California Lutheran University’s Fifty and Better (FAB) program is pleased to announce its FABulous Spring Lecture Series & Special Spring Three-Week Course.
The FABulous Spring Lecture Series, beginning April 8th, offers individual (one day, 2-hour) and two-part (two days) lectures on a wide range of topics. This series also features a special three-week course.
In a topical course, historian Dr. David Livingstone will share insights on the roots of Russia’s war on Ukraine, where it stands today, and the consequences of its outcome for the future of American foreign policy.
In spring lectures, Katherine Zoraster will chart the career of James Abbott McNeil Whistler and his revolutionary emphasis on art to simply be enjoyed for its aesthetic appeal; Dr. Simon Cowell will provide a human guide to artificial intelligence and a practical framework for using it wisely; Eleanor Schrader will examine the work of Vincent van Gogh, from his early years through his focused studies on the South of France, and ultimately his tragic final period; Dr. Eric Gamino will explore how law-enforcement agencies construct, maintain, and justify “order” in the U.S.-Mexico border region; Dr. Jason Hensley will discuss what particular religious movements have developed in the United States and how they have affected the general religious landscape of the U.S.; Scott Jones will give a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the role of the military diplomat through real-world anecdotes; Dr. Asya Pereltsvaig will take a sweeping look at Russia at the time of the last of the Romanovs and on the eve of the Bolshevik revolution; and Dr. Omar Camarillo will unpack how the media frames and portrays drug-related violence and related issues like gun trafficking, both in Mexico and the United States.
Lectures are $10 each. FAB students can choose any five lectures for $40 or bundle all lectures for just $70.
Over half of the lectures and the special course will be delivered in a “HyFlex” format – FAB students may choose to attend the same lecture in-person or virtually. Students attending virtually will access the lectures via Zoom. All lectures and courses are recorded for delayed playback.
All lectures meet for two hours. FAB’s in-person lectures will meet at Cal Lutheran’s main campus in Thousand Oaks. Parking is free and accessible. Registration is open.
FAB was designed to offer university level-courses with no tests or homework taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals 50 years of age and older. When COVID-19 erupted and the first-ever offering of in-person courses had to be postponed indefinitely, Cal Lutheran responded by being the first program in the area to offer courses virtually via Zoom. The first year of the program was a success, giving those most impacted by the pandemic an outlet to continue learning and connecting. Since that time, FAB has evolved into a program that offers courses, lectures, and activities year-round. All courses and lectures are available virtually, with about half of them also offered in-person.
FAB has served more than 2000 students (and counting), hosted over 130 courses, and has presented over 300 lectures. FAB has sponsored tours to museums and places of interest within and external to Ventura County, and has hosted “FAB Nights” at the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival. Additionally, FAB offers virtual tours of museums such as The Broad and the Holocaust Museum. FAB offers several free virtual lectures and virtual or in-person tours each year, to create an opportunity for all in our 50+ community to continue learning. Furthermore, FAB offers activity classes including Qigong, Tai Chi, chair yoga, Zumba Gold, and watercolor.
Passionate FAB student, Steven Rice, shared, “The classes I have attended/zoomed have been great. They are engaging, entertaining, diverse, and well-priced. We are lucky to have such a fine program available to us. Keep up the great work.”
To register for lectures, courses, and activities, go to CalLutheran.edu/fab. For more information, visit the website or contact Christina Tierney at fab@callutheran.edu or 805.493.3290.
