OLLI Spring 2021 Course Guide

OLLIOSHER 

LIFELONG LEARNING 

INSTITUTE 

Spring 2021 

ONLINE Course Guide

SCHEDULE FOR 

SPRING 2021 

Semester dates: 

• Session 1: February 1‒ 

February 26 

• Session break (no 

classes): March 1‒ 

March 5 

• Session 2: March 8‒ 

April 2 

Most classes are held 

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, 

and Thursdays. 

All Spring 2021 courses will 

be held online. All courses 

take place Eastern Time. 

To ensure delivery of emails 

from the Osher Lifelong 

Learning Institute at Temple 

University, please add 

olli@temple.edu to your 

address book. 

ABOUT THIS CATALOG 

This is a digital, 

interactive catalog with 

clickable links. Click 

course names, contact 

information, websites, 

and more to bring up our 

website in your browser. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Page 2...........Enrollment 

Page 3...........Pricing; Payment 

Page 4...........OLLI Refund Policy; Registration; OLLI Membership; 

Benefits; Notes 

Page 5...........Session 1 courses 

Page 6...........Session 1: Tuesday courses 

Page 7...........Session 1: Wednesday courses 

Page 9...........Session 1: Thursday courses 

Page 10.........Session 2 courses 

Page 11.........Session 2: Tuesday courses 

Page 12.........Session 2: Wednesday courses 

Page 13.........Session 2: Thursday courses 

Page 14.........8-Week courses 

Page 15.........8-Week Tuesday courses 

Page 16.........8-Week Wednesday and Thursday courses 

Page 18.........Additional Programming 

Page 19.........Friday course; Friday Forums; Yoga 

Page 20.........Asynchronous Offerings 

Page 21.........Instructor Biographies 

Page 28.........A Guide to Learning with Zoom; Zoom Orientations 

ENROLLMENT OPTIONS 

In order to sign up for classes at OLLI, you must first enroll by 

paying the membership dues. 

Those who enrolled as annual members in the fall do not need to 

enroll in the spring semester. They are already enrolled for the entire 

year. 

You may enroll starting Thursday, November 19. If you need 

assistance, please email olli@temple.edu. 

There are two enrollment options: 

1. A special, discounted spring/summer enrollment package, or 

2. A spring-only enrollment. 

To enroll, visit the OLLI homepage and sign up for OLLI 2021 Spring/ 

Summer Membership or for OLLI Spring 2021 Membership. 

Enrollment instructions can be accessed by clicking here. 

2 

Spring 2021 | OLLI at Temple | olli@temple.edu | (215) 204-1505

PRICING 

The cost for the discounted spring/summer enrollment package is 

only $165. The cost for the spring-only enrollment is $125. 

Remember: you must enroll (pay the membership fee) before you 

can register for courses. Enrollment for the summer session will 

open several weeks before the start of the semester. 

PAYMENT 

There are three ways to pay your membership fee: 

• Pay by credit card online on your own using our instructions on 

how to enroll (click here for specific instructions). 

• Pay by credit card online with staff assistance by using this link to 

request support. Staff will be available 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, from 

November 30 until December 10. 

We strongly recommend that you pay by credit card. In this way, 

your enrollment is processed immediately, and you will be able to 

register for courses immediately. 

• Pay by check. Please make the check payable to Temple 

University, and indicate in the memo section that you are 

registering for the spring semester, and please mail it as soon as 

possible. 

If you pay by check, please complete the Membership Application by 

clicking this link. We will need this information in order to create your 

member profile in our system. 

Mail checks to: 

Temple University Ambler 

580 Meetinghouse Road 

Non-Credit Programs, West Hall 

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute 

Ambler, PA 19002 

PLEASE DO NOT MAIL CHECKS TO OUR CENTER CITY OFFICE. 

OLLI does not offer household memberships. Every member of the 

household who wants to participate in a class, must join OLLI by 

paying their individual membership fee. 

For more information, please visit noncredit.temple.edu/olli | Spring 2021 3

OLLI REFUND POLICY 

Please note that OLLI’s refund policy has changed due to the 

adjustments we are making as a result of moving to online classes. 

If you enroll and change your mind about wanting to participate 

in OLLI, we will grant refunds through Friday, February 5. No refunds 

will be awarded after this time. A $10 cancellation fee will be 

charged against all refunds. 

REGISTRATION 

We will begin registration for courses on Monday, November 30, at 

9:00 AM. Registration will continue through Thursday, December 

10, until 5:00 PM. We will allow enrollment and registration after 

this date if space is available in the program and classes. 

Click here for detailed instructions on how to register for courses. 

OLLI MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: 

• Register for OLLI classes offered in any of our spring sessions. 

• Receive periodic updates on online resources and tours offered 

by our program, other OLLIs around the country, as well as 

museums, parks, music experiences and more. 

• Participate in periodic online coffee chats with OLLI staff and 

other OLLI members on a variety of topics. 

• Be the first to learn about “OLLI Extras” special courses, 

speakers, and informative sessions that will be held 

periodically throughout the spring. 

• Receive discounts on courses offered by other Temple 

program’s such as Senior Scholars or Temple’s Office of Non- 

Credit and Continuing Education. 

Please note: 

OLLI at Temple is not responsible for any damage or personal injury 

sustained when a member is participating in any OLLI sponsored 

activities. Membership implies your permission to participate in 

courses that are being recorded. If you wish to not have your name, 

image or voice recorded please contact OLLI staff to learn more 

about measures you can take to ensure your privacy. 

Note about photography in this brochure: 

All of the photographs in this brochure were taken in 2019, while 

in-person courses were still in session. All courses for spring 2021 

will be online. 

4 


SESSION 1 

4-WEEK COURSES 

February 1-February 26 


SESSION 1: TUESDAY COURSES 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF ILLUSTRATION 

Steve Pollack 

Tuesdays, 10:00 AM‒11:30 AM 

HOW SCIENCE POLICY SHAPES INNOVATION 

Sandy Catz 

Tuesdays, 1:00 PM‒2:30 PM 

6 

Norman Rockwell, N. C. Wyeth, Jessie Wilcox 

Smith, and Maxfield Parrish are examples of 

American Illustrators of the 20th century. Their 

art covered magazines such as Life, Collier’s, 

Saturday Evening Post, Hearst, and LOOK. The 

genius and art of these giants represent the 

pinnacle of illustration style at the turn of the 

20th century. This class explores the history of 

illustration, its relationship to the art world, and 

the legacy of their achievements. Class limit: 300 

HOT TOPICS IN JUSTICE AND THE LAW 

Hon. Phyllis Beck and Lynn Marks 

Tuesdays, 10:30 AM‒12:00 PM 

Exploration of current policy and legal issues 

from opposing perspectives. Expert speakers 

include political and community leaders, judges, 

reporters, authors, and lawyers and community 

advocates for justice. Topics may include the 2021 

political and judicial landscape (nationally and 

PA), criminal justice reform, abortion, ethics in 

government, foreign interference in elections, 

and more. The schedule will be flexible to 

accommodate particularly hot topics. 

Class limit: 500 

DESTABILIZATION OF THE NATION 

STATE: SEPARATISTS, REVOLUTIONARY 

MOVEMENTS, AND TERRORISTS 

Michael Cleary 


Explore how the modern nation state is 

undermined by separatists, revolutionary 

movements, and terrorists. Case studies include 

personal experience with terrorism in the 

Middle East and the “Troubles in Ireland.” Each 

session has a separate topic to be addressed. 

