MORNINGS WITH THE PROFESSORS
Friday, April 25 , 9:30 am – 11:30 am CDT
April 4, 11, 18, 25, May 2 (Fridays) 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Attend in person at ISU’s Alumni Center, 1101 N. Main St., Normal
OR
Watch Online via Zoom
FEES:
$35 for Senior Professional members (includes all six sessions)
$45 for non-members (includes all six sessions)
For in-person participation, pricing is per person.
For Zoom participation, pricing is one registration per household.
Price includes:
Five 2-hour sessions (one Academy of Seniors class).
$15 single-session option available for in-person attendance (pay at door).
Register online at seniorprofessionals.illinoisstate.edu or call (309) 438-2160.
Zoom participants will receive a Zoom link a week prior to the start of the class(es) and again on the day of each session.
Class Descriptions
ASSESSING THE START OF THE SECOND TRUMP PRESIDENCY
April 4
Dr. Bradley will assess whether all, some, few, or none of the campaign promises made by President Trump have been fulfilled. Have grocery prices dropped sharply? Has the war in Ukraine ended? Has the federal workforce been significantly cut? Have millions of undocumented immigrants been deported? Have the January 6th rioters been pardoned? Does the Department of Education still exist? Is Liz Cheney in jail? Is Canada the 51st state? These and other promises will be explored, including whether Americans are less polarized.
Robert Bradley, Professor Emeritus, Politics and Government, ISU
THE ART OF RESISTANCE: CREATIVE OPPOSITION TO DICTATORSHIP IN CHILE (1973-1990)
April 11
In Chile on September 11, 1973, a military coup violently ushered in the brutal military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet, which would last through the transition to democracy in 1990. With freedom of expression under assault, many opponents of the regime left the country, either forced into exile or voluntarily seeking asylum. The so-called “brain drain” was crucial for denouncing human rights violations and organizing international opposition to the dictatorship. So too were the efforts of those who remained in Chile, forging their own modes of resistance from within. In a context where freedom of expression is compromised and political opposition violently persecuted, creative forms of protest emerge in every sphere of creative expression: visual art, literature, theater, film, music, craft, and everything in between.
Juliet Lynd, Associate Professor of Spanish and Chair of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, ISU
ANIMAL WELFARE, HUMAN INFLUENCE AND THE ROLE OF REPUTABLE INSTITUTIONS LIKE MILLER PARK ZOO
April 18
Each year, millions of visitors visit reputable zoos and aquariums across the nation. Tremendous activity occurs behind the scenes and on a global scale, contributing to conservation and public education. This session will include a brief history of zoos, along with their role in acting as stewards for animals and nature, while encouraging the same in everyone. Examples from our own Miller Park Zoo will be included, providing glimpses into what the future may hold for MPZ’s little accredited facility.
Jay Pratte, Director, Miller Park Zoo, Bloomington, IL
MADE IN KANKAKEE: AN INSIDE LOOK AT ILLINOIS’ HOME FRONT IN WWII
April 25
Few people today are aware of the range of military supplies that Illinois produced during WWII or the significant role played by the Kankakee Ordnance Plant (later, along with the Elwood Plant, redubbed the Joliet Arsenal). Drawing on recorded fact and inside stories, this presentation will offer an overview of Illinois’ contribution to home-front production. With a focus on the Kankakee plant and the explosion at the Elwood Plant (deadliest ammunition plant disaster in US history), this presentation combines history with science, offering insights not available through most sources. Learn about how vast the production was and the employees who worked there, how the sudden influx of people changed the area towns, how dangerous the work was and how it affected the lives of those who served.
Mary Ryder, Distinguished Professor Emerita of English, South Dakota State University
THE LEGACY OF MEDIEVAL ANTI-JUDAISM
May 2
Discover the medieval origins of anti-Judaism and its connection, if any, to modern antisemitism. Until around 1050 the Jews were largely integrated into northern European society, but, paradoxically, the church’s subsequent attempt to establish on earth a society governed in accordance with Christian norms, the movement that emphasized a personal relationship with Christ, preaching, the building of Notre Dame and the founding of hospitals and universities led to the demonization, massacre and expulsion of the Jews.
John Freed, ISU Emeritus of History, ISU
