Friday, March 08, 2002

UNC Wilmington, through its Division for Public Service and Continuing Studies, is offering a first-of-a-kind Summer Institute for Lifelong Learners. It features five weeks of academically based, non-credit adult sessions and offers Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as professional development credit.

“The premise of the Lifelong Learning Institute is to provide expanded intellectual and cultural opportunities consistent with the university’s mission. The sessions are condensed college-level courses taught by UNCW faculty and open to any adult interested in pursuing cultural enrichment,” said Karel Dutton, director of lifelong learning.

Topics, selected by an advisory committee comprised of faculty, staff and community representatives, include science, literature, the Middle East, Southern history and culture, and world religions. Session dates, fees and registration deadlines are listed below.

Summer Environmental Institute, May 13-17. Registration deadline is April 12 for all three sessions that include: “Humans and Ecology: The Circle of Life” with Dr. Courtney Hackney, professor of biology, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, $110 includes refreshments; “Wildlife: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow?” with Dr. Eric Bolen, professor of biology, 10:45-12:45 p.m. Monday-Friday, $110 includes lunch; and “Genetic Engineering and Microorganisms: Human Health and Our Future Economy” with Dr. David Padgett, professor of biology, 1-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday, $100 includes refreshments. Fee is $300 for all three.

Literature Institute, June 17-21. Registration deadline is May 24 for all three sessions that include: “In Love With Shakespeare's Lovers” with Dr. Lewis Walker, associate professor of English, 8:30-10:20 a.m. Monday-Friday, $95; “Fantasy for Children and the Harry Potter Phenomenon” with Dr. Maggie Parish, assistant professor of English, 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m., Monday-Friday, $95; and “Selected American Poets: Explorations in Theme and Form” with Dr. Kathy Rugoff, associate professor of English, 1:30-3:20 p.m., Monday-Friday, $95. Fee is $275 for all three.

Middle East Institute: Its Land, People and Faith, June 24-28. Registration deadline is May 30 for all three sessions which include: “The Muslim Holy Land” with Dr. Herb Berg, assistant professor of philosophy and religion, 8:30-10:30 a.m. , Monday-Friday, $95; “The Jewish Holy Land” with Dr. Don Hababi, associate professor of philosophy and religion, 10:30-12:20 p.m. Monday through Friday, $95 and “The Geography, History and Geopolitics of the Middle East” with D. W. Frank Ainsely, Jr., professor of geography, 1:30-3:20 p.m. Monday-Friday, $95. Fee is $275 for all three.

Southern History, Culture and Literature Institute, July 8-12. Registration deadline is June 7 for all three sessions which include: “Last Rays of Departing Hope: Lower Cape Fear Region During the Civil War” with Dr. Chris Fonveille, visiting assistant professor of history, 8:30-10:20 a.m. Monday-Friday, $95; “Why is the South Southern?” with Dr. Melton McLaurin, professor of history, 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Monday-Friday, $95; and “There's No Place Like Home: the American South as Fiction” with Dr. William D. Atwill, associate professor of English, 1:30-3:20 p.m. Monday-Friday, $95. Fee is $275 for all three.

Institute of Great World Religions: Their Wisdom Texts, July 15-19. Registration deadline is June 14 for all three sessions which include: “Christian Wisdom: The Parables of Jesus” with Dr. Jim Megivern, retired professor of philosophy and religion, 8:30-10:20 a.m. Monday-Friday, $95; “Buddhist Wisdom: Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life” with Dr. Joe B. Wilson, Jr., associate professor of philosophy and religion, 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Monday-Friday, $95; and “Hebrew Wisdom: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Sirach” with Dr. Walter Harrelson, retired professor of religion, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, $95. Fee is $275 for all three.

For more information about the Environmental Institute, call (910) 962-2461 and (910) 962-3644 for all other sessions. To register, call (910) 962-3195 or visit the web site at www.uncwil.edu/dpsee/continuing_ed/.

NOTE TO MEDIA: Interviews and more information are available from the following:

Diane Talley, director of MarineQuest and the Environmental Institute, (910) 962-2460

Karel Dutton, director of Lifelong Learning, (910) 962-3644

Dr. Courtney Hackney, professor of biology, UNCW, (910) 962-3759

Dr. Erin Bolen, professor of biology, UNCW, (910) 962-3482

Dr. James Megivern, retired professor of philosophy and religion, (910) 962-3407 or (910) 799-3069

William Holt, member, advisory committee, (910) 686-3883