Each session opens with an interactive 

discussion on current/legal events, and then a 

short PowerPoint presentation follows with a 

discussion on distributed articles. Class limit: 300 

Spring 2021 | OLLI at Temple | olli@temple.edu | (215) 204-1505 

Government sets science and technology policy 

through incentives and regulations, ideally in the 

public interest. Scientists and technology leaders 

in government, industry, and academia attempt to 

influence public policy, based on their expertise 

and (sometimes) their self-interest. This multidisciplinary 

course combines topics in science, 

technology, public policy, and ethics. We will 

explore current issues in public health, climate 

change, environmental science and energy. A 

background in science is not required. 


LIFE IN COLONIAL AMERICA 

Judi Biederman 


Through discussions of the topics of quill pens, 

toys, wool, and clothing, Life in Colonial America 

describes the hardships of life in the American 

colonies, challenges of the times, and the 

ingenuity that helped colonists survive. 


HOT BUTTON ISSUES IN IMMIGRATION LAW 

AND POLICY 

Judith Bernstein-Baker 


This will be a four-session class that will give 

participants an overview of the immigration 

system, examine the decision-makers and 

stakeholders, and explore current trends. We will 

examine the emotional nature of the immigration 

debate, legal immigration, detention and child 

separation, asylum, and refugee resettlement. 

Guest speakers, video clips, case studies, and 

breakout Zoom groups will be used to encourage 

participant interchange. Class limit: 60

SESSION 1: TUESDAY COURSES (Continued) 

JOSEPH FELS, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., JOSE MARTI, AND THOMAS PAINE: THEIR LIFE 

STORIES AND PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL JUSTICE 

Edward J. Dodson 


Lectures on the lives and principles of four leading reformers in U.S. history: (1) Joseph Fels, of the 

family who built the Fels-Naptha Company, and who then devoted most of his wealth to the realization 

of Henry George’s vision of economic justice and to securing a homeland for the Jewish people; (2) 

Martin Luther King Jr., who embraced the nonviolent methods of Mahatma Gandhi; (3) José Martí, 

organizer of Cuban exiles in the 1895 uprising against Spanish rule; and (4) Thomas Paine, whose first 

writing after arriving in North America condemned the enslavement of any person. Class limit: 200 

SESSION 1: WEDNESDAY COURSES 

CIVIL WAR II 

Jim Brown 

Wednesdays, 10:00 AM‒11:30 AM 

A look at first major Civil War battle—Bull Run—the 

border states, and war in the West. 


MORNING DIALOGUE 

Janice Winston 

Wednesdays, 10:30 AM‒12:00 PM 

Educational thought-provoking lecture and 

discussion. Topics cover historical, national, 

local, social, and current issues. The dialogue 

helps us gain insight into others and ourselves 

on our quest to continue learning. Attendees 

are invited to share their thoughts, ideas, and 

opinions in a congenial and guided forum. Wake 

up your brain as we gain and give knowledge 

through our individual life experiences. 


FREEDOM OF SPEECH: HAVE WE GONE TOO 

FAR? 

Alan Gershenson 


Hate speech, corporate speech and money, 

speech that defames and invades privacy. We 

will explore the history and law involving the 

constitutional right of freedom of speech and 

discuss whether it has been interpreted too 

broadly to protect hate and other types of speech 

from any governmental restraint or regulation. 


SAVING WOMEN’S HISTORY: WOMEN AND 

HISTORIC PRESERVATION 

Cynthia Little 


This course presents a national and regional 

overview of women’s activism in historic 

preservation beginning in the mid 1800s. 

It explores the ways women domesticated 

preservation and used it for political ends 

including promoting the Confederacy, American 

exceptionalism, and most recently women’s 

historical experience in all its complexity. 



SESSION 1: WEDNESDAY COURSES (Continued) 

DRAWING 

Joann Neufeld 

Wednesdays, 1:00 PM‒2:30 PM 

Let’s take our study of drawing materials through 

charcoal, chalk pastel, oil pastel, and watercolor. 

Why do artists change from one medium to 

another? What works best for your style of 

expression? Weekly drawing assignments will 

build your observational skills. Class limit: 50 

RISE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION 

James Robertson 


This seminar will trace the dawn of Western 

civilization from the era of the prehistoric man 

through the development of the Mesopotamian 

river civilizations. The focus will be to illustrate 

how humanity developed. Emphasis will be 

placed on learning about the development of 

ancient societies, government, religion, and 

economics. The journey of Western Civilization 

will continue through the rise of the Fertile 

Crescent up until the age of the Greeks. 


WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN AMERICAN: 

TWO NEW PERSPECTIVES 

Bob Groves 


This course will examine what the rights and 

responsibilities of being an American citizen 

are in the 21st century. It will draw from the 

current work of Harvard University’s Carr Center 

for Human Rights Policy and the American 

Academy’s bipartisan, 2020 report Our Common 

Purpose: Reinventing American Democracy 

for the 21st Century. A key focus will be the 

ongoing tension between two founding principles 

of the United States: freedom and equality. 

Recommendations from both initiatives will be 

presented and discussed. Class limit: 300 

SEX AND THE SUPREMES UPDATED 

Susan Katz Hoffman 


Much has happened at the Supreme Court since 

our last visit to Sex and the Supremes. Even if you 

didn’t take the original class, you will enjoy this 

exploration of the Supreme Court’s evolution on 

issues of sex, gender, sexuality. Class limit: 200 

8 


SESSION 1: THURSDAY COURSES 

RETHINKING RELIGION 

Alan Soffin 

Thursdays, 10:00 AM‒11:30 AM 

Rethinking Religion investigates religious ideas 

philosophically. What is religion? Are there 

uniquely religious truths? Is it a form of social 

control, mass therapy or a defense against 

anxiety? What is the relation between “God’s 

Word” and morality, between religion and 

politics? What is the meaning of human Life? 

Throughout, we ask, “Can traditional religions 

be conceptually reconstructed in a manner that 

is not reductionist? Can the insights and mystery 

of religion, newly understood, find a place in our 

“secular” age? Class limit: 100 

MORNING SPORTS DIALOGUE 

Lloyd Kern 

Thursdays, 10:30 AM‒12:00 PM 

Sports have become a much-discussed 

topic in today’s news. In this course, we will 

discuss current issues in the local, national, 

and international sports scene both on the 

professional and amateur level. Students are 

invited to share their thoughts and opinions in 

an open forum, including suggesting a topic for 

future discussion. Class limit: 50 

THE EUROPEAN UNION: CURRENT 

CHALLENGES 

Elaine Fultz 


The European Union is a political and economic 

alliance that promotes human rights, multiparty 

political systems, and an open internal market. 

This course will examine how the EU developed, 

its main players, its authorities and ways of 

operating, and its effectiveness as a promoter 

of democracy. The course follows up on similar 

courses offered in 2019 and 2020, but with new 

sessions on the EU’s handling of the coronavirus, 

migration reform, and the EU without the UK. 


