The following press release was written by Media Relations Intern Richard Tyler, a junior broadcast journalism/public relations major from St. Clairsville, Ohio. 

This spring the Community University at West Liberty University continues to offer a stimulating learning environment to people age 50 and older.

“Community University programs include topics from the arts and literature, sciences and technology, history, religion, business and commerce and current events,” said Jeff Knierim, WLU’s vice president of community engagement and coordinator of the program. The Community University relies on volunteer presenters that engage older adults as learners. Most classes meet at WLU’s Highlands Center.

Amelia Jeffers, president of Garth Auctions, presents a class to an overflow crowd.

Spring 2014 courses include:

Movies with Art, presenter: Dr. Art Barbeau, this course will be taught in a series of eight classes, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Wednesdays, March 19 – May 7. Children’s movies are the topic of this class.

Military Aircraft, presenter: Jon Letzkus, this course will be taught in a series of two classes, 10-11:30 a.m., Monday, March 24, 1:30 – 3 p.m., Wednesday, March 26.   View the world’s largest aircraft collection, located at the National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB. All photos in the course were taken by Letzkus.

Wow! Who Lived There: Virtual Tour of Some of Wheeling’s Most Notable Homes, presenters: Dr. Jeanne Finstein and Judi Hendrickson, 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, March 27. Take an inside look at the many beautiful homes located in Wheeling, from old style Victorians to more “modern” houses.

Baseball Perspective, presenter: Bo McConnaughy, this course will be taught in a series of four classes, 10-11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, April 1-22. Veteran baseball coach and former professional baseball player Bo McConnaughy will share his experiences and the rich tradition of West Liberty University’s baseball team, where he played during his college years, and coached for 30 years.

World of Wine, presenter: Aron Massey, this course will be taught in a series of four classes, 1:30-3 p.m., Wednesdays, April 2-23. This course will introduce the topic of wine through a geographic perspective. Examine what wine is, how grapes are grown, winemaking techniques and grape growing regions across the world. This class includes an optional wine tasting during each presentation, participants are asked to bring a glass and pay a fee of $5 per week, if they wish to participate.

PowerPoint for Dummies, presenter: Earl Nicodemus, 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 3. This course will explain how to properly use PowerPoint for face-to-face projects, or community based activities that require visual aides.

Adventures in Transportation Part 2, presenter: Dale Rothert, 1:30-3 p.m., Thursday, April 3. Rothert will show a variety of unusual transportation happenings, including how transportation evolved, where a U.S. president stopped in the area for breakfast, a rare look at a top-secret plane and much more.

Addiction Basics, Current Issues, Treatment, presenter: Addiction Counselor Patrick Condron, this course will be taught in a series of four classes, 1:30-3 p.m., Mondays, April 7-28. This course will cover topics from how drugs work to current issues such as legalization, decriminalization, harm reduction and treatment issues.

Building the Oglebay Foundation: Journey from Experimental Farm to Model Municipal Park, presenter: Eriks Janelsins, 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 10. Explore the extraordinary circumstances that lead to the creation of the Wheeling Park Commission and learn about the legacy and vision of Col. Earl W. Oglebay.

9-11 Contextualized, presenter: Dr. Michael Strada, 1:30-3 p.m., Thursday, April 10. In this course, George W. Bush’s official 9-11 interview will be played uninterrupted, followed by questions and the presenter’s opinions on 9-11.

Securing Your Key Information in Cybersecurity, presenter: Jim Clark, 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, April 17. The increase of dependence on technology means a need for greater security online. For this reason, cybesecurity is a shared responsibility. Learn how to keep online information out of the hands of Internet hackers.

Tour of Washington DC Monuments, Museums and the City, presenter: Jerry Vinci, 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, April 24. Explore the growth of our nation’s capital, from swampland to bustling city and learn about the history surrounding some of the greatest monuments, including the controversies and myths that come with them.

How Can I Run for Local Political Office, presenter: John Bonassi, 1:30-3 p.m., Thursday, April 24. Bonassi has a 360-degree understanding of government and politics. In this course, he will discuss how to gather a campaign team, how to register to run for office, how to fundraise and how to deal with the media.

Bones of a Story: Finding and Telling Your Family Story, presenter: Storyteller Judy Tarowsky, 1:30-3 p.m., Wednesday, April 30. Tarowsky will discuss and demonstrate the tools available to anyone who wants to research family histories, as well as what this information can mean to future generations.

Investing 101, presenter: Certified Financial Planner Russell Dunkin, 1:30-3 p.m., Wednesday, May 7. This course will explore the fundamental basis for making investments, what’s important and what to ignore, and whether or not someone should invest alone or with an advisor.

Preparing for Retirement, presenter: Financial Advisor Daniel Young, 10-11:30 a.m., Thursday, May 8. This course will address two important issues when considering retirement: Social Security and health care. This class will discuss how Social Security fits into retirement plans, when a person should start taking benefits and tax considerations.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly – Aging, presenter: Licensed Social Worker Ann Koegler, 1:30-3 p.m., Thursday, May 8. This course will discuss the ‘goods, the bads, and the uglies’ of aging, such as what to expect when aging and the possible fears of aging.

Classes are scheduled conveniently during the day at the Highlands Center in most cases. Students pay a nominal fee ($25) per term and can attend as many of the Community University classes as they wish.

For more information on Community University, please contact Knierim at 304.336.8301 or jknierim@westliberty.edu. To reach the WLU Highlands Center, located just across the street from Marquee Cinema at the Highland Shopping Complex, please call 304.217.2800.