The Conference Center Friday Center Credit Progams for Part-time Students Professional Development and Enrichment Programs Professional Development and Enrichment Programs

Professional Development and Enrichment Programs

Community Classroom Series: Spring 2008

The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education, described since its early days as the “citizen’s classroom,” offers the public a variety of short courses—the Community Classroom Series.

Each course costs $50 and meets weekly for two-hour sessions at the Friday Center, UNC-Chapel Hill's premier facility for continuing education. The Friday Center offers free parking, easy access, and comfortable classrooms. Class sizes are limited, so register early. To request a printed brochure, e-mail fridaycenter@unc.edu.

Courses

Authentic Happiness: Human Flourishing

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 18, 25, Apr 1, 8. Course #2436

This course is full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please call us (800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643) or fill out the printable registration and mail or fax it to us.

Based on the most popular course ever taught at Harvard, this course investigates the question, “How can we help ourselves and others—individuals, communities, and society—become happier?” The course includes a review of recent experimental results in positive psychology that provide some answers to this question. This course also examines how we can bring more happiness into our lives and into the world, and how we can promote human flourishing. The main issue for most of us is: Just how good are we willing to have it? This course is presented in a workshop format, with frequent class participation and collaboration.

The course is taught by J.B. (Ben) O’Neal, formerly Distinguished Professor of Communications and Signal Processing at NC State University and currently professor emeritus. O’Neal is a member of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers and recipient of the R.J. Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Extension.

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Nature and Fate in Shakespeare

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 18, 25, Apr 1, 8. Course #2437

Does the fault lie in our stars or in ourselves? This course examines the psychological complexity of character in a selection of Shakespeare’s plays, looking at how internal forces compete or collude with external forces in shaping personal choices and ultimate outcomes. We consider how Shakespeare’s audience might have understood the question of choice, using Renaissance concepts of astrology, cosmology, and psychology. We also investigate our own contemporary responses to the issues of personal responsibility versus determinism. CEUs will be awarded.

Instructor Amy Dye holds a PhD in English Renaissance literature from UNC-Chapel Hill. Her scholarly interests include art, creativity, and the occult, and she currently specializes in the study and practice of astrology.

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Visions of America: Photographers in America

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 18, 25, Apr 1, 8. Course #2438

This course looks at America through the eyes of some of the most talented photographers of the twentieth century—some American, some non-American. We attempt to direct a fine point on what they see, and entertain questions such as: Is there something uniquely American that is described in the photographs, or is what is described more a revelation of the photographers? What, if anything, can we learn about America or ourselves from their visions? CEUs will be awarded.

This course is taught by Adam Gori, a documentary photographer residing in Chapel Hill. His current projects include documenting Latino immigration and deportation in North Carolina and the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation in the United States. Gori is also working on a long-term project focusing on the Chapel Hill cityscape at sunrise.

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Write Your Life

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 18, 25, Apr 1, 8. Course #2439

This course is full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please call us (800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643) or fill out the printable registration and mail or fax it to us.

A famous writer once said, “Listen to your life; all moments are key moments.” In this fun and supportive—yet challenging—class, learn how to draw on the “material” of your life to write and revise whatever you wish to work on, including stories, memoirs, novels, poems, or plays. Working individually, in small groups, and one-on-one with the instructor, take your initial writing and develop and polish it so it is ready for publication. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional writer, this class is guaranteed to inspire your creativity.

Instructor Richard Krawiec has published numerous books, one of which was nominated for a National Book Award. His young adult biography on Yao Ming was cited as one of the “40 Best” books of 2004 by the Pennsylvania Librarians Association. He has twice received Creative Writing Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the NC Arts Council.

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Paradoxes

Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 19, 26, Apr 2, 9. Course #2444

This course is full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please call us (800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643) or fill out the printable registration and mail or fax it to us.

