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WISE Courses for Spring 2025

Join us for a brand new season of engaging courses beginning in February 2025. For full course descriptions and schedules access the 2025 Spring catalog here

Scroll down this page to view the available courses and register today. Note that courses are listed based on upcoming class dates and may not be in numerical order.

Need help learning Zoom? Contact the WISE office at 508-767-7513 or by email at WISE@assumption.edu for instruction, assistance, and support. Our regular office hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday (excluding holidays).

If you miss a Zoom class, you can access the class recording here for up to 30 days after each class session. 

You can also see some of our recent course offerings on the Past WISE Courses page.

    • 03/24/2025
    • 04/28/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 28
    Register

    U.S. law enforcement & regulatory agencies have changed such that money laundering is now treated as an independent and primary focus across all relevant agencies. Banks through the Anti Money Laundering Act and Bank Secrecy Act are required to work with U.S. law enforcement and regulatory agencies to identify, solve and prevent financial crimes. This course reviews the history of financial crime enforcement and how agencies and financial institutions work to combat financial crimes and terrorism. This is an overview of the extent, nature, causes, and control of financial crimes. It will examine the nature and extent of offenses committed by individuals, crime networks, corporations, professionals, and public officials. It will identify challenges and techniques to prevent, detect, investigate, regulate, and sanction financial crimes.

    Paperback Readings:

    The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the Rich & Powerful Hide Their Money; F. Obermaier and B. Obermayer, April 11, 2017, Oneworld Publications, ISBN-10: 1786070707; ISBN-13: 978-1786070708

    SPAM Nation; Brian Krebs, 2014, ISBN-13:9781492603238, Publisher: Sourcebooks Inc.     

    Instructor: Eddie Goodwin’s experience includes directing financial crime divisions as a Bank Secrecy Act Anti Money Laundering Officer at domestic banks and an international division of a world-wide bank. His experience includes money laundering cases and information sharing with U.S. law enforcement and regulatory agencies, and state and local law enforcement. He is a financial crime professional with extensive criminal justice experience in Bank Secrecy Act, Anti Money Laundering, fraud investigations, international and domestic crime case investigation, fraud detection and anti-money laundering forensic system analysis. He earned degrees at Northeastern University -MS Criminal Justice; Nichols College- MBA; and the College of the Holy Cross -BA. 


    • 03/24/2025
    • 04/28/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 42
    Register

    Though it’s a long way from the ancient Mediterranean world where the history of Western Literature begins to the Arctic, some of the works I read during my sojourn in Fairbanks, Alaska have continued to haunt me during my years here in Massachusetts, partly because of the continuing vitality of ancient themes such as patriarchy, child-murder and war in modern fiction, and partly because of the acknowledgment of essentially modern concerns, such as gender roles and ecology in the culture of Native Alaskans. Among the most memorable of Alaskan narratives are those by the Gwich’in writer, Velma Wallis. We will be reading several of her novels: Two Old Women, and The Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun.

    Required Readings

    Velma Wallis. Two Old Women. Fairbanks, (Epicenter Press, 1993)

    The Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun. New York, (Harper Perennial, 1997)

    Instructor: Lillian Corti earned a doctorate in Comparative Literature at the City University of New York in 1984 and has taught at various institutions including Queens College, Tulsa University, Marien N’gouabi University and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she was on the faculty of the English Department and a member of the Women’s Studies Department for many years.


    • 03/25/2025
    • 04/22/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 39
    Register

    “The Anthropological Perspective” will introduce students to how sociocultural anthropologists look at the world and do their studies. It will cover some of the major theoretical frameworks used in this field of study and will also discuss the nature of ethnographic fieldwork. In Weeks 3-5, the course will focus on two selected research topics: anthropology of art and the anthropology of gender and sexuality. Finally, we will turn to examples of ethically engaged anthropology, discussing how scholars grapple with current day issues such as the structural violence of extreme poverty in shantytowns and how that impacts infant health and survival.

    No required book readings but all the individual chapters and journal articles are required readings. These will be made available as pdfs on our course page.

    Instructor: Susan Rodgers is a sociocultural anthropologist who taught for 11 years in the anthropology program at Ohio U and for 27 years in the anthropology curriculum at Holy Cross (tenured in both places, in sequence). Her Ph.D. in anthropology (1978) is from the U of Chicago and she has published numerous journal articles and books on a variety of topics within anthropology (e.g., anthropology of literature and village arts; museum anthropology; state power and indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia; refugee resettlement). She has taught two WISE courses in anthropology, for spring and fall, 2024. She also has taught Intro to Sociocultural Anthro many times at Ohio U and at Holy Cross, along with Anthro courses on gender, art, museum representation, modernization, theory, and ethnographic field methods. She has her Ph.D., Professor Emerita Anthropology; Distinguished Professor Emerita, Ethics and Society, College of the Holy Cross.


    • 03/25/2025
    • 04/22/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 15
    Register

    This course will study Shakespeare’s most unusual comic heroines: the clamoring Mistress Page and Mistress Ford in The Merry Wives of Windsor and acerbic Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. Usually, Shakespeare’s comic women say their piece while disguised as young men. These women defy that convention in ways that transform our sense of “romantic comedy.” Those who wish to will reassemble for a post-performance discussion of Much Ado performed by the Hanover Theatre Repertory Co.

    Required Readings:

    The Merry Wives of Windsor, Folger edition (free online or buy the paperback)

    Much Ado About Nothing (free online or buy the paperback)

    Instructors: Helen Whall joined the faculty at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA after finishing her Ph.D. at Yale University. At Holy Cross, she taught Shakespeare and Renaissance drama as well as modern drama, frequently writing on all three subjects. Since retiring in 2017, Helen has offered several courses for WISE on Shakespeare, modern drama, and the modern mystery novel.

