{"title":"Fall 2026 Emeritus Society Courses","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"american-refuge-true-stories-of-the-refugee-experience","title":"American Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience","description":"\u003cp\u003eMonday, 9:00 – 11:00 am     \u003cbr\u003eNovember 16\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCURIOUS MINDS BOOK AND JOURNAL CIRCLE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA unique gathering of curious minds to discuss scientific literature found in research-based journals or books.  Participants will review designated readings beforehand and discuss over coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAmerican Refuge: True Stories of the Refugee Experience\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy Diya Abdo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDiya Abdo, a professor at Guilford College and a second-generation Palestinian refugee, will share about her work with refugees resettling in Greensboro through her program \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.everycampusarefuge.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eEvery Campus A Refuge\u003c\/a\u003e -- an initiative that mobilizes colleges and universities to host refugee families on campus grounds and support them in their resettlement and integration. Her book \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.penguinrandomhouse.com\/books\/711440\/american-refuge-by-diya-abdo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eAmerican Refuge\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e is a creative nonfiction that tells the stories of forcibly displaced people from Myanmar, Burundi, Uganda, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine. We travel with them as they grow up in countries they love, are forced to flee due to violence and war, cross borders to live a life on the periphery in refugee camps, and end up being among the lucky 1% of refugees who ever resettle to a country that gives them a pathway to citizenship. American Refuge was selected by North Carolina Humanities as a 2024 North Carolina Reads Book and is a powerful story of North Carolina's welcoming communities, its resilient newcomers, and the remarkable capacity of higher education institutions to be good neighbors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44161510080646,"sku":null,"price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784040890336_i8u5x2d5_b91e9592-4888-43d7-8c7d-3230f69e24b4.png?v=1784142366"},{"product_id":"the-great-gatsby","title":"The Great Gatsby","description":"\u003cp\u003eMonday, 9:00 – 11:00 am     \u003cbr\u003eSeptember 28\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCURIOUS MINDS BOOK AND JOURNAL CIRCLE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA unique gathering of curious minds to discuss scientific literature found in research-based journals or books.  Participants will review designated readings beforehand and discuss over coffee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Great Gatsby\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBy F. Scott Fitzgerald\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eIn honor of our country’s semiquincentennial birthday this year, it seems appropriate to read a work that has been considered by some to carry the banner “Great American Novel.” Of course, there are other candidates, but F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The \u003cem\u003eGreat Gatsby\u003c\/em\u003e is one work that has been described as such and has become a mainstay of high school English curricula as well as a favorite for adaptation on both stage and screen. In fact, the most recent iteration opens at the Tanger in October. \u003cem\u003eThe Great Gatsby\u003c\/em\u003e has everything a nominee for “Great American Novel” requires: captivating and charismatic characters; iconic settings amidst the backdrop of the Roaring ‘20s; and, at its heart, essentially American themes, with the rags-to-riches story of a mysterious self-made man. All of this, as well as romance and its memorable, lush, evocative prose, makes \u003cem\u003eThe Great Gatsby\u003c\/em\u003e a work well worth rereading, especially if high school was, in fact, the last time you read it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44161512308870,"sku":null,"price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784041896844_lbtk8pwt.png?v=1784142328"},{"product_id":"what-s-buzzing-at-uncg-s-plant-pollinator-center-recent-efforts-in-pollinator-research-innovation-outreach-and-conservation","title":"What’s Buzzing at UNCG’s Plant \u0026 Pollinator Center? 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Many factors have been associated with recent pollinator declines, among them habitat loss and the spread of harmful pests and diseases. At UNCG’s new Plant and Pollinator Center, we are actively expanding our efforts to address critical threats to pollinators. In addition to expanding our work in pollinator-focused research and innovation, we are growing our outreach and educational programming in order to teach the local community and the next generation of scientists about the importance and exciting world of pollinators. We are also actively supporting North Carolina’s ~500 species of native pollinators through local habitat restoration projects. In this presentation, attendees will learn about the Plant \u0026amp; Pollinator Center’s recent efforts to address economically and ecologically important issues such as global food security and environmental sustainability. 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A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44161534525574,"sku":null,"price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784043834365_emlrr0mi.png?v=1784142263"},{"product_id":"titanic-1997","title":"Titanic (1997)","description":"\u003cp\u003eSunday, 1:00 – 4:00 pm     \u003cbr\u003eOctober 11\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEpic Stories on the Epic Stage - Musicals\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross more than a century of iconic musicals, countless shows have taught us to sing, dance, love, laugh, and cry. 