Our residents will find the Academy’s fourth Fall program is our most ambitious offering to date, including courses offered by nine Festival Community Scholars!

It provides twenty different courses and three exciting field trip options designed to increase community members’ knowledge of subjects ranging from journeying back in time to explore “Pre-Columbian Southwest Native American Art”  with ASU instructor, Allen Reamers or navigating the mysteries of “How Your Brain Works” with ASU’s Emeritus Faculty member, Dr. Ernie Stech.

These two popular ASU faculty members are joined by fellow faculty members, Dr. Diane Gruber, the former Director of ASU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Program, Dr. Lou-ellen Finter, Dr. George Jeffers, Bob Burnett and Dr. Colleen Carmean, Director of Digital Architecture for ASU’s College of Public Programs. The Academy’s schedule also returns Business Community instructors, Victor La Rosa, Bob Jeckel and Paul Dobrusin who will offer courses in Investing, Arizona Laws and Wills and Arizona Income Tax Preparation, respectively.

Festival Community scholars, Mark Brim, Connie Collins, Anita Del Vecchio, Tom Ryan, Barbara Waggoner and Sylvia Zawierucha will also return to teach courses. They will be joined by three new Community Scholars. Paul Novak, a published author, will teach Creative Writing. Dr. Curtis Gooden will provide insights into the experiences of African-Americans who fought in our nation’s Armed Services during WW II and Mary Komassa will offer some solutions for the conflicts that sometimes arise in families during the holiday season.

This Fall’s faculty of nine Community Scholars marks the highest number of Sun City Festival residents providing instruction in our Academy’s history. The future success and continued growth of Festival’s Lifelong Learning program depends upon the continued and growing contributions of resident community scholars. Our program needs additional community members to join its cadre of volunteer instructors. To support this goal, we are always looking to work with community residents interested in sharing their life’s work or learning passions with their fellow residents. George Jeffers is presently working with several Festival residents who are preparing to teach a course in the Academy’s 2011 Spring Term. It is not too late to join this group. 

If you are interested in becoming a Festival Community Scholar or have questions about any of the Fall course offerings and/or the “On Going Open Registration
Process”, contact George Jeffers at george.jeffers@asu.edu or at 928-252-2107.

We look forward to welcoming our residents back to their Lifelong Learning Program!