Dear Encore Learning Member,
Welcome to The Inside Scoop, our electronic newsletter for members only. Please enjoy this issue, and share your feedback by email. We always look forward to hearing from you. This is the May/June edition of The Inside Scoop.
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What to Look for this Fall Semester
This Fall semester we are offering 38 courses including 27 new offerings and 11 returning favorites! Here are sneak peaks of four brand new courses:
In Person:
Japanese Art: Six Masterworks, taught by Carol Morland, will analyze six works of Japanese art as a stepping stone to exploring broader issues. The course will begin in the 8th century with an investigation into the portrait sculpture of the Buddhist priest Ganjin. Subsequent classes will travel forward in time, stopping to explore a temple and gardens, paintings, a famous tea bowl, and a woodblock print, before finishing up with Yayoi Kusama’s current installation Infinity Mirror Room: My Heart is Dancing into the Universe.
Astrobiology is for anyone curious about the prospect of life elsewhere in our solar system and beyond and the impacts on humanity. Instructor Michael Summers will delve into current astrobiology research and recent discoveries during five class sessions exploring Life on Earth, Life on Other Worlds, Searching for Earth-like Life Elsewhere, Evolution of Intelligence and Civilization, and Discovering Extraterrestrial Life.
Virtual via Zoom:
Dickens: Novels of Love and Death, taught by John Pfordresher, will examine two of Charles Dickens most well-known novels in depth, each of which capture issues important both then and now. A Tale of Two Cities follows the fraught lives of people drawn into the lawless chaos of a nation torn apart by revolutionary change. Great Expectations is an intimate, first-person life story of dreams about success and questions about happiness. While both novels have been adapted into stage plays, films, and television series, no retelling has the same power of the original.
Stagewise II: Behind the Scenes will explore the story of how thought-provoking, engaging and entertaining theater is produced. Instructor Eileen Mandell will interview weekly guest speakers from the D.C. theater scene, including directors, actors, writers, and various set designers, to share the process that makes theater so memorable. Stagewise I is not a prerequisite for this course.
Want to learn more about these courses and more? Keep your eye out for our Fall Flier and Course Catalog coming in August!
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Save the Date!
Before you put away your schedule and relax into Summer, please put the following on your calendar for the Fall:
Encore Learning's 20th Anniversary Celebration - September 12 from 2:30 to 4:30pm at George Mason's Arlington campus (Mason Square).
An invitation with details about the event and the opportunity to RSVP will come by email in August.
We hope to see you there!
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Missed our Annual Meeting?
Missed our Annual Meeting? Don't worry we got you covered! Check out the recording of the Annual Meeting on our YouTube channel to get caught up on all things Encore Learning! |
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Manumission Tour Told the Story of African American Life in Early Alexandria
On June 3, about 30 Encore Learning members toured Old Town Alexandria focused on facts and locations specific to the history of African-Americans, both enslaved and freemen, in early America. Tour guide John Chapman related how Alexandria served as a key center for the domestic and international slave trade. At specific sites, he related how African-Americans lived and worked and a few stories about specific individuals known to have lived in the city. He described how enslaved individuals could be "manumitted" or freed and how dangerous and uncertain it was for them even if they were granted freedom.- Louise Kenny, Special Events Committee
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Stay Up to Date on Our Clubs
The Non-fiction Book Club, pictured on the right, met in the central branch of the Arlington library on May 9, our first in-person meeting since the pandemic with 21 members attending. They were all excited about the opportunity to get back in person and discuss The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough. The book provides a riveting account of the disastrous dam failure that destroyed Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1889. Everyone agreed it was a worthwhile read and glad to have read it. Most rated the book a four or five on a five-point scale. Masks were worn throughout except when people were talking. At the recommendation of one of our members after the meeting, we'll likely require mask-wearing throughout our next meeting on July 11. We'll be discussing The Quartet, our next book selection.- Ed Rader
The Bridge Club had a game last month at one of our member's homes (three tables, 12 people). We had a big bridge luncheon on Thursday, May 19th, with four tables (16 people) at one of our member's condo party rooms. We play once a month, usually at someone's home where we can have no more than two or sometimes three tables. A couple of times per year, we do a big gathering at one of our member's party rooms. As we're an in-person-only club, we had to shut down our games for the past two years. We have really enjoyed getting back to some semblance of "normal." - Joan Carter
The Travel Club has continued to be active with monthly meetings via Zoom. Members presented programs on South Africa, Turkey, Florence Italy, the Channel Islands, Singapore, Bali, Columbia, Ecuador, Portugal and India. Charlie Hallahan is Club Administrator and Connie Collins is Club Coordinator.- Charlie Hallahan
The Kayak Club had a very successful season in 2021 (rarely had to cancel) and are hopeful that 2022 will be even better. The group enjoys being outdoors, and we usually paddle for 1-½ to 2 hours, after which we often go out to lunch together. This gives the members an opportunity to get to know each other. The club normally meets up on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at Fletcher’s Boathouse. But, if one of the members goes out between those Wednesdays, they may send out an email for others to join. We’ve seen a lot of birds (herons, osprey, ducks, cormorants) and turtles. - Janice Yeadon and Diana Warmann
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Academic Programs Committee Invites New Members
If you’d like to help direct the content of Encore Learning’s courses, consider joining the Academic Programs Committee. Each committee member typically works with 2-3 instructors to plan courses for our next term. Planning for the Fall 2022 term is completed and we’ll begin working in September to plan courses for the Spring 2023 term. We have 38 courses set for the Fall.
