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OLLI
E-News
#38-12 of October 5, 2012
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NEW CLASS SCHEDULE
BEGINS WINTER TERM
From the executive director
AS I’VE
MENTIONED IN PREVIOUS ARTICLES, we have been considering
revisions to our current schedule of Monday-Thursday class times for
quite some time. The new schedule displayed below will be effective
beginning in January 2013 with our winter term.
There are several benefits: The schedule
accommodates the schedule for our new facility in Reston, the United
Christian Parish church. The later start time should make it more
convenient for those of you who have found it difficult to make it on
time for our first morning class. There is also sufficient time for
smooth transitions, safe travel and/or a quick snack or lunch before
and after the midday class session.
Most importantly, the new schedule will apply
to all OLLI campuses and sites and thus make it possible for members to
have more courses and activities to choose from. To the extent that we
make greater use
of videoconferencing technology, it will be even more important to have
a uniform schedule for all of our sites.
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Time
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Length
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First
session (A)
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9:40–11:05
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85
minutes
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Break
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11:05–11:50
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45 minutes
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Second
session (B)
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11:50–1:15
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85
minutes
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Break
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1:15–2:15
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60 minutes
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Third
session (C)
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2:15–3:40
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85
minutes
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A MASTERFUL LEADER
Profile of OLLI's executive director
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Thom Clement
OLLI Executive Director
Photo
by Gordon Canyock |
By Barbara Kyriakakis, OLLI
E-Enews Associate
Editor
“I AM A
‘JACK OF ALL TRADES and master of none,'" Thom Clement laughed.
"I love anything outdoors; hiking, camping and biking are a few of my
favorite pastimes. I am an avid reader, especially historical fiction.
I enjoy Facebooking and am a huge Redskins fan." Such eclectic
activities are only the tip of the iceberg for this personable, upbeat,
dynamic individual – OLLI's executive director.
Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, Thom
took piano lessons during his early years, and at 15 he developed an
interest in rock bands. He played his keyboard in local clubs and
restaurants during his teen years, earning money to help put himself
through college. He received a BS in Psychology at Old Dominion
University in Norfolk and an MS in School Psychology at James Madison
University, Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Thom decided to first teach for several years
to earn the respect of fellow teachers but found that he so enjoyed the
role of teacher that he abandoned his original career path of school
psychologist and taught school much of his life – first in Loudoun
County, where he met his wife, Carol, a school librarian, then in
Fairfax County, where he taught 4th, 5th and 6th grades. In 1989 he was
encouraged into the job of assistant principal at London Towne
Elementary School, Centreville, and two years later he became the
principal at Canterbury Woods Elementary School, Annandale. In 1999 he
seized the opportunity to open a new school in Centreville – Bull Run
Elementary, where he served as principal until his retirement in 2006.
 Thom attributes much of
his happiness to Carol. "She stayed home for 12 years to raise our
sons," he said. A Cub Scout in childhood, Thom encouraged his four sons
to join the Royal Rangers scouting group at the family's church, where
he served as a leader for 18 years, nurturing the boys and teaching
rock climbing, hiking, fishing, backpacking and white-water rafting. "A
favorite pastime now," he said thoughtfully, "is sitting at the dinner
table with my sons, rehashing some of our scouting stories." Some
memorable experiences have been playing keyboard in a band with his
guitar-playing son.
Thom considers himself fortunate to have
snagged the executive director's post. Ready for some new stimulation
in retirement, he applied and was hired; he started his new job as
OLLI's operational manager on January 1, 2008. Thom very much enjoys
his position and likes the attitude of OLLI members – in particular,
"their
intellectual curiosity." He added, "I have taken great pleasure in
watching OLLI grow. The job is a fun experience, and it is rewarding to
know I am helping solve problems that come along with the growth of an
organization."
When asked what would surprise our OLLI
members most about him, Thom thought for a moment, then replied that
although he is very people-oriented, he is a private person. He likes
solitude, time to think … down time from his busy life. E.g., he
enjoyed his 2,500-mile ride on his Harley (most of the distance alone –
see photo) this past summer to the Sturgis Bike Rally in South Dakota.
