Introduction Video

This course traces the life and innovations of Nikola Tesla, from his early years and university studies in Graz and Prague to his groundbreaking work in electricity and wireless technology. We will explore his collaborations and rivalries, including his work with Thomas Edison, the “War of the Currents” between AC and DC power, and his partnership with George Westinghouse, which led to the lighting of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

Key topics include Tesla’s telautomaton invention, his wireless experiments, and his race against Marconi in the development of radio. We will examine the Wardenclyffe—Tesla’s ambitious wireless transmission tower, his work during World War I with Telefunken, and his interactions with Franklin Roosevelt. We will conclude with Tesla’s later-life invention of the particle beam weapon, his negotiations to sell it to the Allies during World War II, and the mystery surrounding his secret papers after his death.

Your instructor: Marc Seifer 

Marc Seifer, PhD is the author of more than 100 articles and a dozen books, including the acclaimed Wizard: The Life & Times of Nikola Tesla, Ozone Therapy for the Treatment of Viruses, and Tesla: Wizard at War.

A frequent speaker on Tesla and technological history, Seifer has lectured at every International Tesla Conference and has presented at institutions including the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Lucasfilm’s Industrial Light & Magic, West Point Military Academy, and the United Nations. His work has been featured in many major publications and has appeared on the BBC, NPR, and in The Tesla Files, a five-part History Channel series which has aired in 40 countries.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Mondays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

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Introduction Video

African Americans have served in every US military conflict, fighting for both their country and their own rights. From Black patriots in the Revolutionary War to the 180,000 African Americans who fought for the Union in the Civil War, their contributions have shaped American history. After the war, Black soldiers gained congressional approval to enlist in the peacetime Army, leading to the formation of the “Buffalo Soldiers.”

This course traces their service from the War of 1812 to World War II, highlighting their valor in conflicts abroad and their struggle against segregation and discrimination at home. It is the story of their resilience, sacrifice, and fight for equality in a nation that often failed to recognize their service.

Your instructor: John Langellier

John Langellier has spent decades researching African Americans in the US military, beginning in the 1960s. His work includes articles and books such as More Work Than Glory: Buffalo Soldiers in the United States Army, 1866–1916 and Buffalo Soldiers in Arizona, and an extensive National Park Service study on Buffalo Soldiers from the Eastern Seaboard to Hawaii. He has consulted and produced documentaries on African Americans in the armed forces for A&E and PBS, curated museum exhibits, developed curricula, and delivered programs across the US and Europe.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Tuesdays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

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Introduction Video

Become educated, entertained, and empowered to become more effective stewards of the natural world. Through real-life conservation stories—drawn from the instructor's personal experiences and her time as host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom—we will highlight the impact of passionate individuals working together to address complex environmental challenges.

This course explores how diverse perspectives, and unique skills contribute to conservation efforts, offering participants practical ways to take meaningful action in protecting wildlife and ecosystems.

Your instructors: Stephanie Arne 

Stephanie Arne is an international wildlife conservationist, expedition guide, and storyteller. She is the former host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and has appeared on Animal Planet, The Weather Channel, The Harry Connick Jr. Show, and The Drew Barrymore Show. Arne’s expertise in wildlife conservation has earned her a seat on the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Lion SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) committee and the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Education and Communication Commission.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Wednesdays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

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Introduction Video

Impressionist painters revolutionized art with a new style that emphasized changing atmospheric effects and luminous color harmonies. Their unblended brushstrokes of pure color and simple compositions broke dramatically with traditional pictorial techniques. Rejecting historical, mythological, and religious themes, they instead focused on the rapidly shifting aspects of modern life—capturing scenes from the countryside, the home, and the city.

This course examines the work of Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cassatt, and Morisot from the 1860s to the 1910s, exploring their stylistic and technical innovations, personal lives, and the cultural forces shaping their artistry. Participants will gain an enhanced ability to experience nature and artistic depictions of it with a newly developed sensory, coloristic, and immersive awareness.

