Untitled

BALDWIN100

READS

Giovanni’s Room

(1956)

Go Tell it on

the Mountain

(1953)

Nothing Personal

(1964)

A Dialog

(with Nikki Giovanni)

(1971)

James Baldwin:

A Biography

by David Leeming

(1994)

If Beale Street

Could Talk

(1974)

Blues for

Mister Charlie

(1964)

The Fire

Next Time

(1963)

Another

Country

(1962)

Baldwin100-Reads is a community reading list of James

Baldwin’s work, compiled on our website to guide a

widespread, sim

ultaneous exploration of Baldwin. Every

season, we will have a new book by James Baldwin to read,

both fiction and nonfiction. Use the hashtag,

#baldwin100reads on Instagram to join a community-wide

reading group!

Scan the QR code to find

out more!

cheusecenter.gmu.edu/baldwin100/

baldwin100-reads

Spring 2024

Summer 2024

Fall 2024

Spring 2025

Contents

All About OLLI Mason ............................... ii

OLLI Mason Organization ............................ iii

Courses

100 Art and Music ........................................ 1

200 Economics and Finance ................................ 2

300 History .............................................. 3

400 Literature, Theater, and Writing ......................... 4

500 Languages ........................................... 7

600 Philosophy and Religious Studies ....................... 7

650 Humanities and Social Sciences ......................... 8

700 Current Events ....................................... 9

800 Science, Technology, and Health ....................... 10

Special Events

1000 Excursions ......................................... 14

1200 Between Term Events ............................... 15

Clubs ..............................................16

Membership and Registration ........................22

Registration Form ...................................24

Friends of OLLI .....................................26

Schedules ..........................................27

Guide to Program Locations ..........................29

Cover photo by Dave Gundry

The cover photo is titled “Falun Dafa Drums”. Falun Dafa is a religious movement from China, formed

in the early 1990s, and is currently banned there. This performing group marched in Fairfax City’s

2021 Fourth of July Parade, impressing onlookers with their condent, determined expressions.

Photographers say “if it’s red take a photo”. Well, a nice bright cheery yellow also works!

All About OLLI Mason

Who We Are

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George

Mason University (OLLI Mason) offers daytime courses,

lectures, special events, and other activities during

eight-week terms in the spring and fall, a four-week

winter term, and a six-week summer term. There are

no exams, no credits, no college degree required or

offered, and no age threshold.

Course leaders are members of OLLI Mason, Mason

faculty, or others who enjoy sharing their knowledge.

OLLI Mason is particularly proud of all of its volunteer

teachers and speakers, many of whom are well-known

experts in their elds. The views expressed are those of

the instructors and do not reect the ofcial policy or

position of OLLI Mason or George Mason University.

Members pay dues and may attend as many activities

as they wish, subject to space availability. There may

be charges for materials or for some special events.

OLLI Mason publishes an email newsletter (OLLI

E-News), a catalog each term, an online membership

directory, and a Member Handbook. An annual literary

journal, OLLI Ink, and, from time to time, The Poets of

OLLI collection, are also published.

OLLI Mason is one of many Osher Lifelong Learning

Institutes afliated with the Bernard Osher Foundation

and is also a member of the Road Scholar Institute

Network. OLLI Mason is a nonprot, equal-opportunity

501(c)(3) organization and does not discriminate on

any basis.

How to Join

To register online, go to olli.gmu.edu or complete the

registration form on page 24 and provide it to OLLI

Mason with payment.

Give the Gift of OLLI

What better way to show appreciation for someone

special than by giving an OLLI Mason eGift card? The

card can be purchased in any amount to apply toward

an OLLI Mason membership or event/materials fee. It

makes the perfect retirement, birthday, or holiday gift.

The gift of OLLI Mason is great: captivating classes,

fabulous eld trips, and sensational socials to indulge

both mind and soul! Purchase the eGift card on the OLLI

Mason member portal (olligmu.augusoft.net) or by

emailing the OLLI Mason registrar: [email protected].

George Mason University Privileges

OLLI Mason members with an annual membership are

entitled to a George Mason University ID card, which

provides library privileges, discounted Mason aquatic

and tness membership, and other benets (subject to

Mason policies). A free Mason email account with access

to the Mason intranet is also available. To apply for an ID

card/G Number, ll out an online application, available at

https://olli.gmu.edu/university-privileges/

Status of Summer Term 2024

To optimize the OLLI Mason experience for everyone,

OLLI Mason will provide in-person, Zoom, and hybrid

offerings. Should you wish to experience OLLI Mason

from the comfort of your home, you will have access to

many excellent virtual offerings. If you plan to attend

in-person offerings, we ask that you be aware of and

are prepared to follow our most up-to-date health and

safety protocols found on our website:

https://olli.gmu.edu/health-and-safety/

Membership Promotions

Summer 2024 Promotion: a one-time low fee of $300

for those new to OLLI Mason who purchase an annual

membership (those who have never been OLLI Mason

members, are returning after a hiatus of more than a

year, or have previously been introductory members

and are converting to annual members).

George Mason and Northern Virginia Public School

Retirees: a one-time annual membership discount

of $150, which may be applied to the special $300

promotion (for those new to OLLI Mason).

** IMPORTANT REGISTRATION DATES **

Summer term registration begins on

May 14th at 9:00 am and

continues throughout the term.

Registrations also may be mailed to:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032

Members are encouraged to

determine the viability of classes.

iii

OLLI Mason Organization

OLLI Mason is a member-driven organization with

a Board of Directors elected by the membership

and representing all OLLI Mason members. All

activities are managed by an executive director,

staff, and volunteers.

Board of Directors

President .................................................Lillian Brooks

Vice President .......................................Dick Crawford

Secretary ..................................................... Bob Heyer

Treasurer .........................................Debbie Engleson

Toni Acton Richard Crawford

Marilyn Harriman Debby Mossburg

Camille Hodges Peter Ansoff

Bob Heyer Zachary Teich

Michele Romano Debbie Engleson

Carolyn Wyatt Bonnie Nelson

Lillian Brooks Harry Johnson

Emily Roudebush

Jennifer Disano, Executive Director

Other Key OLLI Mason Positions

Audiovisual Support Paul Howard

Development Al Smuzynski

OLLI E-News Paul Van Hemel

Facilities Mel Russell

Finance Dave Osterman

Governance Peter Ansoff

Landscaping Vince Modugno

Member Services, Ofce Volunteers Toni Acton

Member Services, Chair Toni Acton

Membership Engagement Bonnie Nelson

Debbie Engleson

Outreach Debby Mossburg

Strategic Planning Zachary Teich

Website Ernestine Meyer

Health and Safety Advisory Michele Romano

OLLI Mason Program Planning

Committee Chairs ..........Doris Bloch, Beth Lambert,

Kathryn Russell, Russell Stone, Bill Taylor

Loudoun Program ...Vera Wentworth, Barbara Wilan

Reston Program ..................................Anita Lasansky

Program Associates ................................ Nancy Klein,

Shannon Kim Morrow

Program planning subject group chairs are listed at

the beginning of each subject section of the catalog.

Catalog Production

Production Team ......................................Nancy Klein

Shannon Kim Morrow, Stefan Hansen

Staff

703-503-3384

Executive Director ............................ Jennifer Disano

[email protected], x108

Administrator .................................. Susan Todenhoft

[email protected], x104

Finance Associate ....................................Karen Nash

[email protected], x224

Communications/Program Associate ...Nancy Klein

[email protected], x222

Program Associate ................. Shannon Kim Morrow

[email protected], x225

Registrar ....................................................... Susan Job

[email protected], x221

Site Assistants ................................................................

Meg Przybylski Mike Emery

[email protected] [email protected], x105

Richard Hoback Margaret Perry

[email protected] [email protected]

Madison Evans Spencer Keen

[email protected] [email protected]

Ben Thrower

[email protected]

Contact Information

Fairfax Tallwood ofce ........................703-503-3384

Email ...................................................... [email protected]

Website ....................................................olli.gmu.edu

Member portal ......................... olligmu.augusoft.net

Mason mail stop number ........................... MSN 5C1

Courses: June 24 – August 2

Fairfax/Loudoun/Reston/Zoom

Fairfax courses are indicated by the prex “F,” Loudoun by an “L,” Reston by an “R,” and Zoom by the sufx “Z.”

Courses will be offered in various formats for the term. Please carefully note the title format for each

course when considering your registration list. In-person offerings will follow the traditional title format

(campus designation, course number; ex: F101). Zoom only offerings will follow the traditional title format

but will include a ‘Z’ after the course number; ex: F101Z. Hybrid offerings will have both in-person and

virtual title formats listed in the course description (ex: F101 / F101Z). You must decide which format you

prefer when registering for hybrid courses and select the corresponding title format.

100 Art & Music

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Linda Harber, Carolyn Modugno, Christine Narbut

F101Z “A Painter Always Paints Himself”: A

History of Self-Portraits, Part Two

Mondays, 11:50—1:15, June 24—July 15

Four Sessions

Instructor: Christopher With

This second of a planned three part series explores self-

portraits from the seventeenth through the nineteenth

century. This was a momentous period in history—and art

history—of immense change and evolution. Wars ravaged

the country side; new ideas sprouted to question

received tradition; and rebellion changed rulership from

monarchy to democracy. To unpack how this did—and

did not—impact visual art, each session will focus on

one particular self-portrait by a male or female painter.

After discussing the work, the person’s biography and

basic intellectual tenets will be explored; the self-portrait

placed in the artist’s overall oeuvre; its importance within

the genre of self-portraits elucidated; and, its inuence

on future generations speculated. Attendance at Part

One is not a prerequisite.

Christopher With worked in the education department of the

National Gallery of Art for 32 years and has a PhD in German

history from the University of California, Los Angeles.

F102Z The First Artists: Paleolithic Art

Tuesday, 9:40—11:05, June 25

One session

Instructor: Tom Manteuffel

We have all been astounded and deeply moved by

Paleolithic art. It seems to be steeped in mystery: what is it

saying? Is it religious or ceremonial, functional, or simply

aesthetically incredibly beautiful? Or is it all the above?

We will look at the caves, Chauvet, Lascaux, Altamira and

others, with their stunning animal imagery alive and in

uid motion. We will also look at the paleolithic art objects

that we have to supplement the story, and we will discuss

what is known of the various peoples who created the

stunning art, the rst known artists.

Tom Manteuffel is an OLLI instructor who teaches on

topics including art history, cybersecurity, history of English,

Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Stonehenge and more. Tom is a retired

cybersecurity engineer who enjoys both teaching and learning.

F103 / F103Z Dabbling Artists

Thursdays, 11:50—1:15, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Five sessions

Instructor: Christine A. Narbut

Class limit: 15 in-person, 15 Zoom

Come meet and work alongside fellow OLLI members

who dabble in sketching, pastels, and watercolor

painting. You provide your own materials and the picture

or sketch you plan to work on each week. There will be

plenty of advisory conversation available, along with

suggestions for projects you might enjoy. If you have

some experience with the visual arts, or if you last picked

up a pastel or brush in high school, maybe you’re ready

to do it again! Artistic talent is not required, just a desire

to create and have fun.

Chris Narbut has been a member of OLLI since 2018. She has

taken watercolor classes at the Torpedo factory and participates

in OLLI Dabbling Artists and Annex Art. She retired from the Navy

in 1992, the Fairfax County Health Department in March 2017,

and she is a member of Fairfax County Medical Reserve Corps.

OLLI Closing Policy

(for in-person classes only)

In-person classes: OLLI is closed when

county schools are closed. When schools

announce a delayed opening, OLLI generally

opens on time. Exception: at George Mason

facilities we adhere to Mason closing

decisions. If Mason announces a delay, OLLI

may need to cancel the first class of the

day. Also, poor conditions at OLLI sites may

necessitate class or event cancellations. The

most up-to-date information on OLLI delays

and closings can be found in your Daily

Schedule email, on the OLLI website: olli.

gmu.edu, or on the Tallwood office

voicemail at (703) 503-3384.

Hybrid classes: Refer to your Daily Schedule

email for up-to-date information.

Economics & Finance

200 Economics & Finance

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Brenda Bloch-Young, Leo Brennan,

Marvin Singer, Ray Willson

F201Z Investing Basics in Retirement

Mondays, 9:40—11:05, June 24—July 8

Three sessions

Instructor: Sylvia Auton

Once we retire, our investment goals change, depending

on whether our basic expenses are covered by a pension

or we need to generate income from our investments.

Our time horizon to recover from a major market decline

has changed, and this impacts the investments we

make. In these three sessions you will learn about your

investment goals, your tolerance for risk, investments

typically recommended for retirees, and how to do basic

research for investments that interest you.

Sylvia Auton is a retired educator with a PhD in Mathematics

Education. She is self-taught and has learned much from the OLLI

Investment Forum. She speaks to groups interested in investing

and has written a book, Grandma Sylvia’s Guide to the Stock

Market: Win the Great Game and Sleep Well at Night.

F202Z Investing Potpourri

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 25—July 9

Three sessions

Moderator: Brenda Bloch-Young

Session 1: Alternative Investments: BDCs and REITs are

updated for the current market and interest rates. David

Toms

Session 2: Bonds May Be Back in Favor: Classes of

debt that have done best historically, with some thoughts

added on choosing particular investments. Jim Dann

Session 3: Looking at your Financial Numbers: The

session on personal nancial health explores assessing

your net worth, tracking cash ow, and determining

retirement savings withdrawals. For retirement

investments, total returns and market values are described

based on their performance. David Breese

All presenters are long time members of the Investment

Forum and will be presenting based on their personal

experience and successes.

F203 / F203Z Economic Current Events and

Their Effect on You

Tuesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 25—July 30

Six sessions

Instructor: Elliot Dubin

This course will examine and discuss the major recent

economic events and their impact on households

and how the reaction of households to these events

can affect the economy. The major topics that will

be discussed include, but will not be limited to:

(1) Ination—its causes and effects and the policies

employed to moderate it; (2) Social Security and

Medicare—how the looming huge decits in these trust

funds will affect you: e.g., cuts in benets, raises in

taxes, or a combination of both; (3) Growing inequality

in income and wealth—is it necessarily a bad thing?; (4)

Financing the costs of higher education. Attendees will

have the opportunity to suggest other topics.

Dr. Elliot Dubin was the research director at the Multistate Tax

Commission. He has also served in senior research positions for

other private and governmental organizations. He is a member of

the board of directors of the VA 529 Plan. Dr. Dubin holds a PhD

degree from the City University of NY.

F204 / F204Z The Investment Forum

Wednesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 26—July 31

Six sessions

Moderator: Al Smuzynski

The Investment Forum, which has been meeting

continuously since 1995, addresses investment topics

of particular interest to retirees. A weekly agenda is

distributed, and sessions begin with an open discussion

of recent events in the economy and the nancial

markets, and their impact on investment decisions.

