Lifelong Learning Courses

Mayborn Museum
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Lifelong Learning Courses

Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning - SOLD OUT

Thursdays, 3:00-4:30 pm
Sep. 2, 9, 16, 23
Location: Armstrong Browning Library
Price: $20 per person

Explore the Armstrong Browning Library (ABL) on the Baylor campus, home of the world’s largest collection of material on Victorian poets Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. View the largest collection of secular stained glass in the world that surrounds this beautiful research center and museum. Interact with the Library’s rare books and manuscripts related to Robert and Elizabeth and learn interesting stories about their writing and lives with sessions led by the ABL’s librarians and scholars of 19th century literature. This course will be coordinated by Jennifer Borderud.

Jennifer Borderud is Associate Librarian and Director of the Armstrong Browning Library; Laura J. French is Associate Librarian and Curator of the Armstrong Browning Library; and Joshua King, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of English and Margaret Root Brown Chair in Robert Browning and Victorian Studies.

Team Play: The Art of Playing Music Together

Tuesdays, 10:45 am -12:15 pm
Sep. 7, 14, 21, 28
Location: Glennis McCrary Music Building
Price: $20 per person

By popular demand, this course returns with Wiff Rudd and Dr. Kristy Morrel. Class members will have the opportunity to observe and interact personally with Baylor Music students as they prepare and perform complex chamber music together over a four-week period.  Participants will learn the general history of the instruments (woodwind, brass, string, and percussion) and will also be given the opportunity to hold and play various instruments.

Wiff Rudd teaches in the trumpet studio at Baylor University, is the Brass Area Coordinator, and is a member of the Baylor Brass and the Waco Symphony. He was a full-time touring chamber musician for many years.
Dr. Kristy Morrell is Associate Professor of Horn at Baylor and was Chair of the department of Winds, Brass, and Percussion, and a faculty member at the University of Southern California for more than 20 years teaching French horn, chamber music, and career strategies.

Southern Gothic American Short Stories

Wednesdays, 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Sep. 8, 15, 22, 29
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

This course taught by Diane Hamilton will explore the characteristics of Southern Gothic fiction. Participants will read one short story per week. William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Eudora Welty, and Truman Capote’s works will be examined for their distinctive Southern voices.

Diane Hamilton holds a BA and MA from Baylor in English. She retired after 40 years of teaching, mostly AP English III and IV in the Arlington ISD. She has previously taught with Baylor Lifelong Learning on classic 19th century American novels twice before. She has also been involved in the leadership of LLL.

The Five Powers That Dominate the Global Arena

Thursdays, 10:30 am - Noon
Sep. 9, 16, 23, 30
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

Currently, there are five “powers” that have political and economic dominance in our world: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The balance of power among them affects nearly every living person by the decisions and actions they take. In the United Nations Security Council, these five entities are the only ones to have permanent seats with veto power. Dr. David Smith will draw together the history of the great power system and how these countries moved into their powerful positions and maintain their standing after centuries of circumstances.

We anticipate that this course will be well attended, and parking may be limited. Please consider carpooling to the Mayborn Museum.

Dr. David A. Smith is a senior lecturer in American History at Baylor University. He graduated from what is now Texas State University in San Marcos, and he received his Ph.D. in modern American History from the University of Missouri in the year 2000. He is well-known for his teaching speaking, and writing on art, culture and politics. He has won awards for his teaching at Baylor University and at the University of Missouri.

What Seniors Need to Know about Estate Planning and Probate

Mondays 10:00 – 11:30 am
Sep. 13, 20, 27 and Oct. 4
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

It’s smart to make plans for your estate ahead of when you need them.  When you care about your family, your finances, and your desires to be accomplished after your death, you need to know the laws that may impact the implementation of what you want to happen.  Don’t assume things will happen automatically; make sure your preferences are followed regarding your bank accounts, your businesses, and your property.  Estate planning and probate attorney, Wesley J. Filer, will discuss estate planning principles, primary documents, and other relevant topics while offering an opportunity to answer many of your questions.

