Wesleyan has prepared some wonderful classes that will take place both in-person and online using Zoom video conferencing. When registering for classes, please be mindful of the Location for each class. The Zoom meeting link and classroom details will be distributed via email one week before each class begins. If you are interested in attending any of these courses, please register today, if you are already a member of WALL login to your current membership or email lifelonglearning@wesleyancollege.edu with your class(es) of interest.
Rabbi Bahar is the rabbi of Temple Beth Israel in Macon. She was ordained in 2009 and earned a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters. She also earned a BA in philosophy at Brandeis University. Rabbi Bahar was recognized by The Forward as one of “America’s 33 Most Inspirational Rabbis.” The objectives of this course are:
Ms. Garvin, Associate Professor Emerita at Mercer University, is a life-long educator. Her interest in history and story-telling led to the development of this series first presented at Elderhostel at Jekyll Island. We live in a fast-paced world, in a society that’s rushing headlong into the future. But the preservation of the spirit of the people lies not in technology but in the legacy of folklore, legends, songs, and ballads that have been passed down from generation to generation, material passed orally, usually informally. It functions as a form of education. It always seems that the legends, yarns, and folktales are as much a part of the history of a country as proclamations, provisos, and Constitutional amendments.
Past President and Founder of WALL, Mr. Coughlin has presented numerous courses for WALL.
Affirmative action refers to a policy aimed at increasing educational opportunities for people who are underrepresented in various areas of our society. It focuses on demographics with historically low representation in academic and professional roles. It is often considered a means of countering discrimination against underrepresented minorities, including Blacks, Hispanics, Orientals, and Native Americans. Cases to be considered include: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978); Gratz v. Bollinger and Grutter v. Bollinger (2003); Fisher v. University of Texas (2016); Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and University of North Carolina (2023). The two recent cases eliminated Affirmative Action in admission decisions.
From 1995 – 2011, Ms. Taylor worked in Security Assistance for the federal government. Security Assistance is a group of programs, authorized under Title 22 of the U.S. Code, by which the U.S. government provides defense articles, military education and training, and other defense-related services to eligible foreign governments by grant, loan, credit, cash sales, or lease. Security Assistance personnel manage security assistance and other military programs in those foreign countries and are closest to these programs operation and have the closest contact with host-country militaries. The Middle East is often categorized by perpetual conflict, religious extremism, poor performance, and people torn apart by sectarian, ethnic and national differences. However, Arab civilization is one of the ancient civilizations in the world whose effects are still felt today. It has contributed greatly to various important fields such as medicine, mathematics, science, horticulture, and architecture among others. In this course, students will look at what the Arab culture contributed to the world throughout time. They will briefly discuss the history of the Middle East and how it got so convoluted. They will also discuss the vibrant cultures of the region. Then the class will “visit” many of the countries in the region to learn about distinctive characteristics of each country. Note: Israel will not be covered in this course as it is uniquely different from the other countries in the region.
Dr. Delmas Crisp has a Ph.D. in British Literature and has taught this material to students at Wesleyan College and Mercer University. Dr. Crisp has 55 years of experience in higher education. Reading short stories from the Caribbean, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia, participants will consider culture, geography, political issues, education, religion, etc. in each of these areas of the world as they enjoy the interactions of the characters in each story. Discussion is encouraged but not required. Specific supplies required: Participants will need a copy of A. W. Biddle's Global Voices: Contemporary Literature from the Non-Western World. Used copies are available from $5 - $7 on Amazon. Copies of 4-5 additional short stories. (Class limited to 25)
Dr. Gan and Dr. Bennett-Day, both professors at Wesleyan College, will lead an interdisciplinary discussion on Creativity and Originality as they relate to intelligence, artistic performance, convergent vs. divergent thinking, and human development. The class will explore questions such as: What is creativity? Can it be learned or is it inborn? What is originality and its relationship to risk-taking? To success? What is the role of timing in creativity? Are there specific techniques that could help us generate more “Outside the box” ideas in our everyday lives? (Class limited to 40)
Robert Fieldsteel worked in Los Angeles for 28 years as an actor, writer, producer, and teacher in film, theatre and television. He currently teaches playwriting, acting, and film at Wesleyan College and is president of the Macon Film Guild. Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are generally considered the two greatest comedians of the silent film era, and their films are still very much in circulation today. Coming from, respectively, the Music Hall and Vaudeville, Chaplin and Keaton were more than talented performers. Each was a groundbreaking storyteller and director, discovering new avenues in the nascent medium of film. The class will view early-career shorts and the features The Kid (Chaplin) and Steamboat Bill, Jr. (Keaton)
A poet and author of seven books, Hinda Jonathan has participated in numerous poetry readings throughout the US in various settings, colleges, and special programs. She also has organized poetry programs locally in colleges and other locations. Her poetry and books have been published from 2008 – 2023. In Week 1, participants will review the elements and structure of poetry. In Weeks 2 and 3 they will discuss some favorite poets and consider prompts for creating their own poems, followed by gentle critique and suggestions. Writing will take place both in class and be brought in during weeks 2 and 3. In Week 4 the course will finish with a poetry reading by participants and the instructor. (Class is limited to 20)
Students will learn the art of storytelling for personal enrichment with Storytellers Macon. Storytellers Macon is an organization that believes everyone has something to say. It is a non-profit group that was formed to open up platforms for more people to share their stories in performances, big and small. In this course, the instructor will go over both crafting a story and how to best stage it for individual confidence. The final session will be a mini-storytelling performance.
NOTE: members are to purchase the Great Decisions 2024 Briefing Book from the Foreign Policy Association. They are available at fpa.org and then click “Bookstore.” The eBook edition is available from Amazon.
