By Marianne Metz, Music and Art Program Planning Group Co-chair
Attention, OLLI music lovers! As you browse the catalog and register for fall classes, you’ll find some great music courses in the “100 section.” We encourage you to sign up for them, and enjoy them. But don’t stop there! Consider also these music-related offerings found elsewhere in the catalog:
History of American Musical Theatre (class F411) – 8 sessions held Mondays at 2:15
An afternoon with Mason Artist-in Residence Sphinx Virtuosi
lecture/demonstration/discussion (class 962) – Monday, October 18, at 1:30
Motion Picture Scores (class 972) – Monday, November 15, at 2:15
The USO: The Force Behind the Forces (class 973) – Tuesday, November 16, at 9:40
Premier Military Bands in the Washington Area (class 978) – Tuesday, November 16, at 2:15.
And note that the October 11 session of the Monday Morning Lecture Series (class F903) offers a deep dive into the tango.
By Camille Hodges, Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events Program Planning Group Co-chair
Editor’s Note: This article appeared in the last issue of the E‑News; it appears here again to encourage you to consider joining your colleagues who teach at OLLI.
OLLI invites you to share your expertise on topics that reflect your knowledge in any area. Currently, OLLI members have expressed the desire to have classes on the following topics:
Cultural linguistics
Comparing Education in America with Other Countries
Faith Ringgold and her visualization of African American History
Historical Pros and Cons of Vaccinations
If you have an interest in teaching any of these requested classes via (Zoom/hybrid), have questions, or ideas of your own, please contact either of the following Humanities and Social Sciences, Current Events (HSS/CE) program planning group chairpersons:
Camille Hodges mimihodges4@gmail.com
Peg O’Brien mazob@live.com
Additionally, you may fill out the course proposal form found at the link below:
If you are interested in teaching at OLLI, there are resources available to assist you. The OLLI website has an instructor resources page at this link. At this resources page, you can find helpful information including:
an instructor information brochure
a teacher’s manual with in-depth teaching tips for new and experienced instructors
an instructor’s video tutorial on how to use Zoom
classroom discussion tips
OLLI PowerPoint advice and a PowerPoint graphics tutorial
Mason library teaching resources available to instructors
By Camille Hodges, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Current Events Program Planning Group Co-Chair
Editor’s Note: This article appeared in a prior issue of the E‑News; it appears here again in hopes of encouraging members to enjoy an instructive and rewarding experience while supporting OLLI's relationship with Mason faculty and students.
We are happy to welcome Dr. Spencer Crew back to the Mason campus after his leave of absence to work as the Interim Head of the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). He is currently looking for 10 OLLI members to participate in his fall 2021 course, “History of the Family.” This will involve being interviewed by students in his upcoming course, which will be in session from September-December. OLLI members who participated in this intergenerational exchange in the past described sharing their family history with Mason students as a personally rewarding experience. The class is currently scheduled to meet virtually on fall Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:30-11:45. However, you will not be required to meet with students every week.
If you are interested in participating or want more details, please contact Dr. Crew at srcrew@gmu.edu.
Join your OLLI friends at the Grab ‘n’ Gab Coffee Klatch for a bit of on-line socializing on Thursday, August 19 from 10:00 to 11:30, and hear from some of the OLLI instructors who will be teaching classes this fall. Registration starts on August 16, so this is a perfect time to get a preview of some of the classes planned for the fall term. Register for Event #1205 via the member portal or contact the registrar at ollireg@gmu.edu.
OLLI Personal Computer User Group (OPCUG) and the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society (PATACS) 3rd Saturday meeting is "on hiatus" for August, but you are invited to attend the Virtual Technology Conference of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups (APCUG). Starting at noon on August 21, there will be three sessions, each with two tracks. Below is the announcement from the PATACS website:
Perhaps it was on an errand, say, to the farmer for more seed corn
Or to gain access to a cornfield for more or finer kernels
A twist on the proverb demonstrating that the grass is perceived to be greener
On the opposing side of the fence, er, road,
Or one of the younger chicks in the village might have wandered
Across, oblivious to the danger of motor and cycling traffic
And she hastened to escort it back to safety,
Or conceivably, someone she had grown to love stood on the other berm
Watching traffic come and go, humans bustling to arrive where they
Wanted to be, and she felt herself drawn to stand beside him
No Performances until September (but note ticket sales below)
By Shelly Gersten, OLLI E-News Staff Writer
Virtual Performances
Although Mason’s Fairfax campus is shut down, online entertainment and events at the Hylton Center continue for us to access and enjoy(https://hylton.calendar.gmu.edu/). Dr. Linda Apple Monson produces a periodic “Notes from the Director.” This email is full of interesting online performances by the students and faculty of the School of Music. If you would like to receive these bulletins, just send an email to Brianna Schoen atbschoen@gmu.edu. 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.
All Mason Arts & Music events are postponed until September. But note that tickets for fall 2021 performances are now on sale for performances at both the Mason Center for the Arts and the Hylton Center at: https://cfa.gmu.edu and https://hyltoncenter.org.
Please note: Physical meetings for clubs and activities are canceled until further notice in accordance with Mason’s guidelines. OLLI is conducting its classes and activities online. Refer to the university's coronavirus website for official university updates and check the OLLI calendar for revised 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 but for the most up-to-date information, please view the latest forecast of coming events on our website (News/OLLI Calendar). 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. (bolded below). The OLLI office has sent (or will send) emails with links and meeting passwords to club members; you may also log in at the member portal and click on ZOOM CLASS LINKS.
Sat Aug 14
10:30 am
Tai Chi Club
Mon Aug 16
8:30 am
9:30 am
11:00 am
Gentle Yoga Club
What’s in the Daily News?
Poetry Club
Tue Aug 17
9:30 am
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Tai Chi Club
Wed Aug 18
10:00 am
10:30 am
Mah Jongg Club
Tom Crooker Investment Forum
Thu Aug 19
10:00 am
11:50 am
4:30 pm
Grab ‘n’ Gab Coffee Klatch
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Aug 20
9:30 am
11:00 am
Craft and Conversation
Homer, etc.
Sat Aug 21
10:30 am
1:00 pm
Tai Chi Club
Personal Computer User Group
(APCUG events start at 10:00 am)
Mon Aug 23
8:30 am
9:30 am
Gentle Yoga Club
What’s in the Daily News?
Tue Aug 24
9:30 am
11:00 am
4:30 pm
Annex Art
Spanish Club
Tai Chi Club
Wed Aug 25
10:30 am
2:00 pm
6:00 pm
Tom Crooker Investment Forum
Memoir and More Writing Group
Ethnic Eats Club
Thu Aug 26
11:50 am
4:30 pm
All the News
Tai Chi Club
Fri Aug 27
9:30 am
11:00 am
12:00 noon
Craft and Conversation
Homer, etc.
Photography Club
OLLI E-News was created by Rod Zumbro, who served as its editor from 2005 to 2013.
Chief Editor: Paul Van Hemel
Associate Editor: David Gundry
Weekly Editor Team: David Gundry, John Nash, Sheri Siesseger, Paul Van Hemel Proofreaders: Rebecca Jann, Susan Van Hemel, Tom Appich, Roz Stark, Jane Hassell
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: ollienewseditor@gmail.com. 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. Search E-News: You can view past issues of OLLI E-News at ENews Archives. To search the content within issues, use Search or enter your search term(s) in Google followed by “site:ollidev2.earthcare.com/” without the quotes.