Thom truly is a 'jack of all trades,' and OLLI
is fortunate that he is a master of most ... especially at managing our
wonderful Institute.
MASON LAUNCHES NEW
ONLINE COURSE
Opening higher education to the world, for
free
Above, Prof. Tabarrok, left, and Prof.
Cohen explain the concept of MRUniversity.
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THE MARGINAL
REVOLUTION UNIVERSITY, a breakthrough initiative of Mason's
Mercatus Center led by Professors of Economics Tyler Cowen and Alex
Tabarrok, is now online at no cost to anyone who would like to
participate. The first course – Development Economics – includes short
video presentations followed by sample questions. It is an exciting
format that can be viewed on your computer, iPhone, iPad and other
means of connectivity whenever you'd like, as many times as you'd like.
You can also select subtitles in various languages, thus achieving a
worldwide outreach capability for Mason. Check this out at MRUniversity. Register and have
fun with this wonderful format of learning.
As this course matures, Professors Cowen and
Tabarrok are soliciting interest from participants for future courses
that might include a wide array of interests: Microeconomics
(Principles), Macroeconomics (Principles), Managerial Economics,
Statistics/Data Analysis, Econometrics, Game Theory, Environmental
Economics, Behavioral Economics, Advanced Microeconomics, Advanced
Macroeconomics and Philosophy, American History, World History, Physics
and Biology.
What an exciting breakthrough at our
affiliated University!
-- By Leo Brennan, Economics and Finance Resource Group Chair
Editor's note: Members may also be
interested in this E-News
article about other free online
lectures.
ACROSS THE SEA
TO IRELAND...
OLLI members participate in a memorable
trip
Above, our group of Ireland travelers
ready to enjoy
dinner
together.
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NINE OLLI-MASON
MEMBERS, along
with two of their family members, were joined by members of
OLLI-American University and the Arlington Learning in Retirement
Institute for a September visit to the Emerald Isle led
by Dr. Coilin Owens, who teaches at the three institutes. We flew
non-stop
from Dulles to Dublin, the first
and last stop of our two-week trip.
Dublin highlights included a visit to
Trinity College to view the Book of Kells and a theater attendance of The Plough and The Stars. Leaving
Dublin, we went
on to visit Newgrange and Knowth (burial mounds dating back to 1,500
BC). A few of the many other highlights included a tour of the Aran
Islands off Galway Bay, the Cliffs of Moher, a "jaunting car" ride
through Killarney National Park, and a visit to the Cobh Heritage
Centre,
which depicts the varied history of Irish emigration from the site and
the story of the
Titanic – whose last port of call was there.
My personal favorite was an
overnight stay at the majestic Ashford Castle – "Excellence Since
1228." Throughout the trip, Professor Owens enriched and
enhanced our unique travel experience by providing comments,
information and stories about the history of Ireland and the special
significance of the various places we visited. It was indeed an
experience to remember.
Traveler
comments:
This
was a memorable trip
because of Ireland's welcoming people and beautiful landscape, but it
was Coilin's marvelous historical and cultural insights that made it
truly unique and special.
-- Lydia and Pat Walsh, OLLI members
Back
to top
 BOOK
CLUB
Wed, Oct 10 – The Submission
THE BOOK CLUB will
meet at 1:30 on Monday, October 10 at Tallwood. The book for discussion
is The Submission by Amy
Waldman. Her first novel, it is the story of the building of a memorial
to the victims of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. It was
Fairfax County Public Library's choice for this year's All Fairfax
Reads project, and Ms. Waldman was one of the authors featured at this
year's Fall for the Book Festival.
All OLLI members are welcome.
-- By Ceda
McGrew, Book
Club Coordinator. For book summary, reviews and other info, click
here.
Our November selection
(10:00 on Wednesday, November 14) is Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand.