INTEGRATED HISTORY 

John Shepherd 

Thursdays, 1:00 PM‒2:30 PM 

Explore the complexity and interconnections 

of life in the past. This course will explore 

concurrent developments in art, music, science, 

technology, war and politics during the era 

from the 17th century through the crowning of 

Queen Victoria. We’ll try to understand elements 

of causation and correlation and discriminate 

between them. Class limit: 300 


SESSION 2 

4-WEEK COURSES 

March 8‒April 2 

10 Spring 2021 | OLLI at Temple | olli@temple.edu | (215) 204-1505

SESSION 2: TUESDAY COURSES 

PENNSYLVANIA GEOLOGY 

Eric Clausen 


This class consists of four lectures followed 

by class discussion providing (1) an overview 

of Pennsylvania geology; (2) an introduction 

to some geologists who helped develop 

Pennsylvania geology interpretations; (3) a 

look at how Pennsylvania economic resources 

like coal, oil, natural gas, building stones, and 

metallic minerals contributed to the state’s 

development; and (4) a look at some still 

unsolved research problems facing Pennsylvania 

geologists today. Class limit: 150 

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IN 

THE 20TH CENTURY 

Edward Kaplan 


This course will describe the rise of the 

Republican Party in the 1920s, the importance 

of durable goods industries (especially the 

automobile) in the creation of jobs, the rise and 

fall of the stock market, and the onset of the Great 

Depression. We will discuss the election of 1932 

and the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt and 

the New Deal. The course will end after the 1938 

Congressional elections, which was the end of 

the New Deal. Class limit: 500 

AGING AS A TREATABLE DISEASE 

Jay Pomerantz 


Every living thing ages and eventually dies. 

What causes aging? Can aging be prevented or 

slowed down? Is it conceivable to reverse aging 

in animals (or even human beings)? Is biological 

age necessarily the same as chronological age, 

and how can we influence it? What can we do 

currently, and what is on the horizon? It turns out 

we may be closer to extending life/health than 

most people realize. The key is that most chronic 

disease seems amenable to prevention. 


A DIFFERENT LOOK AT U.S. PRESIDENTS AT 

WAR 

Michael Baron 


A discussion of the evolution of presidential 

war powers. We will look at presidential war 

powers as the Founding Fathers described them 

to various presidencies from Thomas Jefferson 

through the Bushes. Topics to be discussed 

include a discussion of presidential wartime 

decisions and their impact on America’s wars 

from the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, 

World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam, and finally 

9/11. Class limit: 150 

JEWS OF LATIN AMERICA 

Natan Szapiro 


Jewish Latin America is usually relegated to the 

margins in discussions of both Latin America 

and the Jewish world. It is true that, with fewer 

than one million Jews, Latin America’s Jewish 

communities comprise a small proportion of the 

world’s Jews, and an even smaller portion of 

Latin America’s population. But the story of Jews 

in Latin America helps illuminate broader aspects 

of Jewish history and of the history of the Latin 

American countries in which they settled. 


FOUR ORGANS: KIDNEYS, LUNGS, LIVER 

AND BLOOD 

Jonathan Roth 


This interactive course will provide a basic 

medical education of four of the major organ 

systems. Basic anatomy, physiology, and disease 

states of each organ will be presented. The first 

week will discuss the kidneys, the second the 

lungs, the third the liver, and the fourth the blood. 



SESSION 2: WEDNESDAY COURSES 

ONLINE PRIVACY IS A MYTH‒THE WEB CAN 

BE ORWELLIAN 

Nancy McDonald 


Although your online username may not be your 

real name, you are not anonymous on the web. 

Internet companies can identify and track you 

online. Plus, location tracking on smartphones 

creates a history of your physical movements, and 

fitness trackers send personal health information 

to tech companies. Data brokers aggregate 

this information, and government agencies are 

purchasing these databases. Instead of online 

anonymity, rock star Sting’s lyrical refrain “I’ll be 

watching you” is more apropos of today’s Internet. 


LESSONS OF THE EXODUS STORY FOR OUR 

LIVES 

Joanne Doades 


The saga of the Israelite redemption from slavery 

in Egypt almost three thousand years ago has 

been told and retold by people seeking freedom 

from tyranny throughout the world. Please join 

us as we explore the meaning and the messages 

of this quintessential story of freedom and the 

lessons it contains for us in our own lives today. 

All are welcome; no Hebrew language or previous 

Bible study required. Class limit: 150 

CIVIL WAR LEADERS, PRESIDENTS, AND 

GENERALS 

Allan B. Schwartz 


During this course, we will examine history, 

politics, and world leaders focusing on the Civil 

War. Specifically, we’ll discuss the “doughfaced” 

Presidents (Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan), as 

well as Lincoln, Johnson, and Grant. 


INTRO TO BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY: PART 2 

Helen Rosen 


This course is a continuation of Intro to Buddhist 

Psychology, Part I. The course will examine 

interdependent origination, Kamma, rebirth, 

and meditation. Completion of Part I is not a 

prerequisite, although some background in 

Buddhist philosophy would be helpful. 


A DISCUSSION OF SHAKESPEARE’S ANTONY 

AND CLEOPATRA 

Wendy Buckingham 


Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, one of 

the Bard’s Roman plays, is both a history play 

and a tragedy. It is also a counterpart to Romeo 

and Juliet, the story of young love. The lovers in 

the Roman play represent mature love as well 

as great passion. Through discussion, we will 

explore this comparison as well as comparisons 

to the well-known movie. Class limit: 100 

AMERICA: CAN FASCISM HAPPEN HERE? 

Paul Selbst 


Is fascism in America’s future? America is a 

democratic liberal republic. But something’s 

changed. Should we worry? Class limit: 300 

THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN JUDAISM 

Robert Layman 


A history of American Judaism and the 

development of its major movements. We will 

analyze Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and 

Reconstructionist Judaism as well as recent postdenominational 

trends and their current status. 



SESSION 2: THURSDAY COURSES 

TRAVEL WITH OLLI 

Marty Millison 


This course will highlight the travel experiences 

of OLLI members. Each week a different OLLI 

member will present a memorable travel 

experience, while those in attendance will 

learn about an interesting place they may want 

to visit. It is anticipated that the presentations 

will highlight places around the world as well 

as close to home. A discussion will follow each 

presentation. Class limit: 100 

TONI MORRISON’S SONG OF SOLOMON 

Linda Beckman 


We examine Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon 

(1977), about the African American experience 

in the 20th century, especially on how gender 

has an impact on racial issues and on changes in 

the status of Blacks. A focus will be on realism 

and departures from it, and on interpretation. 

Milkman goes from a rustbelt city to rural 

Pennsylvania and to the South in search of his 

origins. We’ll examine techniques and terms and 

discuss politics and progress. Class limit: 30 

POLITICS IN THE CYBER AGE 

Stanley Cutler 


An exploration of the influence of cyber media 

technologies on American presidential politics. 


iPHONES FOR INTERMEDIATE USERS 

Gary Rose 


This four-week course is intended for the 

intermediate user with a good understanding 

of the functioning of the iPhone and the Apple 

apps installed on all new phones. Each session 

will focus on specific topics and applications and 

will delve deeper into these areas than in the 

basic iPhone class. The four primary topic areas 

are customizing your phone with settings and 

widgets, news and staying informed, camera and 

photos, and apps to make your life easier. 


