Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College Announces Its 2021 Spring Semester

March 1, 2021 – Sarasota

Registration is now open for the spring 2021 semester at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College (OLLI at Ringling College), which runs March 8-April 30, 2021. The semester features dozens of classes and programs covering a wide variety of topics. Classes are offered using a hybrid model—in-person on the Ringling College Museum Campus and online via the Zoom platform. Classes cover a rich diversity of topics, including art and music appreciation, health and well-being, global issues, philosophy, religion, culture and travel, and science. When offered in-person, classes will be held at the Ringling College Museum Campus (1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota); masks and physical distancing will be required.

To register for classes, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.

Highlights of the spring semester include:
March 18 Lecture: World War II In Florida with Gary Mormino. On the eve of Pearl Harbor, Florida was the smallest state in the American South. World War II was the lynchpin that connects a lightly settled, southern state with a state that now has more inhabitants than New York. Gary R. Mormino is the Frank E. Duckwall professor emeritus in history at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg. This is an online presentation, Thursday, March 18, 3-4:30 pm. General admission is $15.

March 12 and 18: Alzheimer’s Talks with Louise Gallagher, Bernice J. Pelea, and Stefanie Wardlow. Research is still evolving, but evidence is strong that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making key lifestyle changes. The class will explore the 10 best ways to love your brain; discuss four components of a brain-healthy lifestyle and the difference between Alzheimer’s and the related dementias; and identify the early warning signs and benefits of early detection. This is an online presentation on March 12 and 19, 10 am-noon. General admission is $20 for both sessions.

March 24 Lecture: Only Hope: My Mother And The Holocaust Brought To Light with Irving Lubliner. Before she passed away in 1974, Felicia Bornstein Lubliner wrote about her internment in Polish ghettos and two Nazi concentration camps, Auschwitz and Gross-Rosen. Her powerful stories have recently been published by her son, Irving Lubliner, in Only Hope: A Survivor’s Stories of the Holocaust. This is an online presentation, Wednesday, March 24, 3-4:30 pm. General admission is $10.

March 31: The spring Einstein’s Circle presentation is From Public Health to Public Enemy: What Happens When Public Sentiment Obstructs Public Health with Victoria Kasdan, RN, BSN, MPH, and CEO of Mission Made Possible. Public health officials are quitting or being fired in record numbers during one of the nation’s worse health crises. This discussion explores how intimidation tactics and misinformation impact the effectiveness and coordination of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic and if anything has changed under a new administration. This online presentation takes place on Wednesday, March 31, 3-4:30 pm. General admission is $15.

OLLI at Ringling College’s spring documentary film series, CONNECTIONS: Exploring Today’s Global Issues, is an opportunity for students to connect to many of today’s pressing global issues via the penetrating perspectives of contemporary documentary films. The moderator of the series is Julie Cotton, an executive coach and aficionado of documentary films. The spring term features two films that will be screened via Zoom. Following the screening, participants can engage in discussions about the film’s content and impact, as well as raise questions for further exploration. The films are shown on Tuesdays, 2:30-4:30 pm; March 9 (Athlete A) and March 30 (My Octopus Teacher). General admission is $15. To register and for more information, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.
The spring semester also features OLLI at Ringling College Virtual Travel Series with travel specialist, Robert Gaglio and special guest, Concetta Spoto. Discover The Splendors Of The Norman Sicilian Golden Age explores Palermo’s Arab-Norman architectural treasures which have received UNESCO World Heritage site designations and are a living testimony of the convergence of Western and Eastern architectural and decorative traditions, combining Arabic, Byzantine, and Latin artisans. This online presentation is Tuesday, April 13, 3-5 pm. General admission is $15.