Alvernia University is excited to announce a new round of Lifelong Learning Experiences. Each of these courses will include two 90-minute class meetings. We are excited to bring back some of your favorite presenters from past years. Discover the joy of lifelong learning at Alvernia University! Our diverse courses for seniors keep your mind sharp, spark new interests and offer a platform to share your expertise. Join us to enrich your life, connect with others and explore new horizons in a vibrant, supportive community.
• Companionship and Social Engagement
• Lifelong Learning
• Personal Enrichment
Special thanks to the Carol K. Hession Fund for sponsoring Alvernia Lifelong Learning. For more information, please contact Lifelong Learning Taskforce at seniors.college@alvernia.edu or 610-796-8300.
Spring 2025 Courses
- Register here (Registration Deadline: 3/9/2025)
- New location: McGlinn Conference Center, 460 Saint Bernardine St., Reading, PA 19607
📖 Flannery O'Connor: A Close Reading of 2 Classic Stories
Flannery O'Connor is a master-of-modern American Fiction. She is a Catholic. She is wickedly funny, insightful, and satirical. We will have a good time reading and discussing her genius!
- Presented by: Dr. Tom Bierowski, Associate Professor of Literature
- Dates: 3/11 and 3/18/2025
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
*Stories provided prior to class and can be sent as an electronic attachment or picked up.
📚 Stories of Connection
“An Introduction to Collaborative Art” will explain the various methods in which collaborative community art is made, from the design process and identifying themes, to considering the various qualities of potential site for public art and how the designs are adapted to best fit the space. Participants will get an inside glimpse about adoption from Italy in the 1960s and Dr. Santo D. Marabella's successful search for his birth family, as well as a sneak preview of the new documentary, "ll Mio a Tavola," that tells his story. The interactive presentation will include video clips, Q&A, and an intimate look at adoption, loneliness and belonging.
- Presented by: Michael L. Miller, Artist in Residence with Total Experience Learning (TExpL)® at Alvernia, and Dr. Santo D. Marabella, The Practical Prof®
- Dates: 3/25/2025 (10:30 a.m. to noon) & 4/1/2025 (1 to 2:30 p.m.) *Please note time change
⚖ Separation of Church and State Today: Where Are We Headed?
The course will offer a review of the recent United States Supreme Court decisions on the First Amendment’s religion clauses. Also, the current efforts by some states to require posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and teaching from the Bible will be explored. As we approach the 100th anniversary of the Scopes Monkey Trial, the recent book “Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation” will be part of the discussion. Did that trial foreshadow today’s issues?
- Presented by: Donald F. Smith, Jr., Esquire
- Dates: 4/8 and 4/15/2025
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
👻 Spirited Stories: Ghostly Tales and Folklore
Charles J. Adams III will offer various and sundry ghostly tales, legends, and folklore for discussion.
- Presented by: Charles J. Adams III, Writer, Editor, Storyteller
- Dates: 4/22 and 4/29/2025
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
🎨 Art in Her Heart Brushed Aside: A Look at Women Artists
Until recently, art history in the West has largely ignored women artists, but recognition of women as artists is growing. We will trace the history of women artists in Western culture and will concentrate on the place of women in the Pre-Raphaelite artistic movement and other modern art endeavors.
- Presented by: John Kissinger
- Dates: 5/6 and 5/13/2025
- Time: 10:30 a.m. to noon
About Us
Beginning in 1998, the Alvernia Seniors College has offered educational opportunities to thousands of students over the years. The program waned with the COVID pandemic, but we have seen a revitalization in recent years. We are excited to offer Alvernia Lifelong Learning experiences (like classes and clubs) for participants. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Alvernia University and President Emeritus Dr. Thomas Flynn, whose leadership, vision, and sense of mission enabled us to grow our program and have provided us with ongoing opportunities for cultural exploration. Come join us!