Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Spring courses are now open!
Other helpful links
- Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Homepage
- Spring 2024 Catalog (PDF)
- Download registration form (PDF)
Alumni Discount Codes
We offer discounts for our three alumni association partners: KU, K-State and Washburn. These discounts are only available for paid alumni association members and can only be applied to courses; they cannot apply to special events:
- KU Alumni Association Member Discount - KUAASPRING2024
- KSU Alumni Association Member Discount - KSUAASPRING2024
- Washburn Alumni Association Member Discount - WUAASPRING2024
Courses & Events
Osher Membership Fee
July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024
A Three-Day Tour of the Crystal Bridges Museum, Harry Truman's Birthplace, and Gordon Parks Museum
Wednesday, May 1 - Friday, May 3
(First come, first served. This event will sell out!)
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark., boasts a world-class collection of American masterworks on 120 acres of natural Ozark landscape. During our time at the museum there will be lots to experience including various tours such as:
Bachman-Wilson House
Enjoy this exquisite Frank Lloyd Wright house built originally in New Jersey, but skillfully disassembled and reconstructed on a specially designed site. Self-guided tour.
Architecture Tour
This tour introduces the unique design features of Moshe Safdie (who also designed the Kauffman Center) and provides insights into some of the challenges the site posed. Docent-led tour.
Collection Highlights Tour
Visit some of the best-known names in American art, including Gilbert Stuart's "George Washington," Asher B. Durand's "Kindred Spirits," and Norman Rockwell's "Rosie the Riveter." Docent-led tour.
Sculpture Tour
Enjoy the museum's trails, the many outdoor sculptures and the nature waterways and native plants found on the property. Self-guided tour (a paved path includes a moderate slope with incline requiring appropriate footwear).
Kusama Infinity Mirrored Room
Artwork by Yayoi Kusama is an enclosed room filled with mirrors and dotted, color-changing paper lanterns. Not for individuals sensitive to flashing lights. View time is 60 seconds.
Temporary Exhibit - TBD
Self-guided tour.
You will also be able to spend time in the various galleries, library, and trails on the property.
Wednesday, May 1
We'll enjoy a boxed lunch at Orchards Park Pavilion as we learn about the history of Bentonville, past and present, followed by our first tour of Crystal Bridges. That evening we'll have dinner at Fred's Hickory Inn.
Thursday, May 2
After breakfast, we'll board the bus for a visit to the Museum of Native American History, nominated for Top 10 History Museums by USA Today, before returning to Crystal Bridges for more scheduled tours and/or exploring the museum, gift shop, and grounds on your own. You'll enjoy an included lunch at your pace and on your schedule. That evening we'll explore downtown Bentonville and have dinner on your own in one of the colorful restaurants.
Friday, May 3
Following breakfast we'll travel to Lamar, Mo., birthplace of Harry Truman. Then we're on to Fort Scott, where we'll enjoy lunch and a visit to the Gordon Parks Museum on the campus of Fort Scott Community College.
Wednesday 7 a.m. - Coach departs Lawrence Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Dr., on Wednesday and returns on Friday around 4 p.m.
Wednesday 8 a.m. - Coach departs KU Edwards Campus, 12600 Quivira Rd., Overland Park, on Wednesday and returns Friday around 3 p.m.
$655 fee per person - double occupancy
$745 fee per person - single occupancy
Fee includes coach transportation, lodging, two breakfasts, three lunches, and dinner on Wednesday evening. Dinner on Thursday is not included. Refund must be requested by April 3, minus a $125 administrative fee.
