Community Classroom Series
The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education, described since its early days as the “citizen’s classroom,” offers the public a variety of short courses—the Community Classroom Series.
Each course costs $50 and meets at the Friday Center, UNC-Chapel Hill's premier facility for continuing education. The Friday Center offers free parking, easy access, and comfortable classrooms. Class sizes are limited, so register early.
Spring 2012 Courses
- Reflections on 25 Years in UNC-Chapel Hill Athletics
- The Basics+ of Digital Photography
- Retirement Planning Today™
- Money Smarts for Women
- The Pendulum of Power in Ancient Greece: Sparta and Athens—Rivals, Partners, Enemies
- Professional Public Speaking: Developing Effective Speaking Skills
- The Director's POV: The Screenplay, a Journey from the Printed Page to the Screen
- You Can Do It!
- Authentic Happiness
- Writing as a Spiritual Practice
- Writing Biography
- Social Media 101
- Writing About the Arts
-
Building the Bonds of Friendship ... NEW DATES: Class starts May 23
- Mark Twain: God's Fool
- Write Your Life: The Sequel
Summer 2012 courses
Course Descriptions
Reflections on 25 Years in UNC-Chapel Hill Athletics
Mondays, 7–8:30 pm, March 5, 12. Course #2827
Former Athletic Director Dick Baddour will spend the first half of each evening describing several experiences. Topics will include the NCAA investigation, hiring and dismissal of coaches, facility development, conference expansion, and leadership characteristics of recent coaches. The second half of the evening will be devoted to Q & A with the participants.
Dick Baddour has served the University for 45 years. He has served the last 25 years in Athletics, and most recently as Director of Athletics for 15 years. He has hired coaches, overseen an aggressive facility development program, and established the Carolina Leadership Academy, considered to be the premier leadership development program for student-athletes.
The Basics+ of Digital Photography
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, March 13, 20, 27, April 3. Course #2828.
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, April 10, 17, 24, May 1. Course #2829.
Both sections of this course are full. If you are interested in being added to the Professional Development and Enrichment Programs listserv, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
This course is ideal for anyone who owns a digital camera (“point and shoot” or DSLR), or is interested in buying or upgrading one. Useful as a refresher course for a basic user, or as an introduction for the novice, this course will have you quickly taking better photos. You will learn the basics, such as how to transfer images to a computer, e-mail them, and perform basic maintenance on your cameras and lenses. You’ll also learn more advanced skills like how and when to use “scenic” and “program” modes, and the basics of aperture priority, shutter priority, manual modes, depth of field, and ISO. A $15 materials fee (payable to the instructor) includes a CD with valuable photography software that will enhance your image taking after you complete the class. This is a hands-on class comprised of lectures and Q&A sessions, so bring your camera (and its manual and flash), extra batteries, and several memory cards to every class.
Professional photographer Ted Salamone has captured images in six continents. Ted enjoys utilizing and teaching the technical and artistic aspects of digital photography. He photographs architecture, weddings, sports, portraits, and editorial and commercial assignments. Ted also conducts field workshops and is the photography editor for Raleigh Downtowner magazine and its Web site.
Retirement Planning TodayTM
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, March 13, 20, 27. Course #2830
Mondays, 7–9 pm, April 16, 23, 30. Course #2831
Both sections of this course are full. If you are interested in being added to the Professional Development and Enrichment Programs listserv, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
The days of the “normal” retirement are over. Today’s retirees and those retiring in the next generation will face uncertainties and challenges never seen before. This class is designed for both pre-retirees as well as those recently retired; it covers the basic elements of a successful retirement strategy. The course combines essential life-planning concepts with more traditional retirement-planning strategies. We will consider questions such as: How will inflation negatively affect your portfolio and financial goals? Will your pension or Social Security be there for the rest of your life? How will new tax laws impact your retirement income? Do you have a plan to cover the staggering cost of long-term care? Is your estate plan updated to take advantage of current estate tax laws? Are your assets allocated in a manner in which they will last through your life expectancy and support your lifestyle goals? Bring your questions to this exciting and eye-opening class.
James R. Miller, who will teach the Tuesday course, is a Certified Financial PlannerTM and president of Woodward Financial advisors, an independent wealth management firm in Chapel Hill. He has taught this course at UNC since 2008, as well as similar financial-planning and investment courses at local colleges and universities. His specialties include retirement-income planning, investment-management techniques, and estate planning.