Fri,
Oct 12 – Photographing and documenting life's transitions
 ON FRIDAY,
OCTOBER 12
the Photography Club will hold its monthly meeting at 9:30 in
TA-1. Our speaker will be Gail Rebhan, professor of photography at
Northern Virginia Community College ( photo
at right), who will speak on photographing and documenting
life's transitions.
In her work, Gail has combined photographs and
documents to create a personal chronology of two significant
transitions in her life: raising children and her father's aging
process. Her creative approach of documenting small changes in the
lives of her family members requires the viewer to slow down and
appreciate the emotional dimension of her work. For full information
about Gail and her work, visit her website.
You do not have to be a member of the
Photography Club to
attend. All OLLI members are invited.
-- By Ed Parker, Photography Club Coordinator
Back
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SEEKING PARTICIPANTS IN A MEMORY STUDY
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Mason investigating age-related changes
WOULD
YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE to the ongoing advancements in the
cognitive sciences? Want to learn about human memory by participating
in a psychology experiment?
The study aims to gain an accurate
understanding of the frequency of human episodic and prospective memory
and identify changes that may occur with aging. Episodic memories are
recollections of past personal events and experiences. Prospective
memories are recollections of intentions to act in the future. The
study collects data on probability and duration of episodic and
prospective memory recall by sampling random time-points of everyday
life.
The
experiment will take a few minutes a day to perform. Lasting for one to
four weeks, you can expect the whole of the experiment to take around
two hours of your time (including one hour of initial training). The
study is completely anonymous (no identifiable personal data are
collected) and safe both physically and mentally.
Requirements:
If you have no memory/language impairment or diagnosed neurological
condition, you can participate.
This research is being conducted by Mason's Center for Neural Informatics,
Structures, and Plasticity at the Krasnow Institute for Advanced
Study. If you are interested in participating or would like more
information, please contact PhD candidate Bob Gardner (email rgardne1@masonlive.gmu.edu,
phone 571-216-3672).
-- By Thom Clement,
Executive Director |
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OLLI SPIRITWEAR
Click logo above or here to shop
Order
sweatshirts,
shirts, caps and tote bags with the OLLI/Mason logo at any time
directly from the vendor for delivery to your home. At the store, click
"OLLI-GMU Store" to see the pictures, then click on each item to see
details. Note: The pictures do not show our
logo but it will be embroidered on items that you order.
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OLLI FACEBOOK GROUP
Click
icon above or here to
join
OLLI
members are
encouraged to join the OLLI Facebook group as a means of enhancing
intra-OLLI communications. Recent articles: how to join;
how to post
photos. (The icon is also under the Quick Links table on our Home page
and What's New page.) Note:
Once you join the OLLI group, you can access the group from your
personal Facebook page by clicking on "Groups" or "More" in the
left-side navigation area. |
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Courtesy of the OLLI Poetry Workshop
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Harvest Moon
Low in midnight sky
it gently bounces
on darkened skyscrapers.
Over open land,
smog and city lights
yield to found radiance.
Like a tangerine blimp,
it glides soundless
over stubble corn fields.
As if from rain, moonlit
sheep and cows huddle
for shelter from a bleeding sky.
Moon and earth move
closer and closer, break away
at first light.
Doug
Hill |
Back
to top
MASON-FAIRFAX ARTS AND MUSIC
 Performances, Oct 5–14
 By
Jan Bohall, OLLI E-News Staff
Writer
FOR
TICKETS, call
1-888-945-2468 or buy online
(phone and online orders are handled by tickets.com; a service charge
applies) or visit the Center for the Arts Box Office, Tue-Sat,
10:00-6:00. More info on tickets is at the CFA tickets page.
George Mason's Department of Theater
Mason Players present Where Has
Tommy Flowers Gone?
by Terrence McNally
Fri, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 6, 8:00
Sat, Oct 6 – Sun, Oct 7, 2:00
Tommy Flowers is depicted as a rebellious 30-year-old who refuses to
grow up. As he freeloads his way in New York City with his faithful
dog, Arnold, a hobo named Ben, and a struggling cellist, we may wonder
whether we sympathize with him, or envy him.
