Distance-Delivery   

107 Days at Sea: The Journey That Changed Everything 
LIT-03-Z (distance-delivered) RECORDED
Session I Add-On: Oct. 13
Tuesday 10:30 - 11:45 am (one meeting)
At 63, Jill Chalsty boarded a ship alone, grieving her husband’s death and battling cancer. What began as a voyage around the world became far more than a trip. In this lecture, Jill shares the story behind her memoir Packets of Hope, inviting participants to travel alongside her through the ports she visited, the people she met, and the reflections that transformed personal adversity into strength and global impact. Jill demonstrates how one person’s courage can create ripples that span continents. Participants are encouraged to read her memoir, available free at www.packetsofhope.com, before the presentation.

Instructor Jill Chalsty, founder of Overcoming Obstacles, has empowered over 180 million young people worldwide through life skills education. Her journey of loss and cancer inspired Packets of Hope, illuminating the power of love and service.

American Presidents and Midterms 
POLI-01 (in-person)
POLI-01-Z (distance-delivered) RECORDED
Session I Add-On: Oct. 12 - 15
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 2:00 - 3:15 pm
*This course meets for 4 consecutive meetings.
This course reviews the U.S. Presidency during Midterm elections. We will cover the political development of the presidency, the role midterms play in relation to presidents, and the final two classes will discuss current events in relation to students' interests in the topic.

Dr. Amy Lovecraft is a Professor of Political Science at UAF where she has worked since 2001.

American Presidents and Midterms 
POLI-01 (in-person)
POLI-01-Z (distance-delivered) RECORDED
Session I Add-On: Oct. 12 - 15
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 2:00 - 3:15 pm
*This course meets for 4 consecutive meetings.
This course reviews the U.S. Presidency during Midterm elections. We will cover the political development of the presidency, the role midterms play in relation to presidents, and the final two classes will discuss current events in relation to students' interests in the topic.

Dr. Amy Lovecraft is a Professor of Political Science at UAF where she has worked since 2001.

Antarctica: Ice, Mountains, Penguins and Tunicates
SCI-05 (in-person)
Session I Add-On: Oct. 12
Monday 10:30 - 11:45 am (one meeting)
A mix of life, scenery and science in photos and videos of a research voyage aboard UAF's research vessel Sikuliaq in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Instructor Dan Naber is a marine science technician aboard UAF's research vessel Sikuliaq. This is their first time teaching an OLLI class!

Finding Democracy
HIS-09 (in-person)
HIS-09-Z (distance-delivered)
Session II Add-On: Nov. 20
Friday 10:30 - 11:45 am (one meeting)
*The course is based on the instructor’s book, Finding Democracy Through the Lens of a Young German Woman, 1944-1950.
Follow the exciting journey of a young German woman as she survives WWII and chronicles the postwar U.S. occupation of a small Bavarian town during a pivotal time in modern history. This true story offers insights into the influence the Americans had on her understanding of democracy after experiencing Nazi fascism, inviting reflection on the concept of freedom, the power of personal choice, and the fragile building of democratic ideals. This course examines the postwar challenges faced by the U.S. military as they sought to denazify Germany, rebuild a self-governing country along democratic lines, and create an ally in response to the emerging threat of Communism. Key challenges included a hunger crisis, the integration of dislocated civilians into society, and countering the real fear that another demagogue would arise again to exploit underlying societal attitudes. The lessons and warnings from eighty years ago continue to hold relevance today.

Instructor Margaret F. Merritt, Ph.D. is an educator, author, and outdoorswoman. After decades of writing and publishing in scientific literature, she has focused her research and writing on historical biographies to share true stories that entertain, inform, and inspire.

The book, "Finding Democracy Through the Lens of a Young German Woman, 1944-1950" by Margaret F. Merritt, Ph.D. is the 2026 Bronze Medal Winner of the Living Now Evergreen Award for World Peace.  The Living Now Evergreen Award recognizes books published since 2000 for their contributions to positive global change. The World Peace category aims to identify world-changing books that encourage a better understanding of people and broader global issues, and to bring them further recognition and exposure.