Ben Birken, who will teach the Monday course, is a Certified Financial PlannerTM at Woodward Financial Advisors, an independent wealth management firm in Chapel Hill. His specialties include retirement planning, investment management, and working with UNC employees.
Money Smarts for Women
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, March 21, 28, April 4, 11. Course #2832
Women today have gained new status and economic power, and we are challenged to become financial decision makers during many different phases of our lives. This class is designed to share information with you about the basic building blocks of financial security. It encompasses the many themes that affect women: savings and earnings, retirement, parenting, divorce, and widowhood. Content is appropriate for adult women, whether working or retired. It will help you identify and organize your financial resources, create a personal roadmap for financial goals, establish sound savings and retirement priorities, understand employee benefit programs and social security benefits, assess insurance needs and resources, understand your will and powers of attorney, and improve your understanding of investment theory.
This course is designed for women, by women. It is taught by Linda N. Patchett, CFP®, and Kendra Hudson, financial planners with Woodward Financial Advisors, Inc., of Chapel Hill, and Christina Goshaw Hinkle, an attorney at Tillman, Hinkle, & Lackey, PLLC, a local estate-planning firm.
The Pendulum of Power in Ancient Greece: Sparta and Athens—Rivals, Partners, Enemies
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, March 21, 28, April 4, 11. Course #2833.
How did Sparta and Athens become the dominant poleis of ancient Greece? How did they manage to champion the Greek defense against Persian invasions in 490 and 480/79 BC? And why, fifty years later, did they come to blows in the Great Peloponnesian War, a long and costly civil conflict that engulfed the entire Greek world?
W.J. McCoy is associate professor emeritus of history and adjunct associate professor of Peace, War and Defense at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he taught courses in ancient Greek history, military, and culture for forty-one years. He was also adjunct associate professor of classics. From 1981 to 2010 he directed the annual UNC-Chapel Hill Summer Study Abroad program in Greece and continues to lead adult tours of the Greek mainland and Crete.
Professional Public Speaking: Developing Effective Speaking Skills
Wednesdays, 6–8 pm (please note start time), March 21, 28, April 4, 11. Course #2834;
This course is full. If you are interested in being added to the Professional Development and Enrichment Programs listserv, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
This course will address the development of fundamental public-speaking skills, including techniques for handling nervousness, delivery skills, speechwriting, establishing credibility, and organization. All participants will have the opportunity to present at least one speech. Class time will focus on the practice of speech, and everyone will receive constructive feedback and specific suggestions for improvement. This course is appropriate for adults and is not designed to meet the needs of younger participants.
Kathy Maboll received her master’s degree in communication studies from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2001. She directed the Oral Communications Program at UNC for five years, where she focused on assisting students in the development of speech skills. Ms. Maboll is committed to helping students understand and overcome fear of public speaking while they learn effective speechwriting and delivery methods. She is also the recipient of the 2011 Friday Center Excellence in Teaching Award.
The Director's POV: The Screenplay, A Journey from the Printed Page to the Screen
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, March 27, April 3, 10, 17. Course #2835; enrollment is limited to 20.
This course is full. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
“We live inside an enormous novel. The fiction is already there. The writer’s task is to invent the reality.” —J.G. BallardWe will trace the journey of a film from the printed page to the screen. We’ll explore how directors read scripts and how they find a film in it. Along the way, we’ll explore what goes into a film’s preparation (prep), production, and post-production (post). We’ll look at Oscar-winner Bo Goldman’s screenplay for Shoot The Moon, directed by Alan Parker, starring Diane Keaton and Albert Finney.
Instructor Ray Greenfield worked as an assistant director on features, MOWs, and episodics in New York and Los Angeles. In addition to Shoot The Moon, some of his other credits include Fame; Fort Apache, The Bronx; Baby Its You; Tempest; and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle.
You Can Do It!
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, March 27, April 3, 17, 24. Course #2836
Are you facing a possible job change? Are you going through a transition in your career? Need a boost to take charge of your work life so you can move forward and grow? This course looks at ways to handle a life and/or job change that promote resilience and the positive power you need to move forward. This upbeat course gives you a set of tools to help you recognize your strengths, identify your skills, explore possibilities, take small-but-steady action steps, and construct a vital circle of support. We’ll also look at tips for resume writing and interviewing.
