Harrisburg Region

The biochemical covering of our chromosomes allows most all external elements and forces to activate or alter our basic DNA, thus shaping and forming our lives individually. This is what we call NURTURE - contrasting it with our internal NATURE, which is structured by our heritable genes. Thus though as humans we’re identical, no two of us are alike. How and why are you unique in the world?

In this course we will look at the history of virtual reality, the technology involved, its usage, and how its effects on the brain are revolutionizing modern industries.

The history, practices, and traditions of the Orthodox Christian faith will be the focus of this three-session course. Presentations will include a basic approach to the belief system and way of life as lived out by followers of the Orthodox Church.

The formation of the powerful Hollywood studios turned Hollywood into a worldwide phenomenon. These “factories” included rosters of extremely talented actors, directors, writers, cinematographers, and a whole host of other creative departments that churned out so many wonderful films. During the Golden Era that spanned the late 1920s until the late 1940s, each studio developed its own specific “personality” or style. We will look at each of the major studios: MGM, Paramount, Warner Brothers, RKO, 20th Century Fox, and the minor ones: Columbia, Universal and United Artists. We will watch scenes from many of their great films. We will also learn how they started to lose their grip on the industry that they created.

Whether you’re a native or a newcomer, Pennsylvania’s history offers you a rich smorgasbord of people, events, and ideas. This three-part course hits all the highlights of the Keystone story –  from William Penn’s “Holy Experiment” and the Revolutionary War, through the political turmoil and industrial growth of the 1800s, to the perils and progress that shared the spotlight in the 20th century. Along the way, we’ll explore some icons of Pennsylvania culture, including the Amish, the polka, and the pretzel. You’ll also learn about the best museums and historic sites in the state, where you can experience Pennsylvania’s dramatic and colorful past for yourself.

This course will have four sessions: Session 1. (March 5) An Escaped Slave and a President for White Men (Frederick Douglas on Abraham Lincoln).Session 2. (March 12) A Reactionary President and a Radical Republican Congress (Andrew Johnson 1865-1869 and the 14th and15th Amendments)Session 3. (March 19) An Affirming President disarmed by Corruption — the Shadow Darkens (Grant, Hayes & Tilden)Session 4. (March 26) The WilmingtonMassacre1898 — the triumph of Jim Crow, the end of the Republican Dream for Black Americans.     

Beginning with a short consideration of the nature of poetry, this course will introduce students to the lives and writings of such poets as Phillis Wheatly, Francis E. W. Harper, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou as they expressed in poetry the experiences of black people in America -- their sorrows, joys, despairs, hopes, frustrations, and triumphs.

The life and work of Mira Lloyd Dock, the first woman to serve in Pennsylvania state government, provides many insights into the Progressive Era conservation movement and women’s roles within that movement. Dock was heavily involved in the conservation movement at the local, state, and federal levels. Her most ardent supporters said she did more for forests than any woman in the United States. As a member of the Pennsylvania State Forest Commission, Dock helped formulate policies that served as models for other, northeastern industrial states. She also worked tirelessly for women's rights to have meaningful careers, enroll in institutions of higher education, and vote.

Race is a socially constructed social category based on physical appearance that has been used to put people into separate groups. Racism builds social structures which bring advantage to some groups and disadvantage to others. The most obvious one is slavery, but most every aspect of social structure and the economy is affected. The course will focus on what white people need to know about race in America. We will use videos, lectures, and class discussion to look at ways race has been used in American society historically and currently to build social and legal structures which disadvantage persons of color. Strategies to dismantle racism will be suggested.

The dark years of the Middle Ages were ended by the Bubonic plague, giving rise to the Renaissance in Europe in 1700. The Black Death in London led to sweeping municipal regrowth and development in 1666. The Coronavirus pandemic so far in 2020 has brought about ultra-modern systems of community, industry, education, and health.