Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College
Summer Two 2023 Course Schedule
July 17 - August 25
No tests, no grades, just learning for the joy of learning!
Click on the course names below for individual course descriptions and instructor bios. All times are Eastern.
Classes marked limited registration may fill up quickly.
Our schedule includes courses online and in-person at Berkshire Community College, 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, MA; and on the hiking trail!
Most courses held online are recorded so if you miss one, or your schedule doesn't work for a particular course, you can request recordings and watch the class sessions on your own time. (Note: in-person classes are not recorded.)
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN UP OR ADD A COURSE.
To register by phone call the OLLI at BCC office at 413.236.2190.
We look forward to seeing you!
(Note: you need to be an OLLI at BCC member to register for courses. Membership information can be found here.)
2023 Summer Two Semester Course Schedule
-- Click on the course names below for full descriptions and instructor bios. --
If you prefer to download a .pdf of this course listing, please click here.
MONDAYS
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. | Today's Headlines is a moderated discussion course that provides an opportunity to voice your opinions on national and international issues. |
Times: 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. | Anastasia Stanmeyer, editor-in-chief of Berkshire Magazine, will interview seven of the new directors of our Berkshire cultural institutions. Almost all of the discussions will take place at the host institutions, so you will have a delightful "tour" of the Berkshires as well. |
TUESDAYS |
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
| Summer is for walking, so join us as we take moderate walks through Pittsfield State Forest. Participants should be able to walk for 90-120 minutes with small elevation changes over uneven ground. CLOSED - AT CAPACITY |
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. |
International Folk Dancing is fun,
aerobic, involves the memory, and exposes us to new rhythms, music and
patterns! It introduces us to cultures from around the world. Since
most dances are circle or line dances, no partners are necessary.
|
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. | Ann and Ron will draw on their interests in the structure of early modern theater, historical context, stagecraft and performance to whisk you to Athens and its surrounding forest for an exploration of this much-loved and oft-performed play. |
Times: 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. | This is a series of topics in medicine by six speakers with an interest, experience or expertise in the topic presented. |
WEDNESDAYS |
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. |
Join us as we delve into the lives and music of many extraordinary violin virtuosos who are currently living, performing, recording, and ones that you may have the opportunity to hear and see in person. Some of them may be familiar, and others may delight and surprise you.
|
Times: 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. | Over five weeks, five different aspects of our society and politics will be discussed from different perspectives. Topics include: law; water; economics; police accountability; and religion and politics. |
THURSDAYS |
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. | We will follow the Great Decisions curriculum that allows for indepth examination and discussion of current international challenges through the lens of national interests. Topics for summer 2023 are Politics in Latin America, Global Famine, Iran at a Crossroads, Climate Migration, Democracies and Autocracies. |
Times: 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. | The course will cover the Reconstruction period in the U.S. from 1863-1877. We will examine Presidential Reconstruction, Congressional/Radical Reconstruction, Social and Economic Factors of Reconstruction, Ending Reconstruction, and the Legacy of Reconstruction. |
FRIDAYS |
Times: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. | This course tells the story of gravity, with special focus on the theory that has withstood every test for the past hundred years: Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Along the way, we will encounter Descartes’ vortices, gravitational waves, and the puzzle of dark matter. |
Times: 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. | Join us to discuss science news appearing in the Tuesday “Science Times” section of The New York Times, plus magazines and journals. |
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Please note that you must be an OLLI at BCC member and have created a login account to register for classes online. How to create a login account. You can register by phone from 9:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Eastern at 413.236.2190.
OLLI: the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College |
