Study Groups

Study Groups - 2016/2017 Archives

SUMMER 2016
Study Group Descriptions

Mondays:

Let’s Play Scrabble

This is a continuation of the Scrabble group that started at OLLI in the spring. Any skill level may join the group for practice and learning by playing the game of Scrabble with others in the group. Participants share strategies and tips for improving game scores, resource materials and opportunities for competitive play. There will be a brief orientation at the first meeting for new players. The group plans to play one or two games at each session.

New and returning players are welcome.

Facilitators: Darlene Kloeppel and Lana Wegeng both participated in the previous Scrabble study group. They enjoyed it so much they decided to lead it this session.

Tuesdays:

A Good Death? / Current Readings and Writing on the Art of Dying
Facilitator: Dirk Mol

Based on readings, shared watching of videos, and independent research by participants, we will talk about our experience, our expectations, and our hopes around the issues of death and dying.

There will also be opportunities to share short accounts of and observations on our own experiences in the realm of dying. Participants will be encouraged, but not required, to try their hand at writing and reading such accounts. This group is a repeat, not a continuation, of the previous study group.

July 5/Session 1: Dying, Death, and Grief: The Long Journey
July 12/Session 2: What we fear about Death: Death as the Enemy
July 19/Session 3: When Death is Welcome: Ending Suffering
July 26/Session 4: Dealing with the Body: Many Choices
August 2/Session 5: Final Resting Places
August 23/Session 6: The Good Death?
(August 30/Optional 7th session)

Reading from the following books will be made available in PDF form.
- Eve Joseph, In the Slender Margin
- Ann Neumann, The Good Death
- Paul Monette, Last Watch of the Night
- Margie Jenkins, You Only Die Once

Facilitator: In 45 years as an Episcopal priest and psychotherapist, Dirk Mol has spent many hours with people experiencing the reality of death. He believes that talking about that reality before we encounter it is invaluable if we are to navigate the process without being traumatized. Dirk is an experienced group facilitator and discussion leader including five prior OLLI study groups on topics centering on psychological themes.

An Evening’s Read: The Classic American Short Story
Facilitators: Linda S. Coleman and John Lansingh Bennett

This study group is a sampler of widely read and popular 19th-century American short stories: a macabre mystery by Edgar Allan Poe, an allegory by Nathaniel Hawthorne, New England tales by Harriet Beecher Stowe and Sarah Orne Jewett, a Southern romance by Grace King, a knee-thumping yarn by Mark Twain, and a gathering of stories by additional writers, some of whom you’ll know and others who may be new to you. No background in the short story or American literature is necessary to join what we know will be a convivial group of readers.
Reading materials: We will typically read a couple of stories a week from The Signet Classic Book of American Short Stories (Burton Raffel, editor; ISBN: 0451529634; ISBN13: 9780451529633), supplemented on occasion by an online reading. Study group members will want to obtain a copy of the book in order to make the most of their participation.

Facilitators: Professor Emerita of English and Women's Studies at Eastern Illinois University, Linda S. Coleman is one of the authors of Literature and the Writing Process. Semiretired, John Lansingh Bennett is a freelance editor and serves on the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s Faculty Advisory Council.

Wednesdays:

The New Yorker
Facilitators: Kathleen Holden and Marilyn Resch
The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. Participants are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.

Reading material: The New Yorker magazine
Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator. She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including the New Yorker.
Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.

Advanced Latin
Facilitator: Harold Diamond

Advanced Latin is a continuation of the Advanced Latin Study Group that has been meeting through OLLI for the past 3 years. Participants should have some prerequisite skills in the Latin language, e.g. some familiarity with grammar and vocabulary. Our meetings are lively and include discussions of historical and etymological topics. The Study Group will review material we have studied in Orberg's Lingua Latina Pars I (also used in Kay Neal's Latin classes), and we are continuing with Ecce Romani II-B.

The group organizer is Harold Diamond; all members of the group share in determining the path we follow.

Reading materials: Orbergʼs Lingua Latina Pars I, Familia Romana published by Domus Latina, MMX and Ecce Romani II-B (3rd ed.), Prentice Hall. It will also be useful to have a Latin grammar book and a Latin dictionary for this study group.

Facilitator: Harold Diamond had Latin in high school, attended Kay Nealʼs OLLI classes, and participates in the Advanced Latin Study Group.

Queen's Play
Facilitator: Sharon Michalove

The group will read book two of the Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett and look at the European political situation in the mid-sixteenth century while Mary Stuart, the future Queen of Scots, lived in France as child, married to the French dauphin.

“Second in the legendary Lymond Chronicles, Queen's Play follows Frances Crawford of Lymond who has been abruptly called into the service of Mary Queen of Scots. Though she is only a little girl, the Queen is already the object of malicious intrigues that extend from her native country to the court of France. It is to France that Lymond must travel, exercising his sword hand and his agile wit while also undertaking the most unlikely of masquerades, all to make sure that his charge's royal person stays intact."

Reading materials: The book Queen’s Play: Second in the Legendary Lymond Chronicles is available in paper, eBook, and audiobook. It may be available through the library. You may also want to check with second-hand booksellers for copies. The reading assignments will be by chapters, not page numbers.

Facilitator: Sharon Michalove has her Ph.D. in the history of education from the University of Illinois and taught in the UI History Department. Her specialty is late fifteenth and early sixteenth century history. She has taught several OLLI courses and has facilitated a variety of study groups.

Joss Whedon’s “Firefly”
Facilitator: Frank Chadwick

A television series called "Firefly" was broadcast for only three months in 2002 before being cancelled. Its release on DVD the following year caused an explosion of fan interest, which resulted in the follow-on theatrical release feature film "Serenity," games, graphic novels, and a cascade of awards and critical praise. Now-famous for its outstanding nine-member ensemble cast, terrific writing, and a blend of action, humor and philosophy, it has become arguably the most admired science fiction series in history. The study group will view all fourteen episodes (two per session) and the full-length theatrical film in the final session.

Facilitator: For most of his professional career Frank Chadwick has been a game designer and best-selling military writer, and became a successful science fiction novelist late in life. (It is never too late.) For the last four years he has facilitated the Writers’ Café at OLLI, taught the Writing the Novel class twice, and has led four previous film study groups.

