MAILING ADDRESS
Pierpont/FSU Lifelong Learners
P O BOX 1820
Fairmont, WV 26554-1820
CLASSROOM LOCATION 214 Merchant Street Fairmont, WV
OFFICERS
CO-PRESIDENTS
Peggy Edwards
304-366-8170
David Sturm
304-363-7160
VICE-PRESIDENT
Sue Montgomery
SECRETARY
Ruth Brooks
TREASURER
Jim DeLong
OFFICE MANAGER
Joann Dawson
304-366-9414
COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
CURRICULUM
Juanita Edge
304-366-0097
FINANCE
Jim DeLong
MEMBERSHIP/PUBLICITY
Lois Garrett
NOMINATING
Ed Dykhoff
SPECIAL EVENTS
Jane Stalnaker
TECHNOLOGY
Bob Stewart
WEB PAGE
Juanita Edge
LIFELONG LEARNERS of PIERPONT-FSU
Spring 2012 Class Descriptions/Schedule
Annual Spring Luncheon at Knights of Columbus
Wednesday, February 29 @ 11:30 AM - $5 fee due with registration/payable to Fairmont State Fdn.
NON-MEMBER CLASS FEES, IF SPACE IS AVAILABLE: $10 SINGLE SESSION CLASS; $25 MULTIPLE SESSIONS
Instructor: Dr. Dorsey Armstrong, from The Great Courses DVD series, is Associate Professor of English and Medieval Literature at Purdue University, where she has taught since 2002.
Description: All Writing – whether it’s an essay, a personal letter, or a detailed business report – is most effective and memorable when it’s built on the fundamental critical and analytical skills that transform your words from good to great. Regardless of your subject, your goal, or your occasion, this course will lead you on a path to more engaging and effective writing. The first lectures of the course guide you through the five major literary genres: fiction, essay, poetry, drama, and autobiography. From there, the focus shifts to the art of rhetoric and the ways it can help you adapt your writing to a variety of different situations. The final section of the course is a step-by-step guide through the writing process that provides answers to frequently asked questions. By the end of this course, you will know the feeling of having a masterful instructor standing right by your side as you learn to write about practically anything.
Tuesdays, March 6, 13, 20, 2012 @10 AM 3 sessions
Instructor: James F. Williams
Description: A brief overview of ADA, legal aspects, practical aspects and simple measurements. The course will be student driven after the first session with content based on students’ needs and interests.
Instructor’s Background: Jim has been trained in ADA by Massachusetts and served as an advocate for the disabled as member and chair of the Ayer MA Commission on Disabilities. He was born in Indiana and came to Fairmont at an early age, attended East Park School, graduated from EFHS and WVU. He lived and worked in Massachusetts from 1979 to 2006 as a software engineer.
(3) Wednesdays and (1) Tuesday, March 7, 14, April 4, 17, 2012 @10 AM 4 sessions
Instructor: Father Jude Molnar
Description: The course will review the life and influence of St. Francis through the ages. His life and influence and that of his followers have strongly impacted the lives of millions. As beggars and spiritually oriented men and women, they can speak to the men and women of this age.
Instructor’s Background: Father Jude Molnar is a Roman Catholic priest from Cleveland who served several years in a mission in Paraguay, as a teacher and administrator in the states, and most recently as the chaplain of the Newman Center at Fairmont State University. He also taught class at WVU and FSU in “Death and Dying” and “Race, Class and Gender.” He has been a frequent contributor to the class offerings of Lifelong Learners. He is now retired.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 @ 1 PM 1 session
Instructor: David Sturm
Description: “Marcellus bill passes … Officials all agree it’s a starting point …” (The Dominion Post). “Passage of industry-backed Marcellus Shale bill won’t end questions about W.Va.’s drilling boom” (Charleston Gazette). The legislation that is the subject of the newspaper headlines will be summarized to provoke a lively discussion of the unanswered questions.
Instructor’s Background: The instructor has participated in seminars, organizational meetings, educational and political rallies, field trips and personal conversations to learn more about the costs and dangers associated with modern gas drilling in West Virginia.
Thursdays, March 8, 29, April 5, 19, 2012 @10 AM 4 sessions
Instructor: Robert Greenberg, Ph.D., from The Great Courses DVD series, is Chairman of the Department of Music History and Literature at San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Description: In both his life and his music, Johannes Brahms was a man of contrasts. This course will attempt to link the complexities of Brahms the man with the electrifying music of Brahms the composer.