Over the past three decades, Vicki Field, founder of Passage Points, has been instrumental in helping major organizations and people in a wide range of settings navigate and create successful life change. Vicki brings a practical wisdom, flair for humor, and focus on collaboration to each class so participants can comfortably connect to exchange ideas, expand their thinking, and take positive steps to move successfully through the passage points of their lives. Her most recent book, Building the Bonds of Friendship at Midlife and Beyond, was co-authored with Dr. Amy D’Aprix.
Authentic Happiness
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, March 28, April 4, 11, 18. Course #2837
In the past twelve years, psychologists all over the world have conducted hundreds of experiments to determine what makes some people flourish and others languish. They have determined which habits of mind and body promote flourishing individuals and communities, and how people can learn to promote and strengthen these habits. This hands-on course looks at ways to develop habits that promote human happiness and flourishing. The course features in-class exercises (many with other class members) and reflection papers that help develop gratitude, mindfulness, positivity, deeper relationships, openness to experience, and other positive character traits. Developing new habits requires some work and sometimes getting out of your comfort zone, but to a considerable extent, your happiness is under your control!
The course is taught by J. B. (Ben) O’Neal, formerly Distinguished Professor of Communications and Signal Processing at NC State University and currently professor emeritus. O’Neal is a member of the Academy of Outstanding Teachers and recipient of the R. J. Reynolds Award for Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Extension.
Writing as a Spiritual Practice
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, March 28, April 4, 11, 18. Course # 2838; enrollment limited to 20.
Writing is a spiritual practice. We encounter the sacred within when we put words to paper or screen. This course will offer participants space and tools to deepen their approach to the discipline of writing from a spiritual perspective. Students will benefit from Lectio Divina, the Morning Pages (Julia Cameron), journaling, and lessons from spiritual writers. Time will be provided at each session for writing, sharing, and discussion. This workshop does not espouse one religious tradition. Rather, it seeks to encourage attendees to cultivate their own understanding of divinity, spiritual disciplines, and the creative process.
J. Dana Trent is a freelance writer and adjunct faculty member in communications at the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. Dana has published numerous personal essays and articles. She teaches writing as a spiritual practice to worship communities and local small groups. Dana received her master of divinity degree from Duke University Divinity School and is an ordained minister. She blogs at jdanatrent.com.
Writing Biography
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, April 10, 17, 24, May 1. Course # 2839; enrollment limited to 20.
Ever wonder what makes stories about other people’s lives so enthralling? Have you begun to document the fascinating lives of people you know or historical figures that you admire? This course will introduce you to the exciting adventure of researching and writing about someone else’s life. We will examine excerpts of well-known biographies and identify the fundamental principles that make these biographies successful. We will talk about time-honored research methods (like archival and genealogical work) that help good biographers put the pieces of other people’s lives together. We also will identify resources that will help us begin or continue researching our subjects’ lives. Through class exercises, we will practice writing biographies ourselves. Finally, we will talk about editing the work of others as an extension of biographical writing, and we will identify publishing opportunities.
Tomeiko Ashford Carter is the author of Virginia Broughton: The Life and Writings of a National Baptist Missionary. She has spent many years researching and writing about the lives of writers and national figures. Her articles and biographical profiles have appeared on UNC-Chapel Hill’s Internet Poetry Archive, in Southern Writers: A New Biographical Dictionary, and in Harvard University’s African American National Biography, to name a few. Carter received her PhD in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Social Media 101
Mondays, 7–9 pm, April 16, 23, 30, May 7. Course #2840
This course is full. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
This course will explore how social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ work and how you can use them in both your business and personal lives most effectively. Some people on Facebook are over-sharers almost to the level of narcissism and others don't participate at all in fear that their identity will be stolen. And many people aren't using LinkedIn—the most effective social-media tool for business—at all. In addition to explaining how all these services can work for you both personally and professionally, the instructor will also explore the current and future impact these new technologies will have on how we communicate with each other, how we get news, and how we see the world.
Gary Kayye, CTS, is founder of rAVe [Publications], a USA‐based publishing firm that specializes in writing about the ProAV and HomeAV technology markets, technology, and products in a very opinionated, editorial‐style of writing. Recognized as InfoComm’s Educator of the Year in 2004 and NSCA’s Instructor of the Year in 2007, Gary founded rAVe, after having spent eleven years at Extron and AMX as vice president of sales and marketing and then as chief visionary of a technology consulting firm. In addition to rAVe, he is a member of the faculty of UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Journalism and teaches courses in new-media and social-media marketing, as well as branding.