TEMPLES AND LOCOMOTIVES: FAIRMOUNT 

AREA ARCHITECTURE 

Warren Williams 


The goal of this course is to allow participants to 

have a greater appreciation of how the northwest 

section of Penn’s original city has changed over 

the last 300 years. This section of Philadelphia 

offers a microcosm showing Philadelphia’s 

evolution from a colonial center, to an industrial 

powerhouse, and finally to the modern city 

focused on education and medicine. 


BRAZILIAN MUSIC‒A GUIDED TOUR 

Narayan Acharya 


Take a guided tour of the 150-year evolution 

of Brazilian music based on the instructor’s 

familiarity with the major styles, important 

composers and lyricists, and the leading 

interpreters. Presentations of music are selected 

to illustrate the mainstream and some tributaries 

and offshoots. The primary mode of the music is 

vocal, which requires an appreciation of lyric and 

language. The stories told in song over a century 

and a half paint a canvas of the history, culture, 

and people of Brazil. Class limit: 300 


8 WEEK COURSES 

February 1‒April 2 


TUESDAY COURSES 

GERMAN CONVERSATION/LISTENING FOR 

ADVANCED BEGINNERS 

Cheri Micheau 


In this language course, students with some 

background in German will participate in 

basic conversation on everyday themes, with 

language support through sentence patterns 

and key vocabulary, as well as readings and 

audiovisual texts on each theme. The goals for 

this class include increased speaking fluency 

and comprehensibility, more accurate listening 

comprehension, increase in size of productive 

vocabulary, and automaticity building in using 

common sentence patterns. Feedback on 

comprehensibility and accuracy, as well as 

appropriateness of vocabulary use, will be 

provided. Class limit: 50 

SHORT TALES AND BOOK BITES 

Tony Trifiletti and Sol Glassberg 


The course explores a variety of readings in short 

stories and nonfiction. Each week’s discussion is 

based upon a short story or a “bite” of nonfiction. 

100 Years of the Best American Short Stories by 

Lorrie Moore and Heidi Pitlor will be the source of 

some of the short stories. Others will be available 

online. In lieu of a nonfiction book this semester, 

we will explore climate issues through discussion 

of two additional short stories. Class limit: 35 

SPANISH 4 

Diana Goldman 


This course is a continuation of the fall course 

and will begin where we ended in the fall. Only 

students who attended in the fall, can join this 

spring session. Classes are very interactive, 

with opportunity of participation for all students. 

Although emphasis is on grammar, students will 

engage in conversation in every class. We will 

use the book Advanced Spanish Grammar, by 

Luis Aragonés and Ramón Palencia, plus other 

materials provided by the teacher. Class limit: 15 

WRITING WORKSHOP: ALL IN THE DETAILS 

Essie Abrahams-Goldberg 


This course will focus on characters and conflict. 

Whether writing fiction or memoir, writers 

successfully develop characters that face and 

handle conflict. This workshop assumes writers 

are looking to improve their craft and are open 

to regular writing challenges, sharing them 

and receiving feedback. In addition, readings 

will include pieces on craft. Small class size 

encourages comment and risk taking. 


SPANISH 2 (PART 2) 

Michael Niederman 





spring session. Our goal is to increase students’ 

written and verbal skill in Spanish. Class limit: 15 


WEDNESDAY COURSES 

FRENCH (ADVANCED BEGINNER/ 

INTERMEDIATE) 

Eleanor Kazdan 


This class is for students with at least a 

beginner’s knowledge of French. We will focus 

on basic grammar, conversation, listening 

comprehension, and writing. This course is a 

continuation of the fall course and will begin 

where we ended in the fall. Class limit: 15 

SPANISH 3 

Stephanie Sesker 





spring session. Spanish 3 is an intermediate-level 

Spanish course combining grammar, listening, 

and conversation. Each class will consist of 

the presentation and practice of a grammatical 

point appropriate for the level, a listening 

exercise to be completed as homework, and 

small-group conversation based on everyday 

use of the language. This course requires the 

active participation of all students. Students will 

need an intermediate-level grammar book for 

reference. Class limit: 15 

MEMOIR/FICTION/ALL WRITING PROJECT 

TECHNIQUES 

Fran Metzman 


Writing for advanced, intermediate, beginner, 

or those exploring new skills. Learn writing 

techniques and structure of fiction, memoir, 

any nonfiction or those grappling with untried 

concepts. Release the creative person within. 

We invite those who wish to publish, enlighten 

family/friends, explore your inner self, or 

bolster a healing process. In class, read a work 

in progress and receive input from the group 

and instructor, if desired, or just listen. Prompts 

suggested for greater deepening of writing skills. 


THURSDAY COURSES 

FRENCH IMMERSION 

Lois Beck 





spring session. French Immersion is a course 

intended for students who speak French on an 

intermediate advanced or advanced level. The 

course, taught entirely in French, aims primarily 

at sustaining and improving aural/oral abilities. 

A second goal is to have the student keep abreast 

of current happenings in France and Francophone 

countries. There is no text as students read 

articles from online sites of popular French 

newspapers. Class limit: 14 

EXPERIENCES ABROAD 

Eleanor Gesensway 


Experiences Abroad continues the theme of this 

year’s monthly Thursday literature study class. 

To participate in the discussion, members must 

read all the books and, at least once during the 

year, co-lead the discussion. This semester’s 

selections are by American authors who lived 

abroad at some time in their lives and who wrote 

about their experiences. They are For Whom 

the Bell Tolls (E. Hemingway), February 4; 

The Sheltering Sky (P. Bowles), March 11; and 

Memoirs of a Geisha (A. Golden), April 1. 



THURSDAY COURSES (Continued) 

WRITE NOW! 

Phyllis Mass 


Write Now! Right Brain Writing Workshops 

stimulate the imagination through the use of a 

variety of improvisational multi-media/multigenre 

prompts including meditation, music, 

cartoons, design, theater, and visual games. 

Group writing is done “in the moment,” for ten 

minutes, then shared. Comments may only be 

concerned with what “stays” with us and “what is 

memorable.” Participants learn to listen, focus, 

relax, and forgo overthinking. Inner critics are 

silenced. Information is synthesized. 


IMMIGRATION AND IDENTITY: THE 

NAMESAKE 

Jo Ellen Winters 


Indian short story and novel writer Jhumpa 

Lahiri’s first novel explores the difficult 

internal and societal issues frequently faced by 

immigrants and immigrant families. From the 

very name(s) of the young main character to his 

lonely pursuit of a sense of belonging, from the 

concept of the ABCD (American-Born Confused 

Deshi) to his father’s battered copy of Gogol’s 

short stories, we accompany Gogol Ganguli on his 

urgent search for an authentic identity. 



ADDITIONAL 

PROGRAMMING 


FRIDAY COURSE 

THINKING SOCIETY DISCUSSION GROUP 

Sandy Catz 

First Friday of the month: February 5, March 12, April 2 

10:00 AM‒12:00 PM 

Take this opportunity to participate in great discussions, many topics of which will be selected from 

the Greater Philadelphia Thinking Society. Topics may include science, technology, philosophy, 

politics, education, economics, psychology, art, literature, and religion. Presentations to kick 

off discussions will be short. Most learning will come from ideas, interpretations, and personal 

experiences of the participants, inspired by online resource material. Class limit: 20 

OLLI FRIDAY FORUMS 

OLLI Friday Forums will begin Friday, February 5 and end on Friday, April 2 (no forum on 

March 5). Some weeks there will be one speaker and some there will be two ‒ please watch 

for updates throughout the semester. These classes are for OLLI members only and will 

require registration. Details to come. 

