Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Ringling College Announces its Winter Semester

December 6, 2023 – Sarasota

Registration is open for the 2024 winter semester at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Ringling College, which offers noncredit educational opportunities for adults to pursue new interests, expand intellectual horizons, and enrich their lives. The semester, which runs Jan. 8-March 1, 2024, features more than 50 courses, workshops, lectures, and special presentations covering a wide variety of topics, including arts and entertainment, history, music appreciation, health, literature, philosophy, religion, and science. Semester highlights include Searching Dr. Google. What Should I Believe?; The History of Psychiatry: Winners and Losers; Voting Behavior and the Electoral Process; Glass: The New Hot Contemporary Art Form;and The Historic First Federal Prosecution of a U.S. President. Classes are offered at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design, 1001 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; and online via Zoom.

Course highlights of the winter 2024 semester include:

Searching Dr. Google. What Should I Believe?

Many people rely on the internet and social media for answers to our health questions. How can we know which websites provide health information that is credible and safe? This presentation will provide guidelines for finding reliable internet sources of health information and for evaluating other types of information, such as health news reports.

The History of Psychiatry: Winners and Losers

Mental illnesses are a leading cause of distress, impairment, and disability. Historically, well-intended but outlandish interventions have been promoted and ultimately rejected; many serendipitous discoveries have proved highly beneficial. This course is a historical review of “losers” (e.g., lobotomy, dental extractions, racism, controversies in diagnosis) and “winners” (e.g., lithium, antipsychotics and antidepressants, cognitive-behavioral therapies) and “undecideds” (convulsive therapy).

Voting Behavior and the Electoral Process

Since the establishment of the United States, when voting was limited to white male property owners, to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, “hanging chads,” and recent efforts by various states to either expand or suppress access, the right to vote in U.S. elections has changed dramatically over time. This course looks at the reasons for what happened historically—focusing on more recent history and what might happen going forward.

Glass: The New Hot Contemporary Art Form

Glass is one of the premier mediums for new and emerging artists. Despite its humble origins in the garage of an Ohio museum in 1960, the studio glass movement is now one of the most important recent advancements in the world of contemporary art. Participants in this class will learn about the history of the Studio Art Glass movement and its founding artists. Field trips may include The Ringling’s Kotler-Coville Glass Pavilion, the Basch Collection, and the hot shop at Ringling College of Art and Design.

The Sarasota Art Museum currently features Contemporary/Traditional: Selections from the Basch Glass Collection drawn from the Richard and Barbara Basch Collection. This exhibition showcases a stunning range of glasswork styles ranging from delicate figural sculptures to powerful abstract shapes. The exhibition runs through Feb. 11, 2024.  

The Historic First Federal Prosecution of a U.S. President

This course will explain the legal intricacies and legal consequences of the indictments of Donald Trump, taught from the perspective of a former federal prosecutor in the U.S. Department of Justice with experience as an assistant United States attorney and acting chief of the Cleveland Organized Crime Strike Force.

CONNECTIONS, the documentary film series, returns for the winter term. The Biggest Little Farm, Jan. 9, 2:30-4:30 pm, chronicles the eight-year saga of a young couple as they attempt to farm 200 acres of barren land. Featuring gorgeous cinematography, this film provides a blueprint for healthier living, sustainable farming, and a more harmonious relationship between human needs and Mother Nature. Last Flight Home, Feb. 6, 2:30-4:30 pm, is a deeply personal portrait of the filmmaker’s father’s final days. Viewers witness his extraordinary life filled with incredible success and devastating setbacks, and most importantly, an innate goodness that won him the enduring love and support of his family. Both films will be shown at the Ringling College Museum Campus; general admission is $15 each.

OLLI at Ringling College offers two lectures during the winter semester: The Rosenwald Schools of Florida, on Jan. 8, 2:30-3:30 pm; and The Other Italy—A Journey Beyond

Italy’s Grand Tour, on Jan. 26, 1-3 pm. General admission is $15 each.

Additionally, OLLI presents three free special presentations during the winter semester: Seniors—How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of Investment Scams, on Jan. 26, 10-11:30 am; The Story of Impact Theatre, on Feb. 19, 3-4:30 pm; and Understanding Medicare: What You Need to Know, on March 1, 10-11:30 am. Pre-registration is required.

To register, or for more information about becoming an OLLI member, visit www.OLLIatRinglingCollege.org or call 941-309-5111.