Writing About the Arts
Mondays, 7–9 pm, April 16, 23, 30, May 14. Course #2841; enrollment limited to 20.
We've all read reviews of theater, dance, musical performances, film, and books. Sometimes those reviews cause us to attend (or avoid) a performance or a book. Sometimes the reviews are incomprehensible. In this course we will look at how and why critics write the way they do. Everyone will try their hand writing reviews. Artists will be visiting the class and participants will have tickets reserved for the April 17 performance of the Göteborg Ballet. Tickets may be picked up at the Carolina Performing Arts box office in Memorial Hall before the 7:30 performance for the student price of $10.
Instructor Richard Krawiec has taught various popular writing courses for many years for Community Classroom Series. His teaching skills and warm demeanor earned him the Friday Center Excellence in Teaching Award in 2009. He has published two novels, Time Sharing (Publisher’s Weekly Recommended) and Faith in What?; and a story collection, And Fools of God. His plays have been produced across the US and Canada. His second book of poems, She Hands Me the Razor (title poem nominated for a Pushcart Prize), was published by Press 53. His first book of poems, Breakdown,was a finalist for a minor award. His poetry and fiction appear in dozens of literary magazines. He has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the NC Arts Council (twice), and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. He teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced online fiction writing for UNC-Chapel Hill. He is founder of Jacar Press, a Community Active publishing company.
Building the Bonds of Friendship
New class dates have been announced, now scheduled to begin May 23. Limited space still available.
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, May 23, 30, June 6, 13. Course #2842; enrollment limited to 20.
Good friends are like vitamins! Researchers confirm what we know intuitively: people with reliable and authentic social support live longer and healthier lives. They have stronger hearts and experience less depression and anxiety. Still, many of us experience a friendship gap when we go through life changes such as a move, job change, family shift, or retirement. In this popular, interactive class learn how to “seed, weed, and feed” your friendships. Drawing on self reflection, guided discussion, and individual action planning, pinpoint what friendship means to you, and learn ten real-life skills to rebuild and strengthen your group of close friends and expand your network of social support—all dynamic sources of health and happiness!
Over the past three decades, Vicki Field, founder of Passage Points, has been instrumental in helping major organizations and people in a wide range of settings navigate and create successful life change. Vicki brings a practical wisdom, flair for humor, and focus on collaboration to each class so participants can comfortably connect to exchange ideas, expand their thinking, and take positive steps to move successfully through the passage points of their lives. Her most recent book, Building the Bonds of Friendship at Midlife and Beyond, was co-authored with Dr. Amy D’Aprix.
Mark Twain: God's Fool
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, April 18, 25, May 2, 9. Course #2843.
“The report of my death was an exaggeration,” Twain wrote in 1897. Although Samuel Langhorne Clemens passed away more than a century ago, Mark Twain is alive and well in the twenty-first century. From his recent best-selling Autobiography of Mark Twain to the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize to the contemporary controversy over Huckleberry Finn, Twain and his works continue to be studied, discussed, and debated. This course touches on the integration of geography, politics, religion, and events that led Samuel Clemens to proclaim, “Ah, well, I am a great and sublime fool. But then I am God’s fool, and all His work must be contemplated with respect.”
Rob Bruce is director of the William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education at UNC-Chapel Hill. He has taught American literature, American humor, and Mark Twain courses for more than fifteen years at Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin, and now the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Write Your Life: The Sequel
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, April 18, 25, May 2, 16. Course #2844; enrollment is limited to 20.
This course is for people who have taken a previous session of Write Your Life, or who have taken at least one writing class, and wish to develop their memoir, novel, or stories for publication. Focus will be on technique and development of whatever it is you are working on. You do not need to have a finished manuscript, but you need to have an idea of what it is you want to write about, and at least ten pages of a draft. This class will be interactive and supportive, stimulating and fun.
Instructor Richard Krawiec has taught various popular writing courses for many years for Community Classroom Series. His teaching skills and warm demeanor earned him the Friday Center Excellence in Teaching Award in 2009. He has published two novels, Time Sharing (Publisher’s Weekly Recommended) and Faith in What?; and a story collection, And Fools of God. His plays have been produced across the US and Canada. His second book of poems, She Hands Me the Razor (title poem nominated for a Pushcart Prize), was published by Press 53. His first book of poems, Breakdown,was a finalist for a minor award. His poetry and fiction appear in dozens of literary magazines. He has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the NC Arts Council (twice), and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. He teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced online fiction writing for UNC-Chapel Hill. He is founder of Jacar Press, a Community Active publishing company.