Thursdays, March 15, 22, 2012 @10 AM 2 sessions
Instructor: Keith D. Dumas, Wealth Manager
Description: What are the financial issues of the U.S. and how do they affect us emotionally?
We will discuss some strategies to help you feel more comfortable with the financial decisions you make throughout this turmoil.
Instructor’s Background: Keith D. Dumas is an Associate Partner with Beacon Wealth Management and has worked extensively in the field of wealth management since 2000. Keith is responsible for the financial advice and portfolio management of individual, corporate and institutional clients.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012 @ 9 AM to Noon – 3 hour class 1 session
Presenter: Prof. Jennifer Lackey of Towson University
Description: Thanks to the industrial revolution, during the 19th century the production of thread and fabric moved out of the home or cottage industries and into the world of faceless automation. However, until that time, every thread ever produced and every bit of fabric not made directly from animal skins or fur was made by hand. A hand spinner made the lace ruffles in portraits of Queen Elizabeth, every inch of sailcloth that let Columbus cross the Atlantic, and even the robe that the soldiers cast lots for at the foot of the Cross. We will learn about this fundamental and important ancient craft, starting with the earliest processes of spindle spinning and progressing through to the highly sophisticated machinery of various types of spinning wheels. We’ll cover the different raw materials that were used in creating textiles, everything from sheep and other animal fibers to various plants to insect products (spiders are the greatest spinners in the world, after all!!!) and how they were prepared for spinning. Hand-on opportunities will be available at every point possible (I won’t make you touch spiders but you will get to touch alpaca fiber!). We will also talk briefly about various methods for turning handspun thread into actual fabric (e.g. knitting, weaving, etc.) So come learn about hand spinning, the very “fiber” of our beings (I promise to keep puns to a minimum and “ewe” can believe it).
Instructor’s Background: Jennifer Lackey is a college professor at Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland. Her field of study is film/media but she’d often rather be in a field of sheep! A knitter since her grandma taught her how when she was little, she took up spinning eight years ago to be able to “make the yarn I want!” An obsessed fiber-holic, she is proud to say that the monthly heating bill for her home is 10% less because of the insulating power of her prodigious stash of yarn and fiber (this statistic has not been confirmed by a independent source). She shares this home with three spinning wheels, a very patient husband, a weenie dog named Max, and the cutest, warmest, and most-knit-for baby who ever lived!
8. A Look at India
Tuesday, March 27, 2012 @ 10 AM 1 session
Instructor: Steve Snider
Description: This class will consist of a PowerPoint presentation showing some of the culture, historic places, and scenery of India.
Instructor’s Background: Steve is the minister for the Barrackville Church of Christ and has been making yearly trips to India since 1991.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012 @ 9 AM through 4 PM All Day Session Bring your lunch
Instructor: Helen Efaw Will be held in our Merchant Street classroom.
(Any questions contact Juanita Edge 304-366-0097 or jedge1@comcast.net)
Description: The basket we will be making is a “Williamsburg Basket”. There is a fee of $50 to pay for all supplies. Make check payable to Helen Efaw and mail with your registration. The class is suitable for beginner or advanced students and all materials and instruction are provided. Learn the design and techniques of basket making to create your basket to display in your home or as a special gift for your friends and relatives.
Instructor’s Background: Helen Efaw began making baskets in 1996 and now runs her own business, Baskets by Helen. She uses original designs along with many traditional Appalachian shapes and techniques that are both functional and decorative. Helen is an artist at the Prickett’s Fort Christmas Market each year and has been a featured artisan at Tamarack, which features the Best of West Virginia.
10. Bring your Lunch and Watch a Movie
Mondays, April 2, 9, 2012 @ Noon to 3 PM 2 sessions
Instructor: Dr. Jack Hussey
Description: 1930-40’s Cary Grant comedies of “re-marriage”: April 2, “The Philadelphia Story” starring Cary Grant, Kate Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart, and Ruth Hussey; April 9, “My Favorite Wife: starring Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, and Randolph Scott.
Instructor’s Background: Dr. Hussey has been a long-time instructor at Fairmont State
University in the English department. He has written and published extensively. Most recently
he published a book on the Ghosts of Walden, exploring the lives of the Transcendentalists.