Your instructor: Lauren Weingarden 

Lauren Weingarden is professor emerita of art history at Florida State University. Weingarden’s publications explore the interrelations between literature and visual arts in 19th century cultural contexts. She is the author of several scholarly books and articles on the American architect Louis Sullivan and on French art and literature, particularly Charles Baudelaire and Édouard Manet. Her interdisciplinary work includes developing an embodied aesthetic model through which art viewers re-experience artists’ immersive encounters with modernity’s fragmentation and nature’s transience—a perspective that deeply informs her teachings on Impressionism.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Thursdays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

Beneath the surface of the Great Lakes lie thousands of shipwrecks, each with a story to tell. This course brings these lost vessels back to life through vivid storytelling and historical exploration.

We’ll examine the tragic sinking of the Lady Elgin, the haunting legacy of the Eastland, the mystery of the Western Reserve, and the enduring legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald, along with other unforgettable wrecks that shaped Great Lakes history. More than just maritime history, this course uncovers the human stories behind these disasters, the forces that doomed them, and the myths that linger today.

Your instructor: Anna Lardinois

Anna Lardinois is an author, storyteller, and history enthusiast with a passion for uncovering dramatic and often chilling tales from the past. She is the author of Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes: Tragedies and Legacies from the Inland Seas (2021) and more than a dozen books on history, folklore, and ghostly legends. Lardinois founded an award-winning tour company specializing in haunted history and previously served as the Pfister Hotel Narrator, chronicling stories from Milwaukee’s most historic hotel. She has hosted the radio show Haunted Heartland and currently leads an online publication focused on entrepreneurship in Wisconsin.

Class Dates and Time:

Thursdays, October 9 through November 13

6 p.m. CDT

Each session is 90 minutes.

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Thursdays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

Whether you’re in Macon, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, or Massapequa, music matters, and our varied musical heritage is one of the best ways to understand crucial moments in American history. This course will explore Indigenous expressions, colonial invasion, forced African migration, and the cultural shifts of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Through the interplay of genres and traditions, we’ll examine how music captures the evolving American experience.

Your instructor: Matt Jennings, PhD 

Matt Jennings, PhD is Professor of History at Middle Georgia State University. He has authored several books on Native American and local history, including New Worlds of Violence, The Flower Hunter and the People, and Ocmulgee National Monument: A Brief History with Field Notes (with poet Gordon Johnston). While he specializes in Native American history, he teaches in a variety of fields, including the history of music in America (perhaps as a way of compensating for his sporadic, and sophomoric efforts on the guitar, mandolin, and banjo).

Class Dates and Time:

Tuesdays, October 14 through November 18

4 p.m. CDT

Each session is 90 minutes.

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Tuesdays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

More than any other invention of the past 150 years, the telephone has transformed how we communicate and conduct business. But how was it invented, and why did it have such a profound impact?

This course explores Alexander Graham Bell’s groundbreaking 1875 concept for transmitting sound over an electric wire, his struggles to commercialize the telephone with his father-in-law, Gardiner Hubbard, and his rivalry with inventors Elisha Gray and Thomas Edison. We will also examine the rise and fall of AT&T as a corporate giant and the evolution from wired networks to today’s cellular and smartphone technologies.

Your instructor: Bernard Carlson

Bernard (Bernie) Carlson is Vaughan Professor Emeritus of Humanities at the University of Virginia and an expert on invention, entrepreneurship, and the role of technology in society. He has received the Sally Hacker Prize from the Society for the History of Technology and the William Middleton Prize from the Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Carlson has also filmed Understanding the Inventions that Changed the World. Now based in Ireland, he directs the MS program in AgInnovation at the University of Galway, where he trains adult learners in product development, startups, and sustainable farming.

Class Dates and Time:

Wednesdays, October 15 through November 19

10 a.m. CDT

Each session is 90 minutes.

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Wednesdays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

From 1831-1836, Charles Darwin circumnavigated the globe aboard the HMS Beagle. In the Galapagos Islands and elsewhere, Darwin collected data that, after decades of study and reflection, formed part of the basis for his publication On the Origin of Species. The ideas presented in that volume remain the foundation of all modern biological thought. Drawing upon original source materials and the instructor’s photos, this course will present the historical and cultural context of Darwin’s era, follow the five-year journey, discuss how Darwin came to his ideas, and explain his theories in detail.

