WC-ALL’s List of Courses Offered This Spring
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Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Chestertown
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From artificial intelligence to renewable energy and landscaping with native plants, the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning’s Spring semester promises to offer something for everyone, according to Shane Brill, the program’s coordinator. Other highlights include courses on near-death experiences, the museums of Kent County, emergency preparedness, and various aspects of U.S. and international history.
The Spring curriculum will be unveiled at a free Showcase event scheduled for 3:00 to 5:00 pm on Friday, December 15 in Hynson Lounge on the College campus. The event is an opportunity for prospective students to hear directly from instructors about the courses they will be teaching and to socialize over hors d’oeuvres and beverages. Course registration is open from December 15 to January 14.
“In addition to the nearly 40 courses our members can enroll in for a single fee of $85, we’ll be continuing our popular series of Learn@Lunch talks open to both members and non-members for an additional fee that includes a delicious lunch buffet,” Brill said. Several trips and a summer “minimester” of programs featuring a weekend health and wellness retreat are also in the planning stages.
Founded in 1992 by community members committed to bringing the joy of lifelong learning to the mid-shore region, WC-ALL is led by volunteers who work closely with the staff of Washington College. Most WC-ALL courses are held in classrooms on the main campus, though a few, like those offered by the Sultana Education Foundation, make use of other locations. Some courses each semester are also delivered virtually using Zoom technology.
Jeff Coomer, Chair of the volunteer Council that oversees the program, noted that “WC-ALL continues to be a great way for members of the community to make new friends and explore all that Washington College has to offer.”
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For the first time, the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) will be offering summer programming, starting at the end of May. Organizers hope the new classes and simpler enrollment options will introduce the opportunities through WC-ALL to a broader audience.
There are two courses, one in-person and one online, and a number of single session learning opportunities, all of them free for WC-ALL members, but with a new option for non-members to pay per course as a way to try out what WC-ALL offers.
The changes come as Washington College is making new efforts to expand WC-ALL and engage members of Chestertown and surrounding Eastern Shore communities with the College. In a simple but important step, one of the summer opportunities is a campus tour, free to both WC-ALL members and non-members. Shane Brill, the lifelong learning and communications coordinator running WC-ALL at Washington, will lead 90-minute tours of campus on three different dates during the summer.
“We’re hosting summer campus tours to introduce people to the College and invite them to return for fun learning experiences,” Brill said. “Then individuals can sample WC-ALL with affordable a la carte programs, and our streamlined fee structure makes the benefits of annual membership accessible.”
The two courses this summer are A Short Guide to Trees and Tree Identification (in-person in June) and Why We Meditate: The Science and Practice of Clarity and Compassion (online in July). There are also two lectures as part of the summer programming: WC-ALL Table Talks presents Fabulous Fearsome Fentanyl with retired cardiologist Ray Vergne and Learn@Lunch! Averting Armageddon on the Fourth of July: The story of the Kargil War in 1999 with former advisor to four U.S. presidents and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Bruce Riedel.
Vice Chair of the WC-ALL Council Jeff Coomer will be teaching the tree course and is working closely with Brill to increase WC-ALL engagement. Coomer is a Washington College alumnus, chairs the WC-ALL Curriculum Committee, and has taught a number of courses on Buddhism, Stoicism, and poetry.
“We’re hoping this summer’s courses and talks will be just the beginning of a new range of offerings aimed at introducing more people to the joy of lifelong learning that’s at the heart of WC-ALL,” Coomer said. “I’ve designed the course I’ll be teaching on trees to be both informative and fun for the people taking it.”
Register for WC-ALL summer courses here:
The potential for deeper engagement with WC-ALL extends beyond this summer, of course. WC-ALL courses are taught by experts from both the College and the community, like Coomer, and proposals for courses are being accepted through June 15.
“As WC-ALL expands its on-campus and virtual offerings, we’re searching for instructors to join our ranks,” Brill said. “We invite individuals with expertise and passion for a subject to consider submitting a course proposal for the fall semester.”
Fall will feature two six-week sessions, mostly with four to six classes meeting once per week at 4:15 p.m. Interested instructors can submit a course proposal at washcoll.edu/wc-all-proposal.
To learn more about the fall offerings once they are selected, potential students can attend WC-ALL’s Showcase of Fall Courses from 3 to 5 p.m. on July 20. Registration for the fall will open on that date.
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by WC-ALL
The Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) is requesting proposals for its spring courses. The Academy’s courses cover a wide range of topics and all proposals are welcome, as WC-ALL seeks ideas for fresh, new courses to add to its line-up.
The standard course format includes four to six once-weekly classes, but WC-ALL is also considering requests for shorter courses and single-session talks. Courses can be taught in-person – either on-campus or at off-campus locations — or virtually.
Course proposals should be submitted by October 10. Submissions for a multi-session course or a single-session talk can be submitted here. The proposal form requires a clear description of the course, as well as information about the proposed instructor’s interest in the proposed subject.