Member presentations and discussions typically

include such topics as: recent market indicators, stocks,

bonds, funds, real estate investment trusts, options,

commodities, sector allocations, investment strategies,

and choosing nancial advisors. Investment trades are

OLLI Mason Recorded Classes

Recorded classes and events may be displayed on

the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George

Mason University (OLLI Mason) website. All material

appearing on the website is the property of OLLI

Mason. Recordings are accessible to members only.

You may not reproduce, distribute, publish, transmit,

or in any way exploit any such content, nor may you

distribute any part of this content over any network,

sell or offer it for sale, or use such content to construct

any kind of database. Copying or storing any content

is expressly prohibited without the prior written

permission of OLLI Mason.

For permission to use any content on the website, or to

request removal of a recording, please contact [email protected].

OLLI Mason Trip Policy

OLLI Mason members participating in activities

that entail transportation to locations other than

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute sites must sign a

waiver. They do so by signing their paper course

registration form or by completing the waiver form

during registration on the member portal. The

waiver releases OLLI Mason from any and all claims

for injury or damage sustained by, through, or as

a result of such activities, and holds OLLI Mason

harmless for any claims resulting therefrom.

Please Note: All participants must follow any existing health and

safety protocols of OLLI Mason and transportation companies.

History

collected each week from Forum members, and those

trades are discussed. The class uses analyses and data

from the nancial press.

Al Smuzynski is a retired federal bank regulator, banker, and real

estate developer, and has led the Investment Forum since 2011.

300 History

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Emmett Fenlon, Irene Harworth,

Beth Lambert, Bernie Oppel

F301 / F301Z The Pentagon Memorial

Wednesday, 11:50—1:15, June 26

One session

Instructor: Dave Nanney

Coordinator: Bob Heyer

This presentation will focus on the 9/11 attack at the

Pentagon, including the sequence of events, to show how

the Pentagon attack t into the overall attacks that day.

The instructor will discuss the details of the attack, how the

Memorial came about, and the logic behind the Memorial

layout. This class will be followed by a visit to the Memorial

(see 1001), which will be conducted by the instructor at

the site.

Dave Nanney is a longtime Pentagon Memorial tour guide. He has

conducted numerous tours and classes on the subject. He spent

almost 42 years at the Pentagon before retiring in 2010.

F302 Ulysses Grant: The Man Who Saved the

Union

Thursdays, 11:50—1:15, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Five sessions

Instructor: Eric Gartman

Ulysses S. Grant is the most unlikely hero in American

history. A failure in everything he tried, Grant was expelled

from the army, yet he single-handedly won the Civil War,

ensuring both the end of slavery and the continued

unication of the United States of America. As President

he ensured the rights of the freed slaves and pressed for

peace with Native American tribes. Examine this most

misunderstood yet monumentally important American

hero. Analyze how his reputation was attacked in the

decades after the Civil War, and how more recently his

legacy has been reevaluated and rehabilitated to the

stature he so richly deserves.

Eric Gartman is a historian and the author of Return to Zion:

The History of Modern Israel. A former intelligence ofcer for the

Department of Defense, he now teaches at local colleges.

F303Z D-Day Eighty Years Later: Beyond the

Newsreels

Mondays, 11:50—1:15, July 15—July 22

Two sessions

Instructor: Timothy Mulligan

This course will examine the most critical decisions and

controversies behind the Normandy invasion, issues still

obscured in the popular narrative of June 1944. The rst

class, “D-Day Debates and Decisions,” considers how

both the Allied and German high command argued

over planning and the use of air power in the ve

months preceding the landings; arguments that shaped

the course and outcome of the invasion. The second

class, “Omaha Beach on D-Day: From Near-Disaster to

Victory,” offers an in-depth look at what happened on

the crucial beach called Omaha on June 6th: what was

planned, what went wrong, and what ultimately went

right for the Americans of the 1st and 29th Infantry

Divisions.

Timothy Mulligan earned his MA and PhD in Diplomatic History

at the University of Maryland. For 34 years he served as an archivist

with the National Archives and Records Administration, specializing

in American military and captured German records. He is the

author of three books and more than 20 articles.

F304Z Secrets of WWII

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, July 16—July 30

Three sessions

Instructor: Jennifer Wilcox

Through three engaging PowerPoint presentations, we’ll

learn about cryptology, the making and breaking of secret

messages, and the signicant role it played in WWII.

Beginning with an overview, “Battle of Codes” will look

at cryptology in general before turning to focus on the

breaking of Japanese codes, the Battle of Midway, and the

Native American Code Talkers. The second presentation,

“Solving the Enigma,” will be an in-depth explanation

of the famous German cipher machine, Enigma, and

how brilliant mathematicians, working for the Allies,

solved the machine and read the Nazis’ communications.

We’ll conclude with “Sharing the Burden,” a look at the

important role women played in American cryptology,

both military and civilian, during WWII and their lasting

contributions that continue today.

Jennifer Wilcox has been the director of education at the National

Security Agency’s National Cryptologic Museum since 1999. She

creates and presents a wide variety of educational programs

for students and adults sharing her research and knowledge in

engaging presentations on cryptologic history.

F305 / F305Z History’s 20 Greatest Hoaxes

Wednesdays, 9:40—11:05, July 24—July 31

Two sessions

Instructor: Jim Lewis

The origin of the word ‘hoax’ comes from the verb

“hocus” as in “hocus pocus”, meaning magic, trickery,

and imam. It’s appropriate then, that the masterminds

behind the various hoaxes that have been committed

throughout successive centuries have employed all

manner of wizardry and artistry to pull them off. Whether

committed for money, notoriety, or simply for the hell of

it, society’s fascination with hoaxes and the minds that

created them continues to this day. Indeed, in this era of

“fake news” and internet scandals, our obsession with

hoaxes seems more prevalent than ever. Please join us as

we examine twenty of the most successful and outlandish

Literature, Theater, and Writing

hoaxes throughout history.

Jim Lewis is a noted local historian, lecturer and tour guide,

focusing primarily on the Civil War, WWII, and Cold War years.

His bi-annual Hunter Mill Rd. Corridor Historical Tour has been a

favorite for years. He’s also authored 30-plus historical markers and

been a past “Lord Fairfax” designate.

F306Z Always Moving Forward: A History of

Women in Higher Education in the U.S.

Wednesdays, 11:50—1:15, July 24—July 31

Two sessions

Instructors: Irene Harwarth, Cynthia Miller

This course will provide a historical context for issues

regarding women in higher education today. The rst

class will be an overview of the history of women in all

U.S. higher education institutions, not only as students

but also as professors and administrators. The second

class will focus on women’s colleges in the U.S. and their

historical signicance. It will also look at the challenges

women’s colleges faced as higher educational institutions

became coeducational, and the many strategies they are

using today to continue playing a role in serving women in

American higher education.

Irene Baden Harwarth earned her PhD in Public Administration

from The George Washington University. She worked in the

federal government in Washington D.C. for close to 30 years. Her

work included development of research projects and technical

assistance centers in higher education policy.

Cynthia Miller earned her PhD in Educational Leadership at the

University of North Texas. She has worked for local and federal

government, taught for several universities (in education, research,

political science, and criminal justice) and has over 25 years of

research and grants experience.

400 Literature, Theater,

and Writing

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Pat Bangs, Linda Bergman, Jane Fitzgibbons,

Norma Jean Reck

F401Z You’re a Wonder, Wonder Woman: The

History of Female Superheroes

Mondays, 11:50—1:15, June 24—July 29

Six sessions

Instructor: Allen Wright

This course will explore the development of female

superheroes alongside the rise of women’s rights from the

suffrage movement to today’s ght for gender equality.

We’ll discuss Miss Fury, the rst female superhero created

by a woman only two years after Superman’s debut. We’ll

look at the background of Wonder Woman, representing

the new liberated woman of the 1940s for her feminist

creator. We’ll see how Batgirl slowly transformed from

girl sidekick to disabled computer genius. And how 20th

century feminist and civil rights movements inspired diverse

characters like Storm from X-Men and Echo from Daredevil,

with a special emphasis on female-created superheroes and

the struggle for women artists and writers to be recognized

in a male-dominated medium. From Sheena, Queen of the

Jungle, to Ms. Marvel, we’ll survey the rising cultural power

of women through their superhero counterparts.

A former specialist at the CBC, Allen Wright has appeared in

award-winning radio and TV documentaries about heroes and

has published articles on comics and presented at academic

conferences around the world. He is the creator of boldoutlaw.

com—a celebrated educational website on the Robin Hood legend.

F402 / F402Z Willa Cather’s Lucy Gayheart

Tuesday, 11:50—1:15, June 25

One session

Instructor: Jane Fitzgibbons

Lucy Gayheart, Willa Cather’s penultimate novel, was

written in 1935 when she was considered America’s

foremost woman novelist. The title character is a lovely,

vivacious young lady who has a story worth telling. Lucy is

from a small town in Nebraska and after high school has

an opportunity to study piano in Chicago. Lucy aspires

to be a music teacher and also to see a wider world than

Haverford, Nebraska. The novel is divided into three

sections and the rst section covers Lucy’s foray into the

world of music as she becomes a practice accompanist to a

famous middle-aged international baritone with whom she

falls in love. The second section explains what happens to

Lucy when she returns to her hometown after heartbreak

and disappointment in Chicago. The memorable third

section focuses on Lucy’s childhood friend, Harry Gordon,

who expected to marry her and reminisces about what

she meant to him and still means to him 27 years after she

rejected him. If Lucy Gayheart is structured like a symphony,

this section is the coda. Willa Cather detested what she

called “sentimental women’s ction” and this novel is

denitely not sentimental but it is romantic with echoes

of Gothicism. It is also very musical using the lieders of

Shubert and others to move the story along. One of the

most powerful Catherian themes is the importance of

memory in bringing enlightenment, whether the memory

is painful or joyful. Cather believed that memories can be

more life-dening than reality and that the only real life is in

the imagination, in desire, and in memory. It matters what

you remember. Lucy Gayheart contains several Catheresque

staples—wonderful descriptions of the Nebraska landscape,

appreciation of Old World values (Lucy’s father is a German

watchmaker who plays the ute), oppositions like country

and city, and, most importantly, the artist’s struggle to

balance his or her talent with the need for personal

happiness. This novel deserves the critical reconsideration

that it has lately received.

Jane Fitzgibbons retired from the federal government in

2020. During her government career, she headed training and

communications departments. She has an MS in National Security

Strategy from the National War College and an MA in Politics and

Literature from the University of Dallas where her admiration for

the works of Willa Cather began, which led her to a forum at the

University of Nebraska on the centenary of Ms. Cather’s birth. She

attended two Willa Cather conferences in 2023: one honoring

Willa Cather’s sesquicentennial birthday and one focusing on Ms.

Cather’s literary life in New York City.

Literature, Theater, and Writing

F403 / F403Z Evelina: An 18th Century Tale of

Manners and Mayhem

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 25—July 16

Four sessions

Instructor: Beth Lambert

Frances Burney was one of Jane Austen’s favorite authors,

and it is easy to see why. Published in 1778, Burney’s rst

novel, Evelina, or The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance

into the World was an immediate hit. One prominent

member of the House of Commons said he sat up all night

to nish it. Burney was not only an astute observer of her

society, but she also had an ear for dialect. Characters

such as a garrulous sea captain married to a sophisticated,

bright woman; a French grandmother and her foppish

companion who are clearly out of their element in

England; and a host of other unforgettable individuals are

portrayed with accuracy, humor, and Burney’s clear insight

into human nature. Readers will be captivated and caught

by the unusual twists and turns of plot, and struck by the

way some things never change.

Beth Lambert is professor emerita of English, Gettysburg College.

Her love of 18th century English literature and history is reected

in the OLLI courses she has taught. These range from all of Jane

Austen’s novels to The British Side of the American Revolution.

F404 / F404Z Poetry Workshop

Tuesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 25—July 30

Six sessions

Moderator: Jan Bohall

Class limit: 16 in-person, 10 Zoom

This workshop allows both novice and experienced

poets the opportunity to share their work and receive

suggestions for improvement. Workshop members should

prepare an original poem in draft or in revised form for

each session. The moderator will email students after class

conrmation with further instructions. Please note that this

class will be offered both online and in-person.

Jan Bohall, an OLLI member, has had poems published in various

periodicals and has won awards from the Poetry Society of Virginia.

F405Z Women’s Detective Fiction Cont’d

Wednesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 26—July 31

Six sessions

Instructor: Ellen Moody

This course will be a continuation of a course that was

presented in winter 2024. It will explore the genre of

mystery/thriller detective stories from the viewpoint of

the woman writer, detective, victim, and murderer. We’ll

read the books Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayer and An

Unsuitable Job for a Woman by P.D. James. The class will

also view (outside class) and then discuss a brilliant parody

of the genre as it evolved in the 1930s, especially begun

by Agatha Christie, Robert Altman, and Jerome Fellowes’

Gosford Park (2001), and nowadays still practiced by

Anthony Horowitz (eg. Magpie Murders). This is a feminist

literary history course, stemming from the course the

instructor taught in 2023, The Heroine’s Journey.

Ellen Moody has a PhD in British Literature, taught in senior

colleges for over twenty years and now nine at two OLLIs. She’s

a published scholar, with specialties in the 18th through the 20th

century, and has a special love for women’s writing, historical

novels, life-writing, and lm adaptations.

F406Z Movie of the Week

Thursdays, 11:50—1:15, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Five sessions

Instructors: Russell Stone, Stephanie Simcox

This course engages in discussions of the latest in

Arthouse movies. Each week a movie offered via pay-

per-view from Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Netix or

other pay-per-view sites will be chosen. You won’t have

to subscribe to anything, but most movies charge a “rent”

fee. If you do subscribe to a movie site, it may be available

to you there. Participants will have one week to see the

movie—before each class meeting. Class meetings will

discuss the movie of the week. Impress your friends with

your knowledge of the latest in Arthouse cinema! Viewing

may involve subtitles, and it’s always a good idea to turn

on Closed Caption (CC) if it’s available. The beauty of

watching movies on-line is that you have captions, and can

pause, rewind to catch parts you missed, and even watch it

more than once.

Russell Stone was a university professor for 40 years, an OLLI

member for more than a decade, and a two-term board member.

His secret passions include contemporary cinema. As a co-chair of

program planning, he knows we need another movie course.

Stephanie Simcox worked in nonprots for 30 years on the West

Coast and has since moved back to Northern Virginia. An avid

movie fan who never misses a new Jane Austen lm, she is also up

for the latest from Marvel, Pixar or Studio Ghibli. After attending the

San Francisco International Film Festival for many years, she’s not

afraid of subtitles either!