 

Finding Democracy
HIS-09 (in-person)
HIS-09-Z (distance-delivered)
Session II Add-On: Nov. 20
Friday 10:30 - 11:45 am (one meeting)
*The course is based on the instructor’s book, Finding Democracy Through the Lens of a Young German Woman, 1944-1950.
Follow the exciting journey of a young German woman as she survives WWII and chronicles the postwar U.S. occupation of a small Bavarian town during a pivotal time in modern history. This true story offers insights into the influence the Americans had on her understanding of democracy after experiencing Nazi fascism, inviting reflection on the concept of freedom, the power of personal choice, and the fragile building of democratic ideals. This course examines the postwar challenges faced by the U.S. military as they sought to denazify Germany, rebuild a self-governing country along democratic lines, and create an ally in response to the emerging threat of Communism. Key challenges included a hunger crisis, the integration of dislocated civilians into society, and countering the real fear that another demagogue would arise again to exploit underlying societal attitudes. The lessons and warnings from eighty years ago continue to hold relevance today.

Instructor Margaret F. Merritt, Ph.D. is an educator, author, and outdoorswoman. After decades of writing and publishing in scientific literature, she has focused her research and writing on historical biographies to share true stories that entertain, inform, and inspire.

The book, "Finding Democracy Through the Lens of a Young German Woman, 1944-1950" by Margaret F. Merritt, Ph.D. is the 2026 Bronze Medal Winner of the Living Now Evergreen Award for World Peace.  The Living Now Evergreen Award recognizes books published since 2000 for their contributions to positive global change. The World Peace category aims to identify world-changing books that encourage a better understanding of people and broader global issues, and to bring them further recognition and exposure

Listening to Music From the Great Musicals
MUS-05-Z (distance-delivered) recorded
Session II: Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9
Mondays 3:45 - 5:00 pm
Time for relaxation and good memories. We'll be listening to great songs from musicals, primarily those from the wonderful musical films of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Take a break from things and enjoy the songs you remember but mostly forget to take the time to listen to. It's good for your brain and good for your soul. 
Instructor: Larry Moen (see ART-02)

Present to Art, Present to Self
RB-04-Z (distance-delivered) RECORDED
Session II: Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9
Mondays 12:15 - 1:30 pm
Drawing from visio and lectio divina practices, we'll learn how to be present to paintings and poetry in ways that help us into deeper presence with ourselves and the Divine. Each session will combine personal reflection with conversation as we share what we notice and what it makes us think. Thomas Merton writes, “Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.” Come be a little lost and found. No experience necessary. Welcome to a space with nothing to prove and no one to impress.

Instructor Carrie Heimer is a retired teacher, a spiritual director, and a good and gentle guide through art and poetry.

Mathematics of Ranked Choice Voting
MATH-01 (in-person)
Session I Add-On: Oct. 14
Wednesday 12:15 - 1:30 pm
This course will cover the reasoning behind ranked choice voting, how it works, and what it does. Despite lots of disinformation that can make it seem complicated, ranked choice voting is basically just a straightforward math problem. The particular ranked voting method used in Alaska is equivalent to a system of runoff elections that avoids the time and expense of having a separate runoff election. The mathematics of how all of this works is interesting without being especially difficult. There is no perfect method of voting, and math alone cannot say whether one method is better than another, but math does provide clear and objective criteria for comparing different methods.

Instructor David Withoff (see SCI-01)

Mathematics of Ranked Choice Voting
MATH-01-Z (delivery-delivered) RECORDED
Session I Add-On: Oct. 14
Wednesday 12:15 - 1:30 pm
This course will cover the reasoning behind ranked choice voting, how it works, and what it does. Despite lots of disinformation that can make it seem complicated, ranked choice voting is basically just a straightforward math problem. The particular ranked voting method used in Alaska is equivalent to a system of runoff elections that avoids the time and expense of having a separate runoff election. The mathematics of how all of this works is interesting without being especially difficult. There is no perfect method of voting, and math alone cannot say whether one method is better than another, but math does provide clear and objective criteria for comparing different methods.

