Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

ENews March 27, 2026

by

OLLI E-News March 27, 2026
Print a condensed pdf copy of this newsletter, two web pages per sheet of paper.

A Large Group of Members Enjoyed the Spring Term Kick-Off Coffee at Tallwood, March 19, 2026

March 27, 2026


Editor of the Week: Paul Van Hemel
Table of Contents

Alerts & Notices

  • Spring term 2026 is under way and ends May 15.
  • Remember to check the catalog updates list on the OLLI website.
  • Note that two of the canceled Reston classes (808R and 812R) are available in Fairfax (801F and 802F).
  • The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, April 3; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, March 31, at 6:00.
Board of Directors Election 2026


By Robert Heyer, Nominating Committee Chair


The OLLI Board of Directors consists of 15 members who address many issues to keep OLLI vibrant and provide value to members through of classes, clubs, and many activities. Each year 5 candidates are elected for a 3-year term on the Board. Candidates are identified by an OLLI Nomination Committee consisting of two Board members and three OLLI members. This year the committee consists of Bob Heyer (Chair) and Toni Acton who are current Board members, plus Doris Bloch, Kathryn McGeehan, and Tom McDonald, who are OLLI members.

This year the Board of Directors tasked the Nomination Committee with guidance to locate five potential OLLI members who have experience in:
  • Business development including fund raising
  • Marketing
  • Legal affairs, particularly with non-profit organizations
  • Financial management of non-profit organizations
The committee has recommended to the Board the following candidates who have demonstrated one or more of these skills. Their resumes are available on the OLLI website.

If you are an OLLI member who has experience in one or more of these areas and you would like to be on the ballot, you are required to obtain signatures from at least 5% of the OLLI membership and submit a request to the committee by April 15.

Voting by the OLLI membership will begin after the OLLI annual business meeting on May 1st and continue for 2 weeks.

Back to Top of Page
OLLI Volunteers for Library Event?


By Lisa Mariam, Executive Director


Every year, the Fairfax County Public Library hosts a Fix-It Clinic. People who are skilled in various types of repairs are invited to help customers at no charge. In the past, these included jewelry and bike repair, fabric mending, and knife sharpening.

Are you interested in being part of this event as “fixers?” If you scroll down the Fix-It Clinic page (when you click on the link in the previous paragraph), you will see the list of participating branches and the volunteers (or fixers) needed at each location.

Thank you.
 

Back to Top of Page






The leading cause of death in America is still heart disease. Roughly 703,000 people died of this in 2024. Symptoms of a heart attack are different in men and women: Heart Attack Warning Signs. Be aware. Seek help immediately and work with your doctor to prevent heart disease.
From the Healthcare Advisory Workgroup

Back to Top of Page
New Excursion Added! Tour of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond


By Gay Alper, Trip Coordinator


A new excursion has been added for May. Details are below:
When: Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 9:00
What: Bus trip for a tour of the Virginia Holocaust Museum in Richmond
Coordinator: Gay Alper
Limit: 30
Fee: $87, includes bus, driver tip, and museum admission
Note: You must register for the excursion by April 30.

The bus will leave promptly at 9:00 from the Fairfax Swimming Pool parking lot (4200 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA)―approximate travel time 1 1/2 hours.

On arrival we will visit the Dimensions in Testimony theater and hear the story of a Holocaust survivor. Participants can ask questions to her “hologram” which is a pre-recorded video interview, made to look 3D.

We will break for lunch in a room at the museum. Participants must pre-order and pre-pay online at the designated restaurant’s website for lunch, which will be delivered to the lunchroom from a nearby restaurant. (Registrants will be contacted with details by the coordinator prior to the excursion.)

We will then view a short video and meet Rena Berlin, currently a museum docent. Rena Berlin taught our OLLI winter-term class, 'Learning About the Holocaust in Today’s World, Part One,' followed by Part 2 for spring term. Rena or another docent will lead us on a tour of the museum.

The bus will depart the museum at approximately 3:30 for the return to Tallwood.

Back to Top of Page
Hiking Club News!


By Kathy Rones, Hiking Club Coordinator


The newly-formed OLLI Hiking Club invites all interested OLLI members to join us on a 3.5-mile hike from Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA to Great Falls Park and the overlook of the Falls and back, on Wednesday, April 22, starting at 10:00. The trail along the Potomac is generally flat and it is an easy ambling walk with a few sections of walking through rocks. I have included photos so you can see the terrain in those few spots.