Gotham Writers’ Workshop Short Story Discussion Group
Facilitator: Paula Watson

This is a four week study group based on Gotham Writers’ Workshop Fiction Gallery. Many readers frequently view contemporary short stories as either depressing or inaccessible (or both). The editors of this anthology of mainly modern stories make the extravagant claim that the general public will find “the very best examples of literary fiction” in this book both “gripping and entertaining.” They promise these stories will “hold you spellbound from first to last page, keep you turning pages all the way through and linger afterward in a way that makes you wish you had someone to discuss them with.” Be the judge.

Reading materials: The group will read and discuss selections from the anthology: Gotham Writers' Workshop Fiction Gallery: Exceptional Short Stories Selected by New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School (New York: Bloomsbury USA, 2004) ISBN 1582344620 (ISBN13: 9781582344621) Paperback, 368 pages

Facilitator: Paula Watson has led numerous OLLI short story discussion groups. She holds a Master’s degree in English literature.

Thursdays:

Time Magazine
Facilitator: John Moore

The group selects three articles from Time Magazine each week to discuss, with a volunteer leader for each article. We expect to focus on articles related to the presidential campaign during this study group session.

Facilitator: John Moore is an almost retired Allergist and Pediatrician. He is a long-time fan of Time and Newsweek.

Best American Mystery Stories of 2004
Facilitators: Ron Baker, Marne Helgesen and Tim Smith

We are continuing to read and discuss the “The Best American Mystery Stories” series. This session we will read stories in the 2004 volume, edited by Nelson DeMille. The paperback includes about 20 stories and was published on October 14, 2004.
Group members will be expected read and be ready to discuss to two to three stories, totaling approximately 40-60 pages, each week. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions. About this volume, the Amazon website says it “contains a spectacular array of stories by mystery veterans and talented newcomers. Follow a chain reaction that saves a woman’s life, visit a house haunted by a husband’s violent killing spree, enter the high-stakes world of Las Vegas gambling, watch the line between reality and dream blur, travel with a bored salesman driven to crime, and much more. Encompassing all aspects of the genre, this year’s selections are sure to quicken pulses, send chills down the spine, and keep readers continually guessing.”

Reading materials: “The Best American Mystery Stories 2004” editor, Nelson DeVille, series editor, Otto Penzler. It is available in both hard copy and audio versions.

Facilitators: Ron Baker is a retired Federal Human Resources Manager and OLLI member since 2013. He almost exclusively reads mystery stories and has been in several OLLI mystery story study groups. He co-facilitated Alfred Hitchcock's Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense during the summer 2015 study group session and the previous session, The Best American Mystery Stories of 2015.

Marne Helgesen has a Masters and PhD from the University of Illinois. She has been the director of two teaching centers, first at U of I and then at Purdue University. One of her favorite mystery series takes place in Anne Perry’s Victorian England.

Tim Smith has facilitated this group previously and adds the insights of and critical analysis gained from 40 years in the field of law and readings in all areas of history. Tim has teamed up to lead four previous mystery short story study groups, which have received excellent reviews.

Reading and Discussing The Economist
Facilitators: Gayle Goold & Peg Maher

The Economist is known for its well-written, informative, concise and thought-provoking reporting on international news including politics, economic developments, and current social and technological issues. The Economist, an English magazine, has been in publication since 1843. The reporting is currently from 196 countries, decidedly with an international flavor. The publication describes itself as a “product of Caledonian liberalism of Adam Smith and David Hume.” The circulation includes 4.5 million print subscribers and 2.8 million digital readers making it the most widely read magazine covering politics, economics, culture and general news around the world.

Participants will discuss selected articles, take turns at summarizing and leading the discussions, and add insights and information from personal experience and knowledge. Members will be asked on an alternating basis to volunteer to prepare a brief summary of the selected article and may augment with related material for the purpose of leading discussion among attendees. We aim to have active consideration and lively conversations about the world today. Come join us in reading and discussing world events as seen more broadly than from any other periodical being published today.

Reading Material: All participants will be expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally. Student subscription rate is available. An inquisitive interest in world affairs is encouraged.

Facilitators: Gayle Goold, retired farmer, construction business owner, first read The Economist when majoring in Economics and History at Cornell College class of ’69. He has continued reading the magazine (off and on) since then and considers it to be the most reliable information source available to “world” citizens today.
Peg Maher, Social Worker, retired after having had many casework and management positions in several organizations (family service, juvenile justice, mental health and child welfare) and in several states and returned to Champaign in 2015. During several previous years she participated in lively discussions of The Economist at Washington University Lifelong Learning Institute in St. Louis, Mo. She is a graduate from Ohio University and University of Pittsburgh.

What Might Have Been: Alternate Histories in Literature and History
Facilitator: Fred Christensen

"What if...?" Whether it's called alternate history, allohistory, or counterfactual history, informed speculation about "roads not taken" has always been popular. Writers as varied as Arnold Toynbee, Winston Churchill, Philip K. Dick, and Harry Turtledove have produced thought-provoking and entertaining examples: what if the South had won the Civil War, or Napoleon had escaped to America, or Booth had missed Lincoln, or Hannibal had destroyed Rome, or Hitler had won World War II....

The website "Uchronia" (www.uchronia.net) contains a comprehensive listing of these items. Some are frivolous, silly, or satirical; others are serious and very thought-provoking, and we'll focus on this category. In seven sessions, group members will discuss stories and essays by historians and writers of fiction, available as downloads on the OLLI website. Each session will focus on one or more "what-if" concepts. Interesting discussions are guaranteed!

Facilitator: Fred Christensen is a former history instructor at the University of Kentucky and assistant professor of military science at the University of Illinois. He teaches noncredit classes for OLLI, Parkland College, and other venues, in five areas of history and archaeology: Britain, Germany, early America, Israel/the Holy Land, and military history in general. He has facilitated many OLLI study groups, including this one.

Poetry Readings
Facilitators: Bill Breeding, Linda Coleman, Kendall Rafter, Claudia Reich, Joy Thornton-Walter, Helen Thursh

Poetry is best enjoyed among friends. Poems evoke feelings, meanings and experiences that are personal in nature; what moves you may not move me, what intrigues me may not intrigue you. And when we share our different responses to poems, we all gain a deeper understanding.
Every week we will read and discuss poems, from the classics to the modern. Selections will be chosen by consensus and we will draw on available free resources such as The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and other Internet sites. This Study Group as a communal endeavor, and we will share the responsibilities of proposing poems to read and facilitating discussions of them.