The Basics+ of Digital Photography
Wednesdays, 7–9 pm, June 6–27. Course #2853.
This course is full. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
This course is ideal for anyone who owns a digital camera (“point and shoot” or DSLR), or is interested in buying or upgrading one. Useful as a refresher course for a basic user, or as an introduction for the novice, this course will have you quickly taking better photos. You will learn the basics, such as how to transfer images to a computer, e-mail them, and perform basic maintenance on your cameras and lenses. You’ll also learn more advanced skills like how and when to use “scenic” and “program” modes, and the basics of aperture priority, shutter priority, manual modes, depth of field, and ISO. A $15 materials fee (payable to the instructor) includes a CD with valuable photography software that will enhance your image taking after you complete the class. This is a hands-on class comprised of lectures and Q&A sessions, so bring your camera (and its manual and flash), extra batteries, and several memory cards to every class.
Professional photographer Ted Salamone has captured images in six continents. Ted enjoys utilizing and teaching the technical and artistic aspects of digital photography. He photographs architecture, weddings, sports, portraits, and editorial and commercial assignments. Ted also conducts field workshops and is the photography editor for Raleigh Downtowner magazine and its Web site.
Intermediate Digital Photography
Tuesdays, 7–9 pm, June 5, 12, 19, 26. Course #2845; enrollment limited to 24.
This course is full. If you are interested in being added to the waitlist, contact Jill Conrad, conradj@email.unc.edu.
This course is perfect for anyone who has taken an introductory digital photography course or who already has a basic understanding of aperture, shutter, and ISO settings. This course will move you into advanced amateur status. You will learn when to use aperture priority, shutter priority, or manual modes; in-camera metering; how to set custom functions and interpret histograms; and how to “drag” the shutter, clean sensors, and perform custom white balances. We will consider the legal rights of photographers, how to use exposure bracketing, external flash techniques, and the basics of camera raw imagery and composition. A materials fee of $15 is payable to the instructor for a CD with valuable advanced photography software that will enhance image taking after the class. Comprised of lectures and Q&A sessions, this is mainly a hands-on class, so bring your DSLR or advanced “point and shoot,” its manual and flash, extra fresh batteries, and several memory cards to every class.
Professional photographer Ted Salamone has captured images in six continents. Ted enjoys utilizing and teaching the technical and artistic aspects of digital photography. He photographs architecture, weddings, sports, portraits, and editorial and commercial assignments. Ted also conducts field workshops and is the photography editor for Raleigh Downtowner magazine and its Web site.
Registration
Each course is $50. The fee covers the cost of instruction and course materials. It does not include refreshments. Digital photography courses have an additional fee, payable to the instructor. Payment must accompany registration. Make checks payable to the Friday Center.
There are four ways to register:
Mail: Print out the registration form and mail it to
Campus Box 1020, The Friday Center
UNC-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill NC 27599-1020.
Fax: Print out the registration form and fax it to 919-962-5549.
Phone: Call 800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643.
If you have special needs to accommodate a motor or sensory impairment, please indicate your needs on the registration form.
UNC-Chapel Hill uses an alternative to the Social Security number called the Personal ID (PID) to aid in keeping records for students and participants. If you do not have a PID, you will be required to enter your birthdate and gender so that we can assign you a PID. We appreciate your cooperation.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is committed to equality of educational opportunity. The University does not discriminate in offering access to its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, color, gender, age, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
Cancellation and Refunds
Full refunds will be given to registrants who cancel in writing one week prior to the first class meeting. No refunds will be made after that date. Substitutions are welcome.
Location
Courses are held at the Friday Center, which offers ample free parking. The Friday Center is located approximately three miles east of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, just off Highway 54 East (Raleigh Road). The Center is a short distance from Interstate 40 (from Raleigh, I-40 exit 273A; from Greensboro, I-40 exit 273). See Map and Directions to the Friday Center.
Contact
For information, contact:
Jill Conrad (conradj@email.unc.edu), Program FacilitatorProfessional Development and Enrichment Programs
The Friday Center
800-845-8640 or 919-962-2643