Your instructors: Eric Simon, PhD

Eric Simon, professor of Biology at New England College, received his PhD in biochemistry from Harvard University. An avid traveler and award-winning nature photographer, Eric leads educational international trips to destinations including Belize, the Galapagos, Tanzania, Cuba, the Amazon River, and Patagonia. Simon is the author of a widely used series of college biology textbooks with over 2 million books in print that help teach biology to students in over 40 countries.

Class Dates and Time:

Thursdays, October 16 through November 20

10 a.m. CDT

Each session is 90 minutes.

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Thursdays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

Explore the world’s linguistic diversity. With more than 7,000 languages spoken today, their variety offers insight into the evolution of human language, thought, and civilization.

This course examines how languages develop, change, and interact over time. Through a journey across six mystery locations — one per week — we will uncover the historical relationships among languages and the migrations, splits, and connections that have shaped them. By studying the languages spoken in these regions, we will gain a deeper understanding of human history and what it means to be human.

 Your instructor(s): Asya Pereltsvaig, PhD

Class Dates and Time:

Thursdays, October 16 through November 20

12 p.m. CDT

Each session is 90 minutes.

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Thursdays via ZOOM 

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

In Steven Spielberg’s Academy Award-winning Schindler’s List (1993), a character quotes from scripture: “He who saves a life saves the world entire.” Through scene-by-scene analysis, this course explores variations on this theme across a selection of Spielberg films.

With a focus on dialogue and action that reveal characters’ inner beliefs and moral choices, we will examine how the world is saved—or not. We will analyze the following films: Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, Saving Private Ryan, Munich, and Schindler’s List.

Your instructor: Bernard Epps 

Bernard (Butch) Epps earned his undergraduate degree from Loyola Marymount University, graduating cum laude as an award-winning film production major. He received his MFA from the UCLA School of Film and Television’s graduate Producers Program, where he specialized in story development and working with screenwriters. At UCLA, he served as academic liaison to the MFA Producers Program faculty, including studio heads, development executives, and industry professionals. Epps has taught film appreciation courses with a strong emphasis on story analysis.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Mondays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

This course explores the complex issue of Death with Dignity, also known as assisted suicide, through its historical development, ethical debates, legal frameworks, and cultural perspectives. The movement gained national attention through the advocacy of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, sparking widespread discussion on end-of-life choices.

Participants will critically examine evolving policies on physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia while engaging in thoughtful discussions on this sensitive and often controversial topic. Designed to educate and foster awareness, this course provides a comprehensive look at the ethical and legal dimensions of end-of-life decision-making.

Your instructor: Aleen Bayard, PhD 

Aleen Bayard, PhD is an adjunct faculty member at Northwestern University, teaching leadership and change management. She played a key role in Northwestern’s partnership with the Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership, developing the curriculum for the Certificate in Jewish Leadership and teaching in the program for several years. Bayard holds degrees from Stanford University, Columbia University, and Northwestern University and earned her doctorate from Benedictine University. Through her consulting practice, she develops programs on leadership, culture, employee engagement, and team performance.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Mondays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!

Introduction Video

Explore Motown’s golden era from the late 1950s to the 1970s, a period marked by groundbreaking songwriting, iconic artists, and profound social influence. Discover how Motown’s innovative production methods shaped its timeless sound, broke racial barriers, and adapted to shifting cultural landscapes to achieve worldwide acclaim. Featuring legendary artists and curated tracks and videos, this course concludes with a celebration of Motown’s transformative first 25 years. Join us to experience the enduring magic of Motown and its lasting impact on music and culture.

Your instructors: Mike Agron

Mike Agron grew up in LA, the heart of the recording and entertainment industry. He loved music so much he wanted to become a recording engineer. Fate had different plans, and he ended up with a successful career in hi-tech, including founding a webinar marketing agency. He has fulfilled his musical and entertainment passions by offering his varied and uniquely popular seminars to learners across the country.

Class Dates and Time:

Class schedule: Live lecture will take place on Tuesdays via ZOOM

Registration is required to attend and space is limited to 13.

Register Today!