The naming of facilitators only reflects the necessity of providing channels of communication, but we stress that participation will require active engagement from everyone in the group.

Fridays:

Wikipedia: how it works and how it doesn't; how to use it and how to edit it
Facilitator: Charlie Boast

The "payoff" for members of this study group is to develop skills which enhance their use of Wikipedia and, better yet, enhance their ability to improve Wikipedia (via editing Wikipedia).

The study group will start with the basics of how Wikipedia works, including how one can navigate within Wikipedia. Members will learn how to create a user name for editing. Editing will start by fixing a simple "typo". By examining the complete history of edits for specific Wikipedia articles, members will begin to learn how the community of Wikipedia editors interacts.

Study group participants will learn how to create an editing "sandbox" (for practice edits). They will see how Wikipedia editors use automated computer programs (bots) in an attempt to maintain at least a minimal standard of uniformity across Wikipedia. They will learn about templates for efficient editing, and for communicating with other editors. They will begin to explore the vast Wikipedia "help" system, to learn more about Wikipedia features.

The strengths and weaknesses of Wikipedia will be explored through readings. Study group members will learn how to add links and references, how to create an article from scratch (including how to create an extremely simple article, a redirect). They will learn about how to incorporate pictures and tables in Wikipedia (including how to edit and correct tables). They will learn how the differences between American, British and other English-language variants are accommodated in the English-language Wikipedia, and about the availability of Wikipedia systems in other languages.

Many other Wikipedia issues and features could be explored, depending on time and participant interest.

Reading: Wikipedia, The Missing Manual John Broughton O'Reilly
The free, online, version is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Wikipedia:_The_Missing_Manual

Facilitator: Charlie Boast started editing Wikipedia articles in 2012, and has continued to do so sporadically since then, making almost 400 edits (about two per week) in a wide variety of areas, mostly fine arts and tennis. He consults Wikipedia almost daily, and often notices issues which be improved: sometimes ignoring the issues, sometimes fixing them, and sometimes spending sizable amounts of time learning about the inner workings of Wikipedia to make complicated corrections.

Writers’ Café
Facilitator: Frank Chadwick

Each week we meet to exchange news about writing in the Champaign-Urbana area, share a craft tip or exercise, and then (the main activity) read passages we’ve written and have the group critique them and make suggestions for improvement. We write all genres and forms: children’s stories, young adult, science fiction, historical fiction, memoir, poetry, song, travel – you name it. All levels of experience welcome. We all start somewhere, and the best place is in the company of those who are working toward the same goals.

Facilitator: Frank Chadwick is a published historian and novelist and his Desert Shield Fact Book reached number one on the New York Times bestseller list. He has facilitated several OLLI study groups and two OLLI courses on “Writing the Novel”.

Fall 2016 - 2017 OLLI Study Groups
November 7 – December 22, 2016
January 3 – January 13, 2017

Mondays:

10:00 – 11:30 am

What Is Islam, And What Do Muslims Believe?
Jaafar Dhahir

More than 1.6 billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe – from the southern Philippines to Nigeria – are united by their common Islamic faith. Islam is a cultural, religious and political system. All of Islam is based upon the Trilogy—Koran or Quran, Sira (Mohammed’s biography) and Hadith (his Traditions). There are thousands of books and articles talking about Islam and Muslims. Due to many reasons, in the west and specifically in the US, most people either don’t have clear picture about Islam and its principles, or they may have a distorted picture of this religion.

In this session we will try to give a true or unbiased picture about Islam and Muslims and we will discuss some topics about Islam including: what is Islam? Who are Muslims? Who is Muhammad (Muslim’s prophet)? What is the Quran (Sacred Muslims Book) and what is the Quran about? What is social relation in Islam?

Also, some specific topics will be discussed such as: What do Muslims think about Jesus and Mary (Jesus’ mother)? Does Islam tolerate other beliefs? The position of women in Islam and human rights in Islam. What are the roots of extremism in Islam? And what are the reasons behind extremists in the last several years? Overall, we will try to give good answers to all these questions.

Facilitator: Jaafar Dhahir received his Ph.D. in food science from Michigan State University in 1988 and worked as a visiting Research Associate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in MSU. He taught many courses in Nutrition and Foods and their relation to human health. He has facilitated three OLLI study groups pertaining to health and nutrition.

At age 15 Dr. Jaafar started to read about Islam and communicate with Muslims. During his life, he has read hundreds of books about Islam and its principles, the Quran and its interpretation, Mohammed and Mohammed companion history, Islamic states in the early years of Islam and many other Islam’s related books. Also he has attended thousands of lectures about Islam.
In the last 8 years, he was involved in the many social works through humanitarian organizations in Iraq including: management, lecturing in human rights, Islam principles, Islam and its role in human life, solving of social problems; also he has participated in many other social activities.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Math Shorts: A Potpourri of Math Topics to Stimulate, Excite and Deepen Your Interest in Math
Douglas Elrick

We will explore many different math topics. No advanced math skill is required, just an interest in how mathematics informs us about our world and how it works. The topics will include: number theory; geometry; arithmetic; elementary algebra, percent; statistics, game theory and math oddities.

Reading material:
The websites: Numberephile and Math is Fun
The books: (optional) Aha & Aha Gotcha by Martin Gardner and others

Facilitator: Douglas Elrick has taught mathematics for over 40 years and has always enjoyed the interaction with others on this topic. He has facilitated several OLLI study groups on this topic.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Homer’s Odyssey
Richard Meier

Following up a recent study group on the Iliad, we now plunge into the seas with wide-wandering Odysseus. The fabulous stories will give us much to talk about – such as returning and recovering from war, facing terror worse than battle, longing for spouse and home, and hospitality to strangers. We will read straight through the epic, probably three chapters each session.

Reading material:
We will use the translation by Robert Fagles, though members are welcome to bring whatever version they wish.

Facilitator: Richard Meier has degrees in philosophy and history. He first read the Odyssey during freshman year and has learned something new each time he returns to it.

3:30 – 5:00 pm

A History of 20th Century Continental Existentialism
Frank L. Hoss

The group will read and discuss the book At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being, and Apricot Cocktails by Sarah Bakewell. It is a recently published (2016) book on the history of existentialism in Europe. It describes the lives of Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone De Beauvoir, Albert Camus, Martin Heidegger and others, in the period of history before and after World War II. There are 14 chapters; the group will read and discuss two chapters per week. The discussion will be guided by questions and follow-up from Frank Hoss, as well as questions from the group.