HATHA YOGA 

Joanne Gordin 

Mondays, 10:30 AM‒12:00 PM 

Session 1: February 1‒February 22 

Session 2: March 8‒March 29 

This is a gentle yoga class open to beginners and 

students familiar with yoga. Class will include 

yoga postures, breathing exercises, relaxation and 

meditation techniques, and a short talk on yoga 

philosophy. Students are expected to arrive five 

minutes before class begins. Late arrivals are 

discouraged. A yoga belt will be used for some 

classes. Class limit: 125 

YOGA 


ASYNCHRONOUS OFFERINGS 

ASYNCHRONOUS LEARNING OPPORTUNITY 

Asynchronous learning occurs virtually with limited or no real-time interaction. Asynchronous 

learning happens on your schedule. The instructor will provide materials for reading or for viewing 

and monitor a discussion board, and you have the ability to access these materials within a flexible 

time frame. 

OLLI students who are registered for this course will need to obtain an Accessnet account through 

the university. Instructions on how to activate your Accessnet account are on our website, under the 

Resources tab, under Forms and Instructions. If you need assistance, OLLI staff can help. 

Accessnet accounts at Temple are required in order to sign up for CANVAS, an online learning 

management system, where you can access the online materials. 

COMING OF AGE IN CANADA: ANNE SHIRLEY AND BRIAN O’CONNAL 

Robert Timko 

Part I: February 1‒February 26; Part II: March 8‒April 2 

Sometimes children’s literature may be intended for an audience of adult readers. This may well be the 

case with Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and W.O. Mitchell’s Who Has Seen the Wind. 

What happens when childhood imagination collides with reality, keeping in mind that reality consists 

of both natural and social forces? What value might imagination have in our lives as we mature? Can 

these novels about childhood teach us about duty, respect, faith and hypocrisy? Class limit: 35 


OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE: SPRING 2021 

INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHIES 

ESSIE ABRAHAMS-GOLDBERG 

Essie Abrahams-Goldberg, 

MA Villanova University; 

BS, Millersville University. A 

lifelong educator, Essie has 

taught writing, fiction and 

nonfiction, to students of all 

ages and levels. Awarded the 

Rose Lindenbaum Teacher 

of the Year while working 

within the School District 

of Philadelphia, Essie has 

published short articles and 

has produced professional 

writers. 

NARAYAN ACHARYA 

Narayan Acharya has been 

immersed in Brazilian music 

for 40 years, collecting over 

400 LPs, CDs, & books, and 

acquiring familiarity with 

the language and culture. He 

was recognized for helping 

with radio programming at 

WERS, Emerson College, 

Boston. In retirement, he has 

given cultural appreciation 

courses on Jazz, Portuguese, 

and Spanish music, and on 

language and lyric. He also 

teaches for the Center for 

Learning in Retirement, 

Delaware Valley University. 

MICHAEL BARON 

Michael Baron, BS in finance 

from Marquette University; 

MBA from Temple University. 

He has over 40 years’ 

experience in all facets of 

commercial real estate. Prior 

to retirement, Mike covered the 

major U.S., Paris, and London 

markets and completed an 

almost five-year assignment 

in Tokyo. His lifelong avocation 

is military history, especially 

World War II. His business 

career took him to various 

parts of the world where he 

was able to see and experience 

firsthand the landscape 

where battles took place, thus 

allowing him to bring a visual 

perspective to his classes. 

LOIS BECK 

Lois Beck, MA in French 

language and literature from 

Boston University. Lois’ 

postgraduate work includes 

courses at McGill University 

in Montreal, the Sorbonne in 

Paris, and the University of 

Salamanca in Spain. She has 

taught French and Spanish at 

the Julia R. Masterman School 

and at the Philadelphia High 

School for Girls, as well as 

teaching privately and giving 

tours of historic Philadelphia in 

French. 

to serve. She was an appellate 

judge for 25 years. After she 

retired from the court, she was 

general counsel to the Barnes 

Foundation. She is presently 

chair of the Independence 

Foundation. 

LINDA BECKMAN 

Linda Beckman, PhD, MA, 

University of California at 

Berkeley; BA English, Hunter 

College (CUNY). She was 

tenured at Ohio University in 

1987 and retired as a professor 

emerita of English. She also 

taught at the University of 

Massachusetts in Boston and 

Arcadia University. Linda has 

published two scholarly books 

and numerous articles about 

literature. 

JUDITH BERNSTEIN-BAKER 

Judith Bernstein-Baker, for 18 

years, was executive director of 

HIAS PA, the largest nonprofit 

provider of immigration legal 

services in Pennsylvania. 

HIAS PA also provides refugee 

resettlement, ESL, and other 

supportive services. She has an 

PHYLLIS W. BECK 

MSW/JD degree and handles 

pro bono immigration cases. 

Phyllis W. Beck is a member She is co-author of a text, 

of the Pennsylvania Bar 

Understanding Immigration 

Association. She practiced law, Law and Practice. She has 

was vice dean of the University taught immigration law at 

of Pennsylvania Law School, community college for 10 years 

and was elected to serve on the and teaches a version of this 

Superior Court of Pennsylvania course at the Mt. Airy Learning 

where she was the first woman Tree. 


JUDI BIEDERMAN 

Julie is a professional journalist 

with extensive experience in 

writing, editing, and publication 

management. She is a 

volunteer historical interpreter 

and outreach educator for 

the Washington Crossing 

Historic Park. In that role, 

she teaches children in the 

park’s Colonial Days program 

and speaks to different adult 

groups, including Daughters 

of the American Revolution 

chapters. She also teaches at 

the Delaware Valley University 

Center for Learning in 

Retirement program. 

JIM BROWN 

Jim Brown graduated from 

West Point and has a Masters 

in American History from the 

University of Pennsylvania. He 

had two great grandfathers 

who were civil war vets and has 

traced/visited their battles/ 

battle sites. 

WENDY BUCKINGHAM 

Wendy Buckingham taught 

English for 26 years, including a 

senior elective in Shakespeare. 

She headed the English 

Department at Friends Select 

School for 20 years. She has 

a BA in English from Barnard 

College and an MA in Literature 

from Bryn Mawr. 

SANDY CATZ 

Sandy Catz, MEng, member 

and instructor for the Lifelong 

Learning Society who also 

leads discussions for the 

Greater Philadelphia Thinking 

Society and Socrates Café. 

ERIC CLAUSEN 

Eric Clausen earned a BA in 

geology at Columbia University 

and a PhD in geology at the 

University of Wyoming. He 

taught geology at Minot State 

University in North Dakota 

and now holds the position of 

professor emeritus. He moved 

to the Philadelphia area in 

2013 and is actively working on 

research related to erosional 

landform feature origins. 

MICHAEL CLEARY 

Michael Cleary has a Masters 

degree and a JD. A former 

Juvenile Probation Officer, he 

has been a career prosecutor 

for 27 years. He’s a guest 

lecturer and adjunct professor 

at Immaculata University. Mike 

deployed with the Army during 

the invasions of Panama, 

Desert Storm, Haiti, Balkans, 

and tours in Iraq. In 2011, he 

was a U.S. attorney to Anbar 

Province, site of the Islamic 

State’s insurgency. 

