Community University at West Liberty for Lifelong Learning
Offering stimulating learning opportunities to
people age 50 and older
This spring, enroll in the Community University at West Liberty and take part in a “community” of like-minded older adults interested in the sheer joy of learning. The Community University is an organization with volunteer presenters. Courses are shaped by presenters’ and learners’ interests and include topics from arts and literature, sciences and technology, history, recreation, sports, business and commerce, current events – and other suggested topics. Courses may be offered as a one – time presentation or in a series of classes. You are encouraged to register for courses that are offered in a series, even though you may not be able to attend all of the classes. Courses are conveniently scheduled during the day at the WLU Highlands Center. (Except Course 105 and Course 109). There are no entrance requirements, grades or tests. Your love of learning is what counts!
It’s easy to sign up! Fill out the enrollment form and return it with your tuition of $25, entitling you to enroll in as many courses as you wish during the fall term.
Available Courses:
101 Scandal and Disaster: The Dark Side of Wheeling
Presenters: Jeanne Finstein, Ed.D. and Judi Hendrickson
Wednesday, March 27, 10-11:30 a.m.
Description: Like every other city, Wheeling has had its share of sensational stories, from murder to epidemics to arrests for selling watermelons on Sunday. This course will focus on the dark side of our local history, man-made and natural, pathetic and humorous.
Presenters’ backgrounds: Jeanne Finstein and Judi Hendrickson have studied Wheeling’s history for many years, writing a book entitled “Walking Pleasant Valley” and making numerous presentations on Wheeling’s history and the people who were a large part of it. They are both members of the Friends of Wheeling and other local history organizations.
102 China in the Cinema
Presenter: Art Barbeau, Ph.D.
This course will be taught in a series of twelve (12) classes.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, April 2-May 9, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Description: There will be twelve films (half made in China and half made in the U.S.) viewed on cinematic images of China. Titles include: “Raise the Red Lanterns” and “Pagoda Ridge” (Chinese) “The Good Earth” and the “Red Corner” (U .S.). Films vary in length, however there will be time for discussion after each film is viewed.
Presenter’s background: Art Barbeau has made 14 trips to China since 1986, including a trip this past summer. For two years, he resided in China teaching English for a year at Henan University (as well as an additional summer). He also taught American Studies (and one course in modern Chinese history) at Beijing Foreign Studies University as a Fulbright Scholar. During the Tiananmen Crisis in 1989, he contributed expert commentary on WTRF-TV.
103 Do you know your rights? Land Use affected by drilling in the Marcellus Shale Formation
Presenter: Dan Baker
Wednesday, April 3, 10-11:30 a.m.
Description: Exploration and recovery of natural gas from the Marcellus Shale Formation, nearly a mile underground, has provided opportunities for surface owners to benefit or suffer from drilling and recovery activities. Environmental issues have brought on regulation by nearby states. Energy companies are buying up lease rights and easements across the Ohio Valley. This class will present some of the issues and discuss the rights of individual land owners.
Presenter’s background: Dan Baker is an attorney and retired from Marathon Oil Company, where he was Senior Counsel for Environment and Real Estate, and United States Steel Corporation, where Dan was Senior General Attorney for Real Estate and Environment. He was Corporate Counsel for the Hilton Head Company, specializing in land use planning and land development. Dan is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Dickinson School of Law.
104 World War II-A History of the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (ADBC)
Presenters: Richard Lizza and Jane Kraina
Wednesday, April 3, 1:30-3 p.m.
COURSE WILL BE HELD AT THE BROOKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, 945 MAIN ST., WELLSBURG
Directions: Turn left (toward the river) at the intersection of WV Routes 2 and 27 and drive directly to the library parking lot adjacent to the river.
Description: Learn the history of the ADBC. Captured by the Japanese following their conquest of the Philippines in 1942, thousands of American military personnel died while imprisoned under horrific conditions. The ADBC Museum, located in the Brooke County Library, is the official national archive, designated as such by the ADBC, of artifacts and documents donated by the survivors and their descendants.
Presenters’ backgrounds: Richard Lizza, Professor Emeritus of History at West Liberty University, taught American history and political science at West Liberty and West Virginia Northern Community College. He served as chairperson of the Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences at West Liberty, and aided in the creation of the Museum’s student internship program in partnership with West Liberty University, Franciscan University, and Bethany College. Jane Kraina, Director of the ADBC Museum, serves as collector, curator, collator and supervisor of student interns from local universities at the museum.
