Online Courses   

What is the journey of a Ukrainian woman refugee? What was the experience of growing up in Soviet Ukraine? What is the impact of the transition from communism to a free Ukraine on the life of a Ukrainian woman and her family? Becoming a refugee involves a change of identity, loss of status and economic stability, and a descent into another unknown world. Through the stories of six Ukrainian refugee women living in Ashland, these questions will be explored within the larger context of Ukrainian history, women’s spirituality, and the refugee experience as a path of spiritual transformation. The course will include lecture and discussion, ritual circles, reflective writing in response to the readings, local Ukrainian women speaker presentations (videos), and out-of-class readings.

NOTE: Required Text: “Displaced: The Ukrainian Refugee Experience” by Tamar Jacoby. Independently published (Sept. 9, 2022). 

The stress of caregiving is a major concern for someone whose loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s. This course will provide an overview of the issues, the impact of the diagnosis, and the resources available to the caregiver. We will discuss coping strategies for the patient and caregiver. We introduce specific issues typically discussed between the caregiver, loved one, lawyer, and financial planner. These may include advanced directives, end-of-life choices and their ethical issues, changes to a will or trust, and strategies for dealing with medical expenses. Classes will consist of lectures using PowerPoint slides. Zoom will allow for electronic interaction. The PowerPoint will be sent to the students after each class.

Take your stock studies to the next level! Evaluate high-quality growth stocks selling at a fair price using the BetterInvesting online SSG Plus tools. Find companies to study that meet these criteria, learn company research collection shortcuts, find essential information in 10Ks and 10Qs, and skip the boilerplate. Students will present a stock to class “partners” using trend analysis, company life-cycle analysis, revenue analysis, and business modeling. We recommend acquiring BI membership at the SSG Plus level: https://bit.ly/BImember. This class is part lecture, part activity workshop, with outside reading and tools practice. A free PDF copy of “Stock Selection Guide (SSG) and Portfolio Management Magic,” by Mike Torbenson, is provided. We strongly recommend you complete the Intro to the SSG video series on the BI website OR the 24 Fall “DIY class for Beginners” before Session 3. This class is essential for the next class in the series: "DIY Stock Portfolio Management."

NOTE: Maximum benefits will be achieved by attending all eight sessions. Equities are for educational purposes only; no recommendations will be made. We do not present alternate investment strategies. No penny stocks, ADRs, ETFs, index funds, bonds, mutual funds, financial advisors, cryptocurrencies, or foreign stocks will be discussed. Newer Windows or Mac OS is necessary. No iPads.

This course will explore healthy preparation for end-of-life planning. Each of the sessions will be led by an expert on the different aspects of end-of-life preparation and palliative and hospice care. This course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) importance of end-of-life planning and communicating with those important in your life; 2) importance of caregiver health, support, and use of resources during this difficult time. There will be a tour of Celia’s House in Medford during this 90-minute session; and 3) discussing hospice, palliative, and home care and the use of these services during this period of life. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. The students should be prepared to share their experiences. This is the first of two courses on the subject of end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students should be open to sharing their experiences, concerns, and worries about the subject.  

This three-session course will focus on important services and support one can receive when providing end-of-life care. Each of the three hourly sessions will be led by an expert on the different services and support options that are available during this difficult period. The course will use an informational format with ample time for discussion and questions. Topics will include: 1) stages of dying and the process individuals and families go through, 2) the role of spiritual and self-care, and 3) bereavement support and the value of recognizing grief. During these sessions, we will also focus on caregiver guilt and identifying ways to enhance caregiver self-care. This course is open to any student who wishes to gain an important understanding in preparing for this phase of life. This is the second of two courses on end-of-life care.  

NOTE: Students may take Part 1 or Part 2 or both courses.

In this course, speakers will explore what it’s like to work abroad in faraway places. We’ll start with teaching in China, working in the government of the Federated States of Micronesia, consulting in Uganda, and volunteer medical work elsewhere in Africa. The presenters will bring some perspectives that differ a bit from the tourist experience visiting these countries. Each presentation will be about 90 minutes, via Zoom, and there will be opportunities for questions and discussion.

NOTE: There is no class session on Wednesday, February 19.

“James” is by 2020 Pulitzer finalist, Percival Everett. In “James” he inverts Mark Twain’s (Samuel Clemens’) story of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” making the slave, Jim, the protagonist. During the class, students will read the two books side-by-side, gathering impressions of the old classic and this new interpretation. The class will examine the use of language in both books, references to the river and to superstitions and folklore, and study the motivations of both authors for bringing this story to the page. “James” has been longlisted for the Booker Prize and is being developed as a feature film by Steven Spielberg. “Huckleberry Finn” is a book that most of us remember from childhood and many have not read in adulthood. It has faced several book bans for various reasons since 1885. One of the most recent publications has removed all use of the N-word, citing racism. This course will bring the two authors face to face and examine in depth their implied conversation.

NOTE: Students are encouraged to read at least the first half of each novel before the course begins. The instructor will be using the Cambridge University Press edition of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” 1995, easily available as a used book from online sources.

Shakespeare’s characters, conflicts, and themes are as relevant to America today as they were to 17th-century England. Far from the boring slog so many of us recall from 10th grade, this play brilliantly poses deep moral questions of contemporary import — about leadership, power, idealism, pragmatism, egotism, and honor. It crackles with brilliant rhetoric used to shape public opinion in a bitterly divided country. The author examines the fine lines between facts and assumptions, duty and ambition, and confidence and arrogance. The personal tragedies of the main characters mirror the dilemma of their society in the moment of transformation from the remnants of a republic to an oligarchy. At the end of the play, we are left to decide whether the end justifies the means, whether political violence can ever make Rome — or anywhere else — great again. Through lecture and discussion, the class will examine these questions in a study of the text and a variety of productions.