May 1-3, 2024
An Insider's Guide to the Federal Reserve
Instructor Bio: Gordon Sellon is an economist who spent thirty years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, retiring as Senior Vice President and Director of Research. He also taught economics at KU, the University of Michigan, Grinnell College, and Oklahoma City University. He has degrees in economics from Harvard College and the University of Michigan.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Beyond D-Day - U.S. Soldiers in Devonshire, England
Instructor Bio: Rebecca Powell, Ph.D. (University of Bristol, England), has spent 25+ in research & support of highly mobile and multicultural populations. A native Virginian, her adulthood has been in 13 homes (4 States and 4 countries). Recently transplanted to Fort Leavenworth, she enjoys the Kansas climate, community, and culture.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Book Club
February 9, 2024 to April 12, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Friday, March 8, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Friday, April 12, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Brown v. Board of Education
Instructor Bio: Russ Hutchins teaches U.S. history, Western civilization, economics, business, philosophy, and business management at Friends University. He is a retired public-school administrator and educator.
April 29, 2024 to May 13, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Country Club Walking Tour
Join Georgia Klein on a guided tour of 20 art and history sites in Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, including its sculptures, fountains, and towers reminiscent of Spanish architecture and European art. Designed and developed in 1922 by J.C. Nichols as the first shopping district away from a downtown area, and doubled in size in 1950 by his son, Miller, it became a sister city to Seville, Spain, in 1967. Learn about recent changes and hear stories of the creators. We'll enjoy a morning break with snacks and Q&A and share a delicious family style Italian meal at Buca di Beppo for lunch.
Wednesday, April 3
9 a.m. - We'll gather in front of the Classic Cup Café (3001 W. 47th). Free parking in underground garage behind Classic Cup. Other free lots along main street.
1 p.m. - Return to the Classic Cup Café from tour.
$75 fee includes guided tour, Q&A session, morning snacks and drinks, along with lunch.
Refunds will be honored on or before March 18, minus a $15 administrative fee.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Day Trip to Historic Lecompton: Birthplace of the Civil War
We'll start the day in Lecompton with a reenactment of the 1850 town hall meeting while watching the "Bleeding Kansas" play, featuring unique characters who shaped Territorial Kansas. Next, we'll tour the 1882 Territorial Capital Museum, housed at Lane University, where President Eisenhower's parents were married. Lunch will be served at the 1884 Methodist Church (Windsor Hotel), home to the famous 1885 Chickering Grand Piano. We'll then enjoy a short walk past downtown shops to 1856 Constitution Hall, a National Historic Landmark and Kansas's oldest wood frame building. We'll end the day with a presentation from Bill McFarland and Tim Nedeau about the discovery of the portrait of the 1857 Kansas House of Representatives, the first free state legislature to meet in Lecompton.
Friday, March 15
9:15 a.m. - Arrive at 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton
2 p.m. - Depart
$60 fee includes "Bleeding Kansas" play, museum fees, guided tours, presentations, and lunch.
Refunds will be honored on or before Feb. 28, minus a $15 administrative fee.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Decades of the Dictators: The '20s and '30s
Instructor Bio: Vincent Clark holds a doctorate in modern European history. His graduate work included a Fulbright Graduate Fellowship at Germany's University of Heidelberg. He was history professor and chair of the history department at Johnson County Community College and has published articles and books in his field.
March 18, 2024 to April 1, 2024, KU Edwards Campus, 163 Regnier Hall, In Person and Online
Defectors: How the Illicit Flight of Soviet Citizens Built the Borders of the Cold War World - Speakers Series
Instructor Bio: Erik R. Scott is Associate Professor of History and director of the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies at the University of Kansas. He is the author of Familiar Strangers: The Georgian Diaspora and the Evolution of Soviet Empire (OUP, 2016) and editor of The Russian Review.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
Donation to the Osher Institute
July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024
Experience Historic Topeka
We begin at Constitution Hall, the original home of the Free State Legislature where delegates met in 1855 to ban slavery. Then we'll drive by the Mamie Williams House, home to the distinguished African American educator appointed to the Kansas Commission on the Status of Women in 1965 and a delegate to the 1971 White House Conference on Aging.
Next, we'll visit Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park to experience the interactive museum before lunch at Celtic Fox. Then we'll enjoy a guided tour of the Ritchie House, a stop on the Underground Railroad.
