Lyceum Course Catalog

Two hundred years on, Napoleon Bonaparte and the Napoleonic Legend continue to captivate the public. This course aims to dissect the modern image of Napoleon and separate the man from the myth. The first half of the course examines Napoleon, the man, from his Corsican birth to his coronation as Emperor of the French to his exile and death. The second part of the course will focus on the creation, manipulation, cooptation, and reification of the Napoleonic Legend from the nineteenth century to the present.

Presenter: James Lavelle, BU History Department Graduate Student, Lyceum Grant Recipient

When:

• Tuesday, January 21  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, January 28  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, February 4  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, February 11  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

Focusing geographically on the U.S.-Mexico border, the course will discuss migration, climate change, and border policy. While presenting a case study, a discussion of larger issues related to climate and its impact on migration from an anthropological perspective will be reviewed. Participants will also have an opportunity to engage in open dialogue about these and related issues.

Presenter: Ana Sanchez-Bachman, BU Department of Anthropology Graduate Student, Lyceum Grant Recipient

When:

• Tuesday, January 21  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, January 28  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, February 4  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, February 11  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

Let's explore the Peloponnese together through pictures, personal travel notes, and interactive discussion. I recently traveled alone on a spontaneous and restorative adventure, taking in the coastal beauty, dramatic mountain views, inspirational ruins of collective creation, and ubiquitous cafes in the ancient villages of Greece. The Peloponnese includes the ancient cities of Sparta, Corinth, and Pylos. Human civilization has existed there for 7000 years...imagine! Interactive discussion is semi-structured to guide connection with other attendees and inspiring ideas. Topics might include benefits and challenges of traveling alone, evolution of human society, personal inspiration revealed on a journey.

Presenter: Paul Castiglione, Coach, Convener, and Social Entrepreneur

When:

• Wednesday, January 22  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

The presentation covers estate planning insights at a high level. We will cover transfer on death beneficiaries, wills, power of attorney, health care proxy, and the benefits of pre-planning your funeral. The overall message is to make sure we realize the importance of communicating our wishes to our heirs and backing that up with legal documentation. Specific examples of the importance of estate planning will be provided through our presentation and a Q&A session at the end.

Presenter: Matt Kistner, Financial Advisor; Rhonda Pasto, Esq. Pasto Law Firm; Brent Beckwith, Funeral Director

When:

• Wednesday, January 22  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In 2014 New York embarked on an intensive journey to meet the challenge of the climate crisis. Ten years on, the instructor has some illuminating lessons to share from his second career as a clean energy advocate.

Presenter: Adam Flint, Director of Clean Energy Programs, Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow (NEST)

When:

• Thursday, January 23  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

What if you could unlock the power of a technology that's been quietly evolving since 1956? Today, AI is at the heart of everything from the devices we talk to, to the content we consume. This four-session course will demystify Generative AI, giving you hands-on experience with tools that can enhance your daily life---from meal planning to storytelling. You'll also dive into important ethical questions around privacy and bias, leaving you equipped to navigate the future of AI with confidence. Join us and discover how AI can transform your life. You are welcome to bring your own device, or sit back and observe.

Presenter: Ary Aranguiz, Certified Professional in Talent Development; Learning & Development Operations Manager for Google Fiber

When:

• Thursday, January 23  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Thursday, January 30  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Thursday, February 6  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Thursday, February 13  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

Delve into the world of late 19th century Sweden while exploring the fictionalized events leading up to the emigration of a large body of Swedes joining the American Colony in Jerusalem in 1896. Witness Swedish mores and culture in the context of this heart-wrenching event. Discover why Selma Lagerlöf, author of Jerusalem, deserved the Nobel prize for literature awarded to her in 1909, the first woman and the first Swede to receive that prize. Because the second volume is difficult to locate, this class will focus only on the first volume, which was published in 1901. Please try to read the first half of the book by the first class. It is only 123 pages long.

Presenter: George Lohmann

When:

• Friday, January 24  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, January 31  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, February 7  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, February 14  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

In this class we discuss all kinds of scientific topics. Each class covers different subjects, depending on the interest of the discussion leader and class members. Emphasis will be placed on recent scientific developments. Participants are encouraged to contact the class leader with science articles and topics they wish to discuss. Topics cover everything scientific, from the latest findings on Covid-19 to climate change and green energy, to the latest developments in engineering, biology, social and behavioral sciences, chemistry, physics and cosmology -- and more! Sometimes, we even delve into mathematics and the history and philosophy of science.

Presenter: Art Law, Alan Jones, Peter Stiles

When:

• Friday, January 24  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Friday, February 7  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

In this three-session course we explore how meditation can be a tool to soften our relationship to loss. Illness, disability, divorce, retirement, empty-nests, death of pets and loved ones...all are common experiences that bring a sense of loss. Feel the support of practicing in a group, as we recognize and release our judgements and fears. Using simple breathing and awareness practices, we can discover our ability to be fully present to challenges and meet them with our innate capacity for openness and compassion. This course is designed for beginners, but all are welcome. Attendance (in-person or via Zoom) is required for the first session, on January 27. If you have issues working with the breath or have a history of a serious mental health condition, please check with your healthcare professional to determine if this course is right for you.

Presenter: Renée Daily, Authorized Presenter of The 3 Doors meditation practices

When:

• Monday, January 27  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, February 3  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, February 10  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $24.00

In this 2-session class, we will discuss the current state of wrongful convictions in the US with insights based on Dr. Race's research. Her research focuses on trying to better understand variables that influence eyewitness testimony and confidence, police interactions, and jury perceptions. Her research seeks to understand how social and cognitive factors intersect in the unique environment of an officer and a witness. The first session will focus on witnesses, e.g., how lineups are influenced by the administrator, which can lead the witness to choose a specific person, and how leading questions influence witness reports. The second will focus on confessions, including the typical technique used in the US and what sorts of characteristics might make someone more vulnerable to a false confession.

Presenter: Dr. Brittany Race, PhD, MA, BA, BU Psychology Department

When:

• Monday, January 27  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Monday, February 3  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

There are many ways to describe the Galapagos Islands and their importance to our understanding of science, of conservation, of people's responsibility to wild places. Visitors to Galapagos are the islands' most important advocates -- those who have experienced the extraordinary landscapes, the wildlife found nowhere else on earth, become passionate defenders of one of the world's last wild places. We will talk about a Galapagos visit, and we will also talk about how Galapagos can be a touchstone in our own lives and backyards. Our responsibility to protect and preserve wild places, and the plants and animals which flourish there, is a privilege. It is my hope that many can travel to Galapagos and understand the links between what might seem a foreign landscape, but in fact, is a lesson for our own environment and the positive effects we might have on the world around us.

Presenter: Johannah Barry, President Emerita of Galapagos Conservancy

When:

• Wednesday, January 29  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Seth Grossman presents an exploration of partnerships and partnering to understand, develop, and achieve our personal and professional goals. We delve into the questions of what it is to be a human being, what is possible, and how to achieve breakthroughs on our life journey. We enjoy an adventure into the nature of reality and our part in its creation and development. He pulls together various philosophies, wisdom traditions and practices that define and explore our human potential.