Paradoxes have been a driving force in philosophy since the fourth century BCE. They help us rethink old ideas and conceptions. In this course, we will study a number of famous paradoxes: Zeno’s paradoxes about space and time, paradoxes of rationality and decision-making (including the Prisoner’s Dilemma and Newcomb’s paradox), the Sorites paradoxes (including the Bald Man and the Heap), and the logical paradoxes (including the Liar paradox and Russell’s paradox). These paradoxes introduce us to different areas of philosophy including metaphysics, the theory of rationality, ethics and value theory, and the philosophy of language and logic. Grappling with these paradoxes will also give us the opportunity for creative discussion, independent thinking—and fun! CEUs will be awarded.

Instructor Keith Simmons has been a professor of philosophy at UNC-Chapel Hill since 1987. He is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars and won the Tanner Award for Teaching Excellence in 1993

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Professional Public Speaking: Developing Effective Speaking Skills

Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 19, 26, Apr 2, 9. Course #2445

This course is full. If you would like to be placed on the waiting list, please call us (800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643) or fill out the printable registration and mail or fax it to us.

Participants in this course learn techniques for reducing fear of public speaking, speechwriting methods, and how to write, practice, and deliver an effective speech. Course content is adapted to address the specific interests and concerns of the class. Everyone registered for the course is asked to e-mail the instructor a list of concerns before the first day of class. Class time focuses on the practice of speech, and everyone receives constructive feedback and specific suggestions for improvement each week.

The course is taught by Kathy Maboll, former director of the Oral Communications Program at UNC-Chapel Hill, where she focused on assisting students in the development of speech skills. Maboll is committed to helping students understand and overcome fear of public speaking while they also learn effective speechwriting and delivery methods.

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Sports Injuries: Prevention and Treatment

Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 19, 26, Apr 2, 9. Course #2446

(This course has been canceled.)

This course presents the concept of athletic injuries, strategies for prevention, and basic treatment methods. Topics include exercises to prevent injury, recognizing injuries, self care versus professional care, how to choose the right healthcare provider, and the psychology of injury.

Instructor Meg Pomerantz is the new director of the Duke University Faculty Club. Prior to working at Duke, Pomerantz served on the faculty at UNC-Chapel Hill in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science for eighteen years. She is an avid runner, cyclist, and swimmer.

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Building a Nation: The Musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein (1943–1949)

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 25, Apr 1, 8, 15. Course #2440

Oklahoma!, Carousel, and South Pacific—you know their scores by heart. These are the musicals that revolutionized Broadway. But they are also important historical and social documents coming from a decade of tempestuous change in America and the world. This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to study these theatrical works, both for themselves and for what they tell us about their times. The course includes discussions of hitherto unknown preparatory drafts for these works that cast them in a very different light. Use of original recordings and other material creates a sense of just what happened on the stage. CEUs will be awarded.

This course is taught by Tim Carter, David G. Frey Distinguished Professor of Music. He has published widely on the operas of Monteverdi and Mozart, and his latest book, Oklahoma!: The Making of an American Musical, has just been published by Yale University Press.

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Exploring Film Noir: A Complex American Film Genre

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 25, Apr 1, 8, 15. Course #2441

Film noir is an authentic film genre that began near the close of World War II and continued strongly for about ten years. The gloomy stories film noir depicted were originally filmed in black and white, but eventually in Technicolor, and the more realistic deaths, overt violence, and open sexuality have resulted in what some people now call neo-noir. This course examines theme and technique in these controversial films. Each week film clips are shown, demonstrating famous moments in film history.

Instructor Kimball King is professor emeritus of English and adjunct professor of dramatic art. King began and co-lectured one of the first film criticism courses in the United States in 1965. His books and articles have focused on American, British, and Irish dramatic art. King has also taught film noir topics in a series of classes for Oxford University and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Adventures in Ideas program.

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Applied Improv: Creativity and Communication

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 25, Apr 1, 8, 15. Course #2442

Applied Improv uses the principles and techniques of improvisational theater to improve creativity and communication skills in nontheatrical settings. In a safe and playful environment, participants explore and develop their existing talents, overcoming barriers to dynamic communication and full engagement in the creative process. This is not a lecture series, but a laboratory in which students experiment with new skills and principles and are encouraged to expand their comfort zones. Business and other “real life” applications of course material are discussed.