We'll end with a guided tour of the Kansas State Capitol to take in the historic beauty and grandeur and some of the most important public art in the nation. Our visit will include a dome tour for those intrepid enough to venture there.
Friday May 10
7:45 a.m. - Coach departs the Edwards Campus, 12600 Quivira Rd., Overland Park, and returns by 6:00 p.m.
8:45 a.m. - Coach departs the Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Dr., Lawrence and returns by 5:00 p.m.
$145 fee includes coach transportation, guided tours, exclusive presentations, lunch, and snacks.
Refunds will be honored on or before April 24, minus a $30 administrative fee.
Friday, May 10, 2024
Exploration Time: Discover the Thirteen United States Presidential Libraries and Museums
Instructor Bio: Attorney Anita Tebbe is a retired a professor of legal studies at Johnson County Community College.
March 20, 2024 to April 3, 2024, Lawrence Presyterian Manor - In Person
Exploration Time: Discover the Thirteen United States Presidential Libraries and Museums - Lawrence Presbyterian Manor Residents
Instructor Bio: Attorney Anita Tebbe is a retired a professor of legal studies at Johnson County Community College.
March 20, 2024 to April 3, 2024, Lawrence Presyterian Manor - In Person
Exploring Reality Beyond Physics - Great Western Philosophers
Instructor Bio: James Gaither, Th.D., holds a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Kansas and ThD from Holos University Graduate Seminary. For over 25 years he has taught courses in history of Western thought, world religions, metaphysics and ethics and is currently a "semi-retired."
April 11-25, 2024, Eudora Community Museum In Person
Exploring the Works of Governors Sam Crawford and Arthur Capper
Instructor Bio: Deb Goodrich, the host of the TV show "Around Kansas," and the Garvey (Texas) Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum, chairs the Santa Fe Trail 200. She has appeared in many documentaries including "The Road to Valhalla," "Aftershock," and "American Experience" on Jesse James, and the series, "Gunslingers" on AHC. She wrote and produced the docudrama, "Thof's Dragon."
April 8-22, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Fort Leavenworth Tour
In 1827 Col. Henry Leavenworth established a fort to protect America's frontier, keep peace among the resettled Native Americans and provide escort on the new Santa Fe Trail. We'll learn its history from Mark Gerges, associate professor of history at the Command and General Staff College and visit the Lewis and Clark Center. Following lunch, we'll tour the historic Memorial Chapel, homes of George Custer and Douglas MacArthur, the Buffalo Soldiers Monument, and Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery. We will also tour the Frontier Army Museum with its collection depicting the Army in the West from 1804 to 1917, leaving time to visit its bookstore.
Friday, March 22 7:30 a.m. - Coach departs the Edwards Campus, 12600 Quivira Rd., Overland Park, and returns by 4:30 p.m.
8:30 a.m. - Coach departs the Osher Institute, 1515 St. Andrews Dr., Lawrence, and returns by 3:30 p.m.
9:30 a.m. - Tour begins at Fort Leavenworth
All participants must present a government-issued ID. $115 fee includes coach transportation, exclusive presentations, tours, and lunch on post.
Refunds will be honored on or before March 6, minus a $30 administrative fee.
Friday, March 22, 2024
Franz Kafka: Life and Works
Instructor Bio: Eliah Bures holds a Ph.D. in history from UC Berkeley. He is a fellow at Berkeley's Center for Right-Wing Studies and the author of multiple essays and scholarly articles on far-right politics.
April 9-23, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
From Trails to Rails: the Historical Geography of Urbanization in Kansas
Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.
April 10-24, 2024, Northland Innovation Center In-Person
From Trails to Rails: the Historical Geography of Urbanization in Kansas - Clay County Residents
Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.