F407 / F407Z Truman Capote’s Lighter Works

Thursdays, 9:40—11:05, July 11—Aug. 1

Four sessions

Instructor: Marilyn Harriman

In this course, we will read and discuss two of Truman

Capote’s lighter works, including the author’s favorite all-

time character, Holly Golightly. In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, we

meet a nineteen-year-old actress turned society girl with

a mysterious past. The narrator brings alive Holly’s parties,

New York City adventures, and her collection of wealthy

suitors. As the narrator recounts his friendship with his

apartment complex neighbor, he discovers there’s a lot

more going on with her than she has let on. Published in

1958, the story takes place in the 1940s and displays the

cultural mores and anomalies of the ‘50s and ‘60s. We’ll

discuss themes of female independence and how Capote

depicts them in the 20th century. The lm version, starring

Update Your Zoom!

Zoom regularly provides updates to release new features

and x bugs. To receive the best video and audio

experience, remember to check for updates.

Literature, Theater, and Writing

Audrey Hepburn, will be shown in a separate one-time

course after this course ends (See F409). This Capote study

ends with a look at The Grass Harp, a story based on the

author’s memories of summers in Monroeville, Alabama.

Marilyn Harriman is a retired Fairfax County advanced placement

language and composition teacher who has taught literature

at OLLI for ve years. Before retirement, she also taught high

school and college English and Journalism in Oregon, Texas, and

Germany and holds degrees in Journalism and Literature.

F408 / F408Z Just Because We Can, Does It

Mean We Should: When Science Backres in

Fiction and Fact

Wednesday, 9:40—11:05, July 24

One session

Instructor: Laurel Hausman

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, published in 1818, centers on

the idea that sometimes knowledge can be a dangerous

thing if used incorrectly. Victor Frankenstein, a student at

the University of Ingolstadt, creates and brings to life a

being made from dead bodies. Instead of the recognition

Victor seeks, his creation becomes his nemesis. Lonely,

isolated, and rejected by his creator, the monster lashes

out by killing everyone Victor loves. This class will examine

the idea that sometimes knowledge can be a dangerous

thing, and whether or not it should sometimes be kept

under wraps. We will also look at the ideas of nature vs.

nurture, the need for acceptance and inclusion, and the

negative consequences of isolation.

Laurel Hausman received her Master’s in Education from George

Mason University in 1992. She taught Advanced Placement

Literature in Loudoun County until her retirement in 2022. Ms.

Hausman lives in Centreville, Virginia, with her husband and two

dogs, and she continues to enjoy reading and writing.

F409 Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Spend an Afternoon

with Holly Golightly

Wednesday, 11:50—2:00, July 31

One session

Note time

Instructor: Marilyn Harriman

Now sixty years old, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey

Hepburn, ranks near the top of the “Greatest Romantic

Movies” list. Loosely drawn from Truman Capote’s novella,

the lm centers on a young woman who has turned

society girl after aspiring to be an actress. We are invited

into Holly’s world of parties, wealthy suitors, and New

York City adventures, including her breakfast at Tiffany’s

jewelry store. We also come to know Holly’s bleak past.

Although cultural mores have changed, and negative

cultural stereotypes jump off the screen at times, the

Blake Edwards lm continues to capture our attention

because of the heroine’s willful independence and

feminist leanings. Spend an afternoon with Holly Golightly

to refresh your memory of this engaging movie or come

out to see it for the rst time to nd out why it still charms

audiences! A companion study (F407/F407Z) of Truman

Capote’s novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, is offered during

the summer session before this lm will be shown.

See F407/F407Z for instructor bio.

R410Z Literary Roundtable

Wednesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 26—July 31

Six sessions

Instructor: Ben Gold

This on-going short-story discussion class will complete the

nal eight stories from the anthology, The Best American

Mystery Stories of the Century, edited by Tony Hillerman.

This is a selection from the best of the world’s short mystery

ction, bringing together writings by great masters of the

genre. This wide-ranging anthology of stories is designed

for readers to meet new writers and be surprised by some

famous writers not known for mysteries. The moderator will

also provide four additional stories to complete the term.

The book is available online from a variety of sources. It’s in

paperback for $10.00 or less for used copies.

Ben Gold has a BA in Political Science from Stanford University and

also holds an MS degree in Computer Science. He will serve as

moderator.

F411Z Unlocking Your Memory’s Power

Wednesday, 11:50—1:15, July 17

One session

Instructor: Dr. Charan Ranganath

Moderator: Ken Budd

Coordinators: Suzy Rigdon, Kate Lewis

A pioneering neuroscientist and psychologist, the

instructor reveals the powerful role memory plays in nearly

every aspect of our lives in his book, Why We Remember:

Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold on to What Matters.

Memory is a highly transformative force that shapes how

we experience the world in often invisible and sometimes

destructive ways. The instructor explains that when we

work with the brain’s ability to learn and reinterpret past

events, we can heal trauma, shed our biases, learn faster,

and grow in self-awareness. The Wall Street Journal calls

the book, “Clever, insightful and humorous…The most

signicant lesson is that we need not be prisoners to our

incompletely remembered past.” This talk is part of Fall for

the Book’s lineup of free events. For more information, visit

fallforthebook.org.

Dr. Charan Ranganath is a professor of Psychology and

Neuroscience and director of the Dynamic Memory Lab at the

University of California at Davis. For over 25 years, he has studied

the mechanisms in the brain that allow us to remember past

events using brain imaging techniques, computational modeling,

and studies of patients with memory disorders. He has been

recognized with a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Vannevar Bush

Faculty Fellowship.

Check the Daily Schedule

Please check your daily schedule email for class

links or information, the current video library

passcode, and Zoom Help Desk information.

Languages

500 Languages

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Pat Bangs, Linda Bergman, Jane Fitzgibbons,

Norma Jean Reck

F501Z Intermediate Spanish Grammar and

Conversation Parts 1—4

Thursdays, 9:40—11:50, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Five sessions

Instructor: Morris Kaplan

Using a helpful textbook and specially curated YouTube

videos, the instructor teaches Spanish in a fun, interactive,

and very effective way. This class will focus on the past,

future, and conditional tenses and commands. No

homework or tests. Just sit back and listen as we do

grammar exercises, watch Spanish language videos,

and speak in Spanish to each other. It’s an easy way to

learn how to speak the second most spoken language

in America. Learning a foreign language has also been

shown to delay or reduce the onset of dementia. This is

a year-long course (fall through summer). Part 1 (fall) will

be followed by Parts 2 (winter), 3 (spring) and 4 (summer),

each continuing where the prior class left off. Required

text: Advanced Spanish Step-By-Step by Barbara Bregstein

(available on Amazon $12.)

Morris Kaplan is an attorney who after a distinguished career in

nursing home and dementia care, spends his retirement providing

pro bono legal representation to victims of domestic abuse. He

teaches Spanish by Zoom to OLLI programs at Stony Brook, Emory,

Duke, George Mason, and Johns Hopkins.

600 Philosophy and

Religious Studies

Program Planning Group Chair:

Jim Cantwell

F601Z A New Look at Famous Biblical Curses

and Blessings: Do They Apply Today?

Mondays, 11:50—1:15, June 24—July 8

Three sessions

Instructor: Stephen Ruth

The current political climate seems to be lled with

threats and sometimes near-apocalyptic warnings. The

instructor nds them very similar to some of the biblical

writings. The Bible’s major and minor prophets feature

curses, threats, and erce complaints against Israel’s

enemies, as well as stern commentaries aimed at the

people of Israel themselves. The Torah has examples

of horric threats against those who do not obey God’s

commands. At times Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher

and the Book of Revelation frequently has threatening

messages—and St. Paul’s epistles have elements that

are quite severe. Currently, some page-one stories

about the articial intelligence, dark web, revenge porn,

deep fake, and ransomware might remind a reader of

passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Jeremiah. But the Bible is

also lled with some of the most beautiful and hopeful

blessings and prophecies to be found anywhere in

literature. This class will balance some of the harsh Bible

elements with incomparably uplifting passages about

dry bones living again, light overpowering darkness,

love overcoming hate, and many others. No previous

knowledge is needed and the instructor promises that

nearly all of these passages—happy and sad—will be

familiar, even though their biblical origins might be

surprising.

Stephen Ruth is a professor of public policy at George Mason

University, specializing in technology issues associated with

globalization. He is also the director of the International Center

for Applied Studies in Information Technology, a grant-supported

research center. His book, One Year Trip through the Bible: A

Layman’s Fresh View of the Complete Old and New Testaments,

examines 73 books of the Hebrew Tanakh (Old Testament) and the

Christian New Testament.

F602 Life Lessons from Biblical Wisdom

Literature

Wednesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 26—July 17

Four sessions

Instructor: Steven Goldman

Self-help books abound in modern literature because so

many of us want to discover the path to living a productive

life. However, some of the best self-help advice may be

found within the pages of ancient texts. In this course,

we will examine some of the major themes that biblical

wisdom literature addresses as guides to navigate the

paths of life.

Steve Goldman has taught numerous courses on alternative

understandings of biblical doctrine at OLLI Mason.

F603 Major Themes of the Bible

Thursdays, 9:40—11:05, July 11—Aug. 1

Four sessions

Instructor: Jim Cantwell

We will look at 65 passages of the Bible from creation and

Abraham to Jesus Christ and Revelation. Each passage

will offer the opportunity for discussion. Did God bless

and curse? What is the difference between a Christian and

a disciple? What difference, if any, does the Holy Spirit

make? We will discuss several of God’s covenants in the

Old and New Testaments, look at the gifts and fruit of the

Spirit, and how the word Christian is dened.

Jim Cantwell is chair of the OLLI Religious Studies program

planning group and has taught numerous courses at OLLI.

F604 Simon Bar Jonah: The Historical Saint

Peter

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, July 23—July 30

Two sessions

Instructor: Jack Dalby

Who was St. Peter? The answer to that question is still

debated today, even among Christians. Part of the reason

for the unsettled nature of Peter’s legacy is because, to

Humanities and Social Sciences

the surprise of many, the New Testament actually tells

us very little about Peter’s life after he came to believe

in the resurrection of Jesus. That said, unlike with Jesus,

we have in some New Testament writings (Paul’s letters)

eye-witness accounts of people interacting with Peter.

In these historically based lectures, some of the topics

we will discuss are: the portrayal of Peter in the Gospels;

the Book of Acts; the letters of Paul and the Apostolic

Fathers; was Peter literate?; was Peter the rst bishop

of Rome?; why does Paul call Peter “Cephas”?; what

happened between Peter and Paul in Antioch?; how did

Peter die?; are Peter’s words accurately recorded in the

Book of Acts?; who was “Mark” and did he write Peter’s

memoir? A familiarity with the New Testament is helpful,

but not necessary.

Jack Dalby is a retired NOVA business owner who, for the past 11

years, he has lectured on the topic of Christian Origins at George

Mason University’s OLLI campuses.

650 Humanities and

Social Sciences

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Camille Hodges, Peg O’Brien

F651Z The Future of Psychoanalysis!

Tuesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 25—July 30

Six sessions

Instructor: Anson Parish

This course will discuss the future of psychoanalysis in the

context of developments in research on the physiological

understanding of memory and its role clarifying the

process needed in understanding the causal factors

contributing to the patient’s problem and the process

required to effect a cure to alleviate the symptoms.

Extensive use of videos of actual case studies of phobias

will be presented as examples of Freud’s psychoanalytic

theory of neurosis. The instructor will provide extrapolation

from the analytical process and cure to potential future

directions of such therapy and implications for the future

of psychoanalysis.

Anson Parish spent 50 years in U.S. military and civilian service

with advanced degrees in electrical engineering, systems and

policy analysis, and with experience in advanced systems planning,

program building and evaluation, decision analysis, leadership

analysis, and intelligence evaluation.

F652 Second Amendment

Thursday, 9:40—11:05, June 27

One session

Instructor: Wes Clark

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution

protects an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.

This presentation will examine the history of the Second

Amendment and its meaning in the 2008 DC v. Heller

case. This case addressed the issue of whether the Second

Amendment protects the right to keep and bear arms for

purposes of self-defense. The instructor will also discuss

the court’s recent 2020 Second Amendment case and

note the case currently awaiting the Supreme Court’s

decision.

Wes Clark is an attorney who retired from the federal government

in January 2015 with over 38 years of experience. He began his

civilian legal career at DOJ reviewing applications to conduct

wiretaps and bugs. Later, as a federal prosecutor, he made

judicial application to conduct ELSUR. For the last 19 years of his

federal service, he worked in the Ofce of Chief Counsel, Drug

Enforcement Administration. He has taught “Surveillance and

Privacy” as an adjunct at Mason and has published ELSUR-related

articles in the Valparaiso University Law Review and the FBI Law

Enforcement Bulletin.

F653Z Gender Identity in Our World: Myths

and Realities

Tuesday, 9:40—11:05, July 9

One session

Instructor: David Powers Corwin

This course will focus on the myths and realities of gender

identity in our world today. The instructor will discuss

social construction of gender, the differences between

gender and sex, how gender inuences sexuality, how

popular culture constructs gender, and how to best

support people who live outside the gender binary.

David Powers Corwin, an assistant professor at George Mason

University, holds a B.A. in English and Humanities from Milligan

University and graduate degrees in English, Women/Gender

Studies, and Rhetoric from Mason and teaches courses in gender/

sexuality, friendship studies, Appalachia, rhetoric, and TV studies.

F654Z History of the Family

Tuesday, 9:40—11:05, July 30

One session

Instructor: Dr. Spencer Crew

Coordinator: Camille Hodges

DNA testing has become popular as a way to discover

one’s ancestry. Another pathway, which is just as effective,

is to initiate conversations with senior members of one’s

family or community. Their recollections offer valuable

access to past events and family history. Each fall, the

instructor teaches a course on family history at GMU. One

of the students’ assignments is to interview an “elder”

to capture their life history. The nal document must be

approved by the elder and returned to them for use as

they see t. The instructor will include more information

about the GMU course, students who conducted

interviews, and elders who were interviewed to share their

experiences. The instructor’s hope is that this will inspire

some OLLI Mason members to allow themselves to be

interviewed during GMU’s fall semester.

Dr. Spencer Crew has worked in public history institutions

for more than twenty-ve years. He served as president of the

National Underground Railroad Freedom Center for six years and

worked at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian

Institution for twenty years. Nine of those years he served as the

director of NMAH. At each of those institutions he sought to make

history accessible to the public through innovative and inclusive

exhibitions and public programs.