11. Affordable Care Act – Progress in West Virginia
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 @ 10 AM 1 session
Presenter: David Sturm
Description: The Affordable Care Act provides for state-operated health insurance exchanges that offer a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can compare policies and buy insurance. Broad categories of services that would be required for coverage will be specified by the West Virginia Health Insurance Exchange Board. The board came into existence by law in June 2011, but as of early January 2012, there have been no appointments to the board and the topic has received little attention in the news media. A summary of progress at the state level will be presented for discussion by attendees. A summary of health care systems in other areas may be presented if time permits.
Presenter’s Background: The presenter wanted to learn more about the Affordable Care Act and has attended workshops on the law that were sponsored by the West Virginians for Affordable Health Care.
12. Innovation and Entrepreneurialism in America
Wednesday, April 4, 2012 @1 PM 1 session
Instructor: Dr. L. Zane Shuck, President, Technology Development, Inc.
Description: The status of I & E in America and trends along with obstacles will be presented. A new national celebration day will be sponsored by and held by the City of Morgantown in October 2012.
Instructor’s Background: Dr. Shuck founded the National Society of Innovation & Entrepreneurialism in October 2010 to bring attention to and resuscitate I & E in America. The first NSIE Celebration Day will actually be celebrated city wide in Morgantown 2012. He has a varied and impressive background with education and experience in many fields, including, but not limited to, 50 years of professional experience, college and university teaching, research, administration, planning, conducting and managing national energy research programs, consultant, inventor, and real estate developer.
13. The Theory of Evolution: A History of Controversy – DVD
Mondays, April 9, 23, 30, May 7, 2012 @10 AM 4 sessions
Presenter: Dr. Edward J. Larson is from The Great Courses DVD series. David Sturm will facilitate the course.
Description: Charles Darwin’s theory of organic evolution set off shock waves that continue to reverberate through Western society. The goal of the course is to enhance your understanding of the development of the theory itself and the roots of the controversies that surround it. The 12 lectures begin with (1) Before Darwin and end with (12) Selfish Genes and Intelligent Design.
Instructor’s Background: The DVD course is one of The Great Courses series. The DVD instructor, Edward J. Larson, has earned doctorates in the Law and the History of Science. Dr. Larson was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History for his book, Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate over Science and Religion.
14. Touring American Southwest
Tuesday, April 10, 2012 @ 10 AM 1 session
Presenters: Robert and Karen Stewart
Description: From Nashville to the Grand Canyon and more, Bob and Karen Stewart will present a PowerPoint travel log of their 2011 motor coach tour of the American Southwest. Class members will have the opportunity to hear about and view pictures of many famous tourist destinations they visited on their tour.
Presenters (Editor’s note): Bob and Karen Stewart are long time members of Pierpont-FSU Lifelong Learners. They are both active community volunteers and have contributed an abundance of time and effort to our Lifelong Learners program. Bob is always willing to help out with technology and Karen keeps our food cabinet well stocked and organized.
15. Paint with Water Colors Limited to 20 students
Wednesdays, April 11, 18, May 2, 2012 @ 10 AM 3 sessions
Instructor: Mandy Steele
Description: Participants will learn the basics of watercolors. Each two-hour class will introduce a new topic. There is a fee of $25 to cover the cost of all supplies. Make check payable to Mandy Steele and mail with your registration.
Instructor’s Background: Mandy Steele has been teaching painting for over 25 years. She owned Mandy’s Artworks for 8 years where she hosted classes and provided custom picture framing.
16. Plains Indians of South Dakota – History and Culture
Wednesday, April 11, 2012 @ 1 PM 1 session
Instructor: Dr. Jodi Rust
Description: Dr. Rust will present a brief look at the nine Indian Reservations of the South Dakota Plains. She will discuss their culture, past to present, and explore their language and food preferences. Class members will have the opportunity to taste some Indian fry bread and wojabi fruit pudding found in traditional homes and at summer Pow Wows.
Instructor’s Background: Dr. Rust is Director of Programming in the Continuing Education Department at Pierpont Community and Technical College. A native of South Dakota, Dr. Rust has taught, studied, and has Native American roots in her family. She has a PhD in Education and has over 20 years of experience in education, non-profit, and for-profit businesses.