Wesley Filer is an experienced attorney certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the Texas Bar Association in estate planning and probate law.  A graduate of the University of Texas, Baylor University School of Law, and The George Washington University Law School, Wes has been associated for many years with Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee in Waco.  He also is board certified in tax law and handles business transactions and federal and state tax matters.

How to Survive and Thrive Through the Transitions in Family and Friend Relationships

Mondays 1:30 – 3:00 pm
Sep. 13, 20, 27 and Oct. 4
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

These classes help you make the most of your relationships with loved ones. The focus is on understanding the transitions that time and health changes bring to your most intimate connections. You will benefit from the expertise and experiences of Baylor faculty, counselors, and panelists informed by faith, current research, and best practices. The classes, led by Dr. Dennis Myers, will concentrate on enriching marital and deep friendships, dealing with the loss of a lifetime relationship, sustaining sibling and adult/child friendships, and thriving as a caregiver.

Dr. Dennis Myers is The Danny and Lenn Prince Endowed Professor for the Residential Care of Older Adults, is Professor of Social Work and Gerontology at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor, and a Faculty Fellow. He teaches, writes, and speaks extensively on social work issues and topics and he has previously served in many leadership positions in his department.

A Journey into the Prehistory of Central Texas

Wednesdays, 9:00-10:30 am
Sep. 29 & Oct. 6, 13, & 20
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

Dig deep into Texas history with Carol Macaulay-Jameson, an archaeologist who has over 30 years of experience, including field school studies with Baylor undergraduates. Sessions will focus on the Horn Shelter, a Paleoamerican site on the Brazos River, as well as several field school studies in a rock shelter, a 1,000 year-old campsite, and one with rare organic remains. Prepare to be fascinated by findings in the Waco and Gatesville areas as you journey through the prehistory of Central Texas.

Carol Macaulay-Jameson holds a BS in History and Geography from UT and MA in Anthropology from Texas A&M. She has served most recently as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at Baylor for 18 years. Her favorite course was teaching archaeological field school each summer since 2006. She is currently serving as Secretary of the Texas Archaeological Society.

Reformation of the Church in the 16th Century

Tuesdays, 10:00 – 11:30 am
Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person  

This course provides an overview of the five major patterns of the sixteenth-century Reformation of Christianity: Martin Luther, the founder of the Protestant Reformation; John Calvin, the second great theologian of the Reformation; the Anabaptists and other radicals who endured extreme persecution; the English Reformation of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth l; and finally, the Catholic Reformation, which extended Christianity to huge areas of South America. Dr. Bill Pitts, retired Professor Emeritus, Department of Religion, will guide the class through the major events of the Reformation era.

Dr. Bill Pitts is Retired Professor Emeritus, Department of Religion, Baylor University. He earned his BA at Baylor in history and religion, his MDiv at Vanderbilt Divinity School, and his PhD in Church History at Vanderbilt University. His 52-year teaching career included Mercer University, Houston Baptist University, Dallas Baptist University, and 43 years at Baylor University.

Bob Anne's Book Club: Women of Importance

Thursdays, 10:30 – Noon
Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28
Online via ZOOM
Price: $20 per person

The ever-popular Bob Anne Senter reviews The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict; Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict; The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull, and A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell. The stories of these four women are relatively unknown, but they made great contributions to history during their lives. Learn about these “Women of Importance” from these four historical fiction novels.

Bob Anne Senter was born in Amarillo, TX, and graduated from Baylor University. She was an executive secretary at Republic National Bank in Dallas before she married, and later worked as a secretary for the Superintendent of the Methodist Home, volunteered in several areas, served on the Midway School Board for 9 years, and was President of the Baylor Alumni Association. Later she took a part-time position as Director of Travel for the BAA that led to representing Lifelong Learning. She retired in 2016.

Palaces of the World

Mondays, 10:30 am - Noon
Oct. 18, 25 & Nov. 1, 8
Online via ZOOM
Price: $20 per person

Did you know that the world’s largest residential palace is the Istana Nurul Iman near the capital of Brunei?  Or that the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, is the most visited palace in the world?  Palaces tend to reflect the culture and customs of a country or region with similarities and differences that are fascinating to study.  Plan a trip or just enjoy the pictures.  Your tour guide to the palaces of the world will be Larry Smith who shares stories, history, and his observations with you.