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Some bacteria have the potential to cause infections, which can be treated with antibiotics (unless the infecting bacteria have developed resistance to the antibiotics, which is happening more and more often). In contrast, other types of bacteria form a stable population within our bodies that benefits our health in many ways.  In recent years, researchers have found that the microbiome, which is the entire population of bacteria, fungi, and viruses that live within us, has unexpected and varied effects on the ways that our bodies function.  There’s great interest in the possibility that manipulating the microbiome could increase some of those beneficial effects and promote better health, although there’s much that we don’t yet know.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eWeek 1: What are bacteria, and why do some of them cause human diseases, but others have only beneficial effects?\u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: The crisis of antibiotic resistance. 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Catherine Morland’s literary diet of Gothic literature has colored her view of the world, leading to humorous misunderstandings and comic mishaps. Northanger Abbey, completed in 1803 but not published until after Austen’s death in 1818,  is both a satire of popular Gothic literature as well as a novel of social survival, as Catherine, naive and innocent at the start, learns critical life lessons as she navigates the city of Bath’s social scene and rises above the narrator’s opening assessment of her. (Carolyn recommends the Norton Critical Edition, ed. by Susan Fraiman).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eWeek 1: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, Background and Chapters 1-10\u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, Chapters  11-20\u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, Chapters 21-31; Film and Book Adaptations\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163795910790,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784133210860_a5ebegzd.png?v=1784142058"},{"product_id":"faith-fire-and-clay-unearthing-the-hidden-lives-of-salem-s-moravian-potters","title":"Faith, Fire, and Clay: Unearthing the Hidden Lives of Salem’s Moravian Potters","description":"\u003cp\u003eMondays, 2:00 – 3:30 pm     \u003cbr\u003eOctober 5 – November 16 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis course explores the intersection of craft, piety, and social identity within the Moravian community of Salem, North Carolina, between 1771 and 1831. Drawing on recent archaeological excavations at Lot 38, we move beyond the simple aesthetics of earthenware to reveal a \"community of practice\" where faith and trade were inseparable. Participants will discover how master potters like Rudolph Christ introduced cutting-edge technologies to produce innovative wares like faience and stoneware to remain competitive in a post-Revolutionary marketplace. We will look beyond the master artisans to unearth the stories of apprentices, women, and enslaved craftsmen like Peter Oliver, whose skills were recognized even as social structures constrained them. By examining waster sherds, innovative kiln designs, kiln furniture, and detailed church records, we will see how these individuals navigated Salem’s \"moral economy,\" blurring the lines between the sacred and the secular. This series offers a unique window into how the objects of everyday life—from coffee mugs to tobacco pipes—profoundly shaped the people who made and used them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eWeek 1: The Theocratic Capital: Faith and the \"Moral Economy\" in Wachovia.  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: Traditional Foundations: Gottfried Aust and the Birth of Salem Pottery.  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: The Innovator: Rudolph Christ and the Expansion onto Lot 38.  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 4: A Community of Practice: Apprentices, Journeymen, and Households.  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 5: Agency and Inequality: The Remarkable Journey of Peter Oliver. \u003cbr\u003eWeek 6: The Science of Firing: Kiln Technology and \"Unruly\" Materials.  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 7: Divestment and Continuity: The End of the Congregation Pottery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163803644038,"sku":null,"price":140.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784134171646_5y4ebn5k.png?v=1784142041"},{"product_id":"disappearing-ink-the-revival-of-the-letter","title":"UNCG ALUMNI COURSE - Disappearing Ink? The Revival of the Letter","description":"\u003cp\u003eWednesdays, 10:00 – 11:30 am \u003cbr\u003eSeptember 16 – October 21\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/alumni_889f92e4-3ab3-49c4-97c8-ea1bce6e8008.png?v=1752079832\" alt=\"UNCG Alumni Logo\" width=\"400\" height=\"130\"\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou might think the letter is, if not dead, in serious decline. Who gets a letter nowadays? Who writes one? In this world of AI-generated sentences and IMs, the letter seems more than quaint. It’s a hindrance to the instant communication we’ve come to expect. And yet people save them, write them still. And there are signs of a resurgence. A popular podcast features famous people reading letters. A recent epistolary novel is a bestseller. After years of neglect, handwriting is again being taught in schools, and often the first thing a child writes is a letter.\u003cbr\u003eA letter, no matter its topic or its age, brings people to life, mysteriously as immediate as when the ink was still damp.  We listen in,  and we find clues to the inner life of correspondents, intimate hurts and joys that get revealed to us, often in a language far deeper than the words on the page.