Current Events

F655 / F655Z The Importance of Constituent

Participation and How it Affects Ukraine

Wednesday, 9:40—11:05, July 31

One session

Instructor: Jim McBride

Coordinator: Bonnie Nelson

Learn about how elected ofcials respond to constituent

advocacy and how it affects the debate over Ukraine aid

on Capitol Hill. The instructor will provide various ways in

which we can make a difference through civic education,

community engagement, and citizen lobbying.

Jim McBride is a community leader and democracy advocate

with three decades of communications/politics work, including

managing press for the International Fire Fighters Association after

9/11 and early Virginia volunteer operations for Obama in 2008.

He is a member of Virginia Grassroots Coalition, VA for Ukraine,

and UpVote Virginia.

L656Z Border Search Authority

Monday, 11:50—1:15, July 29

One session

Instructor: Wes Clark

What and whom U.S. authorities can search coming into

and exiting the country will be covered. The concepts of

actual, functional equivalent of the border, and extended

border will be discussed as well as the extent to which

electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, and

laptops can be searched and retained.

See F652 for instructor information.

R657Z Big Issues, Complex Challenges, and No

Simple Solutions

Mondays, 9:40—11:05, June 24—July 29

Six sessions

Instructors: Glenn Kamber

This course is intended to expand participant knowledge

and appreciation of challenges we face in modern

society, including such issues as global warming;

increased polarization among political, social, and

economic groups; the nature and pace of scientic and

technological change; and the role of media and modern

communications. Each week the instructor will introduce

a big issue through a brief oral and video presentation.

The sessions will involve engaging discussion among

participants facilitated by the instructor.

Glenn Kamber has taught many courses at OLLI that focus on

current events and political and social issues. He is a retired senior

executive from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

where he managed policy and program development in the ofces

of eight HHS secretaries.

L658 TED Talk Discussion Group

Thursdays, 11:50—1:15, July 11—July 25

Three sessions

Instructor: Barbara Wilan

Limit: 20

Location: TBD

TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) is a growing

collection of brief recorded talks on a wide range of

topics. The speakers are leading gures chosen for their

ability to express ideas clearly and succinctly. We will

watch and discuss a TED talk each week. The general

topics will be: Story Telling, Gender, and Sports.

Barbara Wilan retired as a full-time English teacher at the

Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College and is

currently an adjunct there. She has also taught at the University of

Maryland and for the University of Maryland’s European Division.

700 Current Events

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Camille Hodges, Peg O’Brien

F701Z What’s in the Daily News?

Mondays, 9:30—11:00, June 24—July 29

Six sessions

Note time

Moderators: Dorsey Chescavage, Richard Crawford, John

Quinn, Ann Smith, Al Smuzynski

Class liaison: Dennis VanLangen

Class limit: 80

This is a weekly forum for thoughtful, forthright, and

respectful exchange of information and opinions on

current world, U.S., and regional news. Class participants

bring to the table a wealth of knowledge and experience

in international affairs, government, industry, education,

economics, the military, and other areas. The discussion

is always lively, and all participants have an equal

opportunity to comment.

F702 / F702Z The Growing Danger of Strategic

Competition, Confrontation, and Conict

Wednesday, 11:50—1:15, July 3

One session

Instructor: John Miller

Coordinator: Sally Burdick

Strategic competition between China, Russia, and America

has been growing since at least 2015, and it is doing so

largely through the use of proxy nations willing or pushed

into confrontation or conict. The Russian invasion of

Ukraine in early 2022 marked a signicant turning point

from competition into conict, with the U.S. and its allies

supporting Ukraine, and Russia and its allies supporting

the overthrow of Ukraine’s democratically elected

government. The attack on Israel by Hamas in October

2023 marked a signicant escalation in the ongoing

strategic competition and has resulted in the spreading

of the conict throughout the Middle East, impacting

regional security and global maritime commerce. This

course will discuss current events in the Middle East and

across the globe to understand the impact on the global

economy, stability, and security.

Vice Admiral (Ret) John Miller is a former commander of the U.S.

Fifth Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, an intermittent

faculty member with the U.S. Naval War College, and a defense

consultant in the National Capital Region.

Science, Technology, and Health

F703 Protect Yourself From Fraud

Wednesday, 11:50—1:15, July 10

One session

Instructor: Suba Saty

Scammers steal billions from Americans like you every

year. We’re ghting back with the AARP Fraud Watch

Network. In this session, we will share an inside look at

how scammers think, how to safeguard against Identity

theft and fraud, and what to do if you or someone you

know has been a victim.

Suba Saty is a retired Air Force Lt. Col and a retired DoD civilian.

He has been an AARP community ambassador for 8 years and is

part of the AARP NoVA Speakers Bureau. Suba enjoys volunteering

at the Lorton library as an English Conversation Leader, at the

Lorton Food Bank, and at Crestwood Elementary School in

Springeld assisting students with reading and writing.

F704 Prepping for Climate Change: Sensible

Strategies for Families

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, July 23—July 30

Two sessions

Instructor: Jeanette Thomas

As the range of observed consequences and predicted

outcomes of climate change becomes increasingly visible,

interest is growing in identifying sensible precautions

that families can implement to limit potential negative

impacts on their individual lives and livelihoods. Relying

on information, analysis, and recommendations generated

by the world’s leading climate research organizations

(IPCC, EPA, NOAA), industry groups, and local/state

governments, this course will take a research-based

approach to identifying the most probable, imminent

impacts of climate change, with emphasis on those

factors with the most potential to directly impact personal

lives and livelihoods: factors such as food/water/energy

pricing and availability, risks to personal property, and

family/retirement planning. The course will then explore

common-sense strategies that may help mitigate potential

risks and review resources available to support families in

their efforts to build climate resiliency.

Je anette Thomas is a former researcher, analyst, and educator

specializing in environmental issues. She has worked for various DC-

based consulting rms and think tanks as an analyst and develops

environmental curriculum for the Virginia Department of Education.

R705Z What’s Happening: A Discussion of

Weekly News

Thursdays, 11:50 – 1:15, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Five sessions

Instructor: Glenn Kamber

This is the summer session version of “All the News That’s

Fit to Print.” A list of weekly news topics will be distributed

in advance by the instructor who will facilitate class

discussion for each session. Participants are encouraged

to engage in lively conversation and if desired, modify the

discussion agenda.

See R657Z for instructor information.

800 Science, Technology,

and Health

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Mark Dodge, Mary Kornreich,

Suresh Mohla, Michele Romano

F801 The Big Bang Theory

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 25—July 16

Four sessions

Instructor: Mark Dodge

This course wil

l explore how the current Big Bang Theory

of the universe developed from Edwin Hubble’s early

observations of galaxies and their motion, which led to

the idea of an expanding universe that began at a single

point about 13.8 billion years ago. We’ll discuss the age

and size of the universe and how we determined those

measurements. We’ll discuss the life cycle of stars (in

particular, the quite spectacular ways in which they “die”),

and we’ll talk about current issues in our understanding of

the universe, including dark matter and dark energy.

Mark Dodge earned a BA in Physics from the University of

California-Berkeley and taught high school physics for 24 years

at the H-B Woodlawn Program in Arlington, Virginia. He has been

fascinated by astronomy since gazing through his rst telescope

when he was in seventh grade. Dodge is also interested in the

history of science and how our understanding of the universe

evolved from ancient times and continues to evolve today.

F802 Low Vision Loss

Wednesday, 9:40—11:05, June 26

One session

Instructor: Gloria Gaudio-Cilke

Coordinator: Velma Berkey

The presentation will cover: age related macular

degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic-retinopathy, and

cataracts.

Gloria Gaudio-Cilke, OTR/L, is certied in neuro development

and traumatic brain injury treatment. She has worked in a variety

of adult rehabilitation and health settings in Northern Virginia

for over 25 years, focusing on maximizing safety, efciency, and

independence.

F803 Sustainable Food Production

Wednesdays, 11:50—1:15, June 26—July 31

Six sessions

Instructors: Donielle Nolan, Sven Jansen

Class limit: 15

Location: George Mason University Campus

Did you know that George Mason University’s Fairfax

campus has a greenhouse that grows lettuce, tomatoes,

and herbs using hydroponics and aquaponics for the

dining halls? This course, in partnership with University

Sustainability, offers lessons in sustainable food

production taught by their enthusiastic expert, Doni

Nolan. Participants will get to explore the three sites

that make up the Greenhouse and Gardens program

on Mason’s Fairfax campus and will join their team

for an immersive educational experience. This course

Science, Technology, and Health

will include introductions to several topics and new

material for students who took it in summer 2023. At

the greenhouse you’ll learn about techniques to sow

seeds, transplant seedlings, install hydroponic irrigation

plumbing, and treat pests organically. Other topics will

include botany terminology, plant identication, and

the science behind composting and pest management.

Plus, you’ll get to grow and harvest nutritious greens and

veggies that you can take home and eat!

Parking on the main Fairfax campus and walking instructions

will be provided to participants. Please pick up a parking

permit from the Tallwood ofce before rst session.

Donielle (Doni) Nolan works full-time at Mason managing the

Greenhouse and Gardens program with her three staff. She is

also a PhD student and adjunct faculty in Biology, with a Master’s

degree in Agriculture. You will see that her passion and joy are very

contagious!

Sven Jansen works as the Potomac Heights Organic Garden

coordinator and at a local farm in Vienna, VA. He grew up in South

Africa and studied Environmental and Sustainable Education at

Mason. He hopes to use his teaching skills to facilitate our move to

a more sustainable, equitable future.

F804Z Plant-Powered Physical Activity

Thursday, 9:40—11:05, June 27

One session

Instructor: Marybeth Mitcham

Can a plant-based diet support a physically active lifestyle?

Will it provide sufcient energy for people who like to

hike, bicycle, rock climb, or dance? Using examples of

her whole food-plant-based diet (WFPB) fueled outdoor

pursuits, this presentation will also include an overview of

the science behind plant-based diets and some food and

recipe ideas.

Dr. MB (Marybeth) Mitcham is the director of the online MPH

program and an assistant professor in the Department of Global

and Community Health. Her research and work focus on the

interplay between humans and their environment, leveraging

available resources to address disparities and achieve improved

holistic community health.

F805 Hearing Aids: Beware and Be Wise!

Thursday, 9:40—11:05, June 27

One session

Instructor: Bonnie O’Leary

This presentation is to educate hearing aid consumers.

It includes a discussion about the hearing evaluation;

how to interpret an audiogram; and the styles and types

of hearing aids. The differences between hearables,

Personal Sound Amplication Products (PSAP), and over-

the counter hearing aids will be addressed, as well as the

differences between Bluetooth and telecoils, and what

other types of technologies can be used with hearing aids

(such as TV listening systems). We’ll also discuss apps that

can help. Please note no sales are ever involved.

Bonnie O’Leary is the outreach manager for the Northern Virginia

Resource Center (NVRC) for deaf and hard of hearing persons, the

area’s leading non-prot for people with hearing loss. She is a late-

deafened adult who has been wearing hearing aids for 25 years.

F806 / F806Z Cuban Medicine: Desperation

and Public Health Myth, Reality, and Firsthand

Experience

Friday, 11:00—12:25, Jun. 28

The Landing, 2620 Main Line Boulevard, Alexandria,

22301

One session

Note location and time

Instructor: Mark Weinstein

What started as a one-day cruise port call visit to Havana

was interrupted with a badly cut leg requiring an

operating room session, an overnight stay at a Cuban

private clinic, and a crash course in Cuban medicine.

Medical care was thin in Cuba before the 1959 revolution

and particularly scarce in the countryside. Fidel Castro

and his Communist government—confronted with the

emigrating loss of half of Cuba’s small corps of doctors—

built, from scratch, extensive medical training programs

and a functioning government-funded universal health

care system. Faced with limited resources, the Cubans

developed an approach keyed to primary care doctors

and nursing assistants embedded in each rural community

and urban neighborhood—to practice local, fast, and

preventive “family” medicine. Beyond that there is a

hierarchy of clinics and hospitals where more seriously

sick or injured patient are treated. Cuba trained thousands

of doctors. If you get in, medical school education is free.

It is an imperfect and bureaucratically hampered system,

but it functions remarkably well with limited resources.

It has been impacted by the loss of the Soviet subsidies

in 1991 and the ongoing US embargo. Cuba has sent

thousands of doctors to South American and African

countries for both economic and political reasons. They

say that everything is free for Cubans, but there is a

growing “private” system for rich Cubans and foreigners.

The instructor will discuss these points as well as rsthand

experience with the Cuban medical system.

Mark Weinstein is an electrical engineer and 16-year OLLI

member who has presented courses in science, aviation, space,

history and travel.

F807 / F807Z Cannabis: The Evil Weed or God’s

Gift to Humanity

Wednesday, 9:40—11:05, July 10

One session

Instructor: Michele Romano

Recreational cannabis (aka marijuana, THC, pot, weed) is

now legal in 24 states. Medicinal marijuana is legal in 40

states and D.C. Cannabis is the psychoactive derivative of

the hemp family. Cannabis dispensaries have a veritable

supermarket of products from which to choose. We will

look at its health benets as well as side effects, risks,

and contraindications. It also does not play well with a

lot of prescription and over the counter medications. Is

it better/safer than alcohol? How addictive is it? There is

also CBD (Cannabidiol) oil, the non-psychoactive variety

of the hemp plant. Because it is non-psychoactive, it is

considered a dietary supplement and not regulated by

Science, Technology, and Health

the FDA. By law it cannot contain more than 0.3% THC. It

has been touted to cure just about everything. Don’t think

so. We’ll peek under the covers here also. Like marijuana,

CBD oil comes in many shapes and forms: gummies,

edibles, topicals, and liquids. You can also smoke it or

vape it. Live long and prosper.

Michele Romano is a family physician who retired in 2015. She

attended Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

and held a faculty appointment as an associate professor of Clinical

Medicine at VCU. She served on both the VCU board of trustees

and the VCU health system board.

F808 / F808Z You Have the Power to Donate

Life! Register to Become an Organ Donor Today!

Wednesday, 9:40—11:05, July 17

One session

Instructor: Maria Suarez Ortiz

Coordinator: Jane Harrison

Innite Legacy is the non-prot organization in charge of

promoting organ, eye, and tissue donation in Maryland,

Washington D.C., and Northern Virginia. During this

presentation, event attendees will learn all about organ

donation, how to sign up to give the gift of life to others,

and how to become involved in your community to help

promote organ, eye, and tissue donation awareness.

Innite Legacy warmly invites you to consider becoming

a Donate Life Ambassador and help promote our

lifesaving mission.

Maria Suarez Ortiz is a senior community outreach specialist at

Innite Legacy with more than two years of experience developing

programs and educating communities about the importance of

organ, eye, and tissue donation. As a proud graduate of George

Mason University’s College of Public Health, Maria is passionate

about using a grassroots approach to meet our communities’

needs and empowering people to make an informed decision

about donation.