Admission: $10 seniors, $15 other adults
TheaterSpace: Lower level of Performing Arts Bldg, next
to Black Box Theater. From Level 2 of Mason Pond Parking Deck take the
bridge. Enter first door on left and follow hallway; go through gray
door and down stairs.
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Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi
Fri, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 6, 8:00
Ancient sacred traditions from a tiny country in Central Africa come to
life in this renowned percussion ensemble. The distinctive drums are
made
from hollowed tree trunks and animal skins, and produce thunderous
percussive rhythms. Click
here for details and a video.
Family friendly: Youth grade 12 and under, half price with an adult
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 for a free pre-performance discussion Grand Tier III. |
Faculty Artist Showcase
Faculty Composer Dr. Glenn Smith
Fri, Oct 5, 8:00
This program will celebrate the legacy and creativity of the George
Mason composer, Dr. Glenn Smith. The world premiere of his Prelude to Fugalunacy will be
featured, with Linda Apple Monson and Anna Balakerskaia at the piano.
Additional Smith works will be performed by other School of Music
faculty, including Larry Snitzler, guitar; Michael Nickens, tuba; Meg
Owens, oboe; and Mark Bergman, double bass.
Admission: Free, non-ticketed
Harris Theatre |
Aquila
Theatre
The
Taming of the Shrew
Sun, Oct 7, 4:00
This outstanding British-American touring company returns to the Center
for the Arts with this Shakespearean play of the classic battle for
power between the sexes. Bianca, the beautiful youngest child of a
lord, cannot marry until her elder sister, Katherina, finds a husband.
The older girl's bad temper and caustic wit repel possible suitors,
until Petruchio is hired to seduce and tame her.
Admission: $40, $32, $20
Concert Hall |
 The Goddess Diaries
Fri, Oct 12 – Sat, Oct 13, 7:30
Key
milestones in the lives of girls and women age 11 to 65, from a first
visit to the gynecologist to surviving an abusive relationship, are
told in eight short compelling stories. Music and dance performances
are interspersed to express the female journey. All proceeds go to the
George Mason Victims of Violence Fund.
Admission: $20 general admission, $15 for groups of 10+ purchased
together
Harris Theatre |
Virginia Opera
The
Pearl Fishers
Fri, Oct 12, 8:00
Sun, Oct 14, 2:00
Bizet's captivating though infrequently staged opera spins a tale of
friendship, jealousy, loyalty, love and religious duty. Set in a
fishing village in ancient Ceylon, two pearl fishermen, Zurga and
Nadir, have years earlier clashed over their romantic obsession with a
beautiful stranger, but remain friends. Their lost love, Leila, returns
as a mysterious priestess; when they realize her true identity their
deadly rivalry returns with a vengeance. It will be sung in French with
English supertitles. Click
here for much more info and videos on Virginia Opera website.
Sun, $98, $80, $48
Concert Hall
Come at 7:15 before each performance for a free artistic discussion on
Grand Tier III. |
Indecision Tour 2012
The Daily Show Live
An
Evening with the
People Behind the Show
Sat, Oct 13, 8:00
The
writers, producers and correspondents of Comedy Central's "The Daily
Show" will bring their Emmy-award winning timely political humor to
George Mason. Performances by Show favorites will include John Hodgman,
Al Madrigal and Adam Lowitt.
Admission: $25
Concert Hall |
Oktoberfest
Mason Symphony Orchestra
Dr. Dennis M. Layendecker, conductor
Sun, Oct 14, 4:00
The
Mason Symphony Orchestra will perform an all-German concert, with works
of Beethoven, Hindemith and Franz Strauss, with a horn solo by graduate
student Natalie Higgins. Poster displays from German language students,
refreshments and German Information Office giveaways will be available
in the lobby after the concert. Dr. Layendecker is director of the
George Mason School of Music and holds the Heritage Chair in Music.