17. Brain Health and Wellness (Maintain Your Brain)
Thursday, April 12, 2012 @ 10 AM 1 session
Instructor: Amy Ernst
Description: Keeping Our Brains Healthy As We Age – This workshop offers thought provoking information on changing the way we think about brain health. It discusses the latest research on brain health and offers practical strategies for keeping our brains healthy as we age. Educational Objectives: (1) Those in attendance will learn the latest strategies for decreasing our risk of developing Alzheimer’s; (2) Workshop will explore new ways of focusing on brain health; (3) Those in attendance will explore strategies for promoting a statewide focus on brain health and wellness.
Instructor’s Background: Amy Ernst is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and holds a degree in Psychology. She joined the Alzheimer’s Association West Virginia Chapter in July of 2009 as the Training and Education Specialist. Amy’s professional career has allowed her to work with senior adults in a variety of settings over the last 18 years. She has been involved in routine trainings and development in long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities and senior centers. She has served as the Director of Recreation and Activities for long-term care and assisted living, Director of Volunteer Services, Director of Dementia Care Services, Personal Care Home Administrator and Director of Admissions and Marketing.
Description: To Lifelong Learners, following the Trails in Fairmont is an especially appropriate trek during the Civil War Sesquicentennial-150th Commemoration-from 2011-2015. Fairmont qualified for the WV Civil War Trails because it was the site of the Battle of Fairmont April 29, 1863 and because it was the home of Francis H. Pierpont, Governor of the Restored State of Virginia (1861-68), and the “Father of West Virginia”. Orientation of trail markers will be held at CWE from 10 AM to 11 AM. “Dutch treat” lunch will be at C J Maggie’s from 11 AM to Noon, where we will visit the first marker. FMCTA bus will pick us up at 12:30 PM and take us to the other five Civil War Markers in the city. We will be getting off the bus at the marker stops. There is a $10 fee to cover cost of bus. Make check payable to Fairmont State Foundation and mail with registration.
Instructor’s Background: Ms. Lough is Fairmont State University Professor Emerita of Speech and Theatre (1955-97). In 2006 FSU conferred upon Ms. Lough an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts. She is a member of the City of Fairmont Historic Landmarks Commission, Marion County Historical Society, Prickett’s Fort Foundation, and others. She relies heavily upon the lifelong historic research of the area done by her father, Glenn D. Lough, Marion County Historian and author of the highly popular Now and Long Ago, A History of the Marion County Area.
19. Belgium through the Eyes of a Student
Mondays, April 16, 23, 2012 @ 1 PM 2 sessions
Presenters: FSU Honor Students and their trip coordinator Dr. J. Robert Baker
Description: Fairmont State University students will present a variety of information about their trip to Belgium. The information will be presented in a variety of fashions from a number of students.
Friday, April 20, 2012 @ 1 PM Limited to 35 students 1 session
Presenter: Dr. Judy Byers (Permits for parking across the street will be issued.)
Description: The Frank and Jane Gabor West Virginia Folklife Center on the campus of Fairmont State University and Pierpont Community and Technical College is dedicated to the identification, preservation, and perpetuation of our region’s rich cultural heritage, through academic studies, educational programs, festivals, performances, and publications. The WV Folklife Center is part of the College of Liberal Arts.
Presenter’s Background: Dr. Byers, a native of Fairmont, is Director of the Folklife Center and the Abelina Suarex Senior Professor of English and Folklore Studies at FSU. As a folklorist she has been instrumental in establishing a cultural and student exchange program between the University of Calabria in Italy and FSU and is a founding member of the Calabria-West Virginia Italian Heritage Association. Dr. Byers has been named Italian Woman of the Year by the WV Italian Heritage Festival.