F809Z Sisyphus on the Bay: The Long Saga of

Public Efforts to Clean Up the Chesapeake Bay

Tuesday, 9:40—11:05, July 23

One session

Instructor: Michael Mason

For much of the history of North America, the Chesapeake

Bay was teeming with oysters, blue crabs, and hundreds

of species of sh. By the end of the 20th century, however,

the Bay’s aquatic life was in serious decline. Decades of

pollution and population growth were having detrimental

effects. Starting in 1983 and continuing over the next

40 years, the political leaders of the U.S. EPA, MD, VA,

PA, and DC signed multiple agreements and provided

millions of dollars to stakeholders to reverse the Bay’s

decline. Although ecological indicators show the Bay

has improved, hopeful gains are often accompanied

by disappointing setbacks. The future of the Bay is still

uncertain. The presentation will cover the highlights of the

government’s efforts over the past half century to restore

the health of the Bay. The presenter will pay particular

attention to the mixed results of both regulatory and

voluntary approaches promoted by federal and state

governments over years of shifting political power.

Michael Mason spent 33 years as a senior policy analyst and

manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He

worked in the agency’s hazardous waste, water protection, and

enforcement programs. Michael has taken an active role in

volunteer efforts to restore the Bay and its tributaries.

F810Z The Secret Life of Owls

Monday, 11:50—1:15, July 29

One session

Instructor: Tom Manteuffel

Some owls have asymmetrical ears and parabolic-shaped

faces to better locate prey. On the other hand, they can’t

move their eyes unless they swivel their heads. Some can

spot a tiny vole from a half mile away. There are many

surprising facts about these mysterious and spiritual

creatures, who as it happens have evolved to be erce

and nearly perfect hunters. The only birds with forward-

facing eyes like us, they have evolved powers far beyond

ours in numerous ways. Owls are depicted in the caves of

Chauvet and in Egyptian hieroglyphics, and have long had

special meaning to humans. This class will take you into

their world as they know it, which is vastly different than

our own.

See F102Z for instructor bio.

L811Z Federal Law of Electronic Surveillance

(ELSUR) for Criminal Investigations

Tuesdays, 9:40—11:05, June 25—July 9

Three sessions

Instructor: Wes Clark

A key focus of this course will be Title III of the Omnibus

Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 (as amended),

a discussion of the statute’s requirements. The class will

examine the different electronic surveillance (ELSUR) types

and methods, which include bugs, wiretaps, pen registers,

trap and trace devices, trackers/beepers, pole cameras,

and the tracking of cell phones. The U.S. Department of

Justice (DOJ) plays an important role, and we’ll examine

the functions of “Main Justice” and those of the local

Assistant U.S. Attorney.

See F652 for instructor information.

OLLI Parking Information

Fairfax

Front and rear of the Tallwood

building; also in the adjoining Fairfax

swimming pool lot in the area designated

by traffic cones, if present.

Driving to and from OLLI sites and events

is at your own risk.

L812Z The History of Life on Earth, Part 2

Thursdays, 9:40—11:05, July 11—Aug. 1

Four sessions

Instructor: Steve Greenhouse

Part 2 is a follow-up to Part 1 (which is not a prerequisite),

that concluded with the end-Cretaceous mass extinction

65 million years ago wiping out dinosaurs (except birds)

but opening a niche for mammals to thrive. This resulted

in small arboreal creatures that evolved into primates,

then hominids, nally Homo, the genus of which we

(Homo sapiens) are the only living species. This course

will trace these evolutionary transitions and will discuss

the characteristics and migrations of early humans who

became tool-makers and hunter-gatherers, and learned to

talk and to think.

Steve Greenhouse is a retired electrical engineer who worked in

the space communications eld for 35 years. He has long been

fascinated by paleontology and especially paleoanthropology—the

evolution of humans.

F813Z Chair Yoga and Meditation

Tuesdays, 2:00—3:00, June 25—July 30

Thursdays, 3:00—4:00, June 27—Aug. 1

No class July 4

Eleven sessions

Instructor: Kamini Patel

Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that utilizes yoga,

stretching, and breathing exercises. Meetings will also

include mind and body relaxation and meditation.

Equipment will be used to go deeper into our stretches.

Please be prepared with the following recommended

equipment or a similar substitute: yoga blocks, yoga

TheraBand straps or bands, light weights (2-3 lbs.), paper

plates, and a tennis ball. We will discuss the equipment

needed in class as well.

Kamini Patel is a certied yoga instructor who has been teaching

yoga since 2003. She is excited to share the immense physical

and mental benets from yoga such as improved posture,

concentration, and self-esteem. Yoga also helps strengthen the

respiratory system and will alleviate stress.

Science, Technology, and Health

OLLI Mason

Recorded

Class Archive

(Classes at Your Fingertips!)

Is there a virtual class that you are

interested in registering for, but the timing

conicts with other obligations? Will

you be traveling during term and can’t

guarantee internet reliability, or you live

in another state? Between terms, do you

have free time to learn about a potential

new hobby or a subject that you normally

wouldn’t sign up for? If the answer to these

questions and others like it is yes, then

problem solved!

Many of OLLI Mason’s virtual classes

are recorded so that members can view

them afterwards. The online library of

classes, both from the current term and

past terms, is located on the OLLI Mason

website (olli.gmu.edu/class-video-

recordings/). Only current members

may access the video library, so you

will need the passcode. For the current

passcode, please check your Daily

Schedule email.

Happy viewing!

For full instructor

bios, click on the

instructor n

ame

accompanying the

course descriptions

in the OLLI

member portal:

olligmu

.augusoft.net

Special Events

Many Special Event offerings are Add to Cart. We urge you to register for Add to Cart

offerings as early as possible. They can ll up quickly, even on the rst day of registration.

Please refer to the information beneath each offering to verify location information.

Special Events

Program Planning Group Chairs:

Marilyn Harriman, Luci Martel

1000 Excursions

1001 The Pentagon Memorial: Its

History and Meaning

Saturday, 10:00—11:00, June 29

Drive on Your Own

1 N. Rotary Rd, Arlington, VA

Instructor: Dave Nanney

Coordinator: Bob Heyer

The Pentagon Memorial (formally the National 9/11

Pentagon Memorial) honors the 184 people whose lives

were lost at the Pentagon and on American Airlines

Flight 77. Elegant and simple, it serves as a timeline

of the victims’ ages, which ranged from the youngest

(three years old) to the oldest (a 71-year-old Navy

veteran). Each victim is honored with a cantilevered

bench. The tour will be conducted by Dave Nanney,

a longtime docent. Please register for the companion

lecture to this trip (see F301/F301Z on Wednesday, Jun.

26). The instructor will discuss the attack, the sequence

of events, how the memorial came about, and why it

was positioned as it is). Note: parking at Pentagon

South Parking Lot next to The Pentagon Memorial is

allowed on weekends.

1002 George C. Marshall’s International Center

at Dodona Manor

Friday, 10:00—11:30, July 12

Drive on Your Own

312 East Market Street, Leesburg, VA 20716

Coordinator: Luci Martel

Event Limit: 30

Fee: $10

General George C. Marshall was Time magazine’s

Man of the Year twice. He led the U.S. Army to victory

in World War II, served as Secretary of State and

of Defense. His greatest legacy was his vision and

leadership of what became the Marshall Plan, America’s

historic investment in rebuilding the economies of

Western Europe. General Marshall and his wife called

Dodona Manor home. Today, the 19th-century house

and gardens are lovingly tended, all preserved as a

living reminder of his inspiring leadership. Join us on

a tour of the house and gardens and revisit a moment

in time when American leadership saved democracy

and preserved peace during troubled times. If enough

interest, a lunch on your own may be arranged at a

Leesburg restaurant for the group. Driving instructions

and parking information will be forwarded to

participants prior to the event.

1003 The Civil War, Off the Beaten Path: A

Walking Tour of the Civil War Redoubt at GMU

Friday, 1:00—2:30, July 26

GMU Parking Lot K

Drive on Your Own

Instructors: Jim Lewis, Brian McEnany

Coordinator: Sam Laudenslager

Event Limit: 25

Today’s busy Braddock Road-Ox Road/Chain Bridge Road

junction, at GMU, dates back to Colonial times. During

the Civil War, both Confederates and Federals marched

through, encamped at, or manned defenses at this

strategic location, then known as “Farr’s Crossroads.” One

recently preserved Civil War redoubt remains, overlooking

the modern intersection from the George Mason campus.

Join two noted local historians for a walking tour of this

historic site. Parking directions: use the GMU Roanoke River

Drive off of the Braddock Road entrance to Parking Lot K

(on your left). Park at the back (southwest, Ox Road/Rt. 123)

of Lot K. Meet by 12:45 pm at the new GMU historic marker

located at the entry to the Farr’s Fort trail, near the Global

Center. The quarter-mile length trail has a gradual incline,

so attendees may want to bring a walking stick.

Jim Lewis has previously lectured for OLLI and AARP on local

history, the Civil War, World War II, and the Cold War. He is

a member of the Bull Run Civil War Roundtable, and he has

researched more than 30 Fairfax County historical markers. He and

Brian have been involved with the preservation of the Farr’s Fort

site for the past six years.

Brian McEnany is co-author, with Jim Lewis, of Sunstroke & Ankle-

deep Mud, the saga of the Army of the Potomac’s journey through

Picture Policy

OLLI Mason classes and events may be photographed or video recorded. You agree

to have your likeness recorded for possible non-commercial use by OLLI Mason for

promotional purposes, advertising and/or inclusion on the organization’s website, social

media, or for any other digital or print purpose. If a person objects, please do so by

contacting [email protected] in writing.

northern Virginia en route to the Battle of Gettysburg. He is a

member of the Bull Run Civil War Roundtable and has previously

lectured at OLLI and other organizations about West Point and the

Class of 1862 during the Civil War. He is a graduate of West Point

(1962). He and Jim have been involved with the preservation of the

Farr’s Fort site for the past six years.

1200 Between-Term Events

1201 / 1201Z The National Portrait Gallery

Exhibition: America’s Presidents

Friday, 11:00—12:25, June 21

The Providence, 9490 Sprague Avenue, Fairfax, 22031

One session

Note location and time

Instructor: Barbara Nelson

In 1791 Charles L’Enfant proposed a plan for developing

Washington, the new capitol, and suggested that the

area where the National Portrait Gallery is now located

would be a good site for a nondenominational church or

a temple honoring American heroes. It is ironic that this

is where the collection of American presidents is located.

The building which the National Portrait Gallery shares

with the Smithsonian American Art Museum is the third

oldest public building in Washington. Construction began

in 1836 and was completed in 1868. This lecture will begin

briey with the building and its history, but most of the

presentation will discuss some of the portraits of American

presidents. This is not an attempt to list or evaluate the

accomplishments of American leaders, but rather to

examine the paintings, to consider the techniques the

artists used, and to learn about the relationships between

the presidents and the artists.

Barbara Nelson, an OLLI member, taught for over 30 years at the

secondary level, the last 20 at Thomas Jefferson High School for

Science and Technology. She has taught literature classes at OLLI,

as well as art history classes that are based on National Portrait

Gallery exhibits.

1202 Picnic in the Park

Thursday, 11:00—1:00, June 20

Fairfax

Coordinator: Marilyn Harriman

Picture this: you’re sitting on a blanket buoyed by a bed

of freshly cut green grass. You’re looking out at trees

brimming with lush leaves and garden owers planted

by Olli’s Dirty Knee Club. On the rst day of summer,

you can take it all in at Tallwood’s own park. Our campus

includes a backyard that sports shade trees and a gently

rolling hill. Bring your blanket, a picnic basket lled with

your lunch, and a non-alcoholic beverage, and enjoy

the camaraderie of your OLLI friends and colleagues!

Croquet, Badminton, and Cornhole games will be set up

for your enjoyment—or you may want to laze under the

shade of a tree. For those who prefer more structured

seating, picnic tables and benches will be set up on the

hill near the back parking lot.

Special Events

Volunteer for OLLI Mason!

OLLI Mason relies on member volunteers.

As a volunteer, you can help shape the

future of OLLI Mason by developing

or teaching the courses, clubs, socials,

and trips that continue to make this

organization a premier lifelong learning

institute. Remember, it’s not all work!

Volunteering can help you develop new

skills, form new friendships, and keep your

brain healthy!

To learn more about available volunteer

opportunities, visit the website at:

olli.gmu.edu/volunteer/

Clubs

• Register for clubs and ongoing activities each membership term. Registration allows OLLI to maintain

current club rosters and ensures that you will receive emails about your club’s activities and events.

• Zoom links for club meetings will begin on the 1st day of each membership term (Jan. 1, Mar. 1, Jun. 1, Sept. 1)

• All club registrations are Add to Cart. Please remember to check out your cart after you register for a club and

before you exit the portal.

All the News That’s Fit to Print Club

Thursdays

11:50—1:15, Jun. 6—20, Aug. 8—29

Zoom

Club limit: 40

Moderator:

Zach Teich [email protected]

All the News That’s Fit to Print meets online to discuss

current affairs issues in a friendly and collegial manner.

Moderator Zach Teich provides a topic list drawn from

the week’s news and serves as ‘trafc cop’ for the

freewheeling discussion. All opinions are welcome;

the only rules are to be courteous and to allow the

moderator to call on those who raise their hands to

speak.

Board Game Club

Biweekly on Mondays

10:00—12:00, Jun. 24—Jul. 22

Biweekly on Wednesdays

10:00—12:00, Jun. 12, Aug. 21

Fairfax

Coordinator:

Tim Harwarth [email protected]

Playing board games can reduce stress, boost brain

power, and protect against dementia. Do you like

playing board games? Would you like to learn and play

new games with your fellow OLLI members? If so, this

is the club for you. The Board Game Club meets in the

morning between terms and in the summer, and in the

afternoon during the other terms. Sign up for the club

via the member portal in order to receive information

on our schedule.

Bridge Club

Mondays

10:00—12:00, Jun. 3—July 29, Aug. 19—26

Fairfax

Coordinators:

Carol Egan [email protected]

or 703-501-2129

Carol McManus vmk[email protected]

or 703-344-1326

Players of all skill levels are welcome. Partnerships are

rotated every four hands. The Bridge Club meets in the

morning between terms and in the summer, and in the

afternoon during the other terms. For details on the

club’s rules and bidding system, see its web page on

the OLLI website. Sign up for the club via the member

portal in order to receive any updates to our schedule.

