Kansas State University

Registration for the spring 2020 Osher Lifelong Learning Program in Manhattan is now open

Submitted by Charlene Brownson

Kansas State University has teamed up with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Kansas to bring to the Manhattan area the diverse content, innovative learning opportunities, and quality faculty that promote lifelong learning in the community. The program in Manhattan is coordinated by UFM Community Learning Center.

The Osher Institute offers courses for participants age 50 and over that stress the joy of learning. Courses meet weekly for two hours over a three-week period and require no homework, out-of-class preparation, or testing.
To enroll, call KU Osher at toll-free 877-404-5823 or 785-864-5823, or visit the website. 

The following are spring 2020 Manhattan Osher courses: 

• Bleeding Kansas: Prelude to the Civil War. Meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Feb. 5, 12 and 19. Robert Smith, Ph.D., is the director of the Fort Riley Museum. He has a doctorate in history from K-State, and has published numerous articles on military history.

• Nicodemus and the African American Migration to Kansas after Reconstruction. Meets from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Feb. 11, 18 and 25. Jim Peters, J.D., is director emeritus of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at KU and author of "Arlington National Cemetery: Shrine to America’s Heroes." He also teaches a course on the Underground Railroad in Kansas.

• Unlocking the Future with Keys from Our Past. Meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Feb. 20, 27 and March 5. Jed Dunham brings his storytelling skills and passionate love of history to life with this new course which encapsulates history, current events and a rapidly approaching future.

• The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: A Distinctly American Fairy Tale. Meets from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays, March 17, 24 and 31. Chris Glasgow is curator for the OZ Museum/Columbian Theatre Foundation in Wamego. 

• Seven Kansas Women Who Couldn’t Vote. Meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 18, 25 and April 1. Jerry Harper is a retired lawyer and has taught as an adjunct instructor at the KU School of Law and Western Civilization in the KU humanities program. He has an ongoing interest in Kansas’ more colorful characters.

• The Beauty of the Past: The Mid-19th Century. Meets from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursdays, April 9, 16 and 23. Cynthia Naughton is a Kansas native, a licensed cosmetologist, makeup artist and a historical re-enactor.

• Creation Stories in World Religions. Meets from 2-4 p.m. Tuesdays, April 14, 21 and 28. Barry Crawford, Ph.D., recently retired as professor of religious studies at Washburn University.