Presenter: Seth A. Grossman, author of 'Exploring Our Humanity', former instructor of Community Revitalization and Management and Practice, Rutgers University

When:

• Wednesday, January 29  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Dialogue about climate change was noticeably absent during this Presidential race. In order to raise awareness of and get people talking more about climate change, Binghamton University is starting the Climate Change Quilt project (à la the AIDS quilt). During this session you will have the opportunity to help construct the quilt (no experience needed and all materials will be supplied).

Presenter: Pam Mischen, Chief Sustainability Officer, Professor, Environmental Studies, BU

When:

• Thursday, January 30  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

This class was created with the belief that at least some Lyceum members would like to participate in a structured, thoughtful discussion of the November 5 election. I am writing this the day after the election, and already the pundits and analysts are in overdrive. Moreover, by the time this class meets, President Trump will have been in office for 10 days. There is much to process, and much to analyze. Come prepared to share your thoughts. If you've come across an article or blog or election analysis that seems to you to be especially insightful and salient, please bring it. As you look back on the election, what stands out? What are the key insights that you have now, in retrospect? In-person attendance is recommended as it may be difficult for a Zoom audience to hear all the discussion and for a recording to capture all that's said.

Presenter: Al Vos, retired professor of English at BU

When:

• Friday, January 31  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Are you tired of incessant tropical heat and the same old Caribbean cruise? Experience a refreshing alternative in our Armchair Travel Talk on New England and the Canadian Maritimes. Lonna Pierce and Mary Ann Karre will share the highlights and cruise tips of their September voyage to Boston, Portland, Maine, Sydney & Halifax, Nova Scotia, and St. John, New Brunswick on the Bay of Fundy. The photos are jaw-dropping, the music is joyful, and the people are a delight. Oh, Canada!

Presenter: Lonna Pierce and Mary Ann Karre

When:

• Wednesday, February 5  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

'The Hungry Ear' is a product of Judy McMahon's love of the short story. After listening to the NYC radio version of actors reading stories, she thought that local actors in the Southern Tier could do just as good a job. In 2007 her proposal was accepted by the Broome County Library to read stories live throughout the year. 'The Hungry Ear' has become a popular hour to spend, listening as we did as children, leaving our own world and entering another. Now 'The Hungry Ear' comes to Lyceum. Come and enjoy what Judy calls 'A cocktail hour for the mind' as we hear four classic and contemporary short stories.

Presenter: Judy McMahon

When:

• Wednesday, February 5  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Our Winter 2025 Notable Nonfiction selection is Dinner with Darwin: Food, Drink, and Evolution, by Jonathan Silvertown. A review in Nature magazine says, 'This delectably erudite study is all about the impact of natural selection on foods. We learn that mussels helped fuel the hominin exodus from Africa; rye is a weed domesticated by accident; carnivory and tapeworms are intimately linked; and Penicillium camemberti mold evolved in soft cheeses. We even examine engastration--stuffing one animal into another before cooking--as a status-led manifestation of the need to share food. This intricate scientific banquet is a marvelous read: bon appétit.' Mike Little will draw on his own interest in anthropology and evolution to guide us through our discussion of this intriguing book.

Presenter: Michael Little, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, Binghamton University

When:

• Monday, February 10  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Two cross country train trips will give you a glimpse of train travel in the U.S. Scott Lauffer and Kathy Cronin took a trip to the Grand Canyon in February of 2024 and Pete Shambo traveled to the west coast in October of 2024. Both trips included some overnight travel and extensive daytime scenery. There are many options for long distance travel aboard Amtrak, from riding in a coach with leg room an air traveler could only dream about to bedrooms that can fit a family.

Presenter: Scott Lauffer, Kathy Cronin, Pete Shambo

When:

• Wednesday, February 12  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

In this session, we'll explore the tradition of using texts from the Lamentations of Jeremiah as part of the Office of Matins during Holy Week, and how composers through the centuries have sought to dramatize these texts and their liturgical purpose through original musical settings. We'll begin with a look at the Office of Matins throughout the year, then examine the drastically different shape of Matins during Holy Week, which gave rise to the title Tenebrae for these particular liturgies. We'll experience various chant settings of the text, and then compare a number of choral settings before narrowing our focus to the sublime settings of Flemish Renaissance composer Orlandus Lassus. For those interested, the five-voice settings of Lassus will be performed by the Southern Tier Singers' Collective at St. Patrick's Church on February 22 (free/donation accepted).

Presenter: Professor William Culverhouse, Director of Choral Activities, Binghamton University and Artistic Director, Southern Tier Singers' Collective

When:

• Wednesday, February 12  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Explore how Christian Nationalism as a quasi-political philosophy has gained traction in recent years. We will examine theological and philosophical roots of Christian Nationalism and then place its conclusions in conversation with Christian social teaching. Parnell is a doctoral candidate at Sewanee: The University of the South. His work focuses on contemporary American religious trends and evangelism strategies.

Presenter: Rev. Scott Purnell, Rector of Christ Church Binghamton

When:

• Thursday, February 13  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

If you’re interested in solutions to environmental issues, you won’t want to miss this well-informed presentation. Chris Burger, a long-time advocate for sustainability and living responsibly (both personally and professionally), will share insights into how to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. His two-part presentation will cover:
● Strategies on how individuals and communities can wean themselves off dependence on fossil fuel, which drains family budgets and our local economy. It also threatens humankind. Chris will share how his family gradually reduced his home's use of fossil fuel to nearly zero.
● The advantages of electric vehicles as told through the experience of someone who has owned an EV since 2021 and driven over 60,000 miles including trips as far north as Maine, as far south as Florida, and as far west as Nashville.

Presenter: Chris Burger, Horizon Enterprises Owner and Resource Management Consultant

When:

• Monday, February 24  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Let’s revisit the greatest selling novelist of all time! John Coffey will take us through a slow read (or listen if you are an audio booker) of two of Agatha Christie's most acclaimed novels: A Murder is Announced featuring Miss Marple and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd featuring Hercule Poirot. We will focus on how Christie uses fair play, red herrings, and minor characters to unravel her plots. Additionally, we will look at her observations about the world outside the covers of her novels. John is using the 2011 Harper Paperback editions (Murder is Announced ISBN 978-0-06-207363-1 and The Murder of Roger Ackroyd ISBN 978-0-06-207356-3) but any edition is fine as it is interesting to compare the cover artwork of other editions. For the first class read through chapter 11 in A Murder is Announced. But do not read beyond that because part of the fun will be discussing where we think this is going!

Presenter: John Coffey, Attorney and BU PhD student, Lyceum Grant Recipient

When:

• Tuesday, February 25  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 4  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 11  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 18  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

We have learned more about dinosaurs in the past ten years than we knew previously. We have better research methods, mathematical models, and finite element analysis to study how they lived and moved. CT scans have opened a new world of information. The first part of this class will focus on dinosaurs in general, while the second part will focus on Tyrannosaurus Sue and her life. The lecture includes a hands-on presentation of dinosaur artifacts that is best experienced in person.

