ENews October 3, 2025

October 3, 2025

• Alerts & Notices
• Volunteers Needed for Economics and Finance Committee Program Planning
• Participants Needed for Mason Sarcopenia Study
• Autumn is Here, So Enjoy It
• Poet's Corner
• Arts & Music at George Mason
• Meetings & Clubs
• About OLLI E-News

Alerts & Notices

• The September 26 issue of E-News included an article about performances to be attended by Theater Lovers (see this link). The article title was incorrect. The correct title should have been Theater Lovers to Attend Performances of a Musical and the Longest Running Mystery.
   
• The next issue of OLLI E-News will be published Friday, October 10; the regular deadline for submission of items is Tuesday, October 7, at 6:00.

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Volunteers Needed for Economics and Finance
Committee Program Planning

 

By Shannon Morrow, Lead Program Associate 


OLLI Mason is looking for program planning chairs for the Economics and Finance committee.

If you enjoy the high-quality economics and finance-related classes that OLLI offers, please
consider volunteering for this important role. Lead program committee chairs and program associates are here to assist and to guide the process.

For more information, email [email protected] or [email protected]. It is because of volunteers like you that OLLI Mason is one of the best programs in the country. Thank you! 

Participants Needed for Mason Sarcopenia Study

 

By Abby Suchoski, Mason M.S. Student in Nutrition – Dietetics Concentration

Greetings, all. Please consider taking part in a Mason Nutrition and Food Studies Department research study on sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function with age. As current literature shows that the main components for sarcopenia detection are grip strength and gait speed, these physical tests will be conducted for each participant. Each assessment takes about 25-30 minutes and participants will receive a $20 Amazon gift card for their time. Trained research assistants will be on OLLI’s campus on 10/7, 10/13, 10/17, and 10/24 to conduct assessments (see poster below).

• be at least 65 years old
• live in the DMV area
• be fluent in English
• not be at increased risk of falls
• not have been diagnosed with cognitive impairment, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease
• not have acute or chronic diseases such as:
  • renal failure
  • rheumatologic disease
  • cardiac arrhythmia
  • neoplasms
  • other terminal diseases
• not be receiving hospice services
• not be diagnosed with a neuromuscular or neurological condition affecting somatosensory or motor function or control such as:
  • hemiplegia
  • multiple sclerosis
  • peripheral neuropathy
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • myasthenia gravis
  • ataxia
  • apraxia
  • post-polio syndrome
  • mitochondrial myopathy
  • end-stage congestive heart failure
• have no current, planned, or previous use of drugs known to influence muscle mass or performance, such as:
  • anabolic steroids
  • IGF-1
  • GH
  • replacement androgen therapy
  • anti-androgen therapy.

Autumn is Here, So Enjoy It

 

By John Nash, E-News editor


It begins with the tilt of the Earth. As the Northern Hemisphere leans away from the sun, daylight hours shorten and temperatures cool. This shift triggers a cascade of changes in the natural world. Trees, sensing the drop in sunlight, stop producing chlorophyll—the pigment that makes leaves green. As chlorophyll fades, other pigments like carotenoids and anthocyanins replace it which turns the trees brilliant shades of amber, crimson, and gold. New England gets much of the glory for fall colors but here in Virginia, the colors are almost as good: Virginia doesn't have the abundance of  sugar maples which produce the striking red fall colors in New England. The color change isn't just beautiful—it is a survival strategy. Trees shed their leaves to conserve water and energy during the cold months ahead.

In addition to the cooler weather produced by the tilting of the Earth, another indicator of fall are the migrating birds which head south for warmer weather. They know what’s coming.

Autumn is nature’s way of getting ready. It’s not the end—it’s the beginning of rest. We all should enjoy this special time of the year. But shouldn't every time of the year be special to us?

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Poet's Corner
                                                                                              Courtesy of the Poetry Workshop

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