Reading material:
Book At the Existentialist Café: Freedom, Being & Apricot Cocktails … by Sarah Bakewell, Other Press, 2016

Facilitator: Frank Hoss has graduate degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Classical Languages.

Tuesdays:

10:00 – 11:30 am

Paths to ABSOLUTE ABSTRACTION 1910-1925: Artists Who Revolutionized Modern Art
Sharon Williams

Up until the late 19th century, most Western painters and sculptors followed the traditional principles of Classical Realism taught by the Academies. Artists learned that art’s first duty was to provide a recognizable scene or object. In the quest for art that reflected the modern world, things began to change. The Impressionists, although their paintings portrayed the real world, began to remove details so that their work appeared to be unfinished. They were followed by other rebellious artists called Post-Impressionists, Fauvists, German Expressionists, and by the Cubists, who rejected the use of academic linear perspective to create the usual three-dimensional effect in a painting. Even the Cubists, however, retained objects from the real world in their paintings. Then about 1911, artists took a monumental step to non-objective art; Wassily Kandinsky is often cited as the first, but several other artists were right beside him, even changing the dates on their paintings to make it appear that they were first.

In this Study Group, we will look at the artists who sought to reach absolute abstraction. First, we will review the contributions made by late nineteenth artists to pave the way, with special emphasis on the Cubists. Then the paths to absolute abstraction will take us to different countries, varying philosophical views, and many styles, including Futurism, Vorticism, Orphism, Synchromism, Rayonism, Suprematism, Constructivism, De Stijl, Neo-Plasticism, and Elementarism. Our journey will end at the Bauhaus. Woven into this story is the impact of World War I, the Russian Revolution, spiritual beliefs, and artists’ desire to create a Utopian World.

Reading material:
Each week Sharon will post on the OLLI website readings and paintings, which will be the basis of that week’s discussion. Additional paintings, videos, with comments from art historians, and films will be used to add to the understanding of each week’s artists and topics.

Facilitator: Sharon Williams is a graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and a State of Illinois licensed Interior Designer who was co-owner of a furniture and design business for over 35 years. She has an interest in art and art history and hopes to share her knowledge and learn from other OLLI members. She is on the OLLI NEH Working Group and has participated in numerous study groups and courses. This is the ninth Art History Study Group she has facilitated.

10:00 – 11:30 am

The Disorderly Knights
Sharon Michalove

The group will read and discuss The Disorderly Knights by Dorothy Dunnett. The group will explore mid-sixteenth century European politics through the novel, concentrating on the struggle between the knights of St. John in Malta and the Ottoman Empire.

Reading material:
The book is available in print, e-Book, and audio book from Amazon and other vendors

Facilitator: Sharon Michalove has facilitated many study groups for OLLI. She is an historian specializing in Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century European history.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Poetry Reading
Bill Breeding, Linda Coleman, Kendall Rafter, Claudia Reich, Joy Thornton-Walter & Helen Thursh

Every week we will read and discuss poems, from the classics to the modern. Selections will be chosen by consensus and we will draw on available free resources such as The Poetry Foundation (www.poetryfoundation.org) and other Internet sites. This Study Group is a communal endeavor, and we will share the responsibilities of proposing poems to read and facilitating discussions of them.

The naming of facilitators only reflects the necessity of providing channels of communication, but we stress that participation will require active engagement from everyone in the group.

1:30 – 4:30 pm

If It Weren’t For The Music: Rock Music In Film
Tom Galer-Unti & Casey Sutherland

Can music be considered a character in a film? Would a particular film be more or perhaps less compelling with a different soundtrack? These will be some of the main themes we will explore in this study group that will focus on the general topic of rock music in film. We will present eight movies, including a filmed rock concert, a documentary, a satire, two biopics, and three dramatic fiction films.

The selected films are:

The Last Waltz (1978)
Once (2007)
Almost Famous (2000)
The Rose (1979)
Love & Mercy (2014)
The Rutles: All You Need Is Cash (1978)
Rudderless (2014)
20 Feet From Stardom (2013)

Facilitators: Tom Galer-Unti has co-facilitated five OLLI study groups and has taken numerous film classes and study groups. His most recent co-facilitation stint was “Dysfunctional Families in Film” which was offered in Spring 2016.

Casey Sutherland is a happily retired librarian who has previously co-facilitated two OLLI film study groups. She has participated in film study groups and film classes every term since joining OLLI in January 2014.

Wednesdays:

10:00 – 11:30 am

The New Yorker
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch

The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. The weekly selection of the articles is made by a consensus of the group. Members are encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during the session. When not leading the discussion, members are encouraged to participate in the discussions. Members are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.

Reading material:
The New Yorker magazine

Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator. She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including the New Yorker.

Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.

10:00 – 11:30 am

Keeping up with the Science Joneses: Readings in Science and Nature
Dirk Mol & Claudia Reich

This group will continue the discussions starting during the Fall of 2015. Every year a panel of experts selects the best science and nature writing for the general public, that incorporate the latest in science news. These are then published under the title The Best American Science and Nature Writing. The 2016 edition was edited by Amy Stewart, a prolific science and nature writer and the author of The Drunken Botanist. This year’s collection includes essays by Oliver Sacks and Elizabeth Kolbert, among others.
This study group will focus on selections from this volume. Each session we will read and discuss two of the pieces. Participants need to buy or borrow a copy of the volume in order to make the most of their participation.

Leadership will be shared by Claudia Reich and Dirk Mol, both experienced study group leaders, one a biological scientist and the other a social scientist.

Reading material: The Best American Science and Nature Writing, Mariner Books, 2016 edition, edited by Amy Stewart.

Facilitators: Claudia Reich holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. At UIUC, she has been a Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, and Research Professor and Senior Scientist in Microbiology and the Institute for Genomic Research. Her research has centered on molecular biology and genomics of microorganisms. At OLLI she has facilitated several study groups and taught courses on “The Microbial World."
Dirk Mol has been a mental health professional for over 20 years, following a career as an Episcopal priest. In both capacities he has engaged in teaching and small group facilitation. He has a lifelong interest in the natural world, especially the human brain, and what science can teach us about it. He has facilitated four OLLI study groups involving psychology and culture.

