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Osher Online is a program from the Osher National Resource Center (NRC) at Northwestern University. These classes are delivered by the Osher NRC via Zoom, with participants from all over the country. All times listed are Eastern time.
OLLI at BCC is excited to be a part of this program. Space is limited! Register early. Osher Online classes are $60 each, and available to OLLI at BCC members only. Each class has a limit of 15 students from each participating OLLI. Register by September 12. Osher Online classes are not recorded. After you register for Osher Online classes, you will receive a welcome email from the Osher NRC. This email will include an Osher Online username and password as well as a link to the Osher Online Website, through which you will access your classes. You will also have access to a pre-class orientation, where you'll get helpful information for accessing your class. There you'll find the class Zoom link, syllabus, discussion board and Customer Care contact information. It is recommended that you test your ability to log in before the start date of your class. On class days, you are also encouraged to log on 10-15 minutes before the start time. That will give you ample opportunity to get tech support and troubleshooting from the NRC if you need it. Osher Online classes are separate from our OLLI at BCC Fall Courses.
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Medieval Science: Exploring Insights and Discoveries
Mondays 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Eastern time Zoom | This course provides a comprehensive exploration of medieval scientific thought, encompassing various disciplines such as medicine, astronomy, and geography. We will delve into the groundbreaking insights and theories proposed by influential figures like Alhazen and Hildegard of Bingen. Through in-depth analysis and interactive discussions, we will uncover the complex network of scientific inquiry that defined the medieval era. This journey into medieval science promises intellectual enrichment. Additionally, it offers a unique opportunity to engage with historical methodologies and scientific concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of the medieval worldview. Join this enlightening exploration, as we discover the wonders of medieval science. Ilya Dines, PhD a native of St. Petersburg, Russia, completed his doctorate on the topic of medieval bestiaries at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Dines pursued postdoctoral research in Cologne and Cambridge, where he focused on the production of medieval pigments, stained glass, and bells. Dines has authored three books and 20 articles on medieval animals, cartography, and medieval manuscripts. |
Who is Fredrick Law Olmsted? |
Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Eastern time Zoom Six Sessions: 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 | Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted has been called the most important historical figure that Americans know the least about. This course aims to change that by introducing the multi-faceted life, career, and legacy of Olmsted who was not only a landscape architect, but also a journalist, conservationist, farmer, and public servant. Five experts will lead us in an examination of the work of Olmsted and his firm, that over 100 years, literally designed the American landscape. From Olmsted’s birth in 1822 to his death in 1903. Dede Petri has served as the president and CEO of the Olmsted Network since 2020. For over 30 years, she has been a leader and innovator in a wide range of nonprofit organizations. She was the 42nd president of The Garden Club of America, co-founded the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, serving as president from 2003 to 2016, and served as general counsel and congressional liaison for the National Endowment for the Humanities. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Harvard College with an AB in American history and literature, and she received her JD from Harvard Law School. |
The Power of Introverts |
Wednesdays 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. Eastern time Zoom Six Sessions: 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 | “Introverts are hermits. Introverts don’t like people. Introverts can’t hold a conversation.” These are some of the myths associated with introversion, the highly misunderstood personality type. In a society where the most extroverted are celebrated and rewarded, how do introverts fit in? For those who acknowledge and embrace their introversion, they know how to create a space for themselves. For those who are masquerading as extroverts, they are exhausted because they haven’t mastered how to be their true, authentic selves. For others, they don’t even realize they are introverts because of the stigma attached to the word - - who wants to be associated with such negative descriptions? In this course we will unpack this together and discuss the power of introverts, the beautiful balance of relationships with extroverts, how we support and honor both personality types, and much more. Jeri Bingham is an introvert advocate and strategist, and the founder of HushLoudly: Introverts Redefined, an award-winning WGN Radio podcast and brand. Dedicated to amplifying the voices of introverts in a world that celebrates and rewards the most extroverted, Bingham is on a mission to empower, through education and understanding, the most ill-defined, misunderstood personality type. Bingham is an adjunct lecturer for Northwestern University and speaks frequently on the topic of introversion at universities and companies. She has been featured in The Chicago Tribune, Cosmo UK, Color Magazine, WGN Radio Chicago, and the Myers-Briggs Company Podcast. She is a contributing writer for the Myers-Briggs Magazine and Rolling Out magazine. Her Myers-Briggs articles include "Inclusivity Includes Black Introverts" and "Be a Champion for All, Including Your Introverts." Bingham is a higher education administrator and marketing communications executive who has served in lead accountability positions in academia and non-profits for more than 25 years. |
Exploring Crosswords |
Thursdays 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Eastern time Zoom Six Sessions: 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/7, 11/14, 11/21 | Would you like to better understand crosswords, have greater success in completing them, increase your enjoyment of the process, and impress your friends as a cruciverbalist? Besides being fun, crosswords have been shown to improve cognitive reserve and mental flexibility. We will introduce other benefits of solving puzzles and explore the highlights of crossword history and culture. We will learn about different types of crosswords, discuss solving strategies and techniques, explore online sources and applications, and introduce the process of constructing crosswords. During each session, we will also solve and discuss crosswords as a group to improve our skills. Steve Weyer has been a cruciverbalist (crossword aficionado) since the 1990s. In 2002, he developed CrozzWord, a mobile app for crossword solving. Since 2010, he has been teaching crossword and other courses at the OLLI at Southern Oregon University. He also constructs crosswords for Jackson County Libraries and other organizations and publications. His first New York Times crossword debuted in November 2023. Weyer's crosswords appear weekly in Ashland.news and on his web site. |
The Great Con:
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Fridays 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Eastern time Zoom Six Sessions: 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/1, 11/8, 11/15 | American writer Patricia Highsmith first published The Talented Mr. Ripley in 1955. The story is told from the point of view of Tom Ripley, a man who is young, clever, and has a knack for fraud. A case of mistaken identity earns him a ticket abroad to a scenic coastal village in Italy, a far cry from his hardscrabble life in New York City. He soon becomes obsessed with Dickie Greenleaf, heir to a shipbuilding fortune and embarks on a series of deceitful and sinister acts that beget more of the same. Highsmith’s story builds its suspense as the reader traverses Tom’s physical and psychological journey through an affluent world too obtuse to recognize the extent to which he is a threat. The Talented Mr. Ripley has been adapted from book to screen multiple times, with the most notable being the 1999 film directed by Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon and Jude Law. Such is the influence of the story that it has invited comparison to the 2023 film Saltburn, whose main character commits a similar subterfuge on a wealthy British family over the course of a summer in their country castle. As stories of frauds and scammers endure across popular media, Tom Ripley’s is one that confronts the reader to examine how far they would go to gain access into a world whose entry requires reinventing oneself to the point of moral collapse. In this course, we will study the Highsmith novel as well as the 1999 film adaptation. We will close out the course with a discussion of Saltburn, which is indebted to the novel. Heather Brown has a PhD in English with a concentration in rhetoric and composition from the University of Maryland, a master of arts in English from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and a bachelor of arts in English with a concentration in creative writing from Hollins University. She has taught courses in academic writing, English literature, language and linguistics, women’s literature, feminist theory and criticism, rhetorical theory and criticism, and more. Brown began working as a learning designer primarily serving graduate and professional studies programs in not-for-profit higher education institutions and library training organizations, and most recently the Northwestern University School of Professional Studies. Brown is also an adjunct associate professor of academic writing at the University of Maryland Global Campus, one of the largest distance-learning institutions in the world, where over a third of the students are Black and African-American and the University serves more than 55,000 military-affiliated students worldwide. |
OLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College |
