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Ride the coastal swell of poetry, music, and movement in Spirit Mending, an intimate new work that stitches heart, body, and sound into one luminous evening. Poetry and music by Ron Fullerton. Poetry by Joelle Hannah. Performance by Megill & Company. Part ritual, part concert, part dance theater—this is SoCal creativity in full flow.

As the leading figure of an entire movement, Andy Warhol is synonymous with the development of Pop Art in America. Beginning his career as a commercial artist, Warhol rose to fame in multiple media. His vast works are an homage to the everyday world, but also comment seriously on the transience of celebrity and the power of mass media. This lecture will be an overview of the career of Andy Warhol.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

The Greenhouse Effect and its impact on Earth's surface temperature have been understood for over a century. Long before satellites, computer models or even computers existed, scientists recognized that the massive increase in fossil fuel combustion beginning with the Industrial Revolution would lead to a warming planet and a changing climate. This lecture reviews the evolution of climate change science from the early 1800s to the present, profiling 12 scientists—from Joseph Fourier to Klaus Hasselmann. Key scientific issues will be discussed in the context of these historical figures and their contributions to our understanding of climate change. In addition, the impacts of climate change on humankind and the measures that need to be taken to mitigate it will be discussed.

This lecture takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This mini-lecture series provides an overview of some of the great ancient civilizations of Central Mexico from the earliest cities in the 2nd millennium BCE through first contact with the Spanish invaders (ca. 1502 CE).

The Olmecs, Teotihuacan, and the Aztecs have fascinated public and scholarly audiences the world over. In this two-part lecture, we will explore the rise of these civilizations and address several false claims attributed to the beliefs of the peoples of Ancient Mexico that are entrenched in the popular perception of these civilizations.

The Ancient Mesoamericans developed intricate calendrical, architectural, and ideological systems. This two-part lecture seeks to present the true nature of these ancient civilizations as they are understood from the archaeological record, ancient texts, and Colonial-era documents.

This lecture takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Were Homer’s epic poems myth, or did they describe real historical events? This two-part lecture series dives into the question of Homer's authenticity, comparing key passages from the Iliad and the Odyssey with the latest archaeological evidence from Greece. We'll analyze Homer’s vivid descriptions of palaces, armor, and burial rites against the backdrop of the Mycenaean Bronze Age (c. 1600-1100 BCE). Emphasis will be placed on recent, groundbreaking discoveries that bring Homer’s passages to light. By linking the epic poems' memory of a heroic age with the material reality unearthed by modern excavations, this course explores how a seemingly mythical tradition may preserve the "kernel of truth" from a magnificent, lost civilization.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Those who rank the most influential speeches of all time consistently place “I Have a Dream” as one of the most powerful orations of history. But what else did Martin Luther King, Jr. say? As an icon of the civil rights movement, he spoke in public almost constantly. Which of these other speeches really characterize his worldview and his movement? What kind of impact did these speeches have? In this two-part lecture, we’ll go beyond “I Have a Dream” to really examine both Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speaking style and his principles that he discussed in his speeches––ultimately coming to understand what made him such a powerful orator.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Using clips from David Merrick productions, such as 42nd Street, Gypsy, Subways are for Sleeping, Oliver, Hello Dolly and many more, we will view and discuss the life of Broadway’s most renowned producer, David Merrick. HIs childhood was agonizing, and yet he rose to became the “King of Broadway” only to fall and become a pitiful figure in later years. Viewed as both a genius and tyrannical villain, his presence is still felt on Broadway today.

This lecture takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This virtual visit will explore various artifacts from our collection. This collections-based guided visual presentation will chronologically explore the Japanese American experience from the 1860s through the post-war era. with an emphasis on the WWII incarceration experience. Led by JANM volunteer docents and facilitators, history comes alive and participants of all ages are encouraged to build personal and human connections, think critically and engage in lifelong learning.

The mission of the Japanese American National Museum is to promote understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience.

This tour/talk takes place virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

The year 2025 marked the 50 year anniversary of the establishment of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. This lecture will be a "visit" to the museum that looks at the history of the institution, focusing on the personal collection of Norton Simon, and discuss the highlights of the collection.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This lecture can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

On September 3, 2025, in a show of unity against the West, China hosted a celebration commemorating the 80th anniversary of World War II. Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un joined Chinese President Xi Jinping for this solemn and symbolic occasion. Two days earlier, the leaders of China, Russia, and India met in Tianjin China as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The changing global order reflected by these meetings sent an unequivocal message to Western leaders and America in particular: China is a global superpower and, along with its allies North Korea and India, is in lock-step with Russia against the Western effort to isolate Putin over his invasion of Ukraine. How did the United States and more broadly, its Western allies arrive at what by all accounts is a decisive and, as some would argue, dangerous moment in foreign affairs? Do these developments reflect what some scholars and public policy specialists are calling “a new Cold War?” This course will take a closer look at these recent events and what they might signify for the future of American foreign relations. It will offer suggestions about how to make sense of a new and rapidly evolving world order.

This course can be attended either in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus or virtually via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.