April 10-24, 2024, Northland Innovation Center In-Person
Gift Certificate
July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024
Great Women Composers
Instructor Bio: Don Dagenais has been a preview speaker for the Lyric Opera for more than 20 years, and he teaches classical music and opera courses for local organizations. He enjoys studying American political history and has compiled an extensive collection of memorabilia from presidential political campaigns from 1840 to the present. He recently retired as a real estate attorney.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Great Women Composers - Village Shalom Residents
Instructor Bio: Don Dagenais has been a preview speaker for the Lyric Opera for more than 20 years, and he teaches classical music and opera courses for local organizations. He enjoys studying American political history and has compiled an extensive collection of memorabilia from presidential political campaigns from 1840 to the present. He recently retired as a real estate attorney.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Historical Movies, How Accurate Are They?
Instructor Bio: Robert Smith, Ph.D., is the director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from KSU and has published numerous articles on military history.
April 8-22, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
Kansans and the Experience of Civil War, 1861-65
Instructor Bio: Will Haynes has a doctorate in history from the University of Kansas. He plans, manages, and promotes public programming at the Watkins Museum of History, the headquarters of the Douglas County Historical Society.
April 8-22, 2024, Dwayne Peaslee Technical Training Center - In Person
Legendary Foods of Europe: Italy: Unified Country, Regional Tastes
Instructor Bio: Chef Larry Canepa is a certified culinary educator with over 40 years of food and beverage experience and 20 years of teaching cooking, food and culture, and STEAM-focused classes. He has taught culinary classes at Le Cordon Bleu, the International Culinary School at the Art Institute, corporate wellness events, libraries, community centers and other venues.
March 21, 2024 to April 4, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Lessons and Legacies: What the Preservation of Historic Kansas Landmarks Teaches Us
Instructor Bio: Paul Post, a native Kansan, received a B.A. in History from KSU and a law degree from the KU Law School in 1974. Now retired from the practice of law, he is a member of the Shawnee County Historical Society and an amateur beekeeper. He has authored essays on the history of SBA Hill/ former Menninger Campus in Topeka; Topeka's Bates Family; The Fred Harvey Company; and on Duke Ellington.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, McCrite Plaza Topeka - In Person
Lessons and Legacies: What the Preservation of Historic Kansas Landmarks Teaches Us - McCrite Topeka Residents
Instructor Bio: Paul Post, a native Kansan, received a B.A. in History from KSU and a law degree from the KU Law School in 1974. Now retired from the practice of law, he is a member of the Shawnee County Historical Society and an amateur beekeeper. He has authored essays on the history of SBA Hill/ former Menninger Campus in Topeka; Topeka's Bates Family; The Fred Harvey Company; and on Duke Ellington.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, McCrite Plaza Topeka - In Person
Lowlands, Highlands, Islands and a Wee Dram: the Geography of Scotland
This course explores several aspects of Scotland's physical and human geography. It is roughly divided into sections on its astounding physiography, Precambrian geology and natural resources, followed by contributions of key ethnic groups (Picts, Scots and Norse) to its cultural history. We'll discuss "the true inventors of the social sciences," Adam Smith, James Watt, David Hume, James Hutton and Sir Walter Scott. We'll also compare two great cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with quite different origins and cultural characters. Finally, we'll explore the country's (is it a country?) dynamic political geography, including political parties and the highly charged, contentious issue of independence.
Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus of geography at Washburn University.
March 21, 2024 to April 4, 2024, KU Edwards Campus, 163 Regnier Hall, In Person and Online
North American Nature Wars Human Conflicts with Wildlife, Vegetation and Water
Instructor Bio: Thomas Luellen recently retired after 31 years in hospital administration and 14 years as an adjunct instructor at Washburn University. He has a master's degree in geography from KU. His personal interests have always been his native state and its history.
April 10-24, 2024, Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging In Person
On the Road: Highways, Cars, and Vacations of a Bygone Era
Instructor Bio: Carl Graves, Ph.D., holds a master's degree in US history from KU and a doctorate from Harvard. He taught at the university and community college levels, and at Kansas City's Pembroke Hill School.