If you would like to join this hike, please send an email to [email protected]. We can self-drive or carpool.

Looking ahead, we are planning to hike the Stony Man trail in Shenandoah national Park in early May.

Back to Top of Page
Photo of the Month
 


The March 2026 Photo of the Month theme was Portraiture. We selected John Olsen's compelling photo of a fellow member of the Photography Club, Robert Kelberg, which may also be viewed at this page. To view other photos by members of the Photography Club, visit the club's photo website.

               -- By John Olsen and Lynne Cline, Photography Club Coordinators

Back to Top of Page
History Club


By Doug Snoeyenbos, History Club Coordinator


The History Club will meet on Wednesday, April 1, at 4:00, on Zoom. The presenter will be David Timko on Ancient Sparta. Depictions of ancient Sparta have become increasingly prominent in Western popular culture, and Sparta is now typically portrayed in a favorable light. This is in contrast to the late 20th Century, when Sparta was not regarded so favorably, and Sparta’s traditional enemy, Athens was pointed to as an ancient analog to the United States. This month’s talk will explore the reality of ancient Sparta and try to peel away the layers of myth that obscure that reality.
 
David Timko has a master’s degree in Ancient History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and studied for his PhD. He is recently retired after 22 years with the federal government as an analyst, and resides in Northern Virginia.

Back to Top of Page
Poet's Corner
Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

Swedish Death Cleaning
 
Swedish Death Cleaning, that sounds fun!
Declutter now before life’s done!  
 
So, what’s first to be ejected
from the mountains I’ve collected?
 
Kids grown, long out the door
don’t need baby teeth anymore
 
Still … they’d make a cute collage
add teething rings and decoupage
 
Perhaps oust popsicle-stick people, I’ve three.
Wait! Could they be hung on the Christmas tree?
 
Are twist ties clogging the junk drawer?
They’ve hundreds of uses – maybe more!
 
Tax filings, receipts, bank statements spanning years
All proof to show we’re not in arrears
 
Recycling, regifting – the death cleaner’s friends
Don’t regift the gifter – you’ll be making amends
 
Is every saved card a true treasure
to savor in a coming year’s leisure?
 
How much of what’s not tossed
is kept to cushion a painful loss?                        
 
Can saying loved ones’ names be enough
to carry what’s dear without all the stuff?
 
              –Susan Rexroad

Back to Top of Page
Obituary: Katherine Rowan

OLLI member and retired Mason Professor Emerita
Dr. Katherine Rowan, wife of OLLI member Bob Baker, died at home on February 27. Kathy received her bachelor’s degree in English in 1975 and her PhD from the University of Illinois. She served with distinction as a member of the Mason Department of Communication for 20 years, where she retired in 2020.

At Mason, Kathy’s highly received teaching shaped skills in public relations, science communication, and crisis communication for many students who will miss her welcome challenges. She also contributed research that addressed climate change, environmental policy, and infectious disease preparedness, and published articles in leading scientific publications, earning the respect of her colleagues. She was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. At OLLI, her professional and personal achievements received well-deserved recognition among the membership.

A private funeral was held on March 11 at Fairfax Memorial Park. The Mason Communication Department is working with her family to plan a campus Celebration of Life, with details to be announced. Her legacy will endure in the memories of the students she mentored, the colleagues she supported, and the community she helped build.
Mason Jazz Events in April


By Darden Purcell, D.M.A.  Mason Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice


Mason welcomes OLLI members and guests to our spring jazz events. There are several exciting events coming up that you won’t want to miss! One event coming up this month, announced in the last issue of E-News, is the Big Band Showdown March 30 at 8:00, in the Center for the Arts (click here for more information).