Admission: $5 seniors, $10 other adults
Harris Theatre
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MASON
HIGHLIGHTS
Other Mason events, next two
weeks
 By Helen Ackerman, OLLI
E-News Staff Writer
>Speaker: David M. Walker, founder and CEO of the Comeback
America Initiative, former U.S. Comptroller General and political
independent, discusses his book Comeback
America – emphasizing policy,
operational and political reforms to put
government on a more sustainable fiscal path.
Tue, Oct 9, 1:00 to 3:00. The Hub (SUB II), Ballroom. Free. View pdf flyer.
>Seminar:
"Home
Security Part 2
– Securing Your PC." Learn more about cyber security by
attending a series of seminars presented by Mason's IT Security
Office. This second seminar will be presented on Thu, Oct 11, 2:00 to
3:00. Johnson Center, Room B. Free. Click here for
details.
>Reading: Poet Michael Collier, former
Maryland poet laureate, Guggenheim Fellowship recipient and director of
the
Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, will read from his works. Fri, Oct 12,
7:00.
Conference Room, Mason Hall. Free
>Lecture: Mason's new
president, Dr. Ángel Cabrera, delivers the annual "Moments of
Truth" Lecture, followed by a
question-and-answer session. Dr. Cabrera co-authored with Gregory Unruh
the
book Being
Global: How to Think, Act and Lead in a Transformed World, which
addresses the role of a leader in the global economy. Tue, Oct 16, 3:00
to
5:00. The Hub (SUB II), Ballroom. Free. Click for
details.
>Reading:
Novelist Rivka Galchen,
author of Atmospheric Disturbances,
will read
from her work. Thu, Oct 18, 7:00. Research Hall, Room 163. Free. For
book summary, reviews and other info, click
here.
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HYLTON  ARTS AND MUSIC
Manassas performances, Oct 5–14
By Sheri
Siesseger, OLLI E-News
Staff Writer
FOR
TICKETS, call 1-888-945-2468
or click "Buy Tickets" at the event listing in the calendar (phone and
online orders are handled by tickets.com; a service charge applies) –
or visit the box office in the lobby of the Hylton
Performing
Arts Center on Mason's Prince William campus in Manassas, Wed-Sat,
noon to 6:00 (or visit
the box office in the lobby of the Center for the Arts on Mason's
Fairfax campus, Tue-Sat, 10:00-6:00).
More info on tickets is at the ticket
purchase page.
Manassas
Art Guild
Continues through
Sat, Oct 13
Art
guild members exhibit a wide array of works, including drawing, oil
painting, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, multimedia printing, graphic
arts, film making, print making, jewelry making, pottery and sculpture.
Admission: Free
Buchanan Partners Arts Gallery |
Vpstart Crow
Arsenic
and Old Lace
Fri, Oct 5 – Sat, Oct 6, 8:00
Sun, Oct 7, 2:00
Resident Arts Partner Vpstart Crow presents the classic comedy of odd
behavior and homicidal activities of the Brewster family.
Admission:
$20; $15,
students and seniors.
Gregory Family Theater
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Manassas
Chorale
Celebrate
the Seventies!
Sat, Oct 6, 7:30
The
Manassas Chorale presents an evening of chart-topping hits and the best
of Broadway musicals of the 1970s.
Admission: $12, $15, $18
Merchant Hall |
Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi
Sun, Oct 7, 4:00
This group's program is based on ancient traditions originally
associated with tribal ceremonies. Drums fashioned from hollowed tree
trunks and animal skins are used to produce thunderous percussive
rhythms that have come to be known as the "Burundi beat."
A
pre-performance discussion led by group leader Gabriel Ntagabo begins
at 3:00.
Admission: $30, $38, $46
Merchant Hall |
Prince William Little Theatre
Of Mice
and Men
Fri, Oct 12 – Sat Oct 13, 8:00
Sun, Oct 13, 2:00
Fri, Oct 19 – Sat Oct 20, 8:00
Sun, Oct 21, 2:00
Resident Arts Partner Prince
William Little Theatre presents the classic Steinbeck drama of
California migrant workers during the Great Depression.