Presenter: Bruce Oldfield, Professor Emeritus, SUNY-Broome

When:

• Tuesday, February 25  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

There are places on earth that evoke a mystical sense or strong spiritual connection in the traveler. Celtic spirituality calls them "thin places," where boundaries between mortal existence and the spiritual are more tenuous. Just such places, the Spanish cities of Salamanca and Ávila share their ancient histories, not just through their architecture or stories, but through a visceral connection to the past. Let's explore the cities, learn a bit of the history, and meet some of the people that have made these World Heritage Sites unique.

Presenter: Gloria Botdorf Clark, PhD

When:

• Wednesday, February 26  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Professor Bacon, a former New York City actor and director, led the SUNY-Broome theater program for 20 years during which she directed 45 productions and taught many classes. She is a winner of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching. Acting is an art form, but it is also a craft. Acting basics help you be present and comfortable in your own self and discover your own talent. Method acting techniques are reviewed. The process actors use to put themselves into another's shoes such as character, scene work, and actions can be illuminating for every person. Those with experience can hone their craft and those new to this work can incorporate its enriching skills into your life. PLEASE NOTE: Online participants will be limited in taking part in some of the activities.

Presenter: Katherine Bacon, Associate Professor of Theater Arts Emerita at SUNY-Broome

When:

• Wednesday, February 26  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 5  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

In defense against USSR aggression after WWII, the US outlined a Strategic Triad of three platforms for launching nuclear weapons: bombers, missiles, and submarines. Ms. Sherwood will highlight triad technology advanced by Southern Tier companies, notably IBM Owego, General Electric Westover, and successors to Link Aviation Devices (e.g., General Precision Link, Singer Link). We'll explore local input to aerial reconnaissance missions over the USSR using U2 planes, Corona satellites, and CIA balloons; the Cuban Missile Crisis (planes, pilots, pioneering film), as well as 1950s maps of US-USSR bombing targets and immigration constraints.

Presenter: Susan Sherwood, Director, Techworks!

When:

• Thursday, February 27  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In this presentation, we will think about how animals serve as our spiritual directors, teaching us about joy, sorrow, compassion and especially love, if we would just pay attention. Each and every creature is a unique being, with its own message and its own way of showing forth goodness, beauty, and participation in the unfolding of life. Those of us who love companion animals know that each one is uniquely gifted, blessing our lives in special ways, and members of the class will be invited to reflect on their own experiences. Even feared animals in the wild have much to teach us. Featured in this presentation are the unique glory of two remarkable, much-studied creatures: a wolf, Lobo, and a grizzly bear, #399, who will serve as springboards for both conversation and reflection.

Presenter: George Catalano, retired Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering, Binghamton University

When:

• Thursday, February 27  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In this four-session class, we'll study Othello, in which "honest" Iago is one of Shakespeare's most treacherous villains. It's a tragic love story---not of young love, as in Romeo and Juliet, but of married love between a Black warrior, Othello, and his radiant Venetian wife, Desdemona. Othello is one of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, ranking with Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth. Don't let your wariness about Shakespearean language keep you away, because our study will be aided by generous clips of scenes from outstanding, but divergent productions. Prior to the first class, please read Act One, in any annotated edition of the play.

Presenter: Al Vos, retired professor of English at Binghamton University

When:

• Friday, February 28  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, March 7  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, March 14  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, March 21  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

For thousands of years, philosophers, mathematicians and astronomers have proposed that the motions of heavenly bodies and musical notes are related. This lecture explores the concept of "celestial harmony" from ancient Greek times, through the Medieval period, and right up to today.

Presenter: allen lutens

When:

• Friday, February 28  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

This course will provide an in-depth exploration of the rich tapestry of immigrant communities from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in the Binghamton area and Southern Tier of Upstate New York. It will examine the historical and contemporary factors driving migration, the origins of displacement, and the vibrant processes of community-building that shape the lives of MENA immigrants in our region.

Presenter: Sule Con, Outreach Coordinator of the Center for Middle East and North Africa Studies

When:

• Monday, March 3  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, March 10  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

Based on 30 years of teaching and foraging experience, Bobcat will show the relationships of ecological systems to sustainable foraging: how to find edible and medicinal wild plants and mushrooms; how plants and mushrooms interact, communicate, and share resources; how, where and when they grow; how to harvest them in a safe, responsible manner; how to use them for better health or even survival; how to prepare them using recipes adapted from traditions around the world; common, easily-recognized edibles and medicinals with their seasons and habitats.

Presenter: Robert (Bobcat) Saunders, M.S.M.S.

When:

• Monday, March 3  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Monday, March 10  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $16.00

The rocks that make up the bedrock in South-Central New York State were deposited by streams flowing off the Acadian Mountains 365 million years ago. These streams flowed to a shoreline on the Catskill Sea that stretched out from Binghamton to the north and west. Come and learn how different this area was back in the Devonian Period. Binghamton was 13 degrees SOUTH of the equator at this time. Examples of local fossils will be on display so this class is best experienced in person. Bring your local finds for identification and discussion.

Presenter: Bruce Oldfield, Professor Emeritus, SUNY-Broome

When:

• Tuesday, March 4  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In the years after the turn of the 20th century, there was a lot of tension between workers and their employers. Strikes and industrial disasters were all too common as workers struggled for adequate pay, safe working conditions, and reasonable hours. These two forces came together in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in Manhattan. From a major strike in 1909 and a major fire in 1911, this company is an excellent case study in industrial relations as well as gender studies.

Presenter: Dr. Phyllis Amenda

When:

• Wednesday, March 5  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 12  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Wednesday, March 19  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $24.00

Fireflies pursuing mates on a warm summer's night, frightful deep-sea fish hunting prey, single-celled organisms disturbed by sudden water motion, a jack-o'-lantern fungus standing watch in the forest -- all these organisms produce a cold glow in the darkness. Bioluminescence, the ability of living organisms to generate light by chemical means, is a fascinating trait and a surprisingly common one in some environments. We will explore the wide variety of bioluminescent organisms, the diverse ways that organisms use light emission to aid in their survival, and the mechanism by which living cells are able to generate light.

Presenter: Curt Pueschel, retired Professor of Biology at Binghamton University

When:

• Thursday, March 6  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In 1996, Lauren Caister joined the US Peace Corps and was stationed in Niger, West Africa, as a natural resources volunteer specializing in wildlife. At this time, Niger was considered to be one of the last "true" PC experiences (i.e., living in mud huts without running water or electricity). She served for three years, conducting a dietary study of the last free-roaming herd of West African giraffes. In 2002, she returned to Niger to conduct bird surveys along the Niger River. In this lecture, Lauren will present her experiences in the Peace Corps and the journals that she kept of her trips along the Niger River.

