WC-ALL - Chestertown Spy

Washington College’s Lifelong Learning Academy Opens Call for New Courses

May 22, 2025 by WC-ALL Leave a Comment

The Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) encourages members of the public to become a course instructor. The Academy is now accepting proposals for new courses through June 30.

WC-ALL offers intellectually stimulating courses and educational programs to the regional public, inviting participants to expand their academic horizons and join a community of lifelong learners. All age groups are invited to enjoy classes, which are taught by community volunteers and members of the Washington College faculty with expertise in a variety of areas. Teaching with WC-ALL is a wonderful and enriching way to share your special area of knowledge or passion for a subject with a community of lifelong learners in a friendly, fully accessible setting on Washington College’s beautiful campus in Chestertown. Courses are also available over Zoom in some instances. Those who may have interest in proposing and teaching a new course are invited to submit their proposals via an online form. More info, requirements and the form can be found here.

“WC-ALL is a wonderful way to connect with our community, explore fascinating topics, and learn from incredible experts who bring their knowledge and passion to every session,” said Shane Brill, WC-ALL’s lifelong learning and communications coordinator. “It’s about curiosity, connection, and celebrating the joy of learning at any age.”

The Academy is also offering a number of events this June. They include a Campus Tree Tour, a special evening edition of Learn at Lunch about The Music of Louis Armstrong and the semi-annual WC ALL Showcase.

Please visit our website at Academy of Lifelong Learning to learn more about these exciting events and join the mailing list to get details on events as they are released.

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Serial Killers, Boat Building, Micro Memoirs and More Offered in Lifelong Learning Courses at Washington College This Fall

August 1, 2024 by WC-ALL Leave a Comment

Registration for the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning’s (WC-ALL) fall semester is now open with courses on writing your own memoir, female serial killers, wooden boat building, Viking history, the mind-body-spirit connection, electric vehicles and more. Promising to offer something for everyone, course offerings boast a broad range of knowledge in the arts, history, leadership, and creativity.

WC-ALL courses are designed for people of all ages and are open to the public. All that is needed is a desire to learn. Most WC-ALL courses are held in classrooms on Washington College’s main campus in Chestertown, Maryland, though a few may use other locations. Some courses are also delivered virtually.

Courses are offered in two terms, with classes running one day a week for four to six weeks. Term 1 classes run September 3 to October 14 and Term 2 classes run from October 13 to November 23. Course registration is open and will remain live through Tuesday, August 20. To enroll in a course, participants need to purchase a WC-ALL Membership: $85 for the semester or $115 for an annual membership. Membership includes enrollment in as many courses as you would like to take for one flat fee. Early registration is encouraged as some courses have class size limits.

For those looking for a one-day learning opportunity, Learn@Lunch sessions will also be offered this fall and will include a session in Kirby Stadium Skybox, a talk about steamboats, and much more! Learn@Lunch sessions do not require a WC-ALL membership, but registration and a small fee is required and includes a tasty buffet lunch. Join WC-ALL’s email list to learn more about these one-day events as they are announced.

As a treat to the community, Laura Oliver, an award-winning developmental story editor, author of The Story Within: New Insights and Inspiration for Writers (published by Penguin Random House), a weekly columnist for the Spy Media Newspaper Group, and a feature writer on NPR station WHCP, will be host a WC-ALL sponsored workshop titled Turning Life Experiences into a Micro Memoir. This event will be held on Thursday, September 12 at 1 p.m. on Washington College’s campus. Though the event is free, registration is required. This interactive workshop teaches writers to distill a moment of change, conflict, contradiction, or mystery to its essence, so that the impact on the writer resonates profoundly with the reader. She will examine inspiring published examples to learn exactly how the writer moved and entertained us. Participants will be inspired to write their life story, one anecdote at a time.

On this year’s course offerings, 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.”

To view the full list of courses and events offered this fall and to register please visit https://www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/index.php.

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WC-ALL’s List of Courses Offered This Spring

December 15, 2023 by WC-ALL

Cryptology, AI, Pickleball, Chakras, Regional History and Near-Death Experiences Top WC-ALL’s List of Courses Offered in Spring

The registration portal for Washington College’s Academy of Lifelong Learning’s (WC-ALL) spring semester opens today with courses diving into the art of code breaking, tapping into the mind-body-spirit connection, and discovering what life for the Native Americans of the Chesapeake was like at first contact. Other highlights include the return of a popular course on near-death experiences, sessions on song and dance films of the 1930s and ’40s, emergency preparedness, and closer looks into the history of modern drugs, Buddhism, and the 1973 Arab-Israeli Conflict.

Promising to offer something for everyone, WC-ALL courses are designed for people of all ages and are open to the public. All that is needed is a desire to learn. Most WC-ALL courses are held in classrooms on Washington College’s 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.

Courses are offered in two terms, with classes running one day a week for five weeks. Term 1 classes run January 28 through March 9. Term 2 classes will be in session March 17 through April 27. “Learn@Lunch” sessions are also offered this coming spring and several courses include out of classroom experiences including a party in the Washington College campus garden for the Chaucer’s Poetry and Plants course and a field trip to a simulcast performance by the Metropolitan Opera at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Maryland for the Opera La Rodine course.

Course registration goes live at 5:00pm EST this evening (Dec. 15) and will remain live through January 14. Early registration is encouraged as some courses have class size limits.

To enroll in a course, participants need to purchase a WC-ALL Membership which totals $85 for the spring semester. Membership includes enrollment in as many courses as you would like to take for one flat fee.

“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 which are open to both members and non-members that includes a delicious lunch buffet,” said Shane Brill, WC-ALL program coordinator.

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.”

To view the full list of courses offered this coming spring and to register please visit https://www.washcoll.edu/people_departments/offices/wc-all/2024/index.php.

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WC-ALL Announces Showcase of Spring Courses at Free Event

December 4, 2023 by WC-ALL

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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Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning Expanding to Summer

May 15, 2023 by WC-ALL

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.”

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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WC-ALL Requests Proposals for its Spring Offerings

August 31, 2022 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.

This year marks the 30^th 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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WC-ALL to Open Registration for Fall Classes on July 25

July 24, 2022 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!”

About the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL)

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Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning’s Showcase of Fall Courses

July 10, 2022 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].

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning is Requesting Course Proposals

April 30, 2022 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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WC-ALL Announces its Upcoming Learn-at-Lunch

April 6, 2022 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 20^th 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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