1:30 – 4:30 pm

Board Wargaming: The Napoleonic and Civil War Eras
Fred Christensen

This group will allow you to refight some of history's most famous battles using maps showing terrain, cardboard counters representing brigades and divisions, odds tables and die rolls to resolve combat, and relatively simple standardized rules. These war games were popular in the mid-to-late 20th century, and provide more insight into strategy and tactics than most of the more spectacular and flashy computer games that succeeded them. We'll use games from Fred Christensen's collection to explore the nature of combat in the nineteenth century, the basics of strategic and tactical thinking, and the problems faced by commanders like Lee at Gettysburg, Napoleon at Waterloo, and Burnside at Fredericksburg. You can try to do better than they did....but, of course, your opponent will try to make sure that you don't! Whether you are new to this activity, or played games from GDW, Avalon Hill, and SPI "back in the day," you'll find your inner Clausewitz awakened by these "historical chess" encounters. This group will also examine the history, tactics and strategy behind the battles, using the games to better understand the nature of combat in the real world.

Facilitator: Fred Christensen is a former history instructor at the University of Kentucky and assistant professor of military science at the University of Illinois. Fred is the current president of ECIAS, the East Central Illinois Archaeological Society. As a former instructor for the Army's Command and General Staff Course, he found military simulation games to be useful teaching tools. He teaches noncredit classes for OLLI, Parkland College, and other venues, in five areas of history and archaeology: Germany, Britain, early America, Israel/the Holy Land, and military history in general.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Advanced Latin
Harold Diamond

Advanced Latin is a continuation of the group that has been meeting at OLLI for the past four years. Participants should have some prerequisite skills in the Latin language, e.g. some familiarity with grammar and vocabulary. Our meetings are lively and include discussion of historical and etymological topics. The study group will review material we have studied in Orberg’s Lingua Latina Pars I (also used in Kay Neal’s Latin classes), and we are continuing with Ecce Romani II-B. Our next reading will be Erat Olim, Grimm fairy tales in Latin (and German). The group organizer is Harold Diamond; all members of the group share in determining the path we follow.

Reading material: Orbergʼs Lingua Latina Pars I, Familia Romana, published by Domus Latina, MMX; Ecce Romani II-B (3rd ed.), Prentice Hall; and Erat Olim, Reclams Universal-Bibliothek Nr 19271. It will also be useful to have a Latin grammar book and a Latin dictionary for this study group.

Facilitator: Harold Diamond had Latin in high school, attended Kay Nealʼs OLLI classes, and participates in the Advanced Latin Study Group.

3:30 – 5:00 pm

The Federalist Papers
Frank Chadwick, Craig Cutbirth, Mike Murphy & Tim Smith

Several 18th century documents and writings define the American political philosophy: the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Federalist Papers. Of those, the least read and understood are The Federalist Papers.

The Papers are in the form of 85 letters, dated October 1787 through May 1788, published in various New York newspapers, outlining the defects of the Articles of Confederation and advancing the arguments for ratification of the proposed Constitution. Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay wrote them, but each was signed “Publius.” As “anonymous” letters, they were designed to convince by the substance of their arguments, not by any influence associated with the author.

We will read and discuss a selection of key Papers (from one to three per session). Each session's readings are tied to a major principle upon which the Constitution is based as enumerated in the Preamble to the Constitution.

The Facilitators will also include for discussion the relevant Anti-Federalist arguments against ratification, which also took the form of letters to newspapers. Study group members should gain an understanding not only of the reasoning behind the Constitution, but the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation which came before, and how those weaknesses led to our current system.

Reading Material (all are available online): The Articles of Confederation: The United States Constitution; The Federalist Papers and The Anti-Federalist Papers

A supplementary list of discretionary readings will be presented to the group as well.

Facilitators: Frank Chadwick enjoys a strong interest in American political history and debating political issues. Craig Cutbirth taught political communications and rhetoric at Illinois State University. Mike Murphy is a retired Trust Officer who enjoyed college courses on American Political Thought and The Federalist Papers taught by Clinton Rossiter, editor of The Federalist Papers. Tim Smith is a retired attorney with a lifelong interest in the Constitution.

Thursdays:

10:00 – 11:30 am

Time Magazine
John Moore

The group selects three articles from Time Magazine each week to discuss, with a volunteer leader for each article. Time Magazine is the world’s leading newsmagazine, featuring national and international affairs; health, business, culture and entertainment.

Facilitator: John Moore is an almost retired Allergist and Pediatrician. He is a long-time fan of Time and Newsweek.

10:00 – 11:30 am

Mystery Short Stories
Bonnie Kelley & Paula Kaufman

This term, group members will read and discuss 16 stories from The Best Mystery Stories of the 19th Century. Beginning with stories in 1824, the entries in this collection trace the origins and evolution of mystery elements familiar to modern readers. Group members will be expected to read and be ready to discuss two stories, totaling approximately 40-60 pages, each week. Group members will also be asked to volunteer to lead discussions of a story or two, including researching the authors of the stories and developing study questions.

Reading material:
The Best American Mystery stories of the 19th Century, edited by Otto Penzler. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.

Facilitators: Bonnie Kelley owned Kelley Vault and Crematory Company until she retired. She has a master’s degree from the University of Illinois and is a former long-time member of the Board of Trustees of Parkland College. Bonnie participates actively in the Mystery Stories study group.

Paula Kaufman is the University Librarian emerita at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after spending her career in academic and special libraries and an information-industry startup company. Paula discovered Ellery Queen, Jr. when she was about the same age of his lead character Djuna and has been hooked on mysteries ever since. She has participated in the Mystery Short Story study group since 2014.

10:00 – 11:30 am

Health Affairs Reading Group
Sallie Miller & Chuck Van Vorst

The group will discuss selected readings from Health Affairs, which is the leading journal of health policy thought and research. The peer-reviewed journal was founded in 1981 under the aegis of Project HOPE, a nonprofit international health education organization. Health Affairs explores health policy issues of current concern in both domestic and international spheres.

Reading material:
In order to participate, group members will need a U of I NetID and password to obtain the reading materials on-line via the U of I Library. For assistance with library access, please contact the OLLI office.

Facilitators: Chuck Van Vorst worked in health care administration for about 35 years. He was the Vice President of a large 1,200-bed hospital and served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of health care systems in Illinois, Texas and New York. He has a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Sallie Miller worked in health care administration for about 30 years. She has worked in a hospital system, a nursing home, and for a health insurance company. She has a master’s degree in Industrial Engineering.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Reading and Discussing the Economist
Gayle Goold & Peg Maher

Participants will discuss the selected articles, take turns at summarizing and/or commenting on the topic, and add insights and information from personal experience and knowledge e.g. travel in a foreign country. We aim to have active consideration and lively conversations about the world today.