Presenter: Lauren Caister

When:

• Thursday, March 6  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

In this class we discuss all kinds of scientific topics. Each class covers different subjects, depending on the interest of the discussion leader and class members. Emphasis will be placed on recent scientific developments. Participants are encouraged to contact the class leader with science articles and topics they wish to discuss. Topics cover everything scientific, from the latest findings on Covid-19 to climate change and green energy, to the latest developments in engineering, biology, social and behavioral sciences, chemistry, physics and cosmology -- and more! Sometimes, we even delve into mathematics and the history and philosophy of science.

Presenter: Art Law, Alan Jones, Peter Stiles

When:

• Friday, March 7  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Friday, March 21  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Friday, April 4  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Friday, April 18  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

This lecture will discuss the evolving academic views of caste in India. Topics will include the spate of studies from the 1940s and 1950s in which scholars embedded themselves in villages to study the sociology and anthropology of caste, and modern topics, including the hypothesized role of the British Indian Census,' which collected caste data, in enforcing caste hierarchy, and modern DNA evidence of strict caste endogamy.

Presenter: Susan Wolcott, Associate Professor of Economics, Binghamton University

When:

• Tuesday, March 11  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Loneliness, the Surgeon General recently warned, has a medical risk comparable to that of smoking. This seminar will explore the interaction of loneliness, social support, and isolation, their mental and medical health impacts, and risk factors, including social anxiety. We will also discuss the role of casual contacts in reducing loneliness and increasing well-being, while exploring promising approaches to tackle this issue at individual, social, community and societal levels.

Presenter: Ed Federman, Ph.D.

When:

• Tuesday, March 11  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Ever thought about a trip to Scotland? Here is what you can expect to see and experience! From Edinburgh to Glasgow, Midlands to Highlands, all in eight days of travel with a wonderful Scottish Guide. A little Scotch here and some Highland coos there, with lots of sheep along the way. Join your Scottish guide George Cummings on this adventure.

Presenter: George Cummings

When:

• Wednesday, March 12  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

As a volunteer for over 25 years on archaeological projects around the world, Michael Crisafulli has accumulated nearly a year's actual archaeological field time. This talk will focus on two projects: an excavation of a post-Classic Maya site in the rain forests of northern Belize and an archaeological survey of ancient ruins on the Aegean coast of Turkey. The Belize excavation was on a mangrove island in an inland lagoon. The Turkish survey used sailboats to travel along the coast, dropping us off for exploratory hikes across the rugged landscape. The talk will include photos, drawings, and maps to describe these projects.

Presenter: Michael Crisafulli, retired engineer

When:

• Wednesday, March 12  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Join us for a tour of the Decker College of Nursing, in the renovated EJ factory on Corliss Avenue in Johnson City. Course registrants will receive an email about parking. Included in the tour will be specialized classrooms and labs, and demonstrations. We'll observe a simulation using one of their high-fidelity manikins (we'll see many other amazingly life-like manikins). Afterwards you're invited to join Al Vos in a short, leisurely walk in the area near the Nursing College as he points out various University properties (BU calls them its "Health Science Campus") and revitalization initiatives. Complete this optional walk by joining Al for lunch at one of the newer restaurants on Main Street in downtown Johnson City.

Presenter: Sophie Whittington, Assistant for Innovative Simulation and Practice Center, and Patti Reuther, Asst. Dean, Simulation and Clinical Practice at Binghamton University's Decker College of Nursing

When:

• Thursday, March 13  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Decker School of Nursing

Fee: $8.00

Notice your posture as you sit at your computer reading this course description--modifications to your office can improve your health. Physical ergonomics studies human anatomy, physical activity and the design of products. It looks at changes we can make to our surroundings to reduce discomfort and prevent common injuries. Ben joins us to discuss ergonometric guidelines and corrections, as well as when to see a physical therapist and what to expect. Topics will range from office set-up to posture to how to safely perform daily activities. Ben will discuss what to do if pain persists, and when to seek formal physical therapy or medical management and decision-making.

Presenter: Benjamin Dvorsky, PT, DPT, UHS Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

When:

• Thursday, March 13  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Elder-related social, emotional, spiritual, and physical health issues and other topics of concern for group members will be discussed. Members can cite or bring in readings and personal accounts to stimulate discussion. Bob will also share his experience as a family member, psychologist, sociologist, and spiritual-energetic healer who has worked with elders in and out of facilities.

Presenter: Robert Laurentz, PsyD, PhD

When:

• Thursday, March 13  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
• Thursday, April 17  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $16.00

No war is fought only on the battlefield, and the "Great War" exemplified the changing lives of American women on the home front and overseas. Join Emily Kilgore as we explore women's changing roles during World War I, and how these women supported the war effort "Over Here" and "Over There."

Presenter: Emily Kilgore, Director of Education and Engagement at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library

When:

• Friday, March 14  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Spring and summer gardening are just around the corner and, along with the pleasure of caring for plants and watching them flourish, unwanted critters often appear. This session is about an approach called Integrated Pest Management which is a decision-making process for managing pests using a combination of methods that minimize environmental, health, and economic risks. Also included are Cornell Cooperative Extension resources available to homeowners regarding pest identification and strategies for management. While this often applies to farming and gardening, structural pests will also be included, so everyone is welcome.

Presenter: Linda Svoboda, Horticulture Program Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County

When:

• Monday, March 17  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Remember the 1960s? Many Lyceum members came into adulthood in that decade and recall the political and social upheavals of that time, including the administrations of John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Dick Goodwin was the quintessential White House insider who, it turns out, wrote many of the famous speeches and phrases that still resonate. Doris Kearns was a young graduate student serving in the Johnson administration when she was singled out by LBJ to write his biography and had unparalleled access to him after his presidency. Goodwin and Kearns didn't know each other then, but met later and eventually married. Doris became an historian and Goodwin a journalist and consultant. Toward the end of Goodwin's life, he decided it was time to do something with the dozens if not hundreds of boxes of papers he had kept throughout his career. He and Doris began work on a history of the 1960s based on Dick's archives. He never lived to finish that project, but Doris went on to write that history and also the history of their collaboration. This book will bring back memories of the 1960s and will tell much about what went on behind the scenes. Please read An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin prior to class.

Presenter: Alan Thompson, lifelong history buff, M.A. in history from Binghamton University

When:

• Monday, March 17  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

The prehistory of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile) has long been viewed as an example of an isolated human population that reached dizzying cultural heights before catastrophically collapsing due to the exhaustion of the island's natural resources. With nearly 1000 multi-ton statues ("moai"), Rapa Nui's prehistory appears in stark contrast with the island's diminutive size and remote location. Recent research, however, has dramatically revised this account and has demonstrated that not only did the prehistoric Rapanui not undergo "collapse" but that they lived sustainably for 500 years before the arrival of Europeans. In this talk, We will discuss how our knowledge about this remarkable island has not only changed but dramatically revised our understanding of the island's iconic moai.