Chair Yoga Club

Tuesdays, between terms

2:00—3:00, June 4—18, Aug. 6—27

Thursdays, between terms

3:00—4:00, June 6—20, Aug. 8—29

Zoom

Coordinator:

Kathryn Russell [email protected]

Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that utilizes yoga,

stretching, and breathing exercises. Meetings will also

include mind and body relaxation and meditation.

Equipment will be used to go deeper into our stretches.

Please be prepared with the following recommended

equipment or a similar substitute: yoga blocks,

yoga TheraBand straps or bands, light weights (2-3

lbs.), paper plates, and a tennis ball. We will discuss

equipment in class.

Classic Literature Club

Fridays

No meetings during summer term

Zoom

Coordinator:

Bob Zener

This club was formed to read and discuss classic works

of world literature, frequently with the help of recorded

lectures where available. Members choose the works to

be discussed. In the past we have read works such as

Melville’s Moby Dick, Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, Faulkner’s

Absalom Absalom, Morrison’s Beloved, Ellison’s Invisible

Man, and short stories of John Updike and Flannery

O’Connor.

Cooking Club

Second Friday of the Month

11:30—1:00, Jun. 14, Jul. 12, Aug. 9

Coordinator:

Colleen Tuddenham [email protected]

This club is for OLLI members who enjoy preparing

food and sharing homemade dishes in a small group

setting. If this appeals to you, please contact Colleen

Tuddenham for more information. Sign up for the club

via the member portal in order to receive information

on our schedule.

Clubs

Crafts and Conversations Club

Fridays

9:30—11:00, Jun. 7—Aug. 2; Aug. 23-30

Fairfax, hybrid

9:30—11:00, Aug. 9—16

Zoom

Coordinators:

[email protected]

Doris Bloch

Joanne Fitzge rald

fj oanne20 19@gmail.com

We meet to work on our craft projects and to share

product sources, expertise, and inspiration. Our

ongoing conversations encourage camaraderie, and a

group setting motivates us to progress with our current

projects. Interested OLLI members are invited to join

us any time to see what we are creating. All crafts are

welcomed! For more information, check out the Craft

and Conversation blog on OLLI’s website or contact

Doris Bloch or Joanne Fitzgerald.

Dabbling Artists Club

Zoom

Coordinator:

Chris Narbut nickelpick[email protected]

Come meet and work alongside fellow OLLI members

who dabble in sketching, charcoal, pastels, pencils,

ink, and watercolor painting. While not an instructive

class, all artists are encouraged to share their talents

and feedback. Provide your own materials and the

picture or sketch you plan to work on each week. There

will be plenty of advisory conversations available. If

you have some experience with the visual arts, or if

you last picked up a pastel or brush in high school,

maybe you’re ready to do it again! Artistic talent is not

required, just a desire to create and have fun and share

your creative joy. Meeting dates and times are to be

determined; sign up on the member portal to receive

schedule updates.

Dirty Knee Club

As possible during term; watch your email for

updates; watch E-news for announcements

Fairfax

Coordinator:

Vince Modugno [email protected]

The OLLI Landscaping Committee, fondly known as

the Dirty Knee Club, creates, plants, and maintains

the gardens at Tallwood. Gardening expertise is

not required, but a willingness to get dirty knees is!

Meetings and group work sessions will be set up on

an as needed basis. From late spring to early fall,

DKC members take turns watering, weeding, and

maintaining the gardens during the growing season,

depending on members’ availability.

Ethnic Eats Club

In person luncheons each month, dates TBD

Virtual dinner meeting on Zoom

Thursday, every four weeks

6:00—7:00, Jun. 27, Jul. 25, Aug. 22

Coordinator:

Leti Labell [email protected]

Do you love to eat? Are you interested in learning

about foods from other cultures? Then this is the club

for you. Northern Virginia has an abundance of ethnic

restaurants. Each month a club member identies a

potential restaurant for an in-person lunch, makes sure

it meets our requirements, and makes all arrangements

with the restaurant. We have two luncheons at the

selected restaurant, usually one on Saturday and one

on a weekday. During the Covid pandemic, we started

having virtual dinner parties, where we each ordered

takeout ethnic food from a nearby restaurant and

eat together on Zoom. We will continue these virtual

dinners for as long as members are interested. If this

sounds like your cup of tea (or chai or tè or té or thé),

contact Leti Labell.

Family History/Genealogy Club

Biweekly on Mondays

4:00—5:30, Jun. 3—Aug. 26

Zoom

Coordinators:

Michael Mason [email protected]

Lea Edwards Lea-edwar[email protected]

Have you always wanted to know more about your

family’s past but don’t have a clue about how to

get started? Do you enjoy researching your family’s

ancestors and discovering new facts about their lives

but often become frustrated when you can’t nd

important information or documents? Do you have

Future Course Proposal

Due Dates

**Please note that course proposals are due

approximately 6 months before the start of each term

due to catalog production deadlines.

Fall 2024:

September 23 – November 15, 2024

(Proposal due date: April 8, 2024)

Winter 2025:

January 21 – February 14, 2025

(Proposal due date: July 25, 2024)

Spring 2025:

March 24 – May 14, 2025

(Proposal due date: October 7, 2024)

Course Proposal Form:

https://olli.gmu.edu/olli-course-proposal-form/

a fascinating story from your family’s history that you

would like to put into a readable format that you can

share with others? If you answered yes to any of these

questions, you are welcome to join the Family History/

Genealogy Club. The club meets every two weeks in

an interactive format to discuss a range of topics such

as the most efcient way to access the huge amount

of records on the internet, how to read census and

vital records accurately, and how to use DNA data

to help ll out your family tree. All knowledge levels

are welcome. Sign up for the club through the OLLI

member portal. If you have questions, contact

Michael Mason or Lea Edwards.

History Club

Wednesday

No meetings during summer term

Zoom

Coordinator:

Doug Snoeyenbos [email protected]

or 703-862-2311

We welcome all OLLI members who are interested

in discussing historical events or sharing reviews

of history articles and books. Our meetings feature

speakers who give presentations on a variety of

historical subjects, ranging from early American and

European history to the present. There is always time

for questions and spirited discussions. For more

information about the History Club, contact Doug

Snoeyenbos.

Homer, etc.

Fridays

11:00-12:30, Jun. 7—Aug. 30

Zoom

Coordinator:

Donna Osthaus [email protected]

Reading the classics aloud with friends and sharing

observations bring the classics to life in a special way.

We are currently reading Graham Greene’s The Power

and the Glory, and we welcome new readers.

Mah Jongg Club

Fairfax:

Fridays

9:30—11:30, Jun. 7, Jun. 21, Jul. 5, Jul. 19, Aug. 2, Aug. 23

Zoom:

Wednesdays

4:00—6:00, Jun. 12, Jun. 26, Jul. 10, Jul. 24, Aug. 7, Aug. 28

Coordinator:

Debby Mossburg debby[email protected]

Please come join us to socialize and play some friendly

games of Mah Jongg, no matter what your level of

experience. Not only does Mah Jongg sharpen memory,

concentration, and decision-making skills, this engaging

game of strategy and luck is an excellent source of

camaraderie and fun. If you have never played before, we

recommend joining us in person rather than online. For

more information about the club, the game, and/or how

to sign up for the on-line platform we use to play during

our online sessions, contact the club coordinator, Debby

Mossburg.

Memoir—and More—Writing Group

Biweekly on Wednesdays

2:00-4:30, Jun. 12, Jun. 26, Jul. 10, Jul. 24, Aug. 7,

Aug. 21

Zoom

Coordinators:

Carolyn F. Wyatt cfwya[email protected]

Margie Wildblood [email protected]

Limit: 12

We meet every other week during most of the year.

In addition to memoir, we write ction, poetry, and

personal essays. At our meetings we gently critique

each other’s work with the aim of improving our

writing skills. Writing groups need to be small, so

we regrettably have to limit numbers. Please contact

Carolyn to learn if space is available.

OLLI Walk & Talk Club

Weekly/Biweekly Start times are between

8:00am—2:00pm, depending on weather conditions

Fairfax County trails and neighborhoods

Coordinators:

Marilyn Harriman [email protected]

Bob Heyer [email protected]

Do you enjoy getting out in the fresh air, exploring

trails in the area, and talking with new and old friends?

Then join us for weekly/biweekly walks throughout the

year. Fairfax County has many exciting park trails and

neighborhoods that we will discover. Club walks begin

between 8 AM and 2 PM, depending on temperature

and weather conditions, generally starting earlier in

warmer weather and later in colder weather. Each walk is

Clubs

Need Additional Help

with Zoom?

OLLI Mason has Help pages that will

point you in the right direction:

The P

otomac Area Technology and

Computer Society (PATACS) has plenty

of helpful information for all devices:

https://www

.patacs.org/zoom.html

Visit the OLLI website at:

tps://olli

.gmu.edu/online-classes-resources/

Or you can email the OLLI Help Desk at:

ollizoomhelp@olligmu

.org

Clubs

45-75 minutes, with an optional after-meet-up at a coffee/

tea/eatery shop. Come walk or lead a walk around Fairfax

trails and neighborhoods! Club co-chairs send advance

announcements about upcoming walks, including

location directions, dates, and times. All walkers must be

registered to participate. Register with the club through

the OLLI member portal to receive walk schedule

information.

Personal Computer User Group

Third Saturday of the month

1:00–3:30, Jun. 15, Jul. 20, Aug. 17

Fairfax, hybrid

Coordinators:

Bob Heyer [email protected]

Leti Labell [email protected]

In partnership with the Potomac Area Technology and

Computer Society (PATACS), the OLLI PC User Group

(OPCUG) focuses on Windows and Mac computers

and software for enhancing our lives. Members and

presenters also discuss smartphone and tablet apps

across Android and iDevices, the Internet, Zoom and

other classroom software, digital photography, related

technology, and open-source software. Our aim is to

bring broad expertise about technology and topics

of interest to attendees. PC clinics for members are

offered twice yearly. Our target audience encompasses

all computer users, from complete beginners to

intermediate amateurs to experts. Our motto is “users

helping users.” Club dues (currently $5 per year) are

payable at the rst meeting attended in each calendar

year. Dues-paying members can attend monthly sessions

or view monthly sessions online via the Zoom cloud

meeting service, on a variety of devices from home, or

anywhere with an internet connection. More details are

available on the group’s website: http://olligmu.org/

opcug/index.html.

Photography Club

Second Fridays

9:30-11:30, Jun. 14, Jul. 12, Aug. 9

Zoom

Fourth Fridays

12:00–2:00, Jun. 28, Jul. 26. Aug. 23

Fairfax, hybrid

Coordinators:

John Olsen [email protected]

Ed Marion [email protected]

Meet with enthusiasts and others interested in

photography and develop skills by participating

in theme-based monthly photo submissions. The

Photography Club welcomes all members, regardless

of skill level or your phone/camera choice. We discuss

both the technology of photography and the artistic

aspect of visual design. We usually have guest speakers

on the second Friday of each month, and on the fourth

Friday of each month we hold discussions covering

specic topics in detail. We also regularly plan eld

trips in the local area, often on the third Friday of each

month. Contact John Olsen or Ed Marion for further

information.

Poetry Reading Club

Generally every other Monday–between terms

11:00—12:30, Jun. 3, Jun. 17, Aug. 5, Aug. 19

Zoom

Coordinator:

Susan Rexroad susan@susanrexroad.com

Limit: 20

The Poetry Reading Club provides the opportunity for

members to read the works of a favorite poet and to

learn about poems of interest to fellow club members.

Bring a poem to read that intrigues you. We’ll discuss

why and how these poems engage or even elude us.

Poetry Writing Club

Meets sporadically on Mondays

11:00-12:30, Jun. 10, Aug. 12

Zoom

Coordinators:

Susan Rexroad susan@susanrexroad.com

Margie Wildblood [email protected]

Limit: 12

During our time together, a presentation including the

reading of poetry by a specic poet or about a poetic

subject will be given along with a writing prompt.

Participants will have time to craft a poem in response and

share their work.

Reston Book Club

No meetings during summer term

Zoom

Coordinators:

Karen Schneider [email protected]

Joann Sokol [email protected]

The Reston Book Club focuses on literary ction, often

major book prize winners or nominees and sometimes

ction in translation. The group chooses to remain on

Zoom to allow OLLI members from all over to join in the

discussions.

Spanish Club

Fairfax:

Second and fourth Fridays-in term

10:00—11:30, Jun. 28, Jul. 12, Jul. 26

Zoom:

First and third Wednesdays-in and out of term

4:00—5:30, Jun.5, Jun. 19, Jul. 3, Jul. 17, Aug. 7, Aug. 21

Coordinator:

Mark Ramage markramage@cox.net

This club is for anyone with some knowledge of Spanish

(advanced beginner up through intermediate level),

but not uent. Since members have a wide range of

backgrounds in Spanish, this is not a “Spanish only”

club. Activities or presentations in Spanish are also

Clubs

presented in English, or translated to English as a

group activity. Some typical activities might include

reading through a short article as a group, practicing/

reviewing some grammar topics, working on Spanish

pronunciation, watching a Spanish language video (with

English subtitles), and sharing information on websites

or other resources useful for learning or improving your

Spanish.

Tai Chi Club

Tuesdays, 4:30—5:30, Jun. 4—Aug. 27

Thursdays, 4:30—5:30, Jun. 6—Aug. 29

Saturdays, 10:30—11:30, Jun. 1—Aug. 31

Zoom

Coordinators:

Russell Stone [email protected]

703-201-8536

Cathey Parker [email protected]

703 455-5340

Bonnie Nelson [email protected]

703-507-1055

Sid Koslow sidk[email protected]

703-256-6343

The Tai Chi Club meets year-round and is open to all

OLLI members. It is led by instructor Jerry Cheng, who

started his martial arts training when he was six years

old in China. He has studied under several famous

Chinese martial arts masters and has taught Chen-style

Tai Chi for many years. He won four gold medals at the

1997 Atlanta International Martial Arts Championship.

Be sure to register for the Tai Chi Club each term

in order to receive email messages when there are

changes.

Tallwood Book Club

Mondays

10:00—11:30, Jun. 10, Jul. 8, Aug. 19

Fairfax

Coordinator:

Betty Ellerbee [email protected]

Please consult the OLLI E-news for updates on book selections.

The Investment Forum

Wednesdays

10:30—12:00, Jun. 5—12, Aug. 21—28

Fairfax, hybrid

Moderators:

Bob Baker [email protected]

Al Smuzynski [email protected]

The Investment Forum, which has been meeting

continuously since 1995, addresses investment topics

of particular interest to retirees. A weekly agenda is

distributed, and sessions begin with an open discussion

of recent events in the economy and the nancial

markets, and their impact on investment decisions.