Admission $15; students and seniors, $12
Gregory Family Theater |
American Festival Pops Orchestra
Pop,
Rock, Country, Jazz!
Sat, Oct 13, 8:00
The
orchestra, composed of select
DC-area musicians, performs classics from Elvis, the Beatles, Charlie
Daniels and Duke Ellington. Anthony Maiello, founder and artistic
director of AFPO, conducts. Guest artists include saxophonist Chris
Vadala and jazz vocalist Darden Purcell.
A
pre-performance discussion led by members of the company begins at 7:00.
Admission: $30, $38, $42
Merchant Hall
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COMING ATTRACTIONS
Upcoming non-class events at OLLI
THE FOLLOWING LIST
covering the next two weeks is extracted for your convenience from the
master online calendar maintained by the office, with direct web links
added when available. The list is accurate as of mid-week but to check
anytime for the latest information, please visit our website ( Upcoming Non-Class Events)
to view the OLLI calendar. For more activities associated with Loudoun,
see Roberta Sherman's latest Loudoun
Notes (pdf). For more activities associated with Reston, see the
latest Eye on Reston (pdf)
– Carol Henderson has taken over as its editor. Note: OLLI members are
welcome at meetings of the
Board, committees and resource groups.
Back
to top
KEY CONTACT INFORMATION
How to contact OLLI
HERE IS A READY
REFERENCE on how
to contact OLLI. For email addresses and phone numbers not listed
below, please consult the online Membership Directory (log in to Member
Portal).
About
OLLI E-News
and the member/volunteers who produce it
Rod Zumbro
Creator
and Editor |
Barbara Kyriakakis
Associate
Editor |
Ernestine Meyer
Backup
Editor
|
|
|
Review Team: Gordon Canyock, Barbara
Kyriakakis, John West
Database
Manager: Barbara
Kyriakakis
Weekly
Contributors:
Mason-Fairfax Arts and Music; Poet's Corner: Jan Bohall
Mason Highlights: Helen Ackerman
Hylton Arts and Music: Sheri Siesseger
Coming Attractions: John West
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>
About
this newsletter. OLLI's
weekly newsletter, OLLI E-News,
is emailed to current OLLI members with email addresses on Fridays.
When classes are in session, printed copies of this newsletter are
distributed in classrooms. Comments, suggestions or complaints? Please
contact Editor Rod Zumbro or Communications
Committee Chair Gordon Canyock.
> Submissions. Members are
encouraged
to
submit OLLI-related news items, articles and photos for this
newsletter. Deadline – 7:00 pm
Wednesday
for that week's issue (7:00 pm Monday for letters to the editor for
which an OLLI response is
appropriate); submissions
earlier in the week are greatly appreciated.
Please limit articles to about 250 words. Submit material to
Editor Rod Zumbro (email rzumbro@gmu.edu).
> Read the latest issue early.
The new
weekly issue of OLLI E-News
is posted to the OLLI website Thursday evening. Read it by visiting http://www.olli.gmu.edu/pubs.htm#enews,
where you will find a list of the last 12 issues by date.
> Viewing or searching past issues.
You can view past issues of OLLI E-News via either the list of
the last 12 issues or
the DocStore
archive of all past issues by date/issue number. 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 (e.g., searchterm site:olli.gmu.edu/). Back to
top
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|
Updated:
October 5, 2012
Copyright © 2012 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at
George Mason University. Materials in this publication subject to
OLLI-Mason copyright may be reproduced for noncommercial educational
purposes as long as credit is given to OLLI-Mason.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George
Mason University, 4210 Roberts Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032-1028
Phone: (703) 503-3384; Email: olli@gmu.edu;
Fax:
(703) 503-2832
Original site design and construction by OLLI-Mason member Rod Zumbro. |
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