Presenter: Carl Lipo, Professor of Anthropology

When:

• Tuesday, March 18  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Seville is a mosaic of ancient cultures where history flourishes around every corner. Vestiges of ancient civilizations are abundant in the Moorish architecture, Gothic cathedrals and centuries-old neighborhoods. The Moors ruled parts of southern Spain, known as Al-Andalus, from the early 8th until the late 15th centuries--800 years of history. Their legacy, especially in terms of what we still see today, is considerable. We'll explore the Royal Alcazar, site of the Islamic-era citadel, and learn about Mudejar art and style. We'll tour the amazing Mosque-Cathedral in nearby Cordoba. We'll also spend time visiting the largest Gothic church in the world, Seville Cathedral, and Plaza de España, site of the 1928 world's fair. You'll see fantastic tiles in the lovely and historic Triana neighborhood and get to see what a cooking class was like learning to make paella.

Presenter: Linda Best

When:

• Wednesday, March 19  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Upstate and Western New York birthed and hosted several unconventional groups and religious movements that influenced and impacted the world. In the early 19th century this area was nicknamed "The Burned Over District" by a minister, disappointed by the pre-established spiritual fervor and lack of "Souls to Save." We will gently explore some of the spiritualist groups and utopian social movements with feminine leaders, such as Mother Ann Lee and the Shakers; Jemima Wilkinson and The Universal Friends in Penn Yan; Ellen White, co-founder of the Seventh Day Adventist; and the Fox Sisters from Rochester with their influence on the worldwide Spiritualist movement. We will also explore how the Burned Over District became the epicenter of social reform movements such as abolition, prohibition, women's rights and more.

Presenter: Renee Swan DeMarco, RN

When:

• Wednesday, March 19  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Join an exploration of "Hillbilly Music." What is it? Where did it originate? Is it still around? "Hillbilly" is a term commonly applied to rural Southern whites, stereotyping them as ignorant and bigoted, short on brains, ambition, and teeth. Their music emerged during the economic and social disruptions following the First World War. This class will have many musical examples from historic recordings and stories about some important figures, placed in the context of the times. Spoiler alert: the real hillbilly elegy.

Presenter: Tom Elliott

When:

• Thursday, March 20  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

The lymphatic system is an important and underappreciated part of the immune system. This discussion will cover its role in the circulatory system, potential causes of damage, and consequential symptoms of lymphedema. Complete Decongestive Therapy is a conservative medical protocol used to treat and manage this incurable disease, but new surgical breakthroughs are demonstrating promising results. Come learn about the advances in advocacy and insurance coverage that have been developing, as well as initiatives within UHS to promote awareness and early identification of lymphedema.

Presenter: Bethany Beckwith, OTR/L, CScD, CLT-LANA

When:

• Thursday, March 20  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Learn about our body's energy fields and channels, which link to our nervous and organ systems. We'll do Meditation and Yoga and other similar practices that focus us, balance our body's seven energy fields, and keep universal energy flowing through us. The course is rooted in philosophies of Hinduism and Buddhism, which call these energy centers Chakras. Our first session will include discussion of the different practices we will work with and focus on the Root Chakra. In the remaining sessions, we will work on two chakras per meeting. Chakra work will help with healing from stresses and energy drains of daily life, creating a healthy and sustained level of energy. The instructors will provide handouts relevant to each chakra, so that participants can continue to practice at home when they need a refresher. Bring water, a cozy blanket, and an eye cover if you like.

Presenter: Ramona Lena, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Grace Antonakos, Certified Reiki Master

When:

• Saturday, March 29  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Saturday, April 5  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Saturday, April 12  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Saturday, April 19  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Vestal Public Library

Fee: $32.00

Come stroll the Great White Way with the Madrigal Choir with selections from the music of Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber, Rodgers and Hammerstein and others. Join us for delightful music in the beautiful St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1 Aquinas Street in Binghamton.

Presenter: The Madrigal Choir of Binghamton

When:

• Sunday, March 30  |  4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1 Aquinas Street in Binghamton

Fee: $15.00

Discover the ins and outs of Food Recovery programs in Broome County. What we do, why we do it, how we do it. You'll be surprised by what's happening behind the scenes. What is Broome Bounty? How does food recovery make a difference for people in Broome, and for the planet? How much food insecurity is there in Broome and neighboring counties? How does food recovery fit into the effort to meet the need? Learn from a panel of dedicated food recoverers who invite you to join in a timely, interactive discussion.

Presenter: Kathleen Pasetty, Food Recovery Coordinator with the Food Bank of the Southern Tier; Chris Harasta, Sodexo at BU; and Krista Bunzey, creator of the Good Neighbor initiative

When:

• Monday, March 31  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

In scouting we learned "be prepared." Decades later, those words still ring true. The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Citizen Preparedness Corps is ready to help us be prepared for all emergency situations: fires, floods and other weather-related disasters, auto emergencies, and even active assailants. New York National Guard member Benjamin Massarini will provide us with the tools to deal with emergencies and disasters before, during and after these events. We will also learn what resources are out there to assist us under such circumstances.

Presenter: Benjamin Massarini, CPT US Army National Guard NYARNG

When:

• Monday, March 31  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $0.00

Opera characters get themselves into, and (sometimes) out of, some very complex situations. Using video and audio excerpts from some of the great and less familiar works, we will explore the magic that the music, characters and situations have on us, the audience. Grant Best has been a 40+ year participant in most aspects of the Opera world. He does not consider himself an "expert" but rather an enthusiast with a lot of first-hand experience. He looks forward to sharing his obsession with interested Lyceum members and having some fun together.

Presenter: Grant Best

When:

• Tuesday, April 1  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, April 7  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

This is the final set of lectures dealing with World War II. These lectures will deal with the defeat of Germany from the beginning of the landings in Normandy to the occupation of Berlin, and the defeat of Japan and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. While emphasizing the military aspects, a number of links will be made to current events to enhance our understanding of current conflicts and the effects on our global relationships. The course is open to anyone, even those who never attended any of the preceding series, hopefully enhanced with some comments and insights from audience members.

Presenter: Michael Bogdasarian

When:

• Tuesday, April 1  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 8  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 15  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 22  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

Irena owns restorerural.com, a communications consulting service specializing in down-ballot elections and local politics. She worked on the inaugural New York State Coordinated Campaign in 2024, a pilot program of the NYDEMS that resulted in three flipped House seats, including that of NY-19 in Broome County. We will discuss the basics of political organizing, messaging in the MAGA era: pragmatic persuasion, coalition building and how to apply the "synergy effect" to grassroots organizing.

Presenter: Irena Raia, Communications Consultant, Political Organizer, and Vice Chair of the Tioga County Democratic Committee

When:

• Tuesday, April 1  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Vietnamese society has experienced enormous change in the nearly 50 years since the end of the U.S war presence. Traveling for two weeks from Hanoi in the North to the Mekong River and Saigon in the South, Ms. Krebs' tour group explored the ways history and tradition shape day-to-day life while an open economy has also modernized society. This presentation will showcase the historic preservation of temples, palaces, and homes; contemporary market and motorbike culture; the continuation of traditional agriculture, crafts and small manufacturing; and the dynamism of cosmopolitan Saigon (as the city is still called by locals). Through visits to war memorials and conversations with their guide and Vietnamese American travel companion, the group was able to reflect on the French and American war experiences and the ways our two countries connect today.

