ‘Founding Fathers’. No one was any more controversial, both then and now, than Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Henry Latrobe, an architect of the national capitol and so a close collaborator then personal friend of Jefferson’s, noted that he was “different.” As much as Latrobe admired Jefferson’s patriotism and his perseverance in pursuing what he believed to be the most beneficial governmental system for the new Republic, Latrobe had to admit to “a few oddities of appearance and conduct.” But Jefferson had a purpose for these “oddities of appearance.” His public image would shift and change through his long political career and serve to underscore and lend a visual emphasis to his larger political agenda. This series of four classes will follow Jefferson’s political challenges and how he created a public image to support these challenges through his use of clothing, grooming, conversation, deportment and even his residences, entertaining and travel. Jefferson will be studied from a slightly different angle with an emphasis on his use of the material culture around him to support his aspirations for the new American nation.
 

With God on Our Side: Christian Nationalism and the Threat to American Democracy has been cancelled.
 

Thanks for your interest in Writing Your Life Story with Constance (Connie) Jones!

This opportunity begins 2/18/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 0 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/18/2026 - 3/25/2026 
  • Times: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903
  • Two-Hour Class Sessions

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!

 

Thanks for your interest in WWII Submarine Warfare with Edward Dillingham!

This opportunity begins 2/17/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are -5 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/17/2026 - 3/24/2026 
  • Times: 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Days: Tu 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: OLLI at UVA (opens in new tab) - Terrace Level
  • Location Address: 1 Morton Drive, Terrace Level Charlottesville, VA 22903

Description: 

Described as fighting in a “dark, wet hell”, submariners of both sides endured the highest casualty rate of any combat specialty in WWII. Fighting German submarines in every ocean in the world, the Allies successfully prevented the Nazis from starving Great Britain, and by using submarines, successfully destroyed the economy of Imperial Japan. Using pictures, maps and firsthand accounts, this course will examine the men, technology and missions that spelled doom for the Japanese empire and Nazi Germany during World War II.
 

Thanks for your interest in WWII Submarine Warfare with Edward Dillingham!

This opportunity begins 2/18/2026.

Online registration for this program is currently closed.

  • Online registration closes one week before the start date to allow time for preparation, and/or
  • Registration remains closed once the program has begun.

You may still be able to participate.
Call the OLLI Office at 434‑923‑3600 to register. Office hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
There are 12 seats available.

  • Dates: 2/18/2026 - 3/25/2026 
  • Times: 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
  • Days: W 
  • Fee: $78.00
  • Course Location: Tuckahoe Clubhouse (opens in new tab) - Tuckahoe Clubhouse
  • Location Address: 37 Stone Orchard Drive Nellysford, VA 22958

Description: 

Described as fighting in a “dark, wet hell”, submariners of both sides endured the highest casualty rate of any combat specialty in WWII. Fighting German submarines in every ocean in the world, the Allies successfully prevented the Nazis from starving Great Britain, and by using submarines, successfully destroyed the economy of Imperial Japan. Using pictures, maps and firsthand accounts, this course will examine the men, technology and missions that spelled doom for the Japanese empire and Nazi Germany during World War II.
 

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