Addressed immediately below are three other events of interest in early April. Two more events in the last couple of weeks in April will be announced in a subsequent issue of E-News.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jazz Combos | Braddock Road Brass Band
(Directors, Wade Beach and Graham Breedlove)
 
Monday, April 6, at 8:00
Harris Theatre | Free and open to the public

Join us for an evening of music from Bud Powell, Hank Mobley, Weather Report, Casiopeia, The Messthetics, Snarky Puppy, Freddie Hubbard, Stevie Wonder, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mason Jazz Vocal Night 
(Directors, Dr. Darden Purcell and Dr. CJ Redden-Liotta)
 
Monday, April 13 at 8:00 
Center for the Arts
Join Darden Purcell, the Jazz Voice Studio, and the DOWNBEAT award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble for an unforgettable evening featuring swinging jazz standards, Latin American songs, contemporary classics, and beloved hits from the Great American Songbook. Special guests include the Falls Church High School Jazzguars (directed by Dr. CJ Redden-Liotta) and George Mason alumni vocal supergroup BLOOM!
 


Tickets: $19 General Public, $14 Senior, $9 Student | Prices include fees.
TICKETS:  https://cfa.calendar.gmu.edu/mason-jazz-vocal-night-spring-2026

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jazz Workshop
(Director, John Kocur) 
Wednesday, April 15 at 8:00 
Harris Theatre | Free and open to the public 
 
In their spring 2026 concert, the Jazz Workshop highlights the depth and breadth of jazz compositions and arrangements. Listeners will enjoy arrangements of jazz standards by Billy May, Bob Florence, and Bill Fulton. Mark Taylor and Mike Kamuf provide updated arrangements of original compositions by jazz greats Wayne Shorter and Freddie Hubbard. The group will also perform contemporary compositions by Jim Cifelli, Richie Iacona, and Brandon Woody. Directed by Prof. John Kocur, the Jazz Workshop explores the intersection of improvisation and composition in an innovative large jazz ensemble.

Back to Top of Page
Arts & Music at George Mason
Performances March 27 through May 15


By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer


The College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) has several web sites of performances, talks etc.
CFA ticket purchase page
Center for the Arts YouTube channel 
Hylton ticket purchase page
the new https://masonartsamplified.gmu.edu/
music.calendar.gmu.edu/
theater.calendar.gmu.edu/
dance.calendar.gmu.edu
masonexhibitions.org/
and if you miss a live performance, there is a pay-per-view for many: https://cfa.gmu.edu/events/paid-digital-performances. For tickets for either Center for the Arts Concert Hall (CFA) or Hylton Center, call 1-888-945-2468. You can also buy tickets online through the event calendar (see links above) or visit the venue's box office.

Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of information on interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just sign up at this link to stay in touch. Also, the Center for the Arts has a website, Mason Arts at Home, which has a calendar of online events and access to many past performances.

Back to Top of Page
At the Fairfax Campus Venues

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra: Rick Steves’ Europe: A Symphonic Journey
Sun, Mar 29, 5:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $95, $75, $64, $54, $44.
Fairfax Campus Visual Arts
(details can be found at https://www.masonexhibitions.org/)
 
The Prescription is Home
Through April 18, 2026
Mason Exhibitions, Arlington Campus

Living the Prescription
Through May 8, 2026
Founders Gallery, Arlington Campus
Mason Student and Faculty Performances

(see music.gmu.edu for additional student recitals)

George Mason School of Theater: Pipeline
Fri, Mar 27, 7:30
Sat, Mar 28, 2:00 and 7:30
Sun, Mar 29, 2:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: $40 Adult, $19 Senior.

2026 Mason Dance Company Gala Concert
Fri, Mar 27, 2:00 and 8:00
Sat, Mar 28, 8:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $35 Adult, $19 Senior.

Jazz Big Band Showdown
Mon, Mar 30, 8:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $19 Adult, $14 Senior.

International Week 2026 Dance Competition
Thu, Apr 2, 7:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $5.

Wade Beach Jazz Combos and Braddock Road Brass Band Concert (Spring 2026)
Mon, Apr 6, 8:00
Harris Theatre
Admission: Free and Open to the Public.
 
Mason Jazz Vocal Night
Mon, Apr 13, 8:00
Center for the Arts
Admission: $19 Adult, $14 Senior.

Back to Top of Page
At the Hylton Center (Manassas Campus)

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel: Music of Joy and Peace
Sun, Mar 29, 2:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $60, $52, $38.

Old Bridge Chamber Orchestra: Mozart, Saint-Georges, and Beethoven: Masters in Motion
Sun, Mar 29, 3:00
Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $30 Adult, $27 Senior.