Presenter: Katharine Krebs, Retired vice provost for International Affairs at BU

When:

• Wednesday, April 2  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

The American electorate has chosen a twice-impeached president, convicted of sexual assault, indicted for mishandling top secret documents, and promoting an insurrection to lead the country. The candidate who lost was a former district attorney, served in the Senate, and was sitting Vice President. What does this outcome suggest about who we are as Americans and the state of American democracy? The election between Trump and Harris was the most consequential since the 1930s. This class will present an analysis of the election and why Americans are polarized 49%-49%. Can we achieve the goal of a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, pluralistic society? Immigration and border security, among other issues, played a major role in the outcome of the election.

Presenter: Ben Kasper, SUNY Broome Professor Emeritus

When:

• Wednesday, April 2  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
• Wednesday, April 9  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

Hop, skip and jump with us over 2,000 years of church history. Session 1: Jewish Roots and the Early Church; Session 2: The Patristic Era and Nicene Christianity; Session 3: The Rise of the Empire and Scholastic Christianity; Session 4: Reformation, Enlightenment, and the Contemporary Church.

Presenter: Rev. Scott Purnell, Rector of Christ Church Binghamton

When:

• Thursday, April 3  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Thursday, April 10  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Thursday, April 17  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Thursday, April 24  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

As a child of the late 19th century, Aldo Leopold saw the conflict between people and nature: where population and modernity advanced, wilderness retreated and nature deteriorated. His scientific bent led him into the nascent fields of environmental and ecological studies, and he realized that the solution to the conflict was to adopt a new nature-valuing ethic. We'll talk about his life and how his work is especially relevant in today's world. (His book A Sand County Almanac is a worthwhile read, though not required for this course.)

Presenter: Jeff Smith, Waterman Naturalist

When:

• Thursday, April 3  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

We will read, discuss, and debate Sebastian Barry's celebrated novel, The Secret Scripture, which consists of two narrators: Roseanne Clear, who scribbles her life story on waste paper and hides it under a floorboard in her room in Roscommon Regional Mental Hospital in Sligo, Ireland, and Dr. William Greene, senior psychiatrist, who records his encounters with Roseanne in his Commonplace Book and judges her fitness for release. The novel captures the interplay of the two narratives against the most turbulent period in Irish history from the Easter uprising of 1916, the Great War, and then the war of independence, all in quick succession, followed by the civil war of 1922. This is a novel of secrets, the vagaries of history and memory, and the crippling effects of the institutional control of women at the time Ireland came kicking and screaming into the modern world. Please use the following edition of the novel: Sebastian Barry, The Secret Scripture (New York, Penguin Books, 2009). For the first class, read Part One. Class size is limited to 18.

Presenter: Michael J. Conlon, Emeritus Assoc. Professor of English, Binghamton University

When:

• Friday, April 4  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, April 11  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, April 18  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Friday, April 25  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $32.00

Join fellow Lyceum members for another delicious dinner at Lost Dog Cafe, 222 Water Street, Binghamton. Enjoy Tortellini Skewers as you chat with friends. Sit down to more Mediterranean delights: Dog House Salad, Frittata and Chicken Shawarma, and wrap up your dinner with an assortment of homemade cookies. Dan Miller, saxophone, and Pej Reitz, piano, will delight us with everything from Bach to Gershwin and beyond.

Presenter:

When:

• Sunday, April 6  |  5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Lost Dog Cafe, 222 Water Street, Binghamton

Fee: $50.00

An introduction to the Arkell Museum, a delightful place not too far away and too little known. The Arkell Museum, in Canajoharie, is a fine art museum with an extensive collection of paintings by Winslow Homer, who is considered one of the foremost painters of 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in American art in general. Mary Alexander will discuss the Museum's interesting history and its collection of Homer's paintings as well as of other notable American artists such as George Inness, John Singer Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Paul Sample, George Bellows, Thomas Eakins. Her presentation will include comments on the life and work of Winslow Homer. This class is separate from, but related to a guided Lyceum tour of Arkell Museum, which is listed later in this Catalogue as a Lyceum field trip on May 15. You can do one without the other but they pair well together so consider doing both.

Presenter: Mary Alexander, Curator of Education and Public Engagement at the Arkell Museum

When:

• Monday, April 7  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

The Earth's climate is changing due to the increase in CO2 and other gases. Just how is the climate changing around the Earth? What changes are projected in the future? Art will research what changes are mostly agreed to by the scientific community and what projected changes are controversial.

Presenter: Art Law

When:

• Tuesday, April 8  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Hop aboard as we head to Alabama to take in the Civil Rights experience, focusing on Birmingham and Montgomery, particularly the heart-wrenching National Memorial for Peace and Justice. But we could not beam ourselves there, so enjoy a few stops along the way in Virginia and Tennessee and on the way back in Huntsville, Tennessee and Virginia. We'll take in some Civil War history, World War I history, natural wonders and, of course, gardens!

Presenter: George Lohmann, President of Lyceum

When:

• Wednesday, April 9  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Drawing from the rich well of folktales from around the world, Lonna will make you smile, think, and connect to wisdom and humor too good not to pass on to posterity.

Presenter: Lonna Pierce

When:

• Thursday, April 10  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Dan Tompkins, director of the North Branch Art Trail and editor of the North Branch Arts Paper, has assembled a panel of art industry insiders who will offer insight into our area's rich visual & performing arts scene. Today's panel will consist of representatives of three important regional arts organizations: Community Arts Partnership, Ithaca, NY; Eagles Mere Friends of the Arts, Eagles Mere, PA; and the Jericho Arts Council, Bainbridge, NY.

Presenter: Dan Tompkins, et al.

When:

• Friday, April 11  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

When the USSR launched an invasion into Afghanistan in December 1973, the place was completely foreign to most Americans. Yet America had a significant presence in the country dating back to the beginning of the Cold War. Why was the United States in Afghanistan? What policy concerns attracted it to this country? Who pushed for the American presence and why? What were the consequences of the United States' efforts to modernize this country? And in what ways did the United States push Afghanistan towards social breakdown and war? Michalec lived in Afghanistan from 1970 to 1972 while his father worked under contract with USAID. He has followed and researched Afghanistan ever since. His two lectures will examine American Cold War investment in Afghanistan, examining not just US policies in action, but also the assumptions, fears, and relentless faith in the American myths that sustained the US effort. This program will not be recorded.

Presenter: James V. Michalec, Lecturer in Public Speaking at Binghamton University and Artistic Director of Face It! Theatre.