Join the group in reading and discussing world events as seen more broadly than from any other periodical being published today.

Reading material: All participants are expected to have access to The Economist in print or digitally. Student subscription rate is available for short term or annually. An inquisitive interest in world affairs is encouraged.

Facilitators: Peg Maher, Social Worker, retired after having had many casework and management positions in several organizations (family service, juvenile justice, mental health and child welfare) and in several states and returned to Champaign in 2015. During several previous years she participated in lively discussions of The Economist at Washington University Lifelong Learning Institute in St. Louis, Mo. She is a graduate from Ohio University and University of Pittsburgh.

Gayle Goold, retired farmer and construction business owner, first read The Economist when majoring in Economics and History at Cornell College class of ’69. He has continued reading the magazine (off and on) since then and considers it to be the most reliable information source available to “world” citizens today.

1:00 – 4:30 pm

Outlander: Viewing Season One
Joyce Francisco, Cindy Mann, Don Francisco
3.5 hour group

In the 1980s Diana Gabaldon, a scientific researcher living in Arizona, decided to write a fictional book about Scotland in the 1740s. The result was Outlander, published in 1990. It was the first volume of what became, so far, an 8-book series (more on the way). The book contains an element of time travel, but is mostly history, romance, and adventure. The book, and the series it started, became a huge hit, but fans had to wait until 2015 to see it come to the screen. We will watch the TV series produced by STARZ from the first volume of the book series. Please be aware that there is some adult content (language, violence, and nudity), but that is not the main focus. The group will view two 55-minute episodes (16 total) of the STARZ production each week and discuss what we've seen, including the historical context. As time permits, we will watch bonus features about the making of the series.

Reading material:
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (not required)

Facilitators: Cindy and Joyce have read and loved the Outlander book series by Diana Gabaldon. They were very happy when STARZ created this production. Cindy loves to do historical research and will provide additional understanding of the context of the story. Don, having lived for years with Joyce, has been hearing a lot about the books and has been enjoying the TV series.

3:30 – 5:00 pm

Writing Tools: Using Technology - Microsoft Word, IPhone, IPad, Word Processing, and Tech Writing Hacks
Frank Modica
4 sessions
(Group is limited to 12)

This study group will consist of discussions and hands-on experiences for turning our tech tools -smartphones, laptops, and tablets into writing machines. Frank will be doing demonstrations on various devices and giving hands-on instruction to members regarding their own devices. This group is intended to be a workshop for those who are interested in using technology to assist in the writing process.

The four sessions will focus on: 1) Introduction to the tools we will use; 2) word processing with your laptops and desktops; 3) smartphones, tables, iPads, Kindles – writing hacks; and 4) preparing your manuscript, writing hacks with smart sharing documents between various platforms.

Reading material: web sites: Aerogramme, new pages, Publishers/Writers, Lit/Lit, Google drive, Dropbox, Evernote

Facilitator: Frank Modica has used computer devices for over thirty years, going back to old Apple IIe’s, Macs of various flavors, PC’s, iPads, kindles and iPhones. Each tool serves a purpose and can help to write and keep track of materials.

Fridays:

10:00 – 11:30 am

Writing and Performing Poetry
John Palen
(Group is limited to 15)

This is a poetry writing workshop culminating in a reading by participants for family, friends and OLLI members. Each week, a model poem will be presented by the facilitator and discussed briefly by the group. Past models have included poems by such writers as Richard Wilbur, Jane Kenyon, May Swenson and Hayden Carruth. The goal of discussion is not to critique the model, but rather to find ways in which its topic, theme, language, imagery or emotional appeal can inspire original new poems by the participants. Participants will create a quick draft of their own poem in the workshop and revise the work at home. After the first class meeting, each session will begin with a “read-around” of the poem written the previous week. Brief periods will be set aside to discuss such topics as the writing process, revision, effective oral presentation, and how to seek publication. The final class session will consist of a reading by the participants before an invited audience, with refreshments to follow.

No prerequisite skills are required. Reading material will be supplied by the facilitator.

Facilitator: John Palen is a published poet and short story writer, and has taught poetry writing to school children through the Michigan Writers in the Schools project. This is the fourth offering of this study group. His eighth book of poetry, “Distant Music,” will be published in mid-2017 by Mayapple Press. A retired journalist and journalism educator with an American Studies doctorate from Michigan State University, Palen now lives, writes and gardens in Urbana.

1:30 – 4:00 pm

Writers’ Café
Frank Chadwick

Spring 2017 OLLI Study Groups
April 3–June 2, 2017

9 weeks with 8 or 9 sessions depending on meeting day (see below.)
Groups will not meet on April 20 & 21, 2017 (Ebertfest) & May 29, 2017 (Memorial Day.)

Mondays: April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1, 8, 15, 22 (8 sessions)

10:00 – 11:30

Happiness: What is happiness and what makes people happy?
Jaafar Dhahir

Why do people have positive emotions? What are the functions and consequences of these emotions beyond making us feel good?
What is the role of brain chemistry in our happiness? And what is the role of the soul?
*Who has positive emotion in abundance and who doesn’t? What enables or disables these emotions?
*How can you build more and lasting positive emotion into your life?
Overall, we will try to find a good answer for those questions in this session.
For the last 50 or more years, psychology and medical physiology have been focused on what’s wrong with people. There’s good understanding of how troubles develop: their genetics, biochemistry and psychological causes. And many disorders can now be treated. The problem that’s developed is that there has been a strong focus on what makes life difficult with a lack of focus on building those things within people that make life worth living. Many people want to do more than correct their weaknesses. They want to live lives that have meaning. The field of positive psychology seeks to understand positive emotion, how to build strengths and virtues and to help people live the “good life”.
New research into happiness demonstrates that it can be lastingly increased. There is a pervasive belief that happiness is inauthentic. Authentic happiness comes from identifying and cultivating fundamental strengths and using them every day in every aspect of life.

Website information will be provided to the participants before each lecture.