Instructor David Withoff (see SCI-01)

Teaching for OLLI
SOC-05 (in-person)
Session I Add-On: Oct. 16
Friday 2:00 - 4:00 pm (one meeting)
*This class is free to take. Come help our instructor pool grow!
Do you want to give back to OLLI? Do you have some talent, skills or knowledge to share but are not quite sure how to organize and run a class? This class will take you from your idea all the way to writing and submitting a class proposal. This two-hour class will examine some aspects of putting together a great class and time to develop your ideas with the other attendees.

Instructor: Mary Burtness, a veteran OLLI instructor.

Teaching for OLLI
SOC-05-Z (distance-delivered)
Session I Add-On: Oct. 16
Friday 2:00 - 4:00 pm (one meeting)
*This class is free to take. Come help our instructor pool grow!
Do you want to give back to OLLI? Do you have some talent, skills or knowledge to share but are not quite sure how to organize and run a class? This class will take you from your idea all the way to writing and submitting a class proposal. This two-hour class will examine some aspects of putting together a great class and time to develop your ideas with the other attendees.

Instructor: Mary Burtness, a veteran OLLI instructor.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: An Exploration of Alaska’s Microfauna
SCI-07 (in-person)
Session II: Oct. 21, 28, Nov. 4, 11
Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:45 am
This course will introduce participants to a diversity of Alaska’s insect fauna, including those we label as “good,” “bad,” “ugly” (and beautiful!), with the goal of appreciating that ANY insect is fascinating the more we learn about its biology, habits, and role in the natural world.

Instructor Jessica Rykken is the Insect Collection Manager at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. She has been documenting insect diversity across Alaska for 14 years.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: An Exploration of Alaska’s Microfauna
SCI-07-Z (distance-delivered) RECORDED
Session II: Oct. 21, 28, Nov. 4, 11
Wednesdays 10:30 - 11:45 am
This course will introduce participants to a diversity of Alaska’s insect fauna, including those we label as “good,” “bad,” “ugly” (and beautiful!), with the goal of appreciating that ANY insect is fascinating the more we learn about its biology, habits, and role in the natural world.

Instructor Jessica Rykken is the Insect Collection Manager at the University of Alaska Museum of the North. She has been documenting insect diversity across Alaska for 14 years.

Getting Happy with Music from the 50s and 60s
MUS-01-Z (distance-delivered) recorded
Session I: Sept 14, 21, 28, Oct. 5
Mondays 5:30 - 6:45 pm
One of the best psychological treatments ever found for anxiety, depression, disquiet, and low energy is just listening to music from your younger years. In this class we'll listen to uplifting music from the '50s and '60s. We'll get to enjoy the songs and the memories, and to take a welcome break from the complexities and troubles of the world today.
Instructor: Larry Moen (see ART-02)

Introduction to Reiki
RB-01-Z (distance-delivered)
Session I: Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15, Oct. 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12
Thursdays 12:15 - 1:30 pm
*Starts a week late, runs for 8 weeks.
Reiki is a gentle Japanese healing practice that promotes relaxation, balance, and the body's natural ability to heal. In this introductory course, you will explore the foundations of Reiki, including what energy is and why it matters, the body's energy system, the seven major energy centers (chakras), the Reiki Principles, intuition, self-healing practices, and traditional Reiki hand placements. Through discussion, guided experiences, and practical exercises, you will learn ways to incorporate energy awareness and self-care into everyday life. This course provides a comprehensive foundation in Reiki and prepares students who wish to pursue Reiki Level I attunement and certification in the future.

Instructor Janneane Moody is a Reiki Master Teacher who has been practicing Reiki since 2017. She is passionate about helping others explore energy awareness, self-healing, and personal well-being through practical, accessible Reiki education.