News and Events

From the safety of your home, we can still join in learning about our world.  Senior College faculty are ready to offer their lectures via Zoom. 

College-level scholars from around Minnesota will provide provocative lectures on a variety of topics – from history, economics and political science to music, philosophy, biology and astronomy (see this season’s line-up below). 

The Spring 2021 Season begins Tuesday, March 16 and continues Tuesdays and Thursdays through April 29. All lectures will be held live on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:15-4:45pm.

Once registered, you will receive a link to join the program. With a single click, you are joining the group. You can safely connect from ANY device with internet access that has audio – computer, laptop, iPad, or phone. 

Admission for the lecture series is by season membership only.  A single registration fee of $99 covers all 14 lectures.  Registration is required. For more information or to register, please contact the Customized Training Center at 762-4510 or 888-234-1313 or register using the link below:

Register for Senior College >> 

Senior College Spring 2021 Lectures

• The Imperial Presidency Revisited | David Schultz, Political Science and Legal Studies, Hamline University

• New and Pending Free Speech Cases | Heidi Kitrosser, Professor of Law, University of Minnesota Law School

• Minnesota Resources Commission:  What it is and Why it Matters | Louis Johnston, Economics, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University

• Studying the Beginning of the Universe from the Bottom of the World | Clem Pyrke, Minnesota Institute for Astrophysics, University of Minnesota

• Sustainable Solutions for Our Plastic Planet Predicament | Marc Hillmyer, Chemistry/College of Science and Engineering, University of Minnesota

• Earth Day +50: The Legacy of the 1960s-1970s American Environmental Movement | Derek Larson, History/Environmental Studies, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University

• Media Ownership and You | Christopher Terry, Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota

• The Impact of the Election and the Pandemic on US Foreign Policy | Tom Hanson, Diplomat in Residence, University of Minnesota Duluth

• A New Moral Rubicon?  Autonomous Weapons and Just War | Noreen Herzfeld, Science and Religion, St. John’s University and the College of St. Benedict

• Consciousness and the Natural World | Joy Laine, Philosophy, Macalester College

• Biological Curiosities Explained | Van Gooch, Biology, University of Minnesota Morris

• The Preludes and Fugues of J. S. Bach | Mark Mazullo, Music, Macalester College

• The Playful Side of Engineering | AnnMarie Thomas, Engineering/Entrepreneurship, University of St. Thomas

Register for Senior College >> 

Lectures will be held via Zoom. With a single click, students can join the group from ANY device with internet access that has audio – computer, laptop, tablet, or phone. A trial run will be offered before the season begins to assure students are set up and acquainted with Zoom and participant controls.