SENIOR UNIVERSITY OF GREATER ATLANTA
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  • HOME
  • 2025 Summer
    • Calendar
    • Instructor Bios
  • Membership
    • Member Reviews
  • Field Trips
  • DONATE
  • About Us
    • Officers-Board-Committees
  • FAQs
  • Contact & Location

Spring 2023
​at SUGA 

MARCH 14 - MAY 10
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Reminder!

SUGA will be on Spring Break April 3-7
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​Please take note whether instruction will be conducted via Zoom or In-Person.

​ZOOM CLASSES
 - LINKS will be sent 5:00 pm ET evening before class.  ​Please check your spam folder if not received. 

IN-PERSON - ​Physical Address:
Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Hwy., Tucker, GA 30087

​

Each Class Meets Once Per Week for one hour unless otherwise indicated.  

BECOME A MEMBER Today!
Calendar Version

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​ZOOM Options 


Tuesdays - ZOOM

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9:30 AM - ZOOM
 
POTPOURRI
George Wieder, Member, SUGA
 
Potpourri is always the chance to learn a little of this, a little of that! George Wieder is organizing 8 different intriguing classes where you will learn more about such topics as Transgender Issues, The History of English Music, the Second Amendment, How to get the most out of your iPhone, Anesthesiology, Bee-Keeping, the Atlanta Regional Commission, and more about nature from a local Park Ranger. Come see what else is in store in this always fascinating potpourri of topics.

March 14 – History of English Music
LIVE from Salisbury England, Jonathan Robinson will take us on a fast tempo history of western church music in audio and visual form; starting from synagogue worship before the birth of Christ and leading up to contemporary choral music and worship songs in the present day, via the West Gallery band and GregorianChant.
 
March 21 - So You’re Going to Have Surgery: What Do You Need to Know?
As we age, it is not uncommon for people to have surgery ranging from a basic procedure, like cataract extraction, to more complex surgeries involving major organ systems. When faced with the possibility of surgery, what do you need to know about the anesthesia for the procedure? Are there things that you can do to prepare for the surgery? How do you have a conversation with your surgeon to better understand possible outcomes?  SUGA member Arnold Berry, MD will provide guidance on how to navigate these issues.
 
March 28 -  Meet the Honey Bee
Join Master Beekeeper Linda Tillman as she shares the many interesting aspects of her favorite insect, the honey bee. Linda has been keeping bees since 2006 and has hives in her own yard, her daughter's yard and at a community garden. She is passionate about and fascinated by the honey bee and loves introducing the public to the way they live and make honey. Linda shares her recipes for cooking with honey on her YouTube channel and has won prizes for her breads and cakes made with her honey.
April 11 –  The Background of Second Amendment to the Constitution, Gun Violence in the United States, and the Political Appetite of Americans for Change.
    Students will study the history of the Second Amendment and its origins in English law, the American colonial charters, and the Bill of Rights, and the evolution of restrictions on firearms by the federal government beginning in the 1930s as a result of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre and the attempted assassination of President Franklin Roosevelt. The speaker – James Deichert, who has practiced criminal law for over 50 years, will address modern day efforts to restrict gun violence by the Gun Control Act of 1968, the Brady Bill (which requires background checks and its exemptions), and the so-called “red flag laws” which allow the government to seize firearms from private citizens. The class will focus on the Supreme Court’s decisions in the Heller and Bruen cases. The class will also survey gun control laws in other Western cultures and their effectiveness and discuss the political appetite and will in the United States to bring about changes to our gun control laws.  
 
Suggested homework for students: 
View a brief but concise (4 minute) YouTube video from the History Channel that provides basic background on the Second Amendment debate as of 2018:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TGcU0lmINk  Click on the link to view. 
 
