A Message from President James Van Vorst

Welcome to the Summer 2026 Emeritus Center Newsletter. As you will see throughout this issue, it has been a very active and productive summer for the Center. The Albany Lifelong Institute (ALLI) has announced its fall courses, once again offering a diverse selection of topics - see ALLI article below. We are also close to finalizing this fall's Speaker Series, and the talks represent a wide range of disciplines and interests. Since our last newsletter, we have awarded several Three Voices grants to support emeriti pursuing meaningful scholarship, creative activities, and community service. Finally, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Emeritus Center this November, we are planning a special event. I hope you will join us. For more of Jim's message go to President's Message. (Left - Photo of James Van Vorst)

Most 2021 - 2026 Speakers Were Recorded - Videos Now Available!

Did you miss one of our speakers in the Spring, 2026 semester? Our website has a chronological listing of all the talks. There you will find links to our YouTube channel with Zoom recordings for most of our presentations dating to September 2021.

Albany Lifelong Learning Institute (ALLI) Program - A Spring Semester Success and Fall Semester Offerings

(Above - Students and Faculty from Spring, 2026 Blue Zones ALLI Course)

The happiest lesson learned from ALLI’s recently completed third semester is that, despite the current conversation about the end of reading, our older learners have lost none of their interest in adult fiction or stamina for complex syntax. In fact, Professor Emeritus of English Randy Craig’s six-week exploration of Middlemarch, George Eliot’s lengthy (800 pages) examination of 19th century English provincial life, had the largest enrollment of the five courses we offered. Indeed, the size of the class (47 students) was the only substantive criticism mentioned in the overwhelmingly enthusiastic end-of-the-semester evaluation. Our four other fall courses drew anywhere between 32 and 45 students apiece and also received excellent reviews. Registration for our six fall semester courses semester began in late July, and over 100 individuals had signed up for one or more courses by the end of the first week, so we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. For more information about last spring's courses, and dates, course descriptions, registration, and other details about the upcoming fall schedule, go to Lifelong Learning Courses.

We highlight two of our fall offerings below.

Fall Course Spot Light - The United States and the Middle East with James Ketterer

Last fall, the ALLI class on foreign policy led by James (Jim) Ketterer ‘sold out’ due to classroom space limitations. Some students were understandably disappointed, but Jim was willing to return for another course. This fall he will focus on the U.S. and the Middle East in a class exploring “core interests, misreadings, and missed opportunities,” which is very timely given the ongoing war with Iran. Mr. Ketterer has a long resume in political science, international affairs, and government, leading to his new position as director of extension programs and professor of practice at the American University of Armenia in Yerevan. Learn more about Jim here.

We are lucky to have Jim teach us remotely from Armenia, given his many responsibilities. His ALLI course will be offered on Zoom for six consecutive Wednesdays beginning September 9 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. We welcome Jim Ketterer back to the Albany Lifelong Learning Institute! 

Fall Course Spot Light - Exploring Our Strange Universe with Bob Berman

This fall, join Bob “Skyman Bob” Berman on a fascinating journey through our strange, surprising, and wonder-filled universe. If this world has you down, let’s explore what lies beyond it! You may know Bob from his radio and television appearances and his popular vignettes about “Our Strange Universe.” The course begins with the origins of our observable universe and then traces the history of astronomical discovery. Along the way, we’ll investigate the existential question "Why is the sky blue?" And that’s only the beginning. Eclipses, auroras, constellations, dark energy, dark matter, and even the possibility of a multiverse — all will be revealed! Learn more about Bob here.

Come along for a fabulous journey beyond our familiar world and into the mysteries of the cosmos. What is out there? Let’s find out together on six consecutive Mondays beginning September 14 from 10 AM to 12 Noon. You can attend either in-person or by Zoom.

(Above - Photo of Paul Miesing at Cape of Good Hope in South Africa)

Paul Miesing, Emeritus Professor, retired in 2021 from the Management Department in the Massry School of Business after a 42-year career as a faculty member at the University at Albany. Following his retirement, he continued his service as an O’Leary Professor, helping to organize the second “High Peaks Impact Awards,” which honors local businesses for integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into their operations.Professor Miesing also contributes to UAlbany’s global mission. Until early this year, he taught a three-week “Strategic Thinking” module twice a year as part of UAlbany’s joint program with the International Business School in São Paulo, Brazil, fostering cross-cultural learning and strategic leadership. Professor Miesing’s international engagement continued through his work as a Fulbright Specialist at the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María in Chile in 2023 and at Universities South Africa in 2025. Click here for more information about Professor Miesing's long and distinguished career at the University at Albany and his post-retirement teaching, research, and service.

Emeriti Paul Cummings, George Robinson, Leonard Slade, Jr, and Robert Yagelski continue to be active professionally after retirement. For their latest accomplishments, see Emeriti in the News.

Preview: The Schedule of Speakers for Fall 2026

The tentative Fall Speakers Program is posted on our website. We are awaiting confirmations from two speakers, and will update the schedule after they are received.

2026 marks the twentieth anniversary of the founding of the William R. Reese, Ph.D., Emeritus Center. To celebrate, the board of directors is planning a special event on November 10 from 4 to 6 PM at the Campus Center Multi-Purpose Room. More details to come, but in the meantime be sure to save the date!

NYS Writers Institute Announces Fall Season

Thanks to Dave Wagner for this issue's Humor Corner.

And there’s so much more to be found on our website, including a list of Board members and updated announcements. Be sure to visit our website often for updates.