When:

• Monday, April 14  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Monday, April 21  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $16.00

Learn which butterflies and moths are most likely living year-round in your neighborhood. Learn where to find them and how to help them continue their life cycles. Insect enthusiast, Colleen Wolpert, has enjoyed over 55 different species of butterflies on her ¾ acre property, at least 4 different species of fireflies, and 100s of moths. She teaches about gardening practices that increase the diversity of species by improving habitat. As a long-time Board Member of the Naturalists' Club of Broome Co., she leads nature walks, butterfly counts, and moth nights in addition to tabling and presentations.

Presenter: Colleen Wolpert

When:

• Monday, April 14  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Every fall is a "goodbye," and every spring a "welcome back" to our many species of migratory birds! But why do birds migrate and how do they know where to go? In this 2-session class, we will explore the basics of migration, including why birds migrate, how birds know when and where to go, and an overview of what groups of birds migrate to or through the Southern Tier. The class will be in two parts, the first being a presentation on the science behind bird migration and the second a field trip to Brick Pond to welcome in and observe our Spring migrants. This class is open to birdwatchers or bird fans of all experience levels. For the field portion, we will meet at the Brick Pond parking area along Front St. in Owego. As parking is limited, carpooling is highly encouraged. Binoculars and good footwear are recommended for the field portion, as it can get muddy. If you do not have binoculars, we will be birding both by sight and by ear so that we may hear and identify birds we cannot see. Class is limited to 15.

Presenter: Michelle Knuepfer, Naturalist, Waterman Conservation Education Center

When:

• Tuesday, April 15  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm
• Tuesday, April 22  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: April 15 is in the WSKG classroom, April 22 is offsite at Brick Pond, Owego

Fee: $16.00

Choosing examples from his personal portfolio 100 Devotions, Dr. Epstein will explore composition, color, light, and mood. With references to other photographers, he will address the issue of "reality" especially as it relates to color photography. Is there "true" color or even true memory? Where does perception fit in, and whose? What has technology wrought? Is a photograph even intended to be a form of reality, a representation of reality, or is it always a reprocessing of reality? Or none of these? And, finally, does it always rain in the Adirondacks?

Presenter: Dr. Mark Epstein, Photographer

When:

• Wednesday, April 16  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Ferns are among the most ancient plants on Earth, and they can turn your outdoor ramblings into year-round treasure hunts. Come take a tour of the common, rare, and sometimes un-fernlike ferns we can find in our area, learn some of the history and folklore that surround them, and get tips and tricks to start identifying them. Class will feature photos and in-class pressed fern samples.

Presenter: Julie Mundt, Fern enthusiast

When:

• Thursday, April 17  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

This memoir-meets-manifesto relates the challenges and obstacles Dr. Ala Stanford faced becoming a doctor, fighting for equitable health care, and opening her own visionary, full-service medical center. Starting from 1969 when her 14-year-old mother, in the throes of active childbirth, could not get a cabby to respond to her hail and instead took the subway to the hospital emergency room, her trajectory has defied the odds. When Covid-19 arrived in her hometown of Philadelphia, Dr. Stanford, the founder of the Black Doctors Consortium, knew it would disproportionately affect the Black population. As the city stood idly by, unwilling or unable to protect its most vulnerable citizens, Dr. Stanford took matters into her own hands. She rented a van, made some calls, and began administering tests in church parking lots. She soon helmed a powerful grassroots campaign that successfully vaccinated tens of thousands of Philadelphians.

Presenter: Chris Turner, retired nurse

When:

• Monday, April 21  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $8.00

Discover with Art the world of nanotechnology. This session will introduce the basics of nanotechnology, exploring its unique properties and vast applications in fields such as medicine, electronics, and environmental science. We'll explore how manipulating matter at the nanoscale is revolutionizing industries and shaping the future.

Presenter: Art Law

When:

• Tuesday, April 22  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

Witness a presentation showing vacations built around different kinds of bike trips in Mallorca, Spain (4 days); Girona, Italy (6 days); Lucca, Italy (2 days); North Rim of the Grand Canyon (5 days); South Island, New Zealand (8 days); Lake Garda, Italy (7 days); Prague to Vienna (7 days); Steamboat, CO (4 days) and Viet Nam (10 days) for both serious and casual bikers.

Presenter: Jerry Schwartz, Attorney

When:

• Wednesday, April 23  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $8.00

As living organisms, we are inextricably connected to water--the solvent of life. In our region, this most often means the historical river which has shaped lives and fortunes for thousands of years--the Susquehanna. Careful thinking about inflows to the Susquehanna is critical to environmental and economic work from here to the Chesapeake Bay! Spend an afternoon with Waterman Center Executive Director, Christopher Audette, wandering a tangible, real-world implementation of several runoff cleaning, water sequestering technologies and gain insight on how we might better care for our watershed, our ecosystems, and ourselves. At its core, the WISE Project is a Water Infiltration Systems Exhibit. Class Limit is 20; meet at Waterman Conservation Education Center, 403 Hilton Rd., Apalachin, NY.

Presenter: Christopher Audette, Executive Director, Waterman Conservation Education Center

When:

• Wednesday, April 23  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Waterman Conservation Center

Fee: $8.00

The French Azilum (1793-1803) was a 1,600 acre settlement built near Wyalusing, PA, for French refugees fleeing the French Revolution and slave uprisings in Saint-Domingue. It consisted of a market square with shops, a schoolhouse, a chapel and a theater, a grid of broad streets with thirty log homes, a gristmill, blacksmith shop and a distillery. Cattle and sheep were kept, and fruit trees and gardens were planted. Although none of the original structures remain, the LaPorte House, with stenciled ceilings, interior French style décor & period pieces, was built in 1836 by the son of one of the colony’s founders and today functions as a museum.
The program will include a guided tour of the LaPorte House, where we’ll learn about the history of the Azilum, the house and its contents. A special exhibit of clothing from the WWI and WWII eras will also be on display. This will be followed by a self-guided tour of the grounds, where an original foundation, relocated c.1790 log cabin, and several outbuildings of the LaPorte Farm can be viewed. Beforehand, we’ll meet for lunch at 11:30 at Shore Sisters, which is seven miles from the Azilum.
Please note: Transportation is on your own and lunch is not covered by the program cost. We will meet at Shores Sisters, 1003 Golden Mile Rd, Towanda, PA at 11:30 and have lunch. Limit: 20 participants; reservation deadline: Thursday, April 17.

Presenter: Deborah L. Courville, PhD, French Azilum Event Coordinator, Treasurer, and Site Historian

When:

• Thursday, April 24  |  11:30 am - 3:30 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Shores Sisters, 1003 Golden Mile Rd, Towanda, PA

Fee: $13.00

Join us to celebrate International Jazz Day and the end of Jazz Appreciation Month with a look at the development and growth of jazz as America's art form from approximately the end of World War I up until World War II. Dan Miller will present the class which will feature an in-depth look at the evolution of jazz from the first recordings through the jazz age and up through the big band era with a focus on the musicians who made the music the popular music of its day.