WC-ALL’s non-credit courses are a wonderful and enriching avenue for sharing knowledge and expertise around a particular subject with a community of life-long learners. The first spring session will begin in January 2023 and runs for six weeks. The second session begins in mid-March.
All classes are free to members and memberships are available on a semester or annual basis, for individuals or couples. In addition to offering four sessions a year, WC-ALL also hosts a Learn-at-Lunch series, hosting various guest speakers throughout the year.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning, which currently has about 300 members. All courses are planned, run and led by WC-ALL volunteers, who offer a wide range of expertise and professional experience. Membership in WC-ALL is open to people of all ages and backgrounds.
About the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL)
Founded in 1992, the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning was created by a small group of Kent County residents who worked for more than a year studying other similar college-affiliated institutions. WC-ALL was patterned after the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) as established by Elderhostel (now known as Road Scholar) and is governed by its members, taught by its peers, and operates within the academic institutional guidelines provided by its sponsor, Washington College. Lifelong learning is a critical component of a liberal arts education and the college is proud to support this department’s programming and focus on community engagement.
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by WC-ALL
The Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) will open its Fall class registration on Monday, July 25. There are two 6-week sessions available – Session 1 runs from August 28 to October 7 and Session 2 from October 16 to December 2. While most classes are held in-person using campus facilities, there a number of classes offered via Zoom.
Classes offered in the fall include The Supreme Court: Top Hits of the Term, The Lost Cause Myth and Robert E. Lee, Aging and the Law, How to Develop a Business Plan, Art from 1980 to 2022 and Sunday at the Movies, among others. A full course listing is available here. Registration is available at www.washcoll.edu/wc-all.
WC-ALL is also hosting a free Showcase on Thursday, July 28 from 4-5 p.m. in Litrenta Lecture Hall, in the Toll Science Center on the Washington College campus. This event provides the opportunity for anyone interested in signing up for the fall classes to hear directly from the instructors about the course materials and what will be covered.
“We are incredibly excited about the exciting and diverse line-up of courses being offered this fall and invite anyone interested in broadening their horizons to register and join us,” said Sandy Brown, WC-ALL Administrator. “Our programming is open to anyone of any age or background who is interested in learning, and provides a fantastic opportunity for intellectual stimulation and enrichment without having to take a for-credit course.”
All classes are free to members and memberships are available on a semester or annual basis, for individuals or couples. In addition to offering four sessions a year, WC-ALL also hosts a Learn-at-Lunch series, hosting various guest speakers throughout the year. Many of the in-person classes are held on the Washington College campus, in classrooms in Daly Hall, Goldstein Hall and William Smith Hall. Most are scheduled in the afternoons.
“Having classes of this caliber so readily accessible to the community is wonderful all on its own,” said Brown. “But for the Academy to be a part of Washington College, well that’s a real bonus!”
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning, which currently has about 300 members. All courses are planned, run and led by WC-ALL volunteers, who offer a wide range of expertise and professional experience. Membership in WC-ALL is open to people of all ages and backgrounds.
About the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL)
Founded in 1992, the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning was created by a small group of Kent County residents who worked for more than a year studying other similar college-affiliated institutions. WC-ALL was patterned after the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) as established by Elderhostel (now known as Road Scholar) and is governed by its members, taught by its peers, and operates within the academic institutional guidelines provided by its sponsor, Washington College. Lifelong learning is a critical component of a liberal arts education and the college is proud to support this department’s programming and focus on community engagement.
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by WC-ALL
Get ready for Fall and the Joy of Learning by attending the WC-All SHOWCASE on Thursday, July 28, 4-5pm in Litrenta Lecture Hall, John S. Toll Science Center. The Showcase will provide the opportunity to hear directly from the instructors about what to expect from their courses. As always, the courses will cover a broad range of topics that appeal to a diverse audience. The always popular Top Hits of the Supreme Court Term will be offered, as well as Sunday at the Movies. Other course offerings range from American Indian Pottery to Classical Music of the Caribbean to Botanical Drawing to Gun Control and the Second Amendment, as well as other classes on art, music, politics, business, and philosophy. Session 1 will take place August 28-October 7. Session 2 will take place October 16-December 2.
In addition, learn about upcoming special events including excursions and plans for the Learn at Lunch series. Enjoy mingling with old friends and new over light refreshments, as well as the opportunity to chat with the instructors. Then register for courses that interest you.
For registration and more information contact Sandy Brown at [email protected].
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by WC-ALL
If you have expertise and are passionate about a topic that you would like to share with others, WC-ALL would love to hear from you. Course proposals are now being accepted for the fall 2022 semester. Monday, May 16, is the deadline for submissions.
Two sessions are offered. Session 1 runs from August 28-October 7. Session 2 runs from October 16-December 2. Courses typically take place over a 6-week period. However, options are available for four and five-week courses.