The prospect of finding volunteers to teach courses of four to ten weeks' duration may seem daunting. But we’ve discovered that Encore Learning’s outstanding instructors are as passionate about teaching as all of us are about learning. Our committee’s job is to seek out people who are eager to share their expertise (or who are simply waiting for an invitation), then help them prepare a brief course description. It’s classic networking—and the bigger our network, the stronger our course lineup each term.
Whether you’re certain you would like to join APC, or if you think you may be interested, but would like more information, send an email to info@encorelearning.net. The committee also welcomes course proposals for the Spring 2023 semester. - Jeanne LaBella & Deb Spero Co-chairs, Academic Programs Committee
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Special Events Tours Recap
In May 2022, Encore Learning Special Events sponsored three virtual tours for its members. On May 17, three dozen Encore Learning members were treated to a tour of the Alma Thomas exhibit: Everything is Beautiful, which is currently showing at the Frist Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.
On May 24 was a Monet to Matisse Tour led by Elaine Pierce, a docent at the San Diego Museum of Art. Elaine used examples from the Bemberg Foundation collection, currently on tour at the SDMA, to provide an overview of the art world in Paris at the turn of the 19th century, illustrating the connections, the rivalry and the influences among some of the leading artists of that period.
Later that same week, on May 26, the Smithsonian American Art Museum presented a program on Washingtonian artists in their collection, introducing the tour participants to previously unknown local artists as well as sharing works of art from members of the Washington School.- Michelle Trahan, Special Events Committee
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Interested in Being a Class Aide?
Encore Learning's Spring 2022 Class Aides caught up at the Class Aide coffee on June 7 at Lubber Run Community Center. They enjoyed coffee and pastries while reminiscing about this past semester. If you are interested in becoming a Class Aide for the Fall 2022 semester email info@encorelearning.net.
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Staff Corner
This academic year wrapped up with our Annual Member Meeting. If you missed it you can catch up by watching the video on YouTube. We are delighted to welcome three new board members: Anne Werner, Deb Spero and Noreen Quill. We also are grateful to members who left the board this month: Charlie Hallahan, Eileen Janas and Kathy LaPier. Volunteers do all of the legwork to provide all of the substantive quality classes, clubs and events that you enjoy. Thank you to each and every one of you - board members, instructors, class aides, committee members, club coordinators, and Special Event speakers.
Many of our committees are seeking volunteers, please be sure to check out our volunteer information and let us know if you want to join a committee.
This past year we enjoyed seeing you in person at classes at Mason or at a park, or online. Over the past year we have shared 66 classes and 49 Special Events together. We hosted some clubs to make your participation possible. We love reading your feedback in the course and event evaluations.
We are busy working on the Fall Catalog and we know you will be excited to see it in August too. Over the summer staff will have less frequent hours, but be assured we will respond to your inquiries.
Our staff has some upcoming transitions, Vivian Gray will be leaving us in June to start a new full-time position. We are grateful for her commitment to Encore Learning over the past 15 months. She launched our new website, hosted many classes both virtually and in person at Mason, and kept our communications and Encore Learning Presents on track. Thank you to Vivian for your many contributions to Encore Learning.
Enjoy your summer, we'll see you online at a Special Event or club, and we look forward to seeing you in person at our 20th Anniversary Celebration on September 12.
~ Lora
Lora Pollari-Welbes, Executive Director
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Calendar Announcements
- Fall 2022 Course Preview, Thursday, September 1 at 9:30 AM. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84159780997
- Fall 2022 Registration, Tuesday, September 6 at 10:00 AM.
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Welcome New Members
In April and May 2022, the following new members joined Encore Learning. Please be sure to give these folks a warm welcome.
- Carol Fontein
- Mitchell Stengel
- Joyce Vialet
- David K Young
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THANK YOU Majorie Hobart, Doug Warnecke and to all of you who kindly refer friends. Thank you to the Membership Committee for their efforts to spread the word about Encore Learning. Tell a friend about Encore Learning so you can see your name here!
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Remember that many of our virtual Encore Learning Presents events are recorded and may be found on our YouTube channel.
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We hope you enjoyed this edition of The Inside Scoop. If you would like to submit an article or share some photos of members participating in Encore Learning activities, please email us at info@encorelearning.net.
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Lifelong Learning For Those Over 50
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