STANLEY CUTLER 

Stanley Cutler, earned an MA 

from Penn State’s Department 

of Communication in 1970 

and taught speech courses 

at PSU for six years before 

a successful career in IT. 

From 2015 through Spring 

2019, he taught political 

communications at Main Line 

School Night and Golden 

Slipper. He declined offers to 

repeat because he felt that his 

loyal student following had 

heard all he had to say on the 

vast topic. He is a full-time 

writer (six novels), writer for 

the Chestnut Hill Local, and 

board member of Friends of the 

Library. 

JOANNE DOADES 

Joanne Doades taught at OLLI 

for five years until 2016, when 

she moved to Jerusalem, 

where she now lives. She 

was formerly the Director for 

Curriculum in the Union for 

Reform Judaism’s Department 

of Lifelong Jewish Learning in 

New York and is a committed 

lifelong learner. She hopes 

to share the journey toward 

understanding and wisdom 

by challenging Biblical texts 

to provide us with relevant 

insights for our lives today. 

EDWARD J. DODSON 

Edward J. Dodson retired in 

2005 after a career in banking 

and finance. He holds a BS 

degree from Shippensburg 

University and a Master of 

Liberal Arts degree from 

Temple University. From 1981 

until 2013, he served on the 

faculty of the Henry George 

School of Social Science. He 

has served on the OLLI faculty 

since 2007. 


ELAINE FULTZ 

Elaine Fultz lived and worked 

in Europe for ten years as an 

official of the International 

Labor Organization, one of the 

specialized agencies of the 

United Nations. She assisted 

governments in Central and 

Eastern Europe in preparing to 

join the European Union. She 

managed research projects, 

collected data, described 

national experiences, and 

compared the EU member 

states. 

ALAN GERSHENSON 

Alan Gershenson, BA, Penn 

State University; JD, Harvard 

Law School. Alan practiced 

law for 42 years, of which 36 

were at the law firm of Blank 

Rome, where he was engaged 

entirely in civil trial work. His 

cases resulted in many trial 

and appellate decisions. He 

has taught and written about 

various aspects of commercial 

trial practice. 

ELEANOR GESENSWAY 

Ellie Gesensway, BS, MA in 

American History, University 

of Pennsylvania. She was 

a high school teacher, NPS 

ranger, bookstore manager, 

neighborhood book club 

leader, published author, 

seven-continent traveler, 

violinist, and preservationist 

of the year (1985) for saving 

the Lits building. She has 

served on many nonprofit 

boards. At OLLI, she has taught 

a course, given Summer Cafe 

lectures, organized a special 

Friday Forum program, and 

was featured in the OLLI 2017 

Notebook. 

SOL GLASSBERG 

Sol Glassberg, BSEE, Drexel 

University. Sol was a senior 

design engineer with General 

Electric Company. A licensed 

professional engineer, he did 

consulting engineering work 

after retiring from GE. He has 

been a member of the same 

book discussion group for 40 

years. 

DIANA GOLDMAN 

Diana Goldman, MD, 

Universidad Central de 

Venezuela. Resident and fellow 

in pediatrics and adolescence, 

Beth Israel Medical Center 

and Roosevelt Hospital, NY, 

and later, Jackson Memorial 

Hospital, Miami. Diana was 

director in the pharmaceutical 

industry for over 20 years, 

working mainly in research 

and medical education, with 

extensive teaching experience. 

She was also director at the 

Institute for Jewish Studies in 

Venezuela. 

JOANNE GORDIN 

Joanne Gordin, MFA, 

Pennsylvania Academy of the 

Fine Arts; CYT 500, YogaLife 

Institute. Joanne is a certified 

yoga instructor at the 500- 

hour level. She completed her 

yoga training at the YogaLife 

Institute, where she also 

studied yoga therapy. She has 

also completed programs in 

Transcendental Meditation 

(TM), Jon Kabat-Zinn’s 

Mindfulness Based Stress 

Reduction (MBSR), and the 

Way of Shambhala levels I–V 

meditation workshops. 

BOB GROVES 

Bob Groves, MA urban studies, 

University of Wisconsin; MPH 

in public health, University of 

Massachusetts. He had a 40- 

year career leading health and 

human service organizations. 

He received awards for his 

work in public health from 

the College of Physicians of 

Philadelphia and Pennsylvania 

Public Health Association. He is 

a member of the United Nations 

Association–Philadelphia 

Chapter. He has previously 

taught three other courses at 

OLLI, including Human Rights 

in the 21st Century. 

SUSAN KATZ HOFFMAN 

Susan Katz Hoffman, JD/MBA, 

University of Pennsylvania, is a 

semi-retired employee benefits 

lawyer. She has written or 

edited legal treatises and 

many articles, and presented 

well over 100 continuing legal 

education courses. She was 

named “Lawyer of the Year” for 

Employee Benefits in 2017 by 

Superlawyers. 


EDWARD KAPLAN 

Edward Kaplan, PhD, history 

and economics, New York 

University. Kaplan taught 

economics and history for 41 

years at the City University 

of New York and is now a 

professor emeritus at the 

university. He has published 

books and articles on trade 

policy, banking, history, and 

Keynesian economics. 

ELEANOR KAZDAN 

Eleanor Kazdan, BA of 

psychology, University 

of Toronto; MA Speech- 

Language Pathology, Temple 

University; graduate of the 

Royal Conservatory of Music of 

Toronto in piano and singing. 

Eleanor studied French for 7 

years, and spent much time 

speaking French in France 

and Quebec. Eleanor taught 

piano, sang professionally, and 

practiced speech-language 

pathology in hospitals for 20 

years. 

LLOYD KERN 

Lloyd Kern, BS economics, 

University of Pennsylvania; 

MBA finance, NYU; CPA, New 

York State. Lloyd spent over 

40 years in various managerial 

accounting positions. He was 

the CFO for the Boys & Girls 

Clubs of Philadelphia for nine 

years. A lifelong baseball 

fan, he was the owner of an 

Eastern League baseball team 

1977–1981 and was named the 

league’s Executive of the Year 

in 1977. 

ROBERT LAYMAN 

Robert Layman, MHL degree, 

ordination, and honorary 

Doctor of Divinity from the 

Jewish Theological Seminary; 

BA, Temple University; 

teacher’s diploma, Gratz 

College. Rabbi Layman is a 

former congregational rabbi 

and former executive director, 

Mid-Atlantic Region, United 

Synagogue of Conservative 

Judaism; past president, 

Board of Rabbis of Greater 

Philadelphia. He has been 

teaching at various levels since 

1951. 

CYNTHIA LITTLE 

Cynthia Little holds a doctorate 

in history from Temple 

University. During graduate 

school in the 1970s, she cofounded 

Feminist Tours, the 

first women’s history tour 

company. Since then she has 

been involved with women’s 

history locally and nationally 

as one of the founders of 

National Women’s History 

Month. She has worked as an 

historian, educator, and curator 

on exhibitions, programs, and 

large-scale history projects. 

Throughout her career she has 

advocated for bringing forward 

women’s historical experience. 