To read the Supreme Court’s rulings on the issue of firearm possession go to www.SupremeJusticia.comand read the Syllabus (a succinct but unofficial executive summary of a Supreme Court opinion) in the cases of District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008) and NY State Rifle and Pistol Assn. v. Bruen, 597 U.S. ___ (2022).
April 18 – The Art of Advocating for Our Transgender Community
Finding ways to be supportive can be hard, especially for potential allies who are struggling to understand and accept transgender people in their lives. Guiding us through this class will be Ann Miller, currently serving on PFLAG’s National Board of Directors and the mother of a transgender son; and
Jeff Graham, Executive Director of Georgia Equality and an advocate for the GLBTQI communities since coming out in college in the mid 80’s.
 
April 25 – A Conversation with Author, TV Host, Storyteller, and Park Ranger
Jonah McDonald.
About three years ago Jonah spoke at Senior University as Park Ranger for Mason Mill Park. Since then he has expanded his books and story telling on a TV series. You won’t want to miss Jonah’s captivating accounts of area history!
 
Living History on AIB TV (Season One | Season Two)
Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure (secretatlanta.com)
Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Intown and Out (hikingatlanta.com)
Storyteller: www.atlantastoryteller.com
Park Ranger:www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks/mason-mill-park
 
 
May 2 – Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC)
The world is changing fast. It’s more complex and connected than ever before. The only certainty, it seems, is change.Here in metro Atlanta, our population is booming and growing more diverse. We’re living longer, too. The Atlanta Regional Commission is charged with peering into the future and working with our partners across the community to plan for a better, brighter tomorrow.
Longtime ARC member Mike Carnathan will guide us through Regional Commission responsibilities and highlight major issues.
On any given day, ARC works with local jurisdictions and various regional partners to:
  •  Plan new transportation options
  •  Wisely manage precious water resources
  •  Provide services for the region’s older adults and individuals with disabilities
  •  Provide data to inform leaders and decision-makers
  •  Cultivate leaders to meet the region’s challenges
  •  Coordinate with local first responders in preparing for a secure region
  •  Engage the public on key regional issues
May 9 – How To Get the Most Out of Your iPhone!
SUGA member and law professor Roy Sobelson is ready to take on a new challenge: helping us understand the technological marvel we call an iPhone!
 
Roy will give us tips about battery power, privacy, security, reducing clutter, photography, messaging and more. His ambitious goal is to empower us to wow grandchildren and friends! Be sure to install the latest IOS updates for all iPhone models 8 to 14 before the class.
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11:00 AM - ZOOM
 
RESEARCH IS IMPROVING HEALTH WORLDWIDE
Emory National Primate Research Center Researchers. Lisa Newbern, Coordinator
 
In this virtual course, you’ll hear directly from Emory National Primate Research Center researchers who are dedicated to helping you and your loved ones live longer, healthier lives. From Alzheimer’s disease to Zika virus, our researchers are making discoveries and improving health worldwide.

List of Speakers:

March 14
Paul Johnson, MD
Director, Emory NPRC
“Translational Research and the Emory Primate Center”


March 21
Joyce Cohen, VMD, DACLAM
Associate Director, Animal Resources, Emory NPRC
“Veterinary Medicine and Nonhuman Primate Research”

March 28
Paula Clifford, Executive Director, and
Jim Newman, Director of Strategic Communications
Americans for Medical Progress
“AMP's Communications, Security and Outreach Efforts to Protect and Defend Biomedical
Research”

April 11
Aurelie Menigoz, PhD
Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders, Emory NPRC
“Sugar, Diet and Mental Health”
April 18
Mike Kuhar, PhD
Affiliate Researcher, Emory NPRC
“Drug and Behavioral Addictions”


April 25
Sudhir Kasturi, PhD
Assistant Professor, Emory School of Medicine and Emory NPRC Researcher
“COVID-19 Research and Treatments”


May 2
Ian Moore, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Director, Division of Pathology, Emory NPRC
“Veterinary Pathology: The Ever Evolving Roles and Responsibilities of Comparative Pathology
in Biomedical Research and Beyond”


May 9
Thomas Wichmann, MD
Associate Director for Scientific Programs, Emory NPRC
“Parkinson’s Disease”