Presenter: Dan Miller

When:

• Wednesday, April 30  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $13.00

Who can make great poetry out of hog butchers and grass? And who carried Walt Whitman's legacy into the 20th century? With a close sampling of Sandburg's poetry - "Chicago" and "Grass" - we will explore the interests, language, and style of one of America's finest poets.

Presenter: George Lohmann

When:

• Monday, May 5  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered ONLINE using Zoom

Fee: $13.00

Come visit the Binghamton home of local antiques enthusiast George Cummings to see a collection of 17th, 18th and 19th century original antiques displayed in a room by room living atmosphere. Featuring early Country thru Federal style antiques both American and European examples with many explanations as to period use. Limit: 16 people in two shifts of 8 each: 10:00-11:00 and 11:00-12:00. You will be notified a few days before the class which shift you are in.

Presenter: George Cummings

When:

• Tuesday, May 6  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Offsite

Fee: $13.00

Join Olivia for a recap of her adventures in Nepal with the Red Panda Network. From observing red pandas in the wild, visiting restoration sites, and experiencing Nepalese culture, immerse yourself in this international Eco-Trip and learn how these international connections foster positive conservation impacts.

Presenter: Olivia Gorman

When:

• Wednesday, May 7  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $13.00

Join us for a guided tour of three impressive, historic churches in downtown Binghamton, each having its own architectural glory and distinctive history. We'll begin at the United Presbyterian Church, a Gothic Revival (1863) with an impressive spire and Tiffany mosaic at 42 Chenango Street. We will then walk two short blocks down Henry Street to Christ Episcopal Church, a Romanesque Revival (1855) constructed of bluestone. Those who are able may climb up the bell tower. We will then walk back up Henry Street to have lunch at Burger Mondays. After lunch we will drive to St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, another Gothic Revival (1873), designed by Binghamton's most illustrious architect, Isaac Perry, at 9 Leroy Street. Meet the group at 10:00am inside the back entrance of United Presbyterian. Lunch is not included in the price.

Presenter: Rev. Becky Kindig, Rev. Scott Purnell, and Kathy Reynolds

When:

• Thursday, May 8  |  10:00 am - 3:30 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Various locations, starting at United Presbyterian Church

Fee: $15.00

Local performers, tenor Tony Villecco and pianist John Isenberg, will present the first hour of either a classically centered voice recital or a selection of Broadway's most acclaimed showtunes. The second hour, Villecco will speak on his most recent book which is a collection of interviews he has collected from famous opera singers of the 1950's, 60's and 70's. His other two books on silent film may also be discussed. Questions and answers are welcomed.

Presenter: Tony Villecco, tenor, and John Isenberg, piano

When:

• Wednesday, May 14  |  6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $13.00

Take a day trip through the countryside to the Mohawk Valley and visit the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie. Have lunch in town and then, at 2:00, join the guided tour just for the Lyceum members registered for this field trip. The Arkell Museum is a fine art museum with an extensive collection of paintings by Winslow Homer, who is considered one of the foremost painters of 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in American art in general. Mary Alexander will guide our tour, telling about the Museum's work and mission, and discussing Winslow Homer's paintings on display, as well as some of the work of other notable American artists in the Arkell collection. Please note: Admission to the Museum is free to members of the Roberson Museum, or $6.50 for seniors, or $9 for the general public; the cost of the guided tour is about $4. The museum is located at 2 Erie Blvd., Canajoharie, NY.

Presenter: Mary Alexander, Curator of Education and Public Engagement at the Arkell Museum

When:

• Thursday, May 15  |  2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Arkell Museum, 2 Erie Blvd., Canajoharie, NY

Fee: $13.00

How do direct-to-consumer DNA testing services (such as 23andme or Ancestry) predict your ancestry? Or your dog's breed? How are health risks determined and what can be done if you learn you have a genetic risk factor? Can two full siblings have different ancestries? Why can't genetics predict race? What about privacy? In this session, we'll explore the fundamentals of DNA analysis and learn how personal genomics can and can't be used to learn about our histories and our futures. Bring your questions!

Presenter: Heather Fiumera, Ph. D., Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, BU

When:

• Wednesday, May 21  |  10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $13.00

The Tioga Co. Historical Society was founded in 1914 and is a research and collections-based museum with over 80,000 objects related to Tioga County. It serves many audiences, including residents, visitors, educators, students, researchers, scholars and history enthusiasts.
Join us for this special tour that will include three remarkable exhibits:

• Homespun Textiles depicting homelife in Tioga County during the first half of the nineteenth century through a variety of textiles and related products made in the homestead;
• Now He Belongs to the Ages: The Lincoln Portrait, Mathew Brady, and Tioga County which revolves around a portrait painted in the studios of Mathew Brady in 1861 based on photographs he took at that time, and it's later restoration by the Smithsonian; the story of Brady's partner Andrew Burgess, who would later move to Owego; the Zouave soldier connection; the coat of Benjamin Loring, the soldier who helped carry the mortally wounded Lincoln from Ford's Theater to the Peterson House; and many images taken by Mathew Brady; and
• The 55th anniversary of Earth Day and its place in Tioga County and regional area.

Please note: Limited to 70; reservation deadline is Wednesday, April 30.
We will meet at the Tioga County Historical Society, 110 Front St Owego at 1:15.

Presenter: Gerry Smith, TCHS Director

When:

• Wednesday, May 21  |  1:30 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Tioga County Historical Society, 110 Front St Owego

Fee: $13.00

Come join us for a triple duty event: a pleasant stroll in a brand new lovely park, with two plant-crazed dudes ready to attempt to identify as many plants as possible, while providing a history of how the park came to be. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to be the shaker and mover for another new park somewhere near you. Please meet at the parking lot beside the Berkshire Town Hall, 18 Railroad Avenue, Berksire, NY. The Berkshire Creekside Park is addressed at 16 Railroad Avenue on Google Maps.

Presenter: George Lohmann, park creator; Jeff Smith, Naturalist, Waterman Center

When:

• Saturday, May 31  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Berkshire Creekside Park, 16 Railroad Avenue, Berkshire NY

Fee: $13.00

Dan Tompkins, director of the North Branch Art Trail and editor of the North Branch Arts Paper, has assembled a panel of art industry insiders who will offer insight into our area's rich visual & performing arts scene. Today's panel will consist of representatives of three important regional arts organizations: Cooperstown Art Association, Cooperstown, NY; Tioga Arts Council, Owego, NY; and the Wyoming Valley Art League, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Presenter: Dan Tompkins, et al

When:

• Friday, June 6  |  1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Delivery: Hybrid - Delivered both IN PERSON and ONLINE using Zoom

Location: WSKG Classroom

Fee: $13.00

Enjoy a beautiful spring day strolling in the garden—many beautiful gardens, in fact! Join our self-guided garden tour in the Vestal area and beyond. Participants may visit all or some of the gardens in any order they choose, using the e-tickets provided by the Lyceum office. The garden tour will occur June 7 rain or shine.

Presenter: Local Gardeners

When:

• Saturday, June 7  |  10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Delivery: This course is delivered IN PERSON

Location: Various locations

Fee: $20.00