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eWe’ll read fiction, old (a horror story) and new (a life story and a children’s book), told through letters; and we’ll read letters that span the centuries — written by children, rulers, lovers, poets, and soldiers—a wide spectrum of human life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou may feel the call to write a letter of your own by the time we finish our study!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMaterial: Dracula, Bram Stoker\u003cbr\u003e                 The Correspondent, Virginia Evans\u003cbr\u003e                 The Day the Crayons Quit, Drew Daywalt\u003cbr\u003e                 “Letter to My Nephew”, James Baldwin in The Fire Next Time\u003cbr\u003e                        other selected letters\u003cbr\u003e               \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeek 1: Intro: Letters as Mysteries\u003cbr\u003e            Openings and Salutations: Dracula and The Correspondent\u003cbr\u003e            Letters from our past\u003cbr\u003e            Letter Read Aloud\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: Letters and Arguments\u003cbr\u003eIntro- Chapter 3 Dracula\u003cbr\u003eFilm versions\u003cbr\u003e17th-18th C Letters.: Adams Family; Benjamin Banneker, Lady Montague\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: Letters and Forms; Letters and Psychology\u003cbr\u003e19th c:  Proposals:Austen; Requests: Abraham Lincoln; Opinions: Twain\u003cbr\u003eComplaints: Dickens\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeek 4:  Finding the Clues: Tone, Language, and Handwriting\u003cbr\u003e            Dracula\u003cbr\u003e            Intro: The Correspondent\u003cbr\u003e            20th C:  James Baldwin; Mrs. Sullivan; MLK; Gloria Steinem\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeek 5:  Letters and Love: The Correspondent\u003cbr\u003e            21st C. letters: Barak Obama, from Gone Girl, Greta Thunberg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWeek 6: This is My Letter to the World: Unraveling the mystery of human sharing\u003cbr\u003ePoets and Letters;  Children’s letters; The Correspondent\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund.  ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163830874246,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"UNCG Alumni","offer_id":44163830907014,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784136167690_t7pt7ec3.png?v=1784141993"},{"product_id":"life-and-death-in-ancient-egypt","title":"Life and Death in Ancient Egypt","description":"\u003cp\u003eFridays, 10:00 – 11:30 am     \u003cbr\u003eOctober 2 – November 6 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost people are familiar with a variety of ancient Egyptian artefacts—pyramids, mummies, gold masks, obelisks, and hieroglyphic inscriptions.  These are undeniably amazing, fascinating, even in many cases awe-inspiring, but unfortunately, they exist for us without any larger evident meaning.  There is, however, a body of ancient Egyptian ideas and beliefs that allow us to set ancient Egyptian material remains in a coherent and enduring context that might be called the Egyptian worldview.  The basic elements of this ancient Egyptian vision of reality took shape in the 4th millennium BCE and were elaborated and expressed in various manifestations over the ensuing 3000 years.  We will look at the genesis of these distinctive Egyptian formulations of reality and trace the ways they shaped Egyptian practices and productions for thousands of years.  Hopefully, we will be able to understand just what pyramids, mummies, and other iconic Egyptian artefacts “mean”.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003e  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 1: Organizing Egypt: Ideas and Pyramids \u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: From Memphis to Thebes and Empire \u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: Order and Chaos: What were Egyptian temples for? \u003cbr\u003eWeek 4: How to live again and forever:  What were Egyptian tombs (and hieroglyphs) for?  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 5: Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and Tutankhamen: One God or Many? \u003cbr\u003eWeek 6:  Egypt and Its Neighbors:  The 19th Dynasty and Beyond \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee (Includes printed materials)","offer_id":44163833888902,"sku":null,"price":125.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784134953939_03p86fbg.png?v=1784142014"},{"product_id":"icons-of-rock-crowning-the-kings-of-rock-n-roll","title":"Icons of Rock: Crowning the Kings of Rock ‘n’ Roll","description":"\u003cp\u003eThursdays, 10:00 am – 11:30 am     \u003cbr\u003eSeptember 10 – 24 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe King of Rock and Roll. The Queen. The architect. The inventor. The first. Rock history is crowded with crowned titles—but can one person really be the ultimate ruler of all things rock? Despite the many icons who helped shape the music, three names return again and again. Not because they were simply great, but because they changed the rules: the sound, the swagger, the attitude, the blueprint. Their impact ignited a worldwide chain reaction that still echoes through popular music. Taken together, they form a rock ’n’ roll trinity—three kings, three crowns, one revolution. 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ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163846897798,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784137372590_6w2vaack.png?v=1784141974"},{"product_id":"turning-points-in-american-history","title":"Turning Points in American History","description":"\u003cp\u003eWednesdays, 12:30  – 2:00 pm     \u003cbr\u003eSeptember 2 – October 7 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith the United States celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026, it is useful to look back and consider the significant moments that brought our country to this point. This course explores six eras when our nation wrestled with new ideas and challenges that have shaped our society, culture, politics, and place in the world. We will begin with the founding of the republic and move chronologically through the challenges of the twenty-first century. No prior knowledge of history is required—only an interest in exploring the forces that have shaped the American story.