Colgate University
EN-11: Continuing Education

SAMPLE COURSES

UPSTATE INSTITUTE'S LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAM: 14 out of 28 courses offered.
Internet Tools for Garden Design: Elizabeth Douglas
Learn how to use free and low-cost Internet tools to plan and visualize beautiful gardens and landscapes in all four seasons. We’ll use top online garden catalogs to identify the best plants for a site; then we’ll put together image boards on Pinterest to determine the most ideal combinations of plants. After that, we’ll look at Garden Puzzle to lay out a scaled planting design online and see it in all four seasons. Finally, we’ll go to YouTube’s most professional sources for planting how-to. There will be an emphasis on deer-resistant plants. No gardening experience is necessary.
Thursday, January 30 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the Hamilton Public Library

Use it or Lose it?: Data and Controversy Regarding Whether Mental Exercise Mitigates Age-
related Cognitive Decline: Douglas Johnson
Can age-related changes in cognition be slowed (or avoided all together) by reading books, working Sudoku problems, solving crossword puzzles or engaging in other forms of “mental exercise”? This course presents some of the empirical evidence used to address this question and we will discuss why the answer is less clear than as portrayed in most popular press pieces on the topic.
Tuesday, January 28 from 4:00 – 5:30 pm at the Colgate Bookstore

American Women and World War I: Overseas, On the Home Front, and On the Battle Lines of Suffrage: Laurie Loewenstein
When the United States officially entered World War I in April 1917, a transforming moment was also unintentionally marked for American women. This course will explore the ways in which American women stepped up as members of military and relief units in France; as munitions, railroad, postal, and other ground-breaking workers at home; and as newly radicalized suffragists.
Tuesday, February 4 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the Colgate Bookstore

Perspectives from an Israeli Army Veteran: Evan Chartier
This workshop will explore our perceptions and stereotypes about the Israeli military. Evan Chartier, a senior at Colgate University, will share his personal experiences and how they relate to commonly held beliefs about this controversial topic.
Monday, February 24 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the Hamilton Public Library

Secrets for a Strong and Flexible Spine: Dr. Susan Marafino
Join local chiropractor, Dr. Susan Marafino for this healthy back program. Discover the secrets to a strong, fit, and flexible spine. Stay active and injury-free with a healthy back while developing optimal core support and joint mobility. During this workshop, participants will learn exercises and ergonomic strategies to gain the strength and flexibility needed for a healthy back.
Thursday, February 27 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the Colgate Bookstore

The Aftermath of the Great Recession: Nicole Simpson
This course will discuss the impact of the Great Recession on the U.S. economy. We will analyze the origins of the recession and the various policy tools used to fight it, including the transformation of U.S. monetary policy. We will debate the effectiveness of fiscal stimulus, and analyze the dreadful fiscal situation in the U.S. We will also discuss how the U.S. recession triggered a series of economic events worldwide.
Mondays, March 24 & 31 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm at the Colgate Bookstore

Scavenger Hunt in the Robert Linsley Geological Museum: Colgate geology students
The Robert M. Linsley Geology Museum exhibits minerals, rocks, and fossils, highlighting the beauty and wonder of these objects while also informing visitors about how geologists study the Earth. Threaded throughout the museum is a specific focus on what we know about New York State's geologic past. After a brief orientation to the museum, LLP students will participate in a scavenger hunt to become familiar with the fascinating items on display in this “gem” of a museum.
Tuesday, April 1 from 3:30 – 4:30 pm at the Robert Linsley Geological Museum, Colgate University

Life of a Migrating Songbird: John Pumilio
Birds are omnipresent in Central New York. But what do we really know about their incredible life history? Each year millions of birds migrate thousands of miles across continents and over oceans. How do they do it and where do they go? In this presentation, we explore the latest science attempting to unravel the amazing lives of migrating songbirds.
Tuesday, April 29 from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Hamilton Public Library

The Future of Hamilton: Searching for the Greater Good: Dick Cheshire, Moderator
A look at some of the critical issues facing interested citizens of our local communities. Knowledge is power. A series of three discussions that search for the greater good of our community will be moderated by Dick Cheshire, a founder and teaching regular of the Lifelong Learning Program.

Art as an Economic Engine: Anja Chavez, Monday, May 5
Anja Chavez, Director University Museums at Colgate University, will speak on the challenge of attracting visitors to Hamilton who otherwise wouldn't come while enlivening the interest of those who are here. What will it take for a Center for Art and Culture to be a catalyst?

Strengthening Business Downtown: Shannon Mantaro, Monday, May 12
Shannon Mantaro, Executive Director, Hamilton Initiative, LLC and Managing Director, Partnership for Community Development, will discuss how a small business environment with room for economic growth would add to local prosperity and community sustainability.

Planning Colgate's Future: Jeffrey Herbst, Monday, May 19
Jeffrey Herbst, President of Colgate University, will talk about how Colgate is diversifying its campus to meet its competitive challenges and how this may impact Hamilton and the surrounding region.

Ethical Issues in a Changing World: John Morris
This course will examine some ethical themes in Western Literature and Philosophy through works such as Sophocles’ Antigone, Aristotle’s Ethics, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, George Eliot’s Middlemarch, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway. These authors all raise important ethical questions in quite different ways. They ask not only how we should relate to one another but also reveal how ethical questions relate to our understanding of ourselves as part of an evolving world.
Tuesdays, May 6, 13, & 20 from 3:00 – 4:30 pm at the Hamilton Public Library

Active Listening: The Skill of a Lifetime: Thad Mantaro and Mark Thompson
As we become busier, and life becomes impacted by technology overload, the art of effective listening becomes more and more valuable. The difference between hearing someone and listening to someone is enormous. Effective listening skills help us to be fully present for another and to be grounded in the moment. Showing friends and family members you deeply understand not only their words but their unique life experience, can change relationships in a profound way. Active listening helps those you are communicating with feel valued and understood. In this interactive workshop participants will learn the theory behind active listening and also engage in participatory exercises and activities to practice the skill of active listening.
Wednesday, June 4 from 12:00 – 1:30 pm at the Hamilton Public Library

2013 SUMMER ON THE HILL (Sample Courses): 10 courses out of 16 offered.
Johnston: Moral Education and the Preparation of Teachers
Cushing: The Use and Abuse of The Bible in America
Kraly: Human Population and Global Environmental Change
Thomson: Rwanda: A Phoenix from the Ashes of Genocide
Ramachandran: Technology and Disruption
Selleck: Geology, Energy, and the Environment
Holm: Beyond Contagion: Emerging Infectious Diseases
Common Thread Community Farm Tour
Local Energy Extraction Attractions
Hamilton Whole Foods: Inside Look at a Small Business Restaurant

SCIENCE TEACHERS AFFILIATES (Sample Courses): 4 out of 12 offered.
Fostering a Culture of Sustainability at Home and in the Classroom
In this course, participants will explore the history, concept and practice of sustainability. We will focus on "green" practices from both an organizational and personal level so that you can take what you learn into the classroom or into your home. Additionally, we will introduce carbon footprints and review climate change policies, programs, and mitigation strategies. Portions of this workshop will be interactive so come prepared to meet others and get involved.

Colgate does not offer any continuing education certificate programs. However, we offer a Green Office Certification for offices that participate in our Green Office Program and complete a series of action items over the course of a semester. As part of this program, we also offer a seven-week book club style discussion course.