Thursdays - ZOOM

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9:30 AM - ZOOM
 
SHORT PLAY PRESENTATIONS FROM MERELY WRITERS
Daniel Guyton, Playwright, Screenwriter, actor and professor
 
Merely Writers is a writing group started in conjunction with Merely Players Presents - a community theatre in Doraville, GA. For this event, we will host Zoom readings of stage plays written by local playwrights and members of Merely Writers. After each performance, we will have a talkback with the cast and writer, which all audience members are invited to attend. Each week will include a separate play, or collection of plays as time permits. For more information on Merely Players Presents, please visit: Atlanta | Merely Players Presents | United States or go to https://www.merelyplayerspresents.com/

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11:00 AM - ZOOM
 
THE AMERICAN WAR IN VIETNAM
Sal Depasquale, MCJ (Criminal Justice), MBA
 
September 1, 1858: French troops invaded Vietnam at the port city of Da Nang. The Vietnamese could accept the invasion as fate and accept occupation, enslavement, exploitation, rape, murder, kidnapping and theft. Or, they could fight. They chose to fight. This was the beginning of the Vietnam War.  America remains haunted by the war. How did America become involved in combat operations in this far away and remote country in Southeast Asia? This class examines a broad span of history so events may be viewed within context.  The recent Ken Burns documentary about the war suggests there are many truths in war, attempting to appear as a neutral arbiter between supporters of the American War and dissenters. I argue there is one, and only one, truth in war. There may be many viewpoints arguing that if this, that, or another thing had been done, the truth would have turned out differently, but that does not change truth.  Harvard Professor Frederik Logevall won a Pulitzer Prize for his history of the war titled Embers of War.  He also wrote a shorter book for introduction to a seminar series encapsulating a wide range of scholarship on the war, The Origins of the Vietnam War (Seminar Studies) 1st Edition, Frederik Logevall (2014). Kindle Edition.


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​In-Person Options


Wednesdays - In-Person

9:30 am - In-Person
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GEOGRAPHIC TRIPS: EIGHT THEMES IN CULTURAL & POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY
John Allensworth, PhD, Geography, Kent State & Georgia State Univ. (retired), Member, SUGA
  • ​Week 1: Ireland: A virtual excursion from Dublin southward and westward to Galway
  • Week 2: Ireland: a virtual excursion from Galway northward to Northern Ireland and return to Dublin
  • Week 3: “A Man, a Plan, a Canal, Panama"
  • Week 4: Traveling Along the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois
  • Week 5: A Virtual Field Trip in Northern India and Bhutan
  • Week 6: English Gardens and Landscapes: The Cotswolds and Southeastern England
  • Week 7: Historic Route 66: From the Chicago Loop to the Santa Monica Pier
  • Week 8: Central America and the root causes of the current U.S. southern border crisis

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GREAT DECISIONS
George Brown. Ph.D. (International Relations), retired President/CEO of Friendship Force, Travel Coordinator, Member, SUGA
 
Great Decisions is an annual program developed by the Foreign Policy Association (FPA), a non-partisan organization whose mission is to promote interest and understanding of policy issues that impact our world. Fascinating topics for 2023 include: Energy Geopolitics; War Crimes; China and the U.S.; Economic Warfare; Politics in Latin America; Global Famine; Iran at a Crossroads; and Climate Migration.  Copies of the Briefing Book are available for purchase ($35) through the FPA Bookstore at FPA.org

11:00 AM - In-Person
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THE UNSEEN ISRAEL – PART I
Timothy Gelinas, Financial Planner and owner, Senior Financial Services, LLC. Frequent traveler to Israel.

Pursue an expanded journey through Northern Israel, exploring sites rarely seen on traditional tours. This course is Part 1 of a 6-part series designed to capture your imagination & open your eyes to the spiritual relevance of these physical locations. Allow yourself to be moved by the history & Heart of God as our incredible journey unfolds. Places we will visit include Magdala, Mt. Hermon, Mt. Tabor, Megiddo, Jezreel Valley, Hazor, Tel Dan, the Sea of Galilee, ruins of Capernaum, Chorazin, Bethsaida, Hippos, Zippori and the Golan Heights.