Member presentations and discussions typically

include such topics as: recent market indicators, stocks,

bonds, funds, real estate investment trusts, options,

commodities, sector allocations, investment strategies,

and choosing nancial advisors. Investment trades are

collected each week from Forum members, and those

trades are discussed. The club meeting uses analyses

and data from the nancial press.

Theater Lovers’ Group

Fourth Wednesdays during term

4:00—5:30, Jun. 26, Jul. 24, Aug. 28

Zoom Meetings and In-person Theater Events

Coordinator:

Norma Jean Reck [email protected]

All OLLI members are invited to join The Theater

Lovers’ Group (TLG), which offers a wide variety of

theater events to enjoy year-round. We organize group

outings to attend performances (usually matinees) at

various theaters in the Virginia-Maryland-D.C. (DMV)

metropolitan area. Following each show, we go to a

nearby restaurant for an optional dinner where we can

socialize with fellow theater lovers. Guests are always

welcome at our outings. TLG meetings are being held

virtually during the months OLLI is in session. Programs

feature guest speakers from and about theater,

planning theater outings and programs, or a social

outing such as a luncheon. Member input is always

welcome. TLG also plans to take an overnight trip to

attend the Contemporary American Theater Festival

in Shepherdstown, W.Va. in July, and an overnight bus

trip to Broadway/NYC November 19 and 20, 2024.

We generally carpool and benet from group rates.

To become a TLG member, just go online to the

member portal to sign up or email the OLLI registrar

at ollir[email protected]. For more information, email

[email protected] and also look for TLG news and

theatrical events in OLLI’s E-News.

What’s in the Daily News Club

Mondays, between terms

9:30—11:00, Jun. 3—17, Aug. 5—26

Zoom

Moderators:

Dorsey Chescavage [email protected]

Dick Crawford dick.crawfor[email protected]

John Quinn [email protected]

Ann Smith [email protected]

Al Smuzynski [email protected]

Limit: 80

This is a weekly forum for thoughtful, forthright and

respectful exchange of information and opinions on

current world, US, and regional news. Club participants

bring to the table a wealth of knowledge and

experience in international affairs, government, industry,

education, economics, the military and other areas. The

discussion is always lively, and all participants have an

equal opportunity to comment.

OLLI Mason Resources

YouTube Channel

Share the OLLI Mason YouTube channel with everyone you know! Viewers can

sample some of our recorded classes to get a taste of OLLI Mason offerings.

https://www.youtube.com/@OLLIMason

Website

Visit the OLLI Mason website (olli.gmu.edu) for a wealth of information.

For example:

CATALOG

• Online version: olli.gmu.edu/current-catalog/

• Changes: olli.gmu.edu/cancelled-changed-courses/

• Add/drop: olli.gmu.edu/add_drop_form/

PLANNING RESOURCES

• For instructors: olli.gmu.edu/for-our-instructors/

• For program planners: olli.gmu.edu/program-planner-resources/

• Resources for online classes: olli.gmu.edu/online-classes-resources/

• Future term dates: olli.gmu.edu/future-term-dates/

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Clubs: olli.gmu.edu/olli-clubs-and-interest-groups/

• OLLI E-News: olli.gmu.edu/category/olli-e-news/

• Donate to OLLI Mason: olligmu.augusoft.net/, ‘Donate to OLLI’

Facebook Page

Connect with each other outside of classes and events, and stay up to date on

notifications for local events, some of which you can attend remotely since they are

offered in a hybrid format.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/olli.at.mason

Resources

Membership and Registration

Policies and Procedures

Two Types of OLLI Mason Membership

Memberships at OLLI Mason can be purchased at any

time during the year and are renewed on a rolling basis.

• Annual membership. Register for unlimited courses and

activities for four consecutive terms. You will be eligible for

a Mason ID card to receive certain university privileges and

discounts (see page ii). The cost is $450.

• Introductory membership. Register for unlimited courses

and activities for just one term, one time only. An introductory

membership is not available to former OLLI Mason members;

it is intended for new members who want to sample OLLI

Mason before committing to a full year. Introductory

members are not eligible for a Mason ID card or its privileges.

The onetime introductory membership is $150.

The term date on your catalog mailing label reects the

end of your current membership. If it is time to renew,

you may not be able to view classes or register on the

member portal until you purchase your membership

renewal.

Payment Options

• Online. You may join or renew online at olli.gmu.edu. Click

Join at the upper right corner of the home page. Credit

card or electronic check payment is required when joining/

renewing online.

• Paper Copy Registration Form. Using the registration

form to join or renew, payment can be made by check or

credit card. If paying by check, submit a separate check for

each unique expense (class fee, membership renewal, etc.)

The form can be dropped off or mailed to: Osher Lifelong

Learning Institute, 4210 Roberts Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032.

• Installments. OLLI Mason encourages members to pay in

full at time of registration. However, OLLI Mason offers a

payment plan of monthly or quarterly installments by credit

or debit card. Your application for the installment plan must

be lled out completely, mailed to the address on the form,

and approved each year before you can register for courses

or activities. For security reasons, we cannot accept the form

by email. Installment applications are available on the OLLI

Mason website at https://olli.gmu.edu/installment-plans/.

• Financial Assistance. OLLI Mason offers nancial assistance

for members or prospective members who nd it a hardship

to pay the full membership fee. Email the registrar

([email protected]) to request an application.

All inquiries are kept condential.

Refunds

Members may only obtain a full refund of their

membership fees by applying in writing to the

executive director before the beginning of the third

week of classes in the rst term after enrollment or

re-enrollment. We cannot honor proration or refund

requests after this deadline.

Prospective Members

Not ready to commit? Prospective members may

experience OLLI Mason by sampling one or more classes

during any consecutive two weeks of a term, provided

the course is not oversubscribed. Check with the registrar

at [email protected] before attending a class.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

• Online. You may register for OLLI Mason courses online at

olli.gmu.edu. Click Sign In at the upper right hand corner of

the home page.

• Mail-In Registration Form. You may also register for courses

using the registration form. The form can be dropped off or

mailed to: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, 4210 Roberts Rd,

Fairfax, VA 22032.

**Emailed registration forms will not be accepted. **

** Special **

Summer 2024 Promotion!

OLLI Mason is offering a low fee of $300 for those new

to OLLI Mason who purchase an annual membership.

(Available as a one-time discount to those who have never been

OLLI Mason members, are returning to OLLI Mason after a hiatus

of more than one year, or have previously been introductory

members and have not converted to an annual membership).

** Special **

George Mason and Northern Virginia

Public School Retirees!

OLLI Mason is offering a one-time annual membership

discount of $150, which may be applied to the special

$300 promotion. George Mason and Northern Virginia

Public School retirees who have not previously joined OLLI

Mason may receive an annual membership for just $150.

Membership and Registration, Continued

When to Register

• Members are encouraged to register for courses and events

as soon as registration opens (the registration start date is

listed on the front and back cover of the catalog and on page

ii). Requesting classes early after registration opens offers

registrants the best chance to gain access to classes they

most desire.

• When you register, you must click Request Class or Add to

Cart. See the instructions below.

• To complete your registration, you must assign a priority

to each course —the order of their importance to you. To

prioritize classes or to see what you have requested, click

Prioritize/Finalize on the left side toolbar of the member

portal.

• Members are placed in courses based on the priority number

they assign to their requests.

• If course enrollment reaches capacity, those who have

designated that course as priority one will get in rst, then the

priority twos, and so on.

• In addition, a random number is assigned by the registration

system to each course request. If all members of a priority

group cannot be included in the course, those with the

lower random numbers will be admitted into the course

rst. Therefore, requesting a course does not guarantee

enrollment.

Ongoing Registration

Ongoing registration continues throughout the term.

You may still register for courses, but you will be placed

into them on a space-available basis after the class

assignment process has occurred (about two weeks

before term). After the class assignment process occurs,

you will be prompted to “place in cart” rather than

“request a course” when registering; the option to

prioritize classes will no longer appear.

Request Class vs. Add to Cart

• Request Class is the link you click when you are registering

for a course. These require a priority assignment by you.

• Add to Cart is the link you click when you are registering for

courses or events in which you are immediately enrolled or

which are designated in the catalog as rst-come, rst-served.

This includes all clubs. All Add to Cart courses and events are

clearly indicated throughout the catalog with the following

shopping cart icon:

• If there is a fee associated with these offerings, they will also

be clearly marked with a shopping cart followed by a dollar

sign:

Payment for these courses and special events with fees must

be made at the time of registration.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: You are urged to register early for

Add to Cart offerings. These popular offerings can ll

up quickly, even as early as the rst day of registration.

Early registration will increase your chances for

enrollment.

• Please remember to go to View Cart and Check Out to

complete enrollment before logging off the member portal.

Making Changes to Your Registration (Add/Drop)

• You may add courses at any time online through the member

portal.

• If you are unable to attend a course or event in which you

are enrolled, please drop the course or event as soon as

possible. You may drop courses by lling out the online form

at: https://olli.gmu.edu/add_drop_form or by emailing

[email protected].



You will receive email conrmations for your

enrollment in OLLI Mason classes per below. If you

want to see your enrollments thereafter, log in to the

member portal (olligmu.augusoft.net) and click

“current registrations.”

• Conrmation emails for Add to Cart classes will be sent

immediately after checkout.

• Conrmation emails for Requested Classes will be sent

once these classes are assigned (about 2 weeks before term).

At that time, you will receive a series of emails, including

notication of wait-listed courses.

•  They will include

any updates to courses, including changes in times or dates.

• If you do not have an email address on le, the conrmation

notes will be mailed to you.

• Event fees must be paid in full by all participants

regardless of any special transit, food, or other

arrangements. OLLI Mason cannot guarantee a refund

for courses or events once you have paid and are

enrolled. As such, please consider carefully before signing

up for offerings with fees.

Wait Lists

• OLLI Mason does everything possible to maximize

enrollment, including changing venues if necessary. If you do

not make it into a course, you will be wait-listed based on the

priority you assigned to the course.

• When someone drops a course, the OLLI Mason ofce will

contact members on the wait list until the vacancy is lled. In

most cases, the ofce will not leave a message.

)

❑ One year of unlimited courses at OLLI Mason.

(Oered to new, renewing, and previous members)

❑ One year of unlimited courses at OLLI Mason.

(Oered as a oneͲme discount to those new to OLLI Mason who have never been members, are returning

aer more than one year's hiatus, or were introductory members who haven't converted to annual members) 

❑ 

(Oered as a oneͲme discount to those who have never been an annual OLLI Mason member)

❑ One term of unlimited courses at OLLI Mason.

(Oered ONLY to new members, not renewing or previous members)

❑   

❑ Check if you want to be an anonymous donor.

❑ 

❑ Mail eGi Card code to recipient ❑ Email eGi Card code to recipient

Recipient’s name, address, email:

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

By signing this form, I agree to all OLLI Mason policies and procedures, and waive OLLI Mason liability for any bus trip or

oͲsite club acvity in which I parcipate:



  

❑







Dr. Mr. Mrs. Ms. (CIRCLE ONE) ______________________________________,_________________________, ______

LAST NAME FIRST NAME MI

Alternate First Name for Your Nametag (if dierent from above) ___________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________, ________________________, ____________, ________________

STREET   CITY STATE ZIPCODE

Phone ____________________ Cell ______________________ Email ________________________________________ 

Emergency Contact _______________________________ Relaonship ________________ Phone __________________

Preferred Member Portal User Name ______________________________ License Plate

# _________________________

 6 OR MORE CHARACTERS

Mason Alumnus? ❑ Yes ❑ No

❑ Fairfax ❑ Reston ❑ Loudoun ❑ Zoom (out of area)



❑

payable to  ❑

❑

(see page 22): must submit the form

found at: Ͳ

❑

and 

❑

I authorize OLLI Mason to charge my Credit Card account listed below:

❑

❑

❑

❑

❑

❑

❑





OLLI Mason Registration Form: Summer 2024

Drop off or mail completed form to:

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University,

4210 Roberts Rd, Fairfax, VA 22032

Date Received_______________________

Date Processed______________________

Dues Chk_________|_________CC______

Spec Chk_________|_________CC______

FOLLIChk_________|_________CC______

CC info destroyed

❑ Check box if you want to appear in the directory.

❑ Check box if you want to receive paper catalog mailings.

 

How Did You Learn About OLLI Mason?

❑ AARP ❑ Friend or family

❑ Ad or arcle ❑ Web search

❑ Bumper scker ❑

50+ Expo

❑ Catalog or yer ❑ Other learning org.

❑ Other_________________________







$_______

$_______





COURSES REQUIRING PRIORITIZATION

Please include the enre course number including the F, L, R, and/or Z.

See page 23 “Request Class” for instrucons.



Course Course Name

1st

priority



 

2nd

priority



 

3rd

priority



 

4th

priority



 

5th

priority



 

6th

priority



7th

priority



8th

priority



9th

priority



10th

priority



CLUB ENROLLMENT: List the clubs in which you wish to enroll. 

ADD TO CART/FIRSTͲCOME, FIRSTͲSERVED OFFERINGS

See page 23 “Add to Cart” for instructions. 

For offerings with fees, you must provide payment NOW. If paying by check, 

a separate check for each offering is required.

