OLLI Spring 2026_pageturn - Flipbook - Page 36
Music: Controversies and Curiosities
Wednesdays, April 15 – May 20
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
Music has long provoked debate, from Beethoven
and Stravinsky’s bold innovations to Broadway
works like Annie Get Your Gun and South Pacific,
now revisited through modern concerns about
race, consent, and gender. Is political correctness
enriching art or erasing cultural heritage? We will
also examine plagiarism and borrowing in pop and
film music, with cases involving The Beatles, Pink
Floyd, and Peter Frampton.
$65 – Emanuel Abramovits, MBA, is a mechanical
engineer and longtime concert promoter who has
produced events for artists like Itzhak Perlman,
Gustavo Dudamel, and Sarah Brightman.
Seats available: 13
JFK's Quest for Peace:
Lessons for Turbulent Times
Thursdays, April 2 – May 7
12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Throughout his 1000-day presidency, John
Kennedy pursued peace through a broad spectrum
of initiatives. In this course, we will explore how
his character and life experiences were the origins
of those efforts. We will evaluate his powers of
persuasion by listening to key speeches, and we
will assess his successes and failures and their
relevance to today’s world.
$65 – Charles Blum served as a U.S. diplomat and
trade policy official and founded a consulting firm
in Washington, DC, and Central Europe.
Seats available: 13
Ghosts in the White House: The People Behind
Presidential Speeches
Mondays, March 30 – May 4
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Have you ever wondered who writes presidential
speeches? This course traces the evolution
of speechwriting from George Washington’s
administration to today. Yes, Hamilton helped
draft Washington’s Farewell Address, but no,
Lincoln did not scribble the Gettysburg Address
on an envelope. We will study the writing process
presidents used and examine drafts from FDR,
Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Carter, and George
36
OSHER ONLINE
H.W. Bush. We will view clips from speeches
and from former White House speechwriters
describing the process.
$65 – Diana Carlin, PhD, is Professor Emerita of
Communication at Saint Louis University and
spent 30 years teaching and writing about U.S.
First Ladies. She is the co-author of two books
on First Ladies and has published extensively on
women in politics, presidential communication,
and political debate.
Seats available: 13
From Leo XIII to Leo XIV: History of 20th and 21st
Century Popes
Tuesdays, April 7 – May 12
4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
The death of Pope Francis and the election of
the first US born Pope have been in the news
repeatedly in the last few months, capturing
the imagination of many people, including nonCatholics. Who are these men? What are their
life stories? In this course, we will discuss the lives
and dominant perspectives of the last ten Popes,
exploring their most significant positions and their
influence on world affairs.
$65 – Oliva Espín, PhD, is Professor Emerita of
Women’s Studies at San Diego State University and
a pioneer in feminist therapy with women from
diverse cultural backgrounds.
Seats available: 13
A Beautiful Brain
Thursdays, April 9 – May 14
10:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Most conversations about aging focus on lifespan,
but brainspan (how long our mind stays sharp)
matters more. In this course, we will explore how
the brain ages and what science reveals about
protecting memory, balance, and clarity. Topics
include normal changes versus early dementia,
neuroplasticity, nutrition, sleep, stress, social ties,
and purpose. Each session blends accessible
science with self-tests and take-home practices.
We will also build a personalized Cognitive Health
Scorecard to track habits and strengthen resilience.
$65 – Scott Fulton is an internationally recognized
leader in positive aging whose work focuses on
improving adult aging outcomes. He is the author
of WHEALTHSPAN and a leading voice in lifestyle
medicine and optimal aging.
Seats available: 13