Chorale Broadway Showcase: Bright Lights, Big City: Broadway Beginnings and NYC Dreams
Fri, Mar 27, 8:00
Sat, Mar 28, 2:00
Hylton Center, Gregory Family Theater
Admission: $19 Adult, $14 Senior.

Aquila Theatre: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Sat, Apr 4, 4:00
Merchant Hall
Admission: $55, $48, $35.

VISUAL ARTS
Fountain of Truth
Through April 11, 2026
Hylton Performing Arts Center

Offerings to the Potomac:
Acknowledging Indigenous Place
Through May 15, 2026
Buchanan Hall Atrium Gallery, Manassas Campus

Back to Top of Page
For further details on any of the above events, see the CFA Event Calendar and the Hylton Center event calendar.

Back to Top of Page
Meetings & Clubs

Please note: OLLI Meetings and Clubs may currently take place in several formats: some are in person only, some are online only, and some are hybrid, meaning that they take place in person and are accessible online simultaneously. OLLI events and activities meeting online bear the identification "Z" in their course or event number (except clubs; you may need to check the OLLI calendar and daily schedule email for location and other event information).

The following list covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the master online calendar maintained by the office. The list is accurate as of mid-week. Note: All OLLI members are welcome at, and encouraged to attend, meetings of the Board of Directors, committees and resource groups, kick-off coffees, etc. The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members.
 
Sat Mar 28 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Mar 30
 		  9:30 am
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News? – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Mar 31
 
 		  2:00 pm
 3:45 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Caregivers Support Group – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Apr 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 		 11:50 am
12:00 noon
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 2:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
OLLI Artists Club
Memoir and More Writing Group – online
History Club – online
Spanish Club – online
Thu Apr 2
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Apr 3
 
 
 
 
 		  9:30 am
10:00 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
 2:00 pm		 Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Game On: Talking Sports Club – online
Homer, etc. – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Classic Literature Club – online
Sat Apr 4 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online
Mon Apr 6
 
 		  9:30 am
 4:00 pm
 4:00 pm		 What’s in the Daily News?
Family History/Genealogy Club – online
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tue Apr 7
 
 		  2:00 pm
 4:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 Chair Yoga and More – online
Mah Jongg Club – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Wed Apr 8
 
 
 
 		 11:50 am
12:00 noon
 1:30 pm
 1:30 pm
 4:00 pm		 Investment Forum
Chair Yoga and More – online
Board Game Club
Bridge Club
Spanish Page Turner Club – online
Thu Apr 9
 
 		 11:50 am
 3:00 pm
 4:30 pm		 All the News
Chair Yoga and More – online
Tai Chi Club – online
Fri Apr 10
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 		  9:30 am
 9:30 am
10:00 am
11:00 am
11:30 am
12:00 noon
 2:00 pm
 2:30 pm
 4:00 pm		 Photography Club
Crafts and Conversation
Mah Jongg Club
Homer, etc. – online
Cooking Club
Chair Yoga and More – online
Classic Literature Club – online
Tallwood Book Club – online
French Club and Happy Hour Club – online
Sat Apr 11 10:30 am Tai Chi Club – online

Back to Top of Page
About OLLI E-News

OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.

Editorial Staff
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editors: David Gundry, Deborah Kruesi

Weekly Editor Team: Chloe DiStaso, David Gundry, Deborah Kruesi, Chitra Mohla, John Nash,
Paul Van Hemel
 
Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Thomas Appich, Martha Kossoff, Anne Hartshorn, Bonnie Becker, Carol McManus

Submissions: Members are encouraged to submit letters to the editor, letters to Ms. Ollie Ettakit (on etiquette matters), OLLI-related news items, articles, and photos. Submit material to: [email protected].
Deadline: Tuesday, 6:00, for that week's issue (Monday, 6:00, for letters to the editor); early submissions are greatly appreciated. Please limit articles to about 250 words.
Note: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News on the DocStore. To search the content of issues, use Search Our Site or put your search term in Google followed by "site:olli.gmu.edu/" without the quotes.

Back to Top of Page

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE
AT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

4210 Roberts Rd. Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384
Email: [email protected]

Copyright ©2026 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Website designed and developed by Earthcare Technologies Inc.

OLLI Mason is a nonprofit, equal opportunity 501(c)(3) organization
and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national/ethnic origin.