Optional Supplemental Reading Resources:

Cuddy, Amy. 2015. Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges
Francis J. Dore. 2015 reprint. Health and Happiness: An Elementary Text Book of Personal Hygiene and Physiology Based on Catholic Principles
Snyder, C. R, Lopez, S.J. 2008. Positive Psychology: The Scientific and Practical
Explorations of Human Strengths / Edition 1
Seligman, Martin E.P. 2002. Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to
Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment
Al Ghazali. 1873 The Alchemy of Happiness

Facilitator: Jaafar Dhahir received his Ph.D. in food science from Michigan State University in 1988. He worked as a visiting Research Associate in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in MSU. He taught many courses in Nutrition and Foods and their relation to human health including topics related to the happiness such as nutrition and mood, brain chemistry, nutrition and depression and anxiety which are related to this topic.
He has read many books related to spiritual happiness, aims of life, religion and happiness was involved in the many social works in humanitarian organizations in Iraq including: management, lecturing in human rights, solving of social problems and helping the poor and unhappy people.
Jaafar has led OLLI study groups including: Nutrition for Health and Fitness (Summer 2014); Hazardous Chemicals in Our Food (Summer 2015); Dietary Supplements (Spring 2016); and What is Islam and What Do Muslims Believe (Fall, 2016). He is currently teaching an OLLI course about nutrition and health.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

The Music of Tom Waits: The Early Years
Frank Chadwick

Tom Waits (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, 2011) has been composing, performing, and recording music since the early 1970s. His style has evolved over time but grew from strong blues and jazz roots. Widely admired as one of the greatest lyricists of our time, his earliest recordings were melodic and very accessible to beginners (more so than his later works). This study group will explore his first decade of albums, recorded from 1973 through 1982. In each class session we will listen to a complete album and then focus in on several songs for closer study.

Facilitator: In 1976 Frank Chadwick heard the newly-released Small Change album, fell in love with Waits’ music, and has followed his career ever since. During the last six years Frank has facilitated the Writers’ Café at OLLI, taught the Writing the Novel class twice, and has led five previous film and video study groups.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Virgil’s Aeneid - 6 sessions (April 3, 10, 17, 24; May 1 & 8)
Richard Meier

This group will continue the study of ancient epics, reading the most famous poem of Virgil, concentrating on the first half (Books 1 – 6). Here can be found the fullest description of the fall of Troy, the tragedy of Queen Dido, and the descent of Aeneas to the underworld – stories which had a vast influence on later literature.

Reading materials: Translation by Robert Fagles, published by Penguin

Facilitator: Richard Meier first read Virgil in high school and has recently resumed the study of poetry in Latin. He has degrees in history and philosophy and has facilitated study groups on The Odyssey and The Iliad at OLLI.

3:30 – 5:00 pm

The “Best of the Best” Short Story Discussion Group
Paula Watson

Our text will be 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories, edited by Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015). This anthology presents a selection of stories from the annual series Best American Short Stories from 1915 to the present day. Its chronological arrangement provides the opportunity to examine how content and style may have changed over time. We will sample early twentieth century writing by authors such as Hemingway, Lardner, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner. Mid-century stories from the likes of Roth, Cheever, Welty and Baldwin will round out the class session. We will read and discuss two or three stories each week.

Facilitator: Paula Watson has led numerous OLLI short story discussion groups. She holds a Master’s degree in English literature.

Tuesdays: April 4, 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 (8 or 9 sessions)

10:00 – 11:30 am

Poetry Reading
Bill Breeding, Linda Coleman, Kendall Rafter, Claudia Reich, Joy Thornton-Walter & Helen Thursh

The naming of facilitators only reflects the necessity of providing channels of communication, but we stress that participation will require active engagement from everyone in the group.

10:00 – 11:30 am

How to work with Illinois Freedom of Information and Open Meetings Acts
Maureen Holtz – 4 sessions (April 4, 11, 18 & 25) – first half of study group period

This study group will focus on what the everyday person needs to know about filing Freedom of Information requests to Illinois state agencies/government bodies. Other topics to be covered are: ensuring adherence by state agencies/government bodies to the Open Meetings Act; complaining to the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor regarding violation of FOIA and OMA and a brief overview of The Ethics Act. Knowledge is required on how to do research using computers and the internet.

Reading materials:

Illinois FOIA statute - 5 ILCS 140
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=85&ChapterID=2

Illinois Open Meetings Act statute – 5 ILCS 120
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=84&ChapterID=2&Print=True

Illinois Ethics Act – 5 ILCS 420
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs5.asp?DocName=&ActID=129&ChapterID=2&SeqStart=&SeqEnd=&Print=True

IL Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor
http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/Default.aspx

Miscellaneous sources:

training on FOIA and OMA http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/electronic_foia_training.aspx
“Municipal Minute” archives: http://archive.feedblitz.com/926673

Facilitator: Over the last several years, Maureen Holtz and her husband have filed approximately 100 FOIAs and at least ten complaints to the Public Access Counselor, resulting in several determinations by the PAC in their favor. Maureen would like to help other understand what is involved, including the pitfalls, in filing Freedom of Information requests.

10:00 – 11:30 am

DIY Travel – What you need to know
Sharon Michalove & Jean Paley - 4 sessions (May 2, 9, 16 & 23) – second half of study group period

This study group will provide a helpful guide to understanding the essentials of traveling on one’s own, including creating a realistic budget and itinerary, gathering essential documents, researching destinations, making reservations for transportation and accommodations, packing tips, security, and much more.

Prerequisite: participants must have access to a computer, iPad or similar, and know how to use the device to conduct searches on the internet. The facilitators will show websites during sessions and will post downloads with the links on the OLLI website. Participants do not need to bring their computers with them, since they will be better served by investigating the resources in depth on their own time.

Facilitators: Both Jean and Sharon are avid independent travelers with experience domestically and internationally. Jean is the chair of the OLLI Travel Committee.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

An Evening’s Read: The American Short Story (1900-midcentury)
John Bennett & Linda Coleman - 8 sessions (April 11, 18, 25; May 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30)

This study group offers a sampler of American short stories from the first half of the 20th century. Some authors are likely to be old friends (Fitzgerald, Welty, Porter, Hemingway, and Wharton). We hope to introduce you to others you may not yet know (Yezierska, Hurston, Gale, di Donato, and Glaspell).

No background in the short story or American literature is necessary to join what we know will be a convivial group of readers. We typically discuss two or three stories a week. Roughly half will be from The Signet Classic Book of American Short Stories, which we used in an earlier study group. The others will be available online. (If you don’t have this collection, you can probably find all the readings online. We’ll be glad to help.)