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eWeek 1: Revolution \u0026amp; Independence (1770s – 1790s)\u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: Civil War \u0026amp; Reconstruction (1850s – 1870s)\u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: Gilded Age \u0026amp; Progressive Era (1870s – 1920s)\u003cbr\u003eWeek 4: The World at War (1914 – 1945)\u003cbr\u003eWeek 5: The Cold War (1940s – 1990s)\u003cbr\u003eWeek 6: A New Millennium (1990s – present)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163852009606,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784138473546_szqd669e.png?v=1784141955"},{"product_id":"crimes-against-art","title":"Crimes Against Art","description":"\u003cp\u003eTuesdays, 2:00  – 3:30 pm     \u003cbr\u003eSeptember 1 – October 6 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArt has always lived with danger at its edges: stolen in the night, forged for profit, vandalized in moments of political outrage, obsession, or spectacle. This course explores the charged space where art collides with crime through infamous thefts, notorious forgeries, and acts of destruction directed at paintings, sculptures, and cultural treasures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThrough readings, discussion, and visual case studies, we will examine the criminals, collectors, investigators, and institutions involved in some of history’s most compelling art crimes. Along the way, we will consider larger questions about authenticity, value, ownership, and why certain works of art inspire such intense emotional reactions. 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Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163857678470,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784138973415_t75ywlha.png?v=1784141934"},{"product_id":"jazz-history-1959-present-day","title":"Jazz History: 1959-Present Day","description":"\u003cp\u003eFridays, 2:00  – 3:30 pm     \u003cbr\u003eAugust 28 – October 2 \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJazz music embodies self-expression, creativity, and the story of America’s social and cultural evolution. This class will explore jazz history from a defining historical year, 1959. Each week, we will explore the many different branches that jazz took after this pinnacle year. We will explore the music of Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, the Free Jazz Movement, Jazz Fusion, and many more. Throughout the course, we will build active listening skills, develop a shared vocabulary for discussing music, and engage in open dialogue about jazz’s ongoing role in American and global culture. No prior musical experience is required, just curiosity and open ears. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"\u003eWeek 1: 1959: The Year that Changed Jazz Forever  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 2: Dave Brubeck and West Coast Jazz   \u003cbr\u003eWeek 3: Charles Mingus and Civil Rights  \u003cbr\u003eWeek 4: Ornette Coleman\/John Coltrane and the Free Jazz Movement \u003cbr\u003eWeek 5: Jazz Fusion \u003cbr\u003eWeek 6: Jazz Renaissance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163879829638,"sku":null,"price":120.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784139465363_m3v25rt0.png?v=1784141914"},{"product_id":"emeritus-society-fall-2026-kick-off","title":"Emeritus Society Fall 2026 Kick-Off","description":"\u003cp\u003eTuesday, August 25, 1:00 – 2:30 pm     \u003cbr\u003eNo charge, \u003cstrong\u003eregistration is required\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong id=\"docs-internal-guid-389849d8-7fff-8204-3ee0-0e6fd67c2b48\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri,sans-serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003eThis talk summarizes research on a healthcare approach called \"Arts on Prescription,\" where people are encouraged to participate in creative activities in the community through receiving a prescription from a health professional. This is different from art therapy. Sudha Shreeniwas and Lia Miller have collaborated on Arts on Prescription through a community-engaged research partnership. We focus on older adults. Arts participation is highlighted as an effective, non-pharmacological, pleasant, lower-cost approach to enhance mental well-being, reduce loneliness, and prevent cognitive decline. Studies show it improves quality of life by connecting patients to creative activities, fostering purpose and social connection, and reducing emergency room visits. ‘Arts’ are widely defined, comprising a wide range of forms including active participation (e.g. painting, playing an instrument, etc.) and receptive participation (e.g. attending a play or concert). This approach is a promising add-on to traditional healthcare at a time of increasing costs and a growing older population, many of whom face loneliness, isolation, and chronic disease. However, a recent review published by Sudha and her team shows that older persons are not the specific focus of much existing research, and study designs are not strong enough to draw robust conclusions and underpin practice and policy recommendations.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRefund Policy\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo receive a refund, a written request must be received \u003cstrong\u003e3 business days before the first class\u003c\/strong\u003e. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpartan Strategies, Inc.\u003cbr\u003eAttn: Emeritus Society\u003cbr\u003e5900 Summit Avenue, #201\u003cbr\u003eBrowns Summit, NC  27214\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"store.servecenter.org","offers":[{"title":"Registration Fee","offer_id":44163883696262,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/files\/1784140234047_nlai83zg.png?v=1784141896"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/7457\/collections\/1784140234047_nlai83zg.png?v=1784141858","url":"https:\/\/spartanstrategiesinc.org\/collections\/fall-2026-emeritus-society-courses.oembed","provider":"store.servecenter.org","version":"1.0","type":"link"}