The Course Proposal Form is available online at www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/propose-a-course.php. It can also be downloaded and emailed to [email protected] or printed out and mailed to WC-ALL, 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD. Upon receipt of the proposal, a form, Planning a WC-All Class, will be sent. It provides information on the types of support that is offered to instructors.
For more information contact Jeff Coomer, WC-ALL Curriculum Chair at [email protected]. You may also contact Sandy Brown, Program Administrator, at [email protected] or call 410-778-7221.
WC-ALL is all about the joy of learning. Indeed, it is also about the joy of teaching too.
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by WC-ALL
As Earth Day approaches let us consider what ecological issues we are facing. What better way is there to do this than to learn about and listen to ecopoetry. The theme for the April 20th Learn-At-Lunch is “Six Poems That Can Save the World” presented by award winning, and ever popular local favorite Meredith Hadaway. She will demonstrate how powerful messages of connection, hope and resilience can fuel our hearts, change our minds, and maybe even save our planet!
Along with students in her Ecopoetry Workshop, Hadaway is exploring ways in which the arts, especially poetry, can facilitate attention, awareness and healing in an era of planetary peril. Through close readings of poems by Wendell Berry, Mary Oliver, and others Hadaway will demonstrate how powerful messages of connection, hope and resilience can fuel our hearts, change our minds, and maybe even save our planet.
An award-winning poet, Hadaway has performed her own poetry in literary venues across the U.S. and in Ireland, where she combined poetry with Celtic harp. Her three published collections include At the Narrows, winner of the 2015 Delmarva Book Award for Creative Writing, The River is a Reason, and Fishing Secrets of the Dead. Hadaway has received a Maryland Individ[1]ual Artist Award, fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, multiple Pushcart Nominations, and the “Green Mantle” from the Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance. She holds an MFA in Poetry from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MA in Psychology from Washington College. Hadaway is a certified therapeutic musician as well as a lecturer and teacher. She is currently the Sophie Kerr Writer-in-Residence at Washington College, where she formerly served as VP for College Relations and Marketing.
A buffet lunch will be served at noon followed by the presentation at Washington College’s Hodson Hall. The fee for members is $25 and for non- members $30. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, April 14.
To make a reservation contact the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221 and then send a check made out to WC-ALL and mail it to 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620.
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by WC-ALL
For those who have become ever more concerned about America’s growing income inequality, WC-ALL’s March 24th Learn-at-Lunch will give insight into this crisis. Hear from James B. Steele, co-author of “Discussing America: What Went Wrong? The Crisis Deepens.”
In 1992 James Steele and Donald Barlett, both Philadelphia Inquirer reporters, wrote a series of articles that documented how actions taken by Washington and Wall Street were systematically dismantling America’s middle class. This series was expanded into a book which explained why most Americans were losing ground financially. The original book has been updated, now titled “America: What Went Wrong? The Crisis Deepens.” It shows how the destructive trends previously identified have reached crisis proportions and lays out what must be done to restore the American Dream.
James B. Steele is one of America’s most acclaimed journalists, winning virtually every major national reporting award including two Pulitzer Prizes and two National Magazine Awards for work at The Philadelphia Inquirer, TIME, and Vanity Fair. He and Donald Barlett have co-authored nine books, two of which were New York Times bestsellers. He has taught and lectured at major universities and has appeared on many national news programs to discuss his work.
The Learn-at-Lunch features a buffet lunch served at noon, followed by the presentation by James Steele at Washington College’s Hodson Hall. The fee for members is $25 and for non-members $30. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, March 17.
To make a reservation send a check made out to WC-ALL to 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620. Contact the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221 with any questions.
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by WC-ALL
Whether it be Washington College’s storied history, the wonderful liberal arts education it is known for, or all the programs and events it offers to the community, it is regarded amongst Kent County’s residents as something that sets us apart. It is why so many of us enjoy living here, why others are moving here, and why so many young people are proud to have gotten their education here.
The college is now under the leadership of Dr. Mike Sosulski who took over in September 2021. At WC-ALL’s March 3 “Learn-at-Lunch” you will have the opportunity to meet him and get his take on what he has learned about the Washington College community so far. Dr. Sosulski will also share the good news from the past few months and his enthusiasm regarding key plans moving forward.
Mike Sosulski is currently serving as the 31st President of Washington College. He taught and served as Associate Provost of Kalamazoo College in Southeast Michigan and then became Provost and Professor of German at
Wofford College in Spartansburg, S.C. before coming here.
A buffet lunch will be served at noon followed by the presentation at Washington College’s Hodson Hall. The fee for members is $25 and for non- members $30. The deadline for reservations is Thursday, February 24.
To make a reservation send a check made out to WC-ALL to 300 Washington Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620. Contact the WC-ALL office at 410-778-7221 with any questions.
The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.