Great Decisions 2024 Topics:
Jane Winston has a BS in Education from Indiana University, an MS in Education from Fort Valley State University, and Specialists credentials in learning disabilities from California State University- Sacramento and reading from Mercer University. She is an Air Force wife with little teaching longevity until moving to Georgia in 1991. Ms. Winston taught 10.5+ years at FVSU in the English and Learning Support Departments and wrapped up her teaching career at Mercer in the School of Business teaching a course known as Business Communication, a required course for sophomores. That’s where she began her love affair with grammar (umbrella term) as under that comes spelling, punctuation, word usage, and much more. Her two children and other family members refer to her as the “grammar police!” This is not a course where one will learn grammar, punctuation, word usage, spelling, etc., but one where enrollees will in “group fashion” discuss, visit, grumble over and, hopefully, have fun with language issues of today and yesterday. Come have fun while learning! (Class limited to 15)
While the lower Ocmulgee River (south of Macon) was primarily used for transportation to and from the Atlantic Ocean, the upper Ocmulgee River (north of Macon) was primarily used for waterpower. The Ocmulgee south of Macon is serpentine and slow moving. The upper Ocmulgee is straight and fast flowing. This fast flowing and forceful water originally turned the large wheels of numerous mills. Communities were built around these mills. As the early mills closed and deteriorated into ruins, some of the communities also disappeared into the woods. Later, the descending elevation of the upper Ocmulgee into middle Georgia facilitated the construction of dams for electric power generation.
Susan Welsh is a graduate of the University of Georgia and also studied studio art and art history at Wesleyan College. She is the Executive Director of the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Macon. From Byzantine to Renaissance, Christian themes influencing major periods of art history will be explored in this course. Macon is home to a number of significant religious works of art including a 13th century Madonna and Child icon painting at Wesleyan College, plus exquisite examples of stained glass at St. Joseph Catholic Church and Christ Episcopal Church. Lectures of Sessions 1 and 2 will prepare participants with an overview needed for the field trip outings of Sessions 3 and 4. Participants will learn about major Christian themes of the Virgin Mary and Christ’s Passion (Session 1), plus religious symbolism in Gothic architecture and art (Session 2). Session 3 will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Poplar Street where participants will view 60 stained glass windows, plus mosaics and marble sculptures. Session 4 will be held at Christ Episcopal Church (the oldest church in Macon) on Walnut Street where participants will view a number of unique and significant 19th century-stained glass works of art -- including a rare monumental narrative window made by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1882.
Dr. Steneck is a member of the Wesleyan College faculty which he joined in 2014. He teaches courses on U.S., European, Middle Eastern, and East Asian history as well as topical courses on terror and terrorism, genocide, disasters, war and civil conflict, and the history of history. In recent years, history has featured prominently in public debate on topics as diverse as the origins and foundational ideas of the United States to how to resolve the slow pace of baseball games. That history is referenced repeatedly is hardly surprisingly, for it is our understanding of our past which provides the critical context for the present and future. Nor is it surprising that debates about history and its meaning are often contested. The past has powerful authority. In this course students will examine the use, abuse, and misunderstanding of history through a series of case studies drawn from the U.S., European, and East Asian past. We will explore how and why historians’ understanding of the past has changed over time. And we will consider what it means to engage in the past ethically and empathetically, and the grave consequences for individuals and societies when we fail to do so. (Class limited to 35)
Ms. Thornburg holds a BS degree in Social Sciences Education and an MS degree in Mental Health Counselling from Marshall University. She has experience in teaching History in high school. Between 1939 and 1946, 16 million Americans were mobilized to take part in WWII. While exact figures are hard to come by, it is believed that just over 1 million brides of foreign birth married to American servicemen (and, in some cases, women) entered the United States. This was the largest wave of immigration to the U.S. since 1924. The great demand by military personnel for spouses and fiancees to be allowed entry led to passage by Congress of The War Brides Act of 1945 and The Alien Fiancees and Fiances Act of 1946 and changes to Immigration quotas. This course will look at the challenges faced by these brides assimilating to their new home country.
Dr. Keating holds degrees in music from Indiana University and the University of Florida. She sang opera professionally for 15 years before becoming a teacher. Now retired, she teaches Music Appreciation at Georgia Military College in Dublin and frequently gives talks before the Met Opera Live in HD series at the Douglass Theatre. This course is designed for opera lovers as well as those who may be new to opera. In week 1 the class will explore Puccini’s life, style, and works, including their historical context. Weeks 2-4 will be devoted to each of the three acts of one of his best-loved operas: “Madama Butterfly.” The class will culminate with attendance at the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD broadcast at the Douglass Theatre on Saturday, May 11. Admission is $20 for seniors. Class members are encouraged to buy a libretto (Burton Fisher series, available on Amazon) and, if possible, to read the short story “Madame Butterfly” by John Luther Long. It is guaranteed that you will never look at Macon’s beautiful cherry blossoms quite the same after experiencing Puccini’s magnificent opera, “Madama Butterfly.” (Class limited to 25)
Wesleyan College is privileged to steward many arts and cultural events and share them with the community. Most are free and open to the public. Wesleyan art galleries are open M-F 1-5PM and on Wesleyan Market Saturdays from 10AM-2PM.
Event listing
Tour our beautiful 200-acre campus featuring Georgian architecture, lush green spaces, recreational facilities, residence halls, and worship center.
Vist Wesleyan Virtually
Wesleyan College is home to five NCAA Division III sports: soccer, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and softball. In addition, we offer an award-winning Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Equestrian program.
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