105 Smart TV with Roku
Presenter: Jim Clark
Thursday, April 4, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: A demonstration course on Roku TV, an internet streaming service that presents free or low cost subscriptions to television programs and movies. Roku is a low cost alternative to satellite and cable. Millions of people use Roku to choose what they want to watch instantly. Whether you’re into exploring over 700 channels and hundreds of thousands of movies and shows, delving into what really interests you, or just stumbling across something new, Roku makes it happen easily, instantly and affordably. Movie night, or any night, will never be the same.
Presenter’s background: Jim Clark, Chief Technology Officer at WLU, has taught college level courses on system analysis and recent cloud computing apps as an Adjunct Professor. He has adapted and developed a higher education model of the “lights out” data center. He is past President of the Wheeling Chapter of the Association for Information Technology Professionals.
Jim is an alumnus of WLU.
106 Getting the Most Out of Your iPad
Presenter: Earl Nicodemus
Monday, April 8, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: If you have an iPad and are looking for things to do with it, then this course is for you! We will examine a number of useful and fun FREE iPad applications. We will also review some iPad basics such as moving and deleting applications, adding files to the iPad using iTunes and turning off applications that drain the battery or consume data by running in the background even when they are not being used. Please note that this workshop is designed specifically for iPad tablets. No previous iPad experience is required. Participants will need to bring their own iPad to the workshop.
Presenter’s background: Earl Nicodemus served for ten years as the Chair of the Department of Professional Education at West Liberty University and has more than 38 years of experience as a Professor of Educational Technology. He has made numerous presentations at professional conferences, has served as the President of the West Virginia Educational Media Association, and is a recipient of the Edgar Dale Award from the Association of Educational Communications and Technology.
107 Ten Commandments of Plumbing: Things Every Home Owner/Dweller Should Know
Presenter: Ted Owens
This course will be taught in a series of two (2) classes
Wednesday, April 10 and17, 10-11:30 a.m.
Description: Learn from a Master Plumber, Ted Owens, the basics of plumbing. Ted will simplify tasks that many of us are fearful of tackling. Techniques learned in this class will enable you to make repairs and avoid that “expensive” call to a plumber!
Presenter’s background: Ted Owens started in the plumbing trade as an apprentice in 1961 and became a Master Plumber in 1969 and he still carries an active Master Plumber’s Card today. He was employed by the Wheeling Joint Apprentice Committee and the Ohio County Board of Education to teach plumbing, heating, and cooling to apprentices. Ted is married and is a lifelong resident of Wheeling.
108 Behind West Liberty’s Sports Renaissance
Presenter: Michael J. Strada, Ph.D.
Wednesday, April 10, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: Learn about sports excellence at West Liberty as told by Michael J. Strada, author of “Behind West Liberty’s Sports Renaissance.” In addition to sports at West Liberty, subjects covered in the book include: the WVIAC’s long and proud history, problems with the NAIA, differences between the NAIA and the NCAA, cogent critics of D I commercialization, D I’s eight academic dilemmas and the stubborn tensions between sports and academia’s explicit goal: teaching undergraduate students Critical-Thinking-Skills (CTS) for lifelong learning in a world of flux.
Presenter’s background: Michael J. Strada graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York in 1967. He went on to obtain his master’s from Pennsylvania State University in1969 and his Ph.D. from WVU in 1977. He received the Cyrus Vance Award from the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts that recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of international education. He was a Professor of Political Science at WLU from 1969 until his retirement in 2009.
109 African American Participation in the Civil War and Its Impact
Presenter: Wilkes Kinney
Thursday, April 11, 1:30-3 p.m.
COURSE WILL BE HELD AT THE WEST VIRGINIA INDEPENDENCE HALL, MARKET & 16TH STREETS, WHEELING
Description: Learn how African Americans participated as Union and Confederate Soldiers through a unique prospective. Course will include period dress, pictures, artifacts and video.
Presenter’s background: Wilkes Kinney is a graduate of
Bluefield State College and Saint Paul College’s Wharton University School of Business. Wilkes has been involved in Civil War research since 1977. He is an independent health care consultant.
110 The World of Wine
Presenter: Aron Massey
This course will be taught in a series of four (4) classes
Wednesday, April 17, 24, May 1 and 8, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: Introduces the topic of wine through a geographic perspective. Examine what wine is, how grapes are grown, winemaking techniques and grape growing regions across the globe. If attendees want to take part in optional wine tasting during each presentation, they will need to bring a wine glass and pay a small fee of $5 per week to offset the cost of the wine.