Select Activity Title Fee

1001

The Pentagon Memorial: It’s History and Meaning N/A

1002

George C. Marshall's International Center at Dodona Manor $10

1003

The Civil War, Off the Beaten Path: A Walking Tour of the Civil War Redoubt at GMU

N/A

1202

Picnic in the Park N/A

Friends of OLLI

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University

OSHER

LIFELONG

LEARNING

INSTITUTE

Contributions for January 1–DeCember 31, 2023

We thank the donors who have so generously given to the Friends of OLLI campaign. From January through December of 2023, 212

Friends of OLLI donated $47,396.09. As a donor, you are well aware that OLLI programs require funding over and above our usual income

streams in order to accommodate equipment updates, literary journals, outreach, landscape beautication, scholarships for Mason students

and so much more. OLLI relies on your dedication and support and we are grateful. As we look back at all we have accomplished together

in 2023, we proudly acknowledge the donors listed below:

Sustaining Members

$1000 and over

Bill & Helen Ackerman

Julia Adams

Robert Baker

Barbara Brehm

Garrett & Janet Cochran

Thomas Crooker

Stephen Greenhouse

Paul Howard

Ernestine Meyer

Alvin Smuzynski

Anonymous (1)

Benefactors

$500 to $1000

Toni & John Acton

James Anders

Peter Ansoff

Doris Bloch

Frank Graves

Paula Hummel

Robert Kelberg

& Gertrude Sherman

Lesley Kravitz

Carol McManus

Carolyn & Vince Modugno

Marlene & Ted Parker

Mary Petersen

Emily Roudebush

Moira McNamara Schoen

Charles & Moolan Silver

Rala & Russell Stone

Vivien Szu-Tu

Lowell Tonnessen

& Mary Lou Eng

Paul & Susan Van Hemel

Dick & Lillian Young

Patrons

$250 to $500

Diane Bierwirth

Brenda Bloch-Young

Kelly Bransome

Lillian Brooks

Dick & Brenda Cheadle

Dorsey Chescavage

Lynn Cline

Anthony DePersia

Deborah Engleson

Christi Fath

Donald & Lisa Ferrett

Camille Hodges

Barbara Keppel

Sidney Koslow

Paige Lowther

Charles Meyer

Debby & Thomas

Mossburg

Christine Narbut

Diane Rosacker

William & Jane Taylor

Yen Tra

Stephen & Linda Tracy

Ednamae & John Trevey

Tom Urman

Anonymous (2)

Supporters

$100 to $250

Florence Adler

Charles Allen

Joe Andricosky

Joan & Melvin Axilbund

Patricia Barbarowicz

Bonnie Becker

Richard Bell

Velma Berkey

Rhoda Berson

Sherri Berthrong

Thomas Brown

Sigrid & Walt Carlson

R. Pat Carroll

Emily Cato

James Coile

Carol Collier

Michael Cosgrove

& Christine Poston

Michael Custy

James & Suzanne Dann

Kevin Deasy

Bernard Doe

Julia Doherty

Louise Donargo

Arlene Edwards

Elizabeth Ellerbee

Judith Erickson

Margaret Fink

Carol & Michael Flicker

Janet Geffner

Karen Gentemann

Barrie Gillis

David Gundry

Ruth Hadley

Tom & Marilyn Hady

Richard Kelley

Robert Kessler

& Swanee Busic

Edward Koenigsberg

Barbara (Elaine) Leonard

Arthur Lerner

Judith Lucianovic

Joan Lunsford

David Martin

Susan McCloud

Margaret McLane

John Meier

Kathleen Miller

Jeffrey Milstein

Karen Murphy

Bonnie Nelson

Peg O’Brien

Robert Osterhout

Patty Paquin

Gary & Patricia Parish

Catherine Parker

Mary Paxton

Mary Powers-King

David Riso

Kathryn & Mel Russell

David Ryan

James Sanford

Judith Sapienza

Barbara Schell

Sally Sibley

Janet Silverberg

Patricia Simon

Marvin Singer

Ellen Smith

Jean & Kosmo Tatalias

Margaret Telesca

Joel & Elizabeth Ticknor

Charles Todaro

Rita Toscano

Karen Tovey

Dennis VanLangen

Robert Warakomsky

Robert & Charlene Ward

John Ware

Pho Weigel

Doris Weisman

Michael Whitehouse

D’Lane Wisner

Anonymous (3)

Donors

Up to $100

Ronald Allen

Kimberly Appich

Kathy Barnard

Don Budowsky

Sally Burdick

Deborah Burke

Virginia Clark

Kenneth Cohn

Lillie Ann Cooney

Kathleen Cox

Roger Glaes

Janine Greenwood

Robert Heyer

Claudia Jadrijevic

Robbie Kaplan

Julie Keenan

Phyllis Krochmal

Paulette Lichtman-Panzer

Sally Mannion

Jim McGinn

Harold Moses

Pat Pelszynski

Anne Pilcher

Frederick Rexroad

Lynn Rhoads

Michele Romano

Jack Roney

Edward Sadtler

Dean Salpini

Doreen Sanborn

Sharyn Stahl

Sharon Swan

Stephanie Trachtenberg

Marlene Villiger

Mark Weinstein

Andrew Werthmann

Special Contributors

AmazonSmile Foundation

Fidelity Charitable

OPCUG

Potomac Area Technology

& Computer Society

Schwab Charitable

In Memory or Honor Of

Pamela Cooper-Smuzynski

Jim Dunphy

Barbara Gillis

David Heymsfeld

Julie & Michael McNamara

Kay Menchel

Summer 2024 Schedule

Fairfax

Number of sessions are shown in parentheses.

Bolded classes have unusual dates, locations, and/or times.

TIME Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Week 1 25-Jun 26-Jun 27-Jun 28-Jun

9:40-11:05

F403/403Z Evelina (4) F602 Lessons from Biblical Wisdom (4) F652 Second Amendment (1)

F806/806Z Cuba Medicine

F801 Big Bang Theory (4) F802 Low Vision Loss (1) F805 Hearing Aids (1)

11:00-12:25

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F402/402Z Lucy Gayheart (1) F301/301Z Pentagon Memorial (1) F302 Ulysses Grant (5)

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6)

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

Week 2 2-Jul 3-Jul 4-Jul

9:40–11:05

F403/403Z Evelina (4) F602 Lessons from Biblical Wisdom (4)

INDEPENDENCE DAY

F801 Big Bang Theory (4)

OLLI Mason Offices

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6)

are CLOSED for the

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) F702/702Z Strategic Competition (1)

Federal Holiday

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

Week 3 9-Jul 10-Jul 11-Jul 12-Jul

9:40–11:05

F403/403Z Evelina (4) F602 Lessons from Biblical Wisdom (4) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

1002 Dodona Manor

F801 Big Bang Theory (4) F807/807Z Cannabis (1) F603 Themes of the Bible (4)

10:00-11:30

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) F703 Protect Yourself from Fraud (1) F302 Ulysses Grant (5)

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

Week 4 16-Jul 17-Jul 18-Jul 19-Jul

9:40–11:05

F403/403Z Evelina (4) F602 Lessons from Biblical Wisdom (4) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F801 Big Bang Theory (4) F808/808Z Donate Life (1) F603 Themes of the Bible (4)

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6)

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

F302 Ulysses Grant (5)

Week 5 23-Jul 24-Jul 25-Jul 26-Jul

9:40–11:05

F604 Simon Bar Jonah (2) F305/305Z History's Hoaxes (2) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F704 Prep for Climate Change (2) F408/408Z Science & Fiction (1) F603 Themes of the Bible (4)

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

1003 Civil War at GMU

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6)

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

F302 Ulysses Grant (5)

1:00-2:30

Week 6 30-Jul 31-Jul 1-Aug 2-Aug

9:40–11:05

F604 Simon Bar Jonah (2) F305/305Z History's Hoaxes (2) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F704 Prep for Climate Change (2) F655/655Z Constituents Participate (1) F603 Themes of the Bible (4)

11:50–1:15

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) F409 Breakfast at Tiffany's (1) F302 Ulysses Grant (5)

F803 Sustainable Food Production (6)

Sat. June 29, 10:00-11:00

1001 Pentagon Memorial (1)

Thur. Jun. 20, 11:00-1:00

1202 Picnic in the Park (1)

Fri. Jun. 21, 11:00-12:25

1201/1201Z The National

Portrait Gallery Exhibition:

America's Presidents (1)

Thur. July 11-25, 11:50-1:15

In Loudoun

L658 TED Talk Discussion Group (3)

Summer 2024 Schedule

Fairfax

(Week 1 — Week 6)

Thur. Jun. 20, 11:00–1:00

1202 Picnic in the Park (1)

Sat. Jun. 29, 10:00–11:00

1001 Pentagon Memorial (1)

Fri. Jun. 21, 11:00–12:25

1201/1201Z The National

Portrait Gallery Exhibition:

America’s Presidents (1)

Thur. July 11-25, 11:50–1:15



In Loudoun

L658 TED Talk Discussion

Group (3)

Number of sessions are shown in parentheses

Bolded classes have unusual dates and/or times

Fri. June 28, 11:00-12:25

F806/806Z Cuba Medicine (1)

Tue. June 25-July 30, 2:00-3:00

(no class July 4)

Thu. June 27-Aug. 1, 3:00-4:00

F813Z Chair Yoga and Meditation (11)

Number of sessions are shown in parentheses.

Bolded classes have unusual dates, locations, and/or times.

TIME Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Week 1 24-Jun 25-Jun 26-Jun 27-Jun

9:40–11:05

F201Z Investing in Retirement (3) F102Z Paleoithic Art (1) F501Z Intermediate Spanish (5)

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6) F202Z Investing Potpourri (3)

F405Z Women’s Detectives (6)

F804Z Plant-Power Activity (1)

F701Z Daily News (6)

F403/403Z Evelina (4)

9:30-11:00

L811Z Electronic Surveillance (3)

11:50–1:15

F101Z History of Self Portraits (4)

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F402/402Z Lucy Gayheart (1)

R410Z Literary Roundtable (6)

F406Z Movie of the Week (5)

F601Z Bible Curses Blessings (3) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) R705Z What's Happening (5)

F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6)

Week 2 1-Jul 2-Jul 3-Jul 4-Jul

9:40–11:05

F201Z Investing in Retirement (3) F202Z Investing Potpourri (3) F405Z Women’s Detectives (6)

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6) F40X/40XZ Evelina (4)

F701Z Daily News (6)

L811Z Electronic Surveillance (3)

INDEPENDENCE DAY

9:30-11:00

OLLI Mason Offices

11:50–1:15

F101Z History of Self Portraits (4)

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6)

are CLOSED for the

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) R410Z Literary Roundtable (6)

Federal Holiday

F601Z Bible Curses Blessings (3) F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6) F702/702Z Strategic Competition (1)

Week 3 8-Jul 9-Jul 10-Jul 11-Jul

9:40–11:05

F201Z Investing in Retirement (3) F202Z Investing Potpourri (3) F405Z Women’s Detectives (6) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6) F40X/40XZ Evelina (4) F807/807Z Cannabis (1) F501Z Intermediate Spanish (5)

F701Z Daily News (6)

F653Z Gender Identity (1) L812Z Life on Earth (4)

9:30-11:00

L811Z Electronic Surveillance (3)

11:50–1:15

F101Z History of Self Portraits (4)

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) R410Z Literary Roundtable (6) F406Z Movie of the Week (5)

F601Z Bible Curses Blessings (3) F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6) R705Z What's Happening (5)

Week 4 15-Jul 16-Jul 17-Jul 18-Jul

9:40–11:05

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6)

F304Z Secrets of WWII (3) F405Z Women’s Detectives (6) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F701Z Daily News (6)

F40X/40XZ Evelina (4) F808/808Z Donate Life (1) F501Z Intermediate Spanish (5)

9:30-11:00

L812Z Life on Earth (4)

11:50–1:15

F101Z History of Self Portraits (4)

F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F303Z D-Day 80 Years Later (2) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) R410Z Literary Roundtable (6) F406Z Movie of the Week (5)

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6) F411Z Unlocking Memory (1) R705Z What's Happening (5)

Week 5 22-Jul 23-Jul 24-Jul 25-Jul

9:40–11:05

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6)

F304Z Secrets of WWII (3) F305/305Z History's Hoaxes (2) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F701Z Daily News (6)

F809Z Chesapeake Bay (1) F405Z Women’s Detectives (6) F501Z Intermediate Spanish (5)

9:30-11:00

F408/408Z Science & Fiction (1) L812Z Life on Earth (4)

11:50–1:15

F303Z D-Day 80 Years Later (2) F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) F306Z Moving Forward (2) F406Z Movie of the Week (5)

F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6) R410Z Literary Roundtable (6) R705Z What's Happening (5)

Week 6 29-Jul 30-Jul 31-Jul 1-Aug

9:40–11:05

R657Z Big Issues, Challenges (6)

F304Z Secrets of WWII (3) F305/305Z History's Hoaxes (2) F407/407Z Capote's Works (4)

F701Z Daily News (6)

F654Z History of the Family (1) F405Z Women’s Detectives (6) F501Z Intermediate Spanish (5)

9:30-11:00

F655/655Z Constituents L812Z Life on Earth (4)

Participate (1)

11:50–1:15

F401Z Wonder Woman (6) F203/203Z Economic Events (6) F204/204Z Investment Forum (6) F103/103Z Dabbling Artists (5)

L656Z Border Search Authority(1) F404/404Z Poetry Workshop (6) F306Z Moving Forward (2) F406Z Movie of the Week (5)

F810Z Life of Owls (1) F651Z Future of Psychoanalysis (6) R410Z Literary Roundtable (6) R705Z What's Happening (5)

Summer 2024 Schedule

Zoom

F301/301Z Pentagon Memorial (1)

Summer 2024 Schedule

Zoom

(Week 1 — Week 6)

Tuesday June 25–July 30, 2:00–3:00

(no class July 4)

Thursday June 27–Aug. 1, 3:00–4:00

F813Z Chair Yoga and Meditation (11)

Friday June 28, 11:00–12:25

F806/806Z Cuba Medicine (1)

Number of sessions are shown in parentheses

Bolded classes have unusual dates and/or times

1. Reston Community

Center (RCC)

Lake Anne (1609

Washington Plaza,

North, Reston, VA

20190) is located

at the northern end

of Lake Anne off

North Shore Drive. If

using an electronic

map, set destination

as the Lake Anne

Mobil (11410 N.

Shore Drive, Reston,

VA 20190) across

the street from the

entrance to the Lake

Anne parking lot.

2. Reston Community

Center (RCC)

Hunters Woods is in

the Hunters Woods

Village Center. If

using an electronic

map, use the Ledo

Pizza address (2254

Hunters Woods Plaza,

Reston, VA 20191). A

walkway beside Ledo

Pizza leads to a plaza

and the community

center.

3. Fairfax – Tallwood

is located at 4210

Roberts Road,

Fairfax, VA 22032.

Roberts Road can be

accessed from Route

236 (Main Street)

or Braddock Road.

Additional parking

is available in the

swimming pool lot

next door.

Guide to In-Person Program Locations

Maps drawn by Dick Young

Clockwise from top right: Bluebird with Cherry Blossoms by Yen Tra;

Water Lillies by Christine Narbut; Blue Ridge by Elizabeth Reed;

Street Buildings by Jack Weyant

Artistic expression has the

power to transform emotions

and ideas into tangible forms,

whether through visual arts,

music, or writing.

OLLI Mason classes in the art, music,

literature, and theater categories,

along with trips to local museums and

theaters, give you the opportunity to

explore these different forms of art

and nurture your creativity. Creativity,

like any other skill, can be improved

over time through dedication and

effort. Nurturing creativity starts with

nding inspiration around you, as

evidenced by these original artwork

pieces by OLLI Mason members.

OLLI Mason

Artistic alent bounds

Stay Curious –

Learn Every Day

Summer 2024 Registration: Begins May 14 at 9 am and continues throughout the term

Term Dates

Summer 2024: June 24 – August 2

Fall 2024: September 23 – November 15

Winter 2025: January 21 – February 14

Spring 2025: March 24 – May 16

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

4210 Roberts Road

Fairfax, VA 22032

olli.gmu.edu

PLEASE DELIVER BY MAY 6, 2024