The wonderful writer Lorrie Moore says, “A short story is a love affair, a novel is a marriage.” Interested in a little fling?

Facilitators: Professor Emerita of English and Women's Studies at Eastern Illinois University, Linda S. Coleman is one of the authors of Literature and the Writing Process. John Lansingh Bennett, a freelance editor working from Coffee Break Studio, taught literature for several decades at Lake Land College, the University of Scranton, & other schools.

1:30 – 4:30 pm

Thought Provoking Foreign Films
Marganit Weinberger-Rotman

This group will view and discuss nine foreign films from the list below. Films will be chosen/shown based on their availability. Most of the films selected have not been show commercially in the U.S. They are all serious films that present ethical, religions, social and philosophical dilemmas and should generate interesting discussions afterwards.

List of potential films:

The Hunt (Denmark, 2012)
Caesar Must Die (Italy, 2012)
The Kid with the Bike (Belgium, 2012)
Of Gods and Men (France, 2010)
Rams (Iceland, 2015)
Human Capital (Italy, 2013)
Barbara (Germany, 2012)
The Kind Words (Israel, 2016)
Winter Sleep (Turkey 2014)
Vincent Wants to Sea (Germany, 2010)
The Commune (Denmark, 2016)
Talk to Her (Spain, 2002)
Virgin Mountain (Iceland, 2015)
Graduation (Romania, 2016) – to be released: April 7

Facilitator: Marganit Weinberger-Rotman worked for Israeli Television for many years and attends the International Jerusalem Film Festival every year. She has facilitated three OLLI study groups involving Israeli cinema and one on French comedies.

Wednesdays: April 5, 12, 19, 26; May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (8 or 9 sessions)

10:00 – 11:30 am

Wikipedia: How it works and how it doesn’t; how to use it and how to edit it – 4 sessions (April 5 12, 19 & 26) – first half of study group period
Charlie Boast

The study group will start with the basics of how Wikipedia works, including how one can navigate within Wikipedia. Members will learn how to create a user name for editing. Editing will start by fixing a simple "typo." By examining the complete history of edits for specific Wikipedia articles, members will begin to learn how the community of Wikipedia editors interacts.

The "payoff" for members of this study group is to develop skills which enhance their use of Wikipedia and, better yet, enhance their ability to improve Wikipedia, via editing.

Study group participants will learn how to create an editing "sandbox" (for practice edits). They will see how some Wikipedia editors use automated computer programs (bots) in an attempt to maintain at least a minimal standard of uniformity across Wikipedia. They will learn about templates for efficient editing, and about communicating with other editors. They will begin to explore the vast Wikipedia "help" system, to learn more about Wikipedia features.

The strengths and weaknesses of Wikipedia will be explored. Study group members will learn how to add links and references, how to create an article from scratch (including how to create an extremely simple article, a redirect). They will learn about how to incorporate pictures and tables in Wikipedia (including how to edit and correct tables). They will learn how the differences between American, British and other English-language variants are accommodated in the English-language Wikipedia, and about the availability of Wikipedias in other languages.

Many other Wikipedia issues and features could be explored, depending on time and participant interest.

Facilitator: Charlie Boast started editing Wikipedia articles in 2012, and has continued to do so sporadically since then, making about 500 edits (about two per week) in a wide variety of areas, mostly fine arts and tennis. He consults Wikipedia almost daily and often notices an issue which could be improved: sometimes ignoring the issue, sometimes fixing it, and sometimes spending sizable amounts of time learning about the inner workings of Wikipedia to make complicated changes. He has facilitated two other Wikipedia study groups at OLLI, inspiring several participants to become Wikipedia editors.

10:00 – 11:30 am

The New Yorker
Kathleen Holden & Marilyn Resch
The New Yorker provides a unique mix of articles and reviews on current topics, literature, and the arts. This study group is designed for readers of The New Yorker who want to get together to discuss current articles from the magazine. Members will be encouraged to choose and lead the discussion of one or more articles during this session. Participants are required to have some reliable means of obtaining the articles to be discussed.

Reading material: The New Yorker magazine

Facilitators: Kathleen Holden is a retired UIUC administrator. She has been a member of several interesting OLLI study groups, including the New Yorker.

Marilyn Resch is a retired attorney. Since joining OLLI in late 2013, she has participated in a number of study groups on a variety of topics. The New Yorker is one of her favorites.

1:30 – 3:00 pm

Ethics in the Real World
Frank Hoss

This group will read and discuss the book Ethics in the Real World, 82 brief essays on things thatmatter by Peter Singer. Each week the group will discuss one or more of the eleven broad topics in ethics. An example of a topic is bioethics and public health.

Frank Hoss has graduate degrees in Theology, Philosophy and Classical Languages. He has been an adjunct instructor in Philosophy and Religion at community colleges and has led several OLLI study groups on Philosophy.

Reading Materials: Ethics in the Real World by Peter Singer – the book can be purchased on-line for $17.00

3:30 – 5:00 pm

Exploring Science Fiction’s Alternate Histories: 1632 (Ring of Fire Series) by Eric Flint
Trisha Crowley

Alternate histories are a common theme in science fiction. Eric Flint in 1632 (Ring of Fire Series) places a 2000 West Virginia town into 1631 Germany – right into the middle of the Thirty Years War. The book explores the impact of bringing modern day Americans to early modern Europe. The impacts on both the Europeans and the Americans are imagined. Topics of discussion are the political situation and how it might be changed, the technological possibilities an impact on individuals. One of the major themes is how could American type democracy be brought to lands where a class system and inequality is standard.

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Study Groups

Study Groups - 2016/2017 Archives

SUMMER 2016
Study Group Descriptions

Fall 2016 - 2017 OLLI Study Groups
November 7 – December 22, 2016
January 3 – January 13, 2017

Spring 2017 OLLI Study Groups
April 3–June 2, 2017

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
301 North Neil Street, Suite 201
Champaign, IL 61820

Study Groups

Study Groups - 2016/2017 Archives

SUMMER 2016 Study Group Descriptions

Fall 2016 - 2017 OLLI Study Groups November 7 – December 22, 2016 January 3 – January 13, 2017

Spring 2017 OLLI Study Groups April 3–June 2, 2017

SUMMER 2016
Study Group Descriptions

Fall 2016 - 2017 OLLI Study Groups
November 7 – December 22, 2016
January 3 – January 13, 2017

Spring 2017 OLLI Study Groups
April 3–June 2, 2017