Larry Smith is Baylor graduate with MS degree from TCU and doctoral studies at OU. Formerly Larry has been a university administrator, secondary science teacher and retired after serving as a National Park Astronomy Ranger at Yellowstone and Badlands National Parks. He has traveled extensively in the United States as well as internationally and has taught 9 classes for Baylor Lifelong Learning and Continuing Education since 2018.

WWII Operation Overlord: The Longest Day in History

Wednesdays 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Oct. 27 & Nov. 3, 10, 17
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

Join Brad Livingstone, popular historian and Baylor's First Gent, as he goes deep into Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Normandy France.  On June 6, 1944, 1,200 planes, 5,000 naval vessels, and 160,000 troops approached the shores of Normandy.  The Allied forces carried out one of history's largest amphibious military operations to take control of Western Europe and bring defeat to the German war machine.  Study the planning that preceded it and the ongoing effort that followed it.

We anticipate that this course will be well attended, and parking may be limited. Please consider carpooling to the Mayborn Museum.

Brad Livingstone received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Oklahoma State while also playing basketball for the Cowboys. He has been an educator at Oaks Christian High School in southern California, served as Dean of Students, Principal and history teacher at Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, VA, and taught at Vanguard in Waco in the mid-1900s, returning in 2017 to continue teaching history with a specialty in WWII and the Vietnam War.

Introducing the Enneagram: Nine Paths Back to God

Thursdays, 2:00 - 3:30 pm
Oct. 21, 28, and Nov. 4, 11
Online via ZOOM
Price: $20 per person

This course introduces the Enneagram as a tool to help us understand nine personality approaches and how they shape our relationship to God and each other. You will learn from Dr. Jon Singletary about the Enneagram as an ancient symbol and develop a deeper understanding of how God is at work within you.

Dr. Jon Singletary is dean and professor of the Garland School of Social Work and has served on the faculty for 20 years. He has led the Center for Family and Community Ministries at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor studying congregations and how they engage in service.

Favorite Tunes Throughout the Decades

Tuesdays 10:30 am - Noon
Nov. 2, 9, 16, and 30
Location: Mayborn Museum
Price: $20 per person

Vocalist Ann Harder, keyboard extraordinaire Lydia Bratcher and other musical friends will bring back memories of music through the decades from the 1920s through the 1970s, many of which are still well-known today. Culture and historical events impacted music of the day, along with the personalities of the composers and performers that made them famous. Listen or sing along to the tunes and enjoy the stories.

Ann Harder is a native Wacoan and proud graduate of Baylor University.  Her radio and television broadcasting career spans nearly 50 years beginning in radio in the early 1970’s.  Although retired after 25 years on the anchor desk at KXXV, she’s still reporting for the station twice monthly with “Traveling Texas With Ann Harder” and hosts “Central Texas Living the Podcast.”   Through the years, Ann has presented several continuing education courses focusing on The Great American Songbook.  She is married to Mike Harder and they have three grown sons, two daughters-in-law and three beautiful granddaughters.
Lydia McCall Bratcher, NCTM, has taught private piano and theory for over 40 years in Waco. She majored in Piano Pedagogy at Baylor University. She accompanied the Midway High School choirs for 18 years and returns annually to accompany students in the UIL Vocal Solo Contest. She has served on the staff of Seventh and James Baptist Church as Organist and Sanctuary Choir accompanist since 2004. She enjoys reading, gardening, cooking, and volunteering. She is married and has two grown children.

How To Register

You have to become a member of Lifelong Learning in order to register for courses. You may purchase your membership on the website or at the museum’s ticketing desk. After you have purchased a membership, you will need to create an account using the email listed on your membership. To create an account, click on a course you are interested in and click register at the top right-hand corner. Follow the directions to create an account. You will use the same email and password to register for courses in the future.  

Registration will close three days prior to the first-class day.  

Please call (254)710-1110 if assistance is needed. 

LLL Refunds & Credits

A Lifelong Learner may withdraw from a course until one business day before its first meeting. The Mayborn Museum will issue a full refund for the cancellation. Please email MaybornCS@baylor.edu for additional information.