LYNN MARKS 

Lynn Marks, JD. She is 

a public interest lawyer 

specializing in leading 

nonprofit organizations. She 

has been executive director 

of Pennsylvanians for Modern 

Courts, Women Organized 

Against Rape, and Women’s 

Medical Fund, and has chaired 

the boards of directors of 

Living Beyond Breast Cancer; 

PA Interbranch Commission 

for Gender, Racial, and 

Ethnic Fairness; Women’s 

Law Project; and National 

Clearinghouse for the Defense 

of Battered Women. 

PHYLLIS MASS 

Phyllis Mass, MEd, Arcadia 

University; BA, Hunter College; 

NYC HS of Performing Arts. 

Phyllis is a poet, freelance 

writer/editor, and private 

writing workshop leader. Her 

fiction, poetry, and opinion 

pieces appear online and in 

print publications. A finalist in 

Philadelphia’s 2006 citywide 

Autobiographical Project 

marking the tercentenary of 

Benjamin Franklin’s birth, 

she was also a finalist in 

the prestigious New Yorker 

Cartoon Caption Contest. 

NANCY MCDONALD 

Nancy McDonald, EdD, 

Drexel University; MBA, 

Widener University; BS, math, 

Clarkson University. She 

was academic chair for the 

graduate technology program 

at Wilmington University 

and has taught information 

technology courses for over 

twelve years. Previously, 

she worked in information 

technology for 32 years, 

including as a senior executive 

at Accenture, a technology 

consulting company, and chief 

information officer for a $2B 

global business at DuPont. 


FRAN METZMAN 

Fran Metzman, MA, University 

of Pennsylvania; BFA, Moore 

College of Art. Former 

professor at Rosemont College, 

Fran has published numerous 

short stories, essays, 

interviews, a novel, and a short 

story collection. She recently 

published a novel, The Cha- 

Cha Babes at Pelican Way. She 

has won several awards. She 

is a fiction editor for Schuylkill 

Valley Journal and has lectured 

on releasing creativity. 

CHERI MICHEAU 

Cheri Micheau, (PhD, 

educational linguistics, 1990, 

Penn) taught graduate courses 

in educational linguistics and 

language teaching at West 

Chester, Drexel, Temple, and 

Penn, and coached teachers of 

English as a second language 

(ESL) in the School District of 

Philadelphia. She also taught 

K–12 ESL in Upper Merion 

and in Philadelphia, as well 

as German in York, PA, and at 

Frankfurt International School 

in Germany. 

MARTY MILLISON 

Marty Millison, DSW, University 

of Pennsylvania, is a professor 

emeritus at Temple University 

where he taught for 33 years. 

He was chairperson of the 

Social Work Department from 

1999 to 2004. Marty has taught 

11 courses at OLLI including 

klezmer music, Jewish humor, 

and courses on film and travel. 

He loves movies and has 

traveled to over 50 countries. 

JOANN NEUFELD 

Joann Neufeld, BFA, Masters 

in Art Education, Tyler School 

of Art; Masters+30, University 

of the Arts; School District of 

Philadelphia (1975–1998), art 

and gifted education, K–8; New 

Hope-Solebury School District 

(1998–2014), gifted education, 

writer’s palette, art and film, 

and art, 5–12. Joann is a guest 

lecturer in the education 

department of Moore College 

of Art. 

MICHAEL NIEDERMAN 

Michael Niederman, MBA, 

accounting, Temple University; 

BA, Spanish language, Penn 

State University. He spent two 

summers during high school 

living in Latin America. Michael 

was an internal auditor for the 

School District of Philadelphia 

for 25 years, and at the time of 

retirement, he was the director 

of payroll for the district. He 

enjoys traveling where he can 

use his foreign language skills. 

STEVE POLLACK 

Steve Pollack is a performer, 

director, lecturer and actor 

who has appeared in venues 

ranging from Grand Opera to 

Blues and Pop; an actor and 

director of stage plays; and as a 

lecturer and teacher in schools, 

community organizations, 

and private associations. 

He has performed in many 

local and regional theaters in 

opera, concert, and musical 

theater and was one of the 

original members of Peter 

Nero’s Voices of the Pops in 

Philadelphia. He lectures 

often on subjects of culture, 

art, history, music, and social 

change with specific focus on 

the critical, ironic, or trivial 

connections between historical 

events. He was educated at 

Franklin & Marshall College 

and Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 

JAY POMERANTZ 

Jay Pomerantz, MD, Yale 

University School of Medicine. 

Following an internship at the 

Hospital of the University of 

Pennsylvania, he served on the 

medical staff of the U.S. Peace 

Corps. He then completed 

a residency in psychiatry at 

Mass Mental Health Center in 

Boston. After that, he practiced 

outpatient psychiatry while 

continuing on the clinical 

faculty of Harvard Medical 

School. He retired in 2015. 

JAMES ROBERTSON 

James earned an MA degree 

with honors and has been an 

adjunct professor of history at 

several institutions since 2006. 

He has taught at Montgomery 

County Community College 

for 13 years and Esperanza 

College for 12. He is currently 

teaching online at both 

colleges. In addition, he has 

been a lecturer at the Lifelong 

Learning Society for 12 years. 


GARY ROSE 

Gary Rose was born and raised 

in Brooklyn, NY. He received 

his BA in political science from 

Temple University and received 

his JD from the University of 

Miami. After practicing law for 

17 years, he joined his family 

fashion jewelry business. 

Upon selling the business and 

retiring for now, he has been 

consulting, taking classes, 

mentoring, volunteering, and 

traveling. 

HELEN ROSEN 

Helen Rosen, PhD, has been 

studying and practicing 

Buddhism for over 20 years. 

She was also on the faculty of 

the Won Institute of Graduate 

Studies for two years where 

she taught a variety of courses 

on Buddhism and Buddhist 

psychology. She has published 

articles related to meditation 

and psychotherapy, and she 

leads meditation at both the 

Philadelphia Meditation Center 

and at Center City Insight 

Meditation. She also has a 

certificate from the Barre 

Center for Buddhist Studies. 

JONATHAN ROTH 

Jonathan Roth, BS in biology, 

MS in chemistry, SUNY Albany; 

MD, SUNY Downstate. He did 

his residency in anesthesiology 

at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital 

in Boston. He completed a 

fellowship in cardiothoracic 

anesthesiology at Emory 

University. Jonathan worked 

for 33 years at Albert Einstein 

Medical Center where he is 

chairman emeritus of the 

Department of Anesthesiology. 

He has authored many articles, 

book chapters, and case 

reports. He enjoys judging 

science fairs. 

ALLAN B. SCHWARTZ 

Allan B. Schwartz, M.D., FACP, 

FASN, FASH, Professor of 

Medicine, Drexel University 

College of Medicine, Phila. 

PA, Division of Nephrology 

and Hypertension, served 

as Vice Chair, Department 

of Medicine and Clinical 

Service Chief and Academic 

Service Chief, Department of 

Medicine and Director, Internal 

Medicine Residency Program. 

Dr. Schwartz has received 

numerous “Outstanding 

Clinician” and “Outstanding 

Teacher” awards at Hahnemann 

and Drexel. Dr. Schwartz has 

published two textbooks as 

well as many peer reviewed 

articles. Recently, Dr. Schwartz 

has combined his knowledge of 

historical events blended with 

medical information devoted 

to United States Presidents’ 

Secret Illnesses and Effect on 

World History and Politics. 

PAUL SELBST 

Paul Selbst, PhD, MPA, New 

York University School of 

Public Administration; MS, 

Columbia University School of 

Public Health; BS, University 

of Buffalo School of Pharmacy. 