Presenter’s background: Aron Massey is a geography professor at West Liberty University. He has taught several college level courses on wine at Kent State University. Aron has worked professionally at a winery and continues as a consultant for multiple aspects of the wine industry.
111 What Does a Lobbyist Really Do?
Presenter: John Bonassi
Thursday, April 18, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: Learn first-hand how a lobbyist needs to have the experience necessary to fully understand the legislative and regulatory process, so as to affect those processes to the benefit of a client.
Presenter’s background: John Bonassi is the former Chief of Staff (Western Pennsylvania) for the late U.S. Senator John Heinz. He was the Director of Government Affairs for several steel and coal companies and Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs for several companies in the architecture, engineering and construction industry. Presently, he is Senior Consultant to the Gary E. West College of Business at WLU.
112 Roller Derby: History and Modern
Presenter: Sara Sweeney
Thursday, April 25, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: The popular traveling show of roller derby from the 1970s has made its way back into the sports world as the fastest growing sport in the world. This course will focus on the changes of the sport as well as how the game is played today.
Presenter’s background: Sara Sweeney is a third-year member of the local roller derby league, the Ohio Valley Roller Girls. She is currently a Captain for the OVRG All Stars, 2012 MVP for the team, and graduate of West Liberty University. Sara is the manager of the WLU Highlands Center.
113 History of Philanthropy in the Ohio Valley
Presenter: Susie Nelson
Thursday, May 9, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: Many of the wonderful things in the Ohio Valley have been provided by philanthropists. Wheeling Park and Oglebay Park are two popular examples. This course will outline our community’s most generous philanthropists, who have made our community a great place to live, learn, and play.
Presenter’s background: Susie Nelson is the Executive Director of the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley. Susie works with today’s philanthropists while stewarding the gifts of our community’s past donors. Susie is a lifelong resident of Ohio County and has a Bachelor’s Degree from West Virginia University.
114 IS IT GETTING OLD IN HERE OR IS JUST ME?
Presenter: Ann Koegler
Wednesday, May 15, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: Aging is unavoidable – if we live long enough. There are things that we will all inevitably face as we age. What is normal? What is not normal? Understanding what we might reasonably expect as we age and the resources and adaptation skills that are within us and around us can help us with our own aging process.
Presenter’s background: Ann Koegler earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology and Psychology from West Liberty State College, and a master’s degree in Counseling from West Virginia University. She also completed required studies for a Practitioner’s Certificate in Gerontology from West Virginia University. Ann is a licensed social worker who has been the Coordinator of the Altenheim Resource and Referral Center in Wheeling for 18 years. Ann was honored with the Rockefeller Award by the WV Alzheimer’s Association in 2010 and remains active on the Wheeling Planning Committee for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
115 Glasnost: A 25-Year Retrospective
Presenter: Leonard Rinchiuso
Thursday, May 16, 1:30-3 p.m.
Description: In 1988, President Mikhail Gorbachev introduced a policy of sweeping reforms and individual freedoms to the Soviet people. This policy, known as Glasnost, eventually paved the way for the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the conclusion of the Cold War itself. In this lecture, we re-visit glasnost on its 25th anniversary--from both Russian and American perspectives. Also, we ask the critical question: Did Gorbachev truly want to re-develop the Soviet superpower--as most historians believe--or did he secretly want to dismantle it?
Presenter’s background: Leonard Rinchiuso is an Assistant Professor of Russian at West Liberty University and an avid student of Russian and Eastern European history. He most recently visited Eastern Europe in 2004.
Questions? Please contact Jeff Knierim, Vice President for Community Engagement, at 304.336.8301, e-mail: or Dr. Tom Michaud, Dean of Professional Studies, at 304.217.2800 Ext. #2, e-mail: .
Community University Web Site
westliberty.edu/community-university
Community University at West Liberty
WLU Highlands Center
355 Wharton Circle, Suite 200
Triadelphia, WV 26059
(Entrance to the WLU Highlands Center is located across from the Marquee Cinemas)
Community University at West Liberty – Spring Term 2013 Registration Form
Name______
Address______
City______State_____ Zip Code______
Telephone______E-mail______
Circle the number/s below that correspond to the course/s that you wish to attend.
101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115
Return registration form along with a $25 check (payable to West Liberty University) to:
Community University at West Liberty
WLU Business Office
208 University Drive
College Union Box 109
West Liberty, WV 26074