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THE ORCHESTRA: BEYOND 101
Rosemary Woolfitt, Coordinator, Member, SUGA.  Paul Bhasin, DSO Music Director/Conductor
 
The Orchestra – Beyond 101: What don’t you know about orchestras … the instruments, the people who play them, and the music performed through the ages?  Here’s your opportunity to fill in the gaps and get answers to your questions. Each of the 8 sessions will feature a different representative from the DeKalb Symphony Orchestra (DSO) in a mixture of live instrumental performance, informative presentation, guided listening and interactive dialogue. Meet the Conductor, Concertmaster, principals, players and their instruments … and explore over 500 years of Western music and its various composers, genres, styles, cultural influences and historical elements. DSO cellist and SUGA member, Rosemary Woolfitt, will be your moderator and course guide in this informative and fascinating exploration.

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This project is supported by Georgia Humanities in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through appropriations made by the Georgia General Assembly.

Fridays - In-Person

9:30 AM - In-Person
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AN OVERVIEW OF THE WORK OF THE GBI
Liz Bigham, Special Agent, Georgia Bureau of Investigation
 
Agent Bigham will introduce this course with an overview, to be followed by seven other Special Agents covering such topics as Gang Trends and Active Shooter Situations, Officer Involved Shooting Investigations, Human Trafficking, Domestic Terrorism/Threats, the Role of Intelligence Analysts, Drug Investigations, and Crime Scene Investigations. 

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GILBERT & SULLIVAN
Larry Pinson, Member, SUGA
 
Gilbert and Sullivan was a notable Victorian-era theatrical partnership. The creativity of this team contributed much to 19th century music theater, initially in England but, soon, world-wide. The unique lyrics and cleverly matched musical scores deriving from each of their perspectives and personalities resulted in their works' 150 years of popularity!  Four of their 14 operettas continue regularly to be produced by music theater and opera companies.  We will enjoy their creativity by viewing acts and scenes of several of their operettas. Depth of understanding will be enhanced by discussing contexts influencing their creativity. We will consider the extent of acceptance and the continuing successes of their works.   ​

11:00 AM - In-Person
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WEST SIDE STORY AND ITS CREATORS
Anne MacDougal, Member, SUGA
 
West Side Story, the iconic musical from 1957 that is roughly based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, was revolutionary for its time. It’s interesting to take a look at its creators – first Arthur Laurents (book/script), Jerome Robbins (choreography) and Leonard Bernstein (music), then joined by Stephen Sondheim (lyrics), and finally Hal Prince and Robert Griffiths (production). We’ll take a look at each of them in detail, spending about an hour on each one. The last two sessions will be a study of West Side Story contrasted with Franco Zeffirelli’s film of Romeo and Juliet.


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INSIDE SUGA: INTERVIEWS
Judy Plecko, Art Slavin, & Ann Levine, Members, SUGA
 
Senior University is a cross section of people from different occupations and areas of the country and the world. Did you ever wonder about some of your fellow members?? This is your chance to learn more about them in a structured way.  Members will be interviewed with insights gained about how they came to SUGA and what they like most about it.  If you ever watched “Inside the Actors Studio”, you will especially enjoy this class.



​Book Club

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The SUGA Book Club will meeting twice per quarter.  Below are our 2023 selected titles.

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For more information, or if you would like to lead a discussion, please contact Kay Collins:
[email protected]
SPRING TERM
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MARCH 15
​HOW MUCH OF THESE HILLS IS GOLD

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MAY 3
THE SWEETNESS OF WATER

​SUMMER TERM
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JULY 12
​THE DAUGHTERS OF YALTA

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AUGUST 16
​HOMEGOING

​FALL TERM
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SEPTEMBER 20
​THE ROSE CODE

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NOVEMBER 1
THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

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