We understand that finding time for learning can be challenging, so we've created this series for you. Instructors choose a subject they’re passionate about and willingly share their time to make this program meaningful.
Offered online via Zoom, this is a wonderful opportunity for you to grab a cup of coffee, relax, and engage in enriching and enjoyable interactions that nourish both the mind and spirit. We hope to see you there!
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The Bahāʾī Faith: Origins, Beliefs, and Global Community | $50 Gershon Lewental
January 20-February 24, 2026 | Tuesdays | 1:00-2:30pm
The Bahāʾī faith, which emerged in the second half of the Nineteenth Century in Iran as the youngest of the Abrahamic religions, has developed into a global community with distinctive theological principles, administrative structures, and ritual practices. This course situates the faith within its broader historical and cultural context, beginning with its origins in Nineteenth-Century Iranian Shīʿī society and continuing through its expansion during the Twentieth Century, while considering how modernity and new social ideals shaped Bahāʾī identity and organisation. Across six sessions, we will explore basic Bahāʾī beliefs and theology; the historical development of the faith; the evolution of leadership and the formation of Bahāʾī institutions, centred on their spiritual administration in Haifa and ʿAkko in northern Israel; the scriptural tradition, legal framework, and daily practices; and finally, contemporary challenges facing Bahāʾīs, including ongoing persecution in Iran and the Middle East. The course provides an accessible introduction to a religion whose history reflects some of the central transformations of the modern Middle East and the contemporary global era.
Salt: Earth’s Most Edible Rock | $5 Ken Johnson (Mornings with a Professor)
February 10, 2026 | Tuesday | 9:30-11:00am
Salt is a crystalline mineral, also known as rock salt or halite (NaCl—sodium chloride). Dissolved NaCl is present in vast quantities in seawater, and, when seawater evaporates, layers of halite crystallize from the brine and can form massive deposits of rock salt. Western Oklahoma was the site of such deposition about 275 million years ago, and thus, vast reserves of salt are present below the land surface (locally, this salt is dissolved by groundwater and emerges in salt flats, such as the Great Salt Plains in Alfalfa County). Historically, salt has been used as a trade item and as a form of currency; at times, it was worth its weight in gold. Although salt was scraped from salt flats in prehistoric times, the earliest method of processing salt involved evaporating seawater or water from salt springs to recover the salt. Later, mining of underground deposits enabled the recovery of large quantities of salt for use and trade. Salt is essential for human and animal life, is used for seasoning and preserving foods, and is the most edible of rocks or minerals. It is also one of the most widely used minerals in manufacturing and industrial processes.
All About Lightning and How to Stay Safe | $5 William Beasley (Mornings with the Professor)
February 20, 2026 | Friday | 9:30-11:00am
In this course, I will present an introduction to the phenomena and the elementary (no math) physics of lightning. I will emphasize not only the spectacular phenomena of lightning but also important facts about lightning safety and protection, just in time for Spring thunderstorms.
Jerusalem: The City of Three Great Religions and of Conflict | $5 Ken Johnson (Mornings with the Professor)
March 18, 2026 | Wednesday | 9:30-11:00am
The long history of Jerusalem has led to modern conflicts over who controls the city that contains religious sites important for Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Jerusalem, first settled around 3000 B.C., was captured by David from the Canaanites around 1000 B.C.; it then became the center of Judaism and is the location of the most holy of Jewish sites—the First and Second Temples (destroyed), and now the Western Wall. The life, teachings, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ established Jerusalem’s importance to Christianity, and early Christians regarded it as the “Center of the World.” Jerusalem is also a holy site for Muslims, from which the Prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven to receive revelations from Allah. And the conflicts continue.
Wellness from Within: Building a Spiritually Grounded Self-Care Plan | $50 Valerie McDaniel
March 26-April 16, 2026 | Thursdays | 10:00am-12:00pm
True wellness goes beyond physical health—it requires attention to the mind, body, and spirit. This session invites participants to explore the role of spiritual connection in sustaining balance, resilience, and meaning in everyday life. Together, we will: define whole-self wellness and its core dimensions, examine how spiritual practices can strengthen self-care, identify common barriers to maintaining spiritual balance, learn practical tools for creating a spiritually rooted self-care plan, and explore strategies to sustain growth and holistic well-being over time. Participants will complete this course with a deeper understanding of how to align self-care practices with their spiritual values, fostering both personal renewal and long-term wellness.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lightning but Were Afraid to Ask | $50 William Beasley
March 27-April 17, 2026 | Fridays | 10:00am-12:00pm
In this course, I will present an introduction to the phenomena and the elementary (no math) physics of lightning. I will emphasize not only the spectacular phenomena of lightning but also important facts about lightning safety and protection, just in time for Spring thunderstorms.
Fascinating and Exotic Islands (Part 1): Iceland, Bermuda, and the Falklands | $50 Ken Johnson
April 6-April 27, 2026 | Mondays | 10:00-11:30am
Islands range in size from Greenland, the largest island (823,000 miles²), to small, unmapped rocky islets that are just out of the water. Islands can be rifted parts of continents or be raised up by tectonic activity (i.e., Greenland and Falkland Islands), can result from volcanism (Iceland and Hawaii), can be built up by reefs (Bermuda and other atolls), can be due to glacial activity (Long Island and Martha’s Vineyard), or can be barrier islands (Cape Hatteras and Padre Island). Always critical to islands forming or disappearing is the rise or fall of sea level: islands appear or enlarge as sea level drops, or become smaller or even disappear as sea level rises. Learn where islands come from, in general, and then explore in depth the origin, history, and culture of three fascinating islands: Iceland (“Land of Fire and Ice”), Bermuda (“A Jewel in the North Atlantic Ocean”), and the Falklands (“Remote Islands Contested by Britain and Argentina”).
Exercise is Medicine: Diet and Exercise to Combat Chronic Disease | $50 Brian Pribble
May 15-June 12, 2026 | Fridays | 10:00-11:30am
This class will introduce the concept of exercise (and nutrition) as medicine. Students will learn about the most common age-related chronic diseases and how to combat them through the implementation of a proper exercise and nutrition regimen. The first part of the class will discuss the links between obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and the development of age-related chronic diseases. The second part will teach students how to implement an exercise and diet regimen to combat chronic disease.
The Tower of London: A Fascinating Part of British History | $5 Ken Johnson (Mornings with the Professor)
June 17, 2026 | Wednesday | 9:30-11:00am
The famed Tower of London has been the scene of some of Britain’s most dramatic and compelling history. It has been a royal residence, a zoo, a prison, an execution site, a museum, and a repository for the Crown Jewels. Construction was started in 1075 AD by William the Conqueror to demonstrate Norman dominance over the recently conquered Anglo-Saxons. The original Tower has been enhanced and expanded with the addition of more towers, extra buildings, moats, and walls, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From 1100 to 1954, more than 8,000 persons have been imprisoned in the Tower, but only 22 have been executed within the Tower grounds; most executions (about 125) occurred on Tower Hill, just outside the Tower walls. Among the more famous prisoners were four queens of England (Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Lady Jane Grey, and Elizabeth I), Sir Walter Raleigh, two English princes, Guy Fawkes, and Rudolf Hess; however, not all these prisoners were executed. Come and find out about the ravens, the beefeaters, the Traitors’ Gate, and the fascinating history of one of Britain’s greatest landmarks.