NOTE: No previous knowledge of Shakespeare is required, but students should have access to a copy of the play. Two separate sections of this course are offered: one is held at the Campbell Center on Wednesdays; the other is held online on Thursdays.

Most of us spend half our adult lives going through major life transitions like retirement, marriage, loss of a loved one, divorce, inheritance, career change, empty nest, big health challenges — yet we haven’t been trained in vital skills needed to master (or even manage) these life passages. Change happens quickly, but major life transitions can take years, and the transformation that results from working through them skillfully lasts a lifetime. This course explores how students have handled these significant “life-quakes” in the past and can use them now and in the future as times of reimagining and reinvention. We will explore the four phases of major life transitions both in the research and through personal experience. These challenging passages launch life’s next chapter and hold great potential gifts for “post-traumatic growth” while allowing the opportunity to design the ideal next chapter. Emphasis will be on developing the creative skills to flow through major change.  

NOTE: Suggested but not required reading: “The Way of Transitions” by William Bridges and “Life Is in the Transitions” by Bruce Feiler.

This course will help those affected by the death of a loved one in a relationship navigate the daily struggles of this powerful life phase, and begin to take their own pivotal next steps toward emotional, mental, physical, and financial well-being. Loss is a passage with no timetable, often marked by grief and the challenge of taking on new and perhaps unfamiliar skills and responsibilities. This course is a compassionate exploration of the knowledge and resources to find the support and strength you need, as well as a gentle reminder that you don’t have to go through it alone. This proven process will provide varied tools to help enrich self-understanding while building confidence, skills, and a vital community/professional support team. We will learn from the experiences of others who are at different points in their healing, as well as from experts in life-planning, grief recovery, and personal finance. Participation during class is encouraged yet optional.  

NOTE: There is no class on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

This course is designed to help participants take, organize, store, edit, and share digital photos and videos. Emphasis will be on using Apple Photos on the iPhone, Mac, and iCloud. Participants will learn to manage iCloud settings; store and share photos and videos; perform basic edits; play and modify memories; set up albums and slideshows; search and organize photos by person, location, and activities; trim live photos, bursts, and videos; and remove duplicate photos. Privacy and security issues will also be discussed. Participants should be able to use Zoom for video conferencing and have a basic comfort taking digital photos, accessing the web, and using online applications.

NOTE: Two separate sections of this course are offered: one is held at the Campbell Center of Fridays; one is held online on Thursdays. 

This course gives students a structured opportunity to write short personal narratives. The format comes from “The Sun” literary magazine, which includes a “Readers Write” section each month. We will review samples from past issues of “The Sun” and write our own responses to the magazine’s prompts. We will also look at upcoming topics and write essays that we may choose to submit for publication in the magazine. Students are expected to commit to writing one 400- to 800-word essay each week and share it on our interactive course website in SOU’s Moodle. When students post essays, others may respond with answers to the following questions, intended to encourage supportive feedback: What did you notice? What struck you? How did you connect personally to the story? All students are welcome, regardless of writing experience. This course has been offered previously; however, all writing prompts will be new. 

NOTE: There is no class on Monday, January 20, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

This innovative six-week course bridges ancient wisdom with cutting-edge science, offering practical tools for enhanced well-being and life-changing skills. Learn how breathing unlocks your capacities for self-regulation, healing, and resilience. Explore calming and energizing practices, understanding their impact on your body-mind. Delve into breath’s crucial role in trauma, stress, and immune function. Discover the often-overlooked importance of nasal breathing for health. Through practice and evidence-based instruction, develop a personalized toolkit of breathing methods for various life situations, including stress relief, better sleep, improved focus, and enhanced physical performance. Join the journey to harness your breath’s potential. Emerge with a deeper understanding of your body-mind connection and practical strategies for lifelong health and resilience. No prior experience is necessary — just bring an open mind and willingness to explore.

NOTE: This is a practical course exploring the different dimensions of your breath and respiratory functions and is not a substitute for medical care of your conditions. You are responsible for your own participation, and a signed liability waiver is required.

“The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest running show on Broadway, celebrated its 10,000th performance in February 2012. With total estimated worldwide gross receipts of over $6 billion and total Broadway gross of over $1 billion, it was the most financially successful entertainment event until 2014. By 2019, it had been seen by over 140 million people in 183 cities across 41 countries. What is it about this story that has inspired such creative effort, captured the imagination of millions, and made it a staple of modern culture? What does it say about us that we find LeRoux’s story so compelling? Students will consider this while reading Gaston LeRoux’s 1910 work, “The Phantom of the Opera.” The course will cover four or five chapters a week for six weeks and include information about the author, the Paris Opera House and stage, screen, and literary adaptations. Discussion will center on character analysis, literary style, and a viewing of the 1925 silent film adaptation starring Lon Chaney.

NOTE: The book can be purchased or downloaded for free from several internet sources. The 1925 silent film starring Lon Chaney is available on multiple streaming platforms. Links will be provided to class participants.

The instructor is a volunteer working on Ashland’s update to its Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The purpose of the plan is to keep you safe and our community whole when wildfire affects Ashland. In this course, students will engage with community members drafting the plan and have an opportunity to improve the plan before it is finalized in April 2025. Conversations and exercises will include the following topics:

1. Assessing community risk

2. Reducing business and rental property vulnerabilities

3. Public health and safe evacuations

4. Inclusive community risk reduction

5. Maintaining Ashland forests and water supply

6. Wildfire recovery and implementing a sustainable plan

NOTE: While this course focuses on Ashland, the discussion topics have broad applicability that may be useful in any community. Participation is strongly recommended because several exercises will be done in small groups