21. Amazon Expedition Enrichment Voyage
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 @ 10 AM 1 session
Presenters: Peggy and Paul Edwards, Lifelong Learners
Description: Peggy and Paul will present a program about their Institute for Shipboard Education Amazon Expedition Enrichment Voyage December 22, 2011 through January 12, 2012. They sailed up the Amazon River, the world’s second longest river, and witnessed the extraordinary biodiversity of the rainforest. The Amazon Expedition began in Nassau, Bahamas on December 22 traveling to ports-of-call that included San Juan, Puerto Rico; Basseterre, St. Kitts; St. George's, Grenada; Manaus, Brazil; Santarem, Brazil; Port of Spain, Trinidad; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Roseau, Dominica before finally docking in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
22. Birds of West Virginia
Thursday, April 26, 2012 @ 10 AM in our classroom 4 sessions
Tuesdays, May 1 and 8, 2012 @ 9 AM – Noon at Prickett’s Fort (banding)
Thursday, May 10, 2012 @ 9 AM – Noon at Prickett’s Fort (banding)
Instructor: Joey Herron
Description: Learning birds of WV by sight and sound. We will be learning to identify birds by sight and sound using field marks, song, etc. We will observe the banding process and learn about its importance and how it has expanded our understanding of bird migration and lifespan. There will be an update on the local Saw-whet Owl banding station at Valley Falls State Park and some local birding hotspots for people to find good birding. You may come any time during the Fort session’s hours. Binoculars and a bird field guide will be helpful.
Instructor’s Background: Joey Herron’s birding experience is 40+ years, sight and sound. In 1980 he earned a B.S. degree in Biology at Glenville State College. He has written a number of articles for Brooks Bird Club's quarterly publication, The Redstart. He now has a book published BIRDS OF PRICKETT’S FORT STATE PARK. Since 2005 he has been operating a banding station each fall at Valley Falls State Park, banding migrating Saw-whet Owls. He earned his master-banding permit in 1996 from the U.S. Geological Survey agency and the Bird Banding Lab in Patuxant, MD.
23. Management of Backyard Wildlife
Friday, May 11, 2012 @ 10 AM and 1PM One day AM & PM - 2 sessions
Presenter: Dr. Edwin Michael, Professor Emeritus, West Virginia University
Description: This course will examine the roles of food, water, and cover in attracting desirable wildlife to facilitate observation and photography. The design and replacement of appropriate types of feeders and nest boxes for various species of wildlife, along with water sources and landscape plantings will be described. Methods to discourage undesirable wildlife from visiting backyards will also be covered.
Presenter’s Background: Dr. Michael has a PhD degree in Wildlife Ecology from Texas A&M University. He was Professor of Wildlife Management at West Virginia University from 1970-1998. Ed is the author of three historical novels involving West Virginia Wildlife. He also owns a wildlife consulting firm specializing in endangered wildlife.
24. FBI Memorial Ceremony
Date: TBA (mid May) LLL Members Only
Description: Seventeenth Annual Memorial Ceremony in Honor of Fallen West Virginia Law Enforcement Officers. This will be held at the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, Clarksburg, WV. This is a time to pay tribute to those outstanding men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in order for us to live in a safer community. Registrants will be contacted prior to ceremony date allowing enough time for clearance processing.
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DAY TRIP
The National Aviary, in Pittsburgh, PA
day-bus trip
See flier included in registration booklet
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THE SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
Classroom is on the lower level of the Fairmont State Merchant St. Bldg.
(Unless otherwise noted for a different location)
CWE = Center for Workforce Education in Veteran’s Square building
Maximum number of students per class is 40, unless otherwise noted.
INTEREST GROUPS
Available to all members of Lifelong Learners
Lifelong Readers Book Club - Contact: Beth Richendollar 304-363-3097
Time: Monthly – 10 a.m. Third Monday
Writers Group - Contact: Carole McPherson 304-366-8986
Time: Monthly – 1 p.m. Third Wednesday
Needle Arts Group - Contact: Juanita Edge 304-366-0097 jedge1@comcast.net
Time: Twice-monthly – 1 p.m. Second and Fourth Wednesdays
German Language Club - Contact: Connie Hefflin 304-816-2018
Time: Weekly – 1 p.m. Mondays
Investment Club – Contact: Ed Dykhoff 304-366-2432
Time: Monthly – 1 p.m. First Thursday in CWE classroom
Red Hat Learners - Queen Mother: Geneva Loboda 304-366-3493
Totally Talk – Contact: David Sturm 304-363-7160 davidsturm@ymail.com
Time: Meets irregularly, when there are topics that beg to be discussed.
Computer Help – Contact: David Sturm 304-363-7160 davidsturm@ymail.com
Time: Thursdays, 2nd through 5th - 1 p.m. in CWE Computer Lab