Paul is a professor emeritus at 

Saint Joseph’s college of Maine 

and former director of the 

graduate program in healthcare 

administration. He is an author 

of numerous publications and 

teaches various courses in 

political science, as well as folk 

music at OLLI. 

STEPHANIE SESKER 

Stephanie Sesker, MA in 

linguistics, University of Iowa. 

Stephanie was involved in 

English as a second language 

administration and teaching 

at the university level for 35 

years. She was a Fulbright 

senior lecturer (TESL) in 

Mexico and academic director 

of the Binational Center in 

Asunción, Paraguay. She has 

presented papers and led 

workshops in the field of ESL 

in Mexico, South America, and 

Spain. 

JOHN SHEPHERD 

John Shepherd retired from 

the U.S. Army in 1988 and 

retired from a second career 

in system engineering in 

2007. Since that time, he 

has indulged his interest in 

history through research and 

teaching/lecturing around 

southeastern Pennsylvania. 

He has presented semesterlong 

courses on military 

history, national security, 

and the American circus. He 

holds a bachelor’s degree in 

International Relations from 

Lehigh University and is a 

member of the Society for 

Military History, Coast Defense 

Study Group, and the Circus 

Model Builders. 

ALAN SOFFIN 

Alan Soffin, PhD, Social 

Foundations and Philosophy 

of Education. Primary doctoral 

course-work 


in philosophy. Author, 

Rethinking Religion: Beyond 

Scientism, Theism and 

Philosophic Doubt (Telford: 

Cascadia Press, 2011, 434 pp.). 

Author, “Recollecting Honor,” 

in Images of Youth. Soffin 

has published in Educational 

Theory, MLA Bulletin, and 

Dreamseeker Magazine, a 

Mennonite journal to which he 

contributed a series of articles 

on religion and the religious. 

NATAN SZAPIRO 

Natan Szapiro was born in 

Cuba and spent his childhood 

in Havana. He studied Latin 

American history at Columbia 

University (MA). His area 

of academic concentration 

included 19th century Cuba 

and Cuban revolutionary 

movements in the 1930s. 

Since leaving school, he has 

continued to study Cuban 

history in order to understand 

the events of his youth. 

ROBERT TIMKO 

Robert Timko, MA, PhD, the 

University of Guelph; professor 

emeritus, Mansfield University 

of PA. He served as president 

of the American Association 

of Philosophy Teachers and 

the Middle Atlantic and New 

England Council for Canadian 

Studies. He held visiting 

professorships at universities 

in Canada and Russia. He 

continues to give public 

presentations on Canadian 

philosophy and culture, as well 

as topics in professional ethics. 

TONY TRIFILETTI 

Tony Trifiletti, BS, University 

of Pennsylvania, MS, 

Imperial College, London, 

both in Ch. Engineering, MA, 

Villanova, Liberal Studies. 

Tony has worked as a teacher, 

administrator, engineer, and 

business manager. He’s taught 

mathematics at La Salle 

University and Montgomery 

County Community College 

and worked for many years at 

Honeywell Inc. and Johnson 

Matthey plc. Tony retired as 

Vice President and Director 

of Human Resources and 

has led short story and book 

discussions at OLLI for the past 

seven years. 

WARREN WILLIAMS 

Warren Williams, AIA, is a 

retired architect with over 30 

years of experience, much 

of it at the Southeastern 

Pennsylvania Transportation 

Authority. Previously, he 

worked as a planner in 

California. Growing up in 

Bucks County, he has had a 

lifelong interest in history. 

Mr. Williams has led walking 

tours exploring Philadelphia’s 

historic architecture and city 

planning for over 25 years, 

and he occasionally lectures 

on Philadelphia’s historical 

development. In his free time, 

he is an avid photographer of 

historic buildings and urban 

streetscapes. 

JANICE WINSTON 

Janice Winston, BS, business 

communications; certificates 

in human resources, 

management, and marketing, 

Chestnut Hill College. She is 

a retired network engineer, 

an award-winning pension 

activist, certified mediator, 

educator, and elected official. 

Janice has taught adult 

literacy and elementary 

education. Janice volunteers 

as an advanced instructor 

and communications 

representative at the American 

Red Cross. She has a special 

interest in human rights and 

disaster relief. 

JO ELLEN WINTERS 

Jo Ellen Winters, BA, 

comparative literature, 

Brandeis University; MA, 

Temple University. Professor 

emerita of English, Bucks 

County Community College (44 

years), where she taught intro 

to the novel, humanities (teamtaught, 

interdisciplinary), 

Shakespeare, short fiction, 

and survey courses in 

American, British, and World 

literature. She has also taught 

at Temple (2 years), Rutgers, 

C.W. Post College (2 years), 

and Pennswood Village in 

Newtown, Bucks County (10 

years of intergenerational 

college literature courses). 


OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE: SPRING 2021 

A GUIDE TO LEARNING WITH ZOOM 

Zoom is a centrally supported video conferencing platform that provides high definition, interactive 

collaboration tools for online learning and communication. To access Zoom you will need a laptop or desktop 

(Mac or Windows), tablet, or smartphone (Android or iPhone).* The following equipment will enhance your 

experience: 

• Web Camera –If your computer does not have a built-in camera, then we recommend you obtain a web 

camera or webcam. A web camera will increase your connection with the instructor and your peers by 

allowing you to see each other face-to-face. If you don’t have access to a web camera you will still be able 

to see the instructor. 

• Microphone/Headset/Earbuds – The microphone will enable 

you to be heard in a class. Headsets and earbuds are sometimes 

useful to help enhance how well you hear the instructor and their 

presentation. They are not necessary, though some people prefer to 

be able to block out any noise in their surroundings. 

• Charger – Charging your device during a class will help ensure that 

you do not have an unexpected power outage during class. 

Once you have paid for your membership and selected your courses, 

OLLI will send you a link to the Zoom meeting (course). Please save this 

link as you will use it each time you sign into the course. You do not need 

a Zoom account to attend one of our courses. 

• If you have not used Zoom before, please allow about 15 minutes for 

set up before first use. 

• If using a laptop or desktop please download the free and secure 

Zoom program to computer. 

• If using a tablet or smartphone please download the free and secure 

Zoom application from the app store. 

*We only recommend the following as a last resort: you may also join Zoom 

classes with just your telephone, through a conference call line. However, you 

will not be able to see the instructor or fellow students this way; just hear them. 

Your Safety Comes 

First! 

OLLI at Temple is aware of 

the many reports around the 

country on “zoombombers” 

who try to disrupt Zoom 

meetings and privacy concerns. 

Most Zoombombing happens 

when registered class 

members share the meeting 

links with those who are not 

registered. We ask that you not 

share zoom links with people 

who are not registered for the 

course. Temple University and 

OLLI at Temple have various 

safety measures to ensure that 

unexpected and unregistered 

guests do not attend Zoom 

meetings. 

Zoom Orientations 

Do you want to make sure you are all set with Zoom before your class begins? We recommend you join us 

at one of our Zoom orientations on the following dates: 

Tuesday, January 26 

10:00 AM‒11:00 AM 

Thursday, January 28 

3:00 PM‒4:00 PM 

Click here to register for a Zoom Orientation

OLLI Spring 2021 Course Guide

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?