March 18, 2024 to April 1, 2024, Osher Institute In-Person
Osher Outing
Wednesday, April 10, 2024, Jayhawk Area Agency on Aging In Person
Quick and Easy Content: Anyone Can Create Anything
Instructor Bio: Stephen Knifton is an Emmy-winning TV news producer, creating and producing engaging and highly rated news programming. Steve also created work for museums, engineers, architects, designers, hospitality + tourism, and business development clients. He has taught (remotely) video storytelling and smartphone filmmaking at several colleges and has lived and worked in New York and Toronto, distance-teaching in Canada and the U.S.
April 29, 2024 to May 13, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Russian Ukraine War Lessons Learned
Instructor Bio: Randy Mullis, Ph.D., is professor of military history at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. Professor Mullis holds a doctorate in history from the University of Kansas. His major fields include the history of the United States and military history and indigenous nations studies. He is the author of Peacekeeping on the Plains: Army Operations in Bleeding Kansas.
March 21, 2024 to April 4, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
Significant United States First Ladies of the Modern Era
Instructor Bio: Anita Tebbe is a retired professor of the Legal Studies Department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a juris doctor degree in law. Anita is a Kansas licensed attorney and has more than 40 years at the high school and college levels.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Significant United States First Ladies of the Modern Era - McCrite Briarcliff Residents
Instructor Bio: Anita Tebbe is a retired professor of the Legal Studies Department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a juris doctor degree in law. Anita is a Kansas licensed attorney and has more than 40 years at the high school and college levels.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Summers of Love: 1967-69, Monterey, Woodstock, Altamont (formerly Woodstock at 50)
Instructor Bio: Steve Lopes, A.E., B.A., M.A., M. Ed., was an educator for 15 years prior to 30 years of advocating for teachers as a Kansas-NEA organizer. He enjoys researching rock 'n' roll history and sharing it with Osher participants.
April 9-23, 2024, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community In Person
Summers of Love: 1967-69, Monterey, Woodstock, Altamont (formerly Woodstock at 50) - Tallgrass Residents
Instructor Bio: Steve Lopes, A.E., B.A., M.A., M. Ed., was an educator for 15 years prior to 30 years of advocating for teachers as a Kansas-NEA organizer. He enjoys researching rock 'n' roll history and sharing it with Osher participants.
April 9-23, 2024, Tallgrass Creek Retirement Community In Person
The 1930s, Depression, and Change
Instructor Bio: James Showalterhas seven years of experience with historic preservation and 31 years of teaching history at the university level. One of several areas of expertise he has developed is the history of religion worldwide, and particularly the history of religion in the area that is now the United States.
April 11-25, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
The American Revolution
Instructor Bio: Vincent Clark holds a doctorate in modern European history. His graduate work included a Fulbright Graduate Fellowship at Germany's University of Heidelberg. He was history professor and chair of the history department at Johnson County Community College and has published articles and books in his field.
April 11-25, 2024, Roeland Park Community Center In Person
The Archaeology of Our Solar System: Space Heritage Preservation and the New Space Race
Instructor Bio: Justin A. Holcomb is a Postdoctoral Research Associate with the Kansas Geological Survey at the University of Kansas. Working with the Odyssey Archaeological Research Program, he studies the geoarchaeology of human dispersals into new landscapes, including the initial peopling of the Americas, the Aegean Basin, our solar system.
Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
The Beatles Studio Years
Instructor Bio: Steve Lopes, A.E., B.A., M.A., M. Ed., was an educator for 15 years prior to 30 years of advocating for teachers as a Kansas-NEA organizer. He enjoys researching rock 'n' roll history and sharing it with Osher participants.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
The Bill of Rights
Instructor Bio: Shari Tarbet has been an educator for over 30 years, she holds an MA/ PhD in Mythological Studies and Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and a BSE English/History Education, and BSJ Broadcast Journalism from Kansas University. Her writings and lectures cover a wide variety of topics on myth, dreamwork, the Bill of Rights, and the Sacred Feminine.
