Kansas State University

Manhattan residents have new opportunities for lifelong learning this summer

Submitted by Charlene Brownson

Manhattan residents have new opportunities for lifelong learning this summer. In a unique partnership, Kansas State University's UFM Community Learning Center and the University of Kansas Osher Lifelong Learning Institute are offering three courses in Manhattan, starting June 5. 

Each course includes three two-hour sessions and covers relevant events throughout history and today.

Registration is open for the following courses:

• World War II: the European Theater, North Africa and the Middle East: Robert Smith, director of the Fort Riley Museum, teaches this course, which reviews events leading up to the war, the German advances of 1939-1941, the titanic struggle in Russia, campaigns in North Africa and Sicily, and the D-Day landings and Russian counteroffensives. Schedule: 6:30-8:30 p.m. June 5, 12 and 19.

• An Objective Study of the Current Political Climate in the United States: Military historian Jed Dunham objectively examines the impact of events, Russian influence, "fake news," the exploitation by social media and the changing political landscape since the 2016 presidential election. Schedule: 2-4 p.m. June 13, 20 and 27. 

• The Willows Maternity Sanitarium, Kansas City and America's Unwed Mothers: In this course, KelLee Parr, author of "Mansion on a Hill: the Story of The Willows Maternity Sanitarium and the Adoption Hub of America," recounts Kansas City's history in the first half of the 20th century as the destination for more than 100,000 pregnant, unwed women arriving to give birth at one of several maternity facilities, where the babies then were given for adoption. Schedule: 6:30-8:30 p.m. July 10, 17 and 24.

Established in 2004, the Osher Institute offers noncredit enrichment short courses and events specially develop for people 50 and older. In 2010, KU and K-State entered into a historic partnership to bring the Osher program to Manhattan. Each course costs $50, and members of the KU and K-State alumni associations can claim a $10 per semester discount.

To enroll for courses or for more information, visit www.osher.ku.edu or call 913-897-8530.

UFM Community Learning Center is a creative educational program serving Kansas State University, Manhattan and communities across Kansas. UFM offers a variety of noncredit and credit classes for all ages and interests. Based on the philosophy that everyone can learn and everyone can teach, UFM provides opportunities for lifelong learning and personal development. UFM serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and as a catalyst for new programs and services that enhance the quality of life for all. In addition to the noncredit and credit classes, UFM coordinates several other programs.

Part of KU Professional and Continuing Education, KU's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, with its network of more than 120 instructors, provides members with a wide-range of noncredit enrichment courses, covering history, literature, art, music, religion and more without the pressure of exams or homework. The institute delivers accessible, innovative learning environments to participants 50 years and older, at 25 sites in 13 cities across Kansas and Greater Kansas City.