The course is taught by Greg Hohn, an award-winning instructor in the MBA program at UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Hohn presents applied improv programs in academic and corporate settings nationwide. A professional actor since 1989, he is director of Transactors Improv and teaches in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Professional Actor Training Program.

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Personal Legacy Letters: Preserving Your Values for Your Family, Friends, and Community

Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, Mar 25, Apr 1, 8, 15. Course #2443

(This course has been canceled.)

We all want to be remembered, and every life’s story is worth remembering. People of any age and life stage benefit from expressing their wisdom on paper. Legacy letters (also known as ethical wills) allow you to honor the past, capture the present, and inform the future. A personal legacy letter is the perfect way to convey gratitude to loved ones; pass on your life lessons, values, and hopes for the future; and even ask for and grant forgiveness. This course includes many guided interactive exercises and reflective writing opportunities. No formal writing experience is necessary.

Course instructors Elin Abercrombie and Melissa Carter are both certified in thanatology through the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Abercrombie has over twenty years of experience counseling families and adolescents and facilitating support groups for survivors of sexual violence. Carter was a school psychologist for a number of years and has experience in grief counseling.

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Abraham Lincoln: An Introduction

Mondays, 7–9 pm, Mar 31, Apr 7, 14, 21. Course #2433

This class offers an A-to-Z look at the life of the sixteenth president of the United States. Take an alphabetical romp through a topic as vast as it is interesting: “a” is for Lincoln’s autobiographical writings, “b” for his biographers, “c” for the chronology of his life, and so on. CEUs will be awarded.

This course is taught by longtime Community Classroom Series instructor Robert Porter, who teaches African and Afro-American studies and history at UNC-Chapel Hill and has won numerous teaching awards. Porter has taught several enrichment courses on Abraham Lincoln over the years for both Elderhostel and the UNC General Alumni Association.

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The Past and Future of the Carolina Campus Grounds

Mondays, 7–9 pm, Mar 31, Apr 7, 14, 21. Course #2434

(This course has been canceled.)

The Carolina campus has long been known for its beautiful landscaped gardens and quadrangles. This four-part seminar discusses the evolution of the Carolina campus from a landscape architecture and horticultural viewpoint. Sessions include a historic overview of landmarks such as McCorkle and Polk Places, the Bell Tower, Boxwood Garden, and the Battle Theatre; a roundtable discussion on landscape design and preservation; and presentations from design experts on how to better preserve and enhance the campus grounds. Plan to take a walking tour of the campus.

The course is taught by architect Paul Hardin Kapp, campus historic preservation manager and lecturer in the Department of City and Regional Planning. Through the generosity of a Campus Heritage Grant from the Getty Foundation, Dr. Peter White, director of the North Carolina Botanical Garden, and Jill Coleman, landscape architect for UNC Facilities Planning, will be guest speakers.

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Princess, Geisha, Beauty Queen: Japan Through its Bad Girls

Mondays, 7–9 pm, Mar 31, Apr 7, 14, 21. Course #2435

This course explores how such colorful icons of femininity as the princess, the geisha, and the beauty queen have represented Japan domestically and across the globe.  Comparing famous Japanese beauties from the 1950s with their counterparts today takes us to conversations on the interplay of cosmopolitanism and consumption; controversies over the meanings of gender, race, and national identity; and the history of feminism and femininity in postwar Japan and the United States. Slide lectures, film clips, and short readings lead to participant discussion and an exploration of the transgressive misdeeds associated with these ultra-feminine women. CEUs will be awarded.

Instructor Jan Bardsley teaches classes on Japanese theater, literature, and geisha in the Department of Asian Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is the author of The Bluestockings of Japan: New Women Fiction and Essays from Seito, 1911–1916 and co-editor of Bad Girls of Japan.

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Registration

Registration is closed.

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Location

Courses are held at the Friday Center, which offers ample free parking. The Friday Center is located approximately three miles east of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, just off Highway 54 East (Raleigh Road). The Center is a short distance from Interstate 40 (from Raleigh, I-40 exit 273A; from Greensboro, I-40 exit 273). See Directions to the Friday Center.

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