April 10-24, 2024, Zoom Facilitated Sessions
The Dance of The Superpowers
Instructor Bio Charles "Chick" Keller is a retired senior executive and retired professor. He worked 15 years each at Sprint, and Black and Veatch in strategic planning and strategic marketing rising to VP level both times. In 2000, he began a career as a professor in KU's engineering management program where he taught finance and strategic planning.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024, KU Edwards Campus, 163 Regnier Hall, In Person and Online
The History of Aviation in Kansas
Instructor Bio: Michael Wallace is an internationally recognized authority on Leadership & Business Development with 35 years in Aerospace. During his 26 years with Boeing, Wallace led the design and implementation of advanced technologies, including Artificial Intelligence. Since retiring, Wallace is a frequent lecturer and keynote presenter on all areas of business management. He has an MBA from Wichita State University and a BS in Mathematics from the University of Kansas.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
The Magnificent Carillons of North America, Featuring the KU Memorial Campanile, and Carillon
Instructor Bio: Jean Hein recently moved to Kansas from South Carolina, where she was director and recorder performer with Columbia Baroque as well as a clarinetist. She currently teaches online recorder classes for seniors. Hein has served on the Board of Early Music America. She holds music degrees from Oberlin Conservatory and Northwestern University.
Thursday, April 11, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
The Myths, Legends and Tales of Kansas
Instructor Bio: Jim Hoy, a native of the Flint Hills near Cassoday ("Cow Capital of Kansas"), is director emeritus of the Center for Great Plains Studies at Emporia State University. He is the author of "Flint Hills Cowboys: Tales from the Tallgrass Prairie" and "My Flint Hills: Observations and Reminiscences from America's Last Tallgrass Prairie." Newly released is "Gathering Strays."
March 20, 2024 to April 3, 2024, Emporia Senior Center In Person
The Navel of the Earth
Instructor Bio: David Mannering earned a doctorate in higher education administration from KU. He recently retired from a 40-year career in information technology, including 15 years as a chief information officer. He has taught management information systems courses and computer programming.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
The Norse Sagas
Instructor Bio: Vic Peterson is the author of The Berserkers (Hawkwood 2022/Recital 2023), set in a fictional Nordic country. He worked as a business executive and now divides his time between Lawrence, Kansas, and Northport, Michigan.
March 20, 2024 to April 3, 2024, KU Edwards Campus, 163 Regnier Hall, In Person and Online
The Small Town in Kansas: The Interminable Struggle for Survival
Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.
April 29, 2024 to May 13, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
The Small Town in Kansas: The Interminable Struggle for Survival - Brewster Place Residents
Instructor Bio: Tom Schmiedeler, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of geography at Washburn University.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
The Spencers of Kansas: Champions of Culture and Commerce
Instructor Bio: Ken Crockett was born into a second-generation family of coal miners. He was educated at Central Missouri State University (BA degree) and Washburn University of Law (Juris Doctor). He is the author of two books relative to Kansas mining (Missouri Coal Miners Strike and Kenneth and Helen Spencer, Champions of Culture & Commerce In The Sunflower State).
April 10-24, 2024, Claridge Court In Person
The Spencers of Kansas: Champions of Culture and Commerce - Claridge Court Residents
Instructor Bio: Ken Crockett was born into a second-generation family of coal miners. He was educated at Central Missouri State University (BA degree) and Washburn University of Law (Juris Doctor). He is the author of two books relative to Kansas mining (Missouri Coal Miners Strike and Kenneth and Helen Spencer, Champions of Culture & Commerce In The Sunflower State).
April 10-24, 2024, Claridge Court In Person
The Willows Maternity Sanitarium, Kansas City and America's Unwed Mothers
Instructor Bio: KelLee Parr holds bachelor's degrees in agriculture and education plus a master's degree in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University. He has taught elementary school many years in Topeka and now writes science curriculum for Nancy Larson Publishers.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, Northland Innovation Center In-Person
The Willows Maternity Sanitarium, Kansas City, and America's Unwed Mothers - Clay County Residents
Instructor Bio: KelLee Parr holds bachelor's degrees in agriculture and education plus a master's degree in adult and occupational education from Kansas State University. He has taught elementary school many years in Topeka and now writes science curriculum for Nancy Larson Publishers.
March 19, 2024 to April 2, 2024, Northland Innovation Center In-Person
Travis Goff, Director of Athletics, the University of Kansas - Speakers Series
Presenter Bio: Travis Goff is in his second year as Athletic Director for the University of Kansas after serving as Deputy Athletic Director/Assistant Vice President at Northwestern. He has brought in dynamic new coaches and secured some of the top leaders in Kansas Athletics. Goff, was named a Next Up honoree by College AD in 2018 and one of Sports Business Journal's "Power Players in College Sports" in 2019.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
Triumvirate of Darkness: Hitler, Eichmann, and Goebbels Unveiled
Instructor Bio: Anette Isaacs, M.A., a German historian and public educator, has been presenting hundreds of programs on more than 30 different topics (all pertaining to her native country's history, politics, and culture). She holds master's degrees in American studies, political science, and history and is an adjunct faculty member at many OLLI Institutes.
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Turning Points in Military History
Instructor Bio: Dave Cotter is the director of the Department of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He was previously a member of the Department of History at the U. S. Military Academy at West Point. He has master's degrees in History from UMASS and the U.S. Naval War College, and a master's and doctorate in Holocaust and Genocide Studies from Gratz College. Dave is a retired military officer of 32 years' experience including multiple combat deployments and command at battery, battalion, and brigade levels.
April 11-25, 2024, Osher Institute, St. Andrews Office Facility, In Person and Online
United States Vice President: Insignificant Position or Second Most Powerful Office?
Instructor Bio: Anita Tebbe is a retired professor of the Legal Studies Department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a juris doctor degree in law. Anita is a Kansas licensed attorney and has more than 40 years at the high school and college levels.
April 9-23, 2024, Brewster Place Event Center In-Person
United States Vice President: Insignificant Position or Second Most Powerful Office? - Brewster Place Residents
Instructor Bio: Anita Tebbe is a retired professor of the Legal Studies Department at Johnson County Community College. She earned an undergraduate degree in history, a graduate degree in education and a juris doctor degree in law. Anita is a Kansas licensed attorney and has more than 40 years at the high school and college levels.
April 9-23, 2024, Brewster Place Event Center In-Person
Using Art to Interpret History
Instructor Bio: Deb Goodrich, the host of the TV show "Around Kansas," and the Garvey (Texas) Foundation Historian in Residence at the Fort Wallace Museum, chairs the Santa Fe Trail 200. She has appeared in many documentaries including "The Road to Valhalla," "Aftershock," and "American Experience" on Jesse James, and the series, "Gunslingers" on AHC. She wrote and produced the docudrama, "Thof's Dragon."
This course contains no sessions
Click here to be notified about the next scheduled program.
Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself"
Instructor Bio: Max Westler earned his Bachelor of Arts from Boston University and his doctorate from Columbia University, where he worked with the poet Kenneth Koch. He has taught at Columbia College, Hunter College, and Northwestern University, where he taught both graduate and undergraduate courses. For thirty-eight years, he supervised the Creative Writing Program at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana. His poems have appeared in The Minnesota Review, Poetry East, The Sycamore Review, Artful Dodge, The Greensboro Review, Religion and Literature, among others. His chapbook Civil Defense was published in 2011.
March 18, 2024 to April 1, 2024, Senior Resource Center for Douglas County In-Person
World War II in the Pacific
Instructor Bio: Robert Smith, Ph.D., is the director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from KSU and has published numerous articles on military history.
March 20, 2024 to April 3, 2024, Washburn University, Henderson Learning Center, In Person and Online