    Virginia Mason Vaughan taught at Clark University for thirty-seven years, and since retirement, she has taught classes on Shakespeare at WISE, often with her good friend Helen Whall. She is widely published, including books on The Tempest and Othello. She also co-edited with her late husband Alden T. Vaughan, The Tempest (Third Arden Series) and co-authored with him Shakespeare in America (Oxford Shakespeare Topics). Her most recent book is Shakespeare and the Gods (2019), from Arden Shakespeare. She currently serves as Senior Editor for the digital resource, The Literary Encyclopedia.


    • 03/26/2025
    • 04/23/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register
    We’ll review key technological innovations in photography that led to aesthetic changes in the field from the daguerreotype in 1839, the camera in 1841, the Kodak camera in 1888, 35mm film and the Leica in 1913, 35mm SLRs by 1936, and digital photography in 1975. An exploration of iconic images in American photography will provide a history of the evolution of this artistic medium that changed the way we viewed the world.

    Instructor: Martha Chiarchiaro has brought history to life through the art of the times for more than 30 years. She received her Master’s degree in the History of Art from Williams College and has taught a variety of art history classes at the Worcester Art Museum, Worcester State University, WISE, and other cultural organizations. As noted on her Seeing History website, Martha's specialty presentations related to specific periods, artists, and activities provide an in-depth look at the life and times of people through their art.


    • 03/26/2025
    • 04/23/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 27
    Register

    Striving for a diversity of ideas and opinions, we will discuss a variety of controversial topics, including updates on our “controversies” discussion in spring 2024.

    • Update: The impact of the ballot question to stop MCAS as a graduation requirement
    • Update: Book bans and bibles in classrooms
    • Update: Free community college in Massachusetts
    • Update: The value of a liberal arts degree in 2025
    • The impact of the SCOTUS ruling that banned race as a factor in college admissions
    • Teaching and learning using an on-line format
    • Speech on college campuses

    Instructor: Susan Starr started professional life teaching elementary school. Unexpectedly, she was recruited by Clark University to teach undergrad and grad students to become elementary school teachers, a job she loved for 20 years. From 1994-2014, she worked with a team of physicians and educators at UMass Medical School in a program that taught educational strategies to doctors who teach med students and residents. Since retirement, she has been helping high achieving/low income (HALI) international students navigate the process of applying to college and succeeding once enrolled.


    • 03/27/2025
    • 04/24/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    The extraordinary fight to end enslavement also opened doors for women in activism, public speaking, education, and organizing. Beginning in an era where educating women was rare and public life was considered the sole province of men, the region soon developed organizers, male and female, for a number of social causes including abolition, prison reform, temperance, and voting rights. We will explore the roles of prominent New England Black families including the Haydens of Boston, the Remonds of Salem, the Cuffes and Wainers of Westport, and Attorney Robert Morris along with Quakers, black and white, who helped to transform the legal, educational, and religious landscape of New England and paved the way for women’s suffrage.

    Instructor: Susan Franz holds a master's degree from Clark University and has taught at several local colleges. She has taught several courses on the abolition and Underground Railroad periods for WISE and lectures frequently around the Commonwealth. She played a key role in gaining National Park Service recognition for Underground Railroad locations in the Blackstone River Valley and designed an exhibit on the Underground Railroad for state parks. She has served on the Uxbridge Select Board, Finance Committee, and Historical Commission and has edited a book on French artist Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun titled Moments of Joy.


    • 03/27/2025
    • 04/24/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register
    What is of more concern to us today than the erosion of human rights? The five trials in this course took place in France, Germany, Israel, and South Africa. Each of these trials was responding to current events (of the time) that illuminate what people are thinking about over the span from 1400 to the 1950s. President Barack Obama said that: “if you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you make progress.”  Let’s look at these trials and see if we think he is right.

    Instructor: Sylvia Solomon is a retired educator who worked in schools, universities, and the Ontario Ministry of Education. Since her retirement, she has presented the Great Trial series at the University of Toronto, Toronto Metropolitan University, the Toronto Reference Library, the 92nd Street Y, the OLLI program (California) and the Instituto d’Allende in Mexico.


    • 03/27/2025
    • 04/24/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register
    We live in an “Age of Anxiety,” beset with many fears about the future: Will the planet survive? Is civil peace possible? Will technology overtake humanity? Can we create community in diversity? Borrowing from the “On Being” podcast hosted by Krista Tippett, this course considers how five “wise elders” from different walks of life reflect on such fears and offer hope for our anxious time: Jane Goodall, primatologist and anthropologist; Desmond Tutu, former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa; Kevin Kelly, co-founder of WIRED Magazine; Marilyn Nelson, poet; and Barbara Brown Taylor, Episcopal priest and writer.

    Instructor: Kathleen Fisher has taught in WISE since 2019, offering courses on The Gnostic Gospels, Celtic Spirituality, the poet Mary Oliver, and the mystics Rumi and St. Francis. “Wise Elders” continues the exploration of diverse sources of spiritual wisdom for today’s world. She holds a Ph.D. in Medieval History and Religion from Boston University where she focused on Irish history and medieval monasticism. Recently retired from a long teaching career in Theology at Assumption University, Kathleen now lives in Chapel Hill, NC. 

    • 03/28/2025
    • 05/02/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Zoom only
    Register

    Artificial intelligence is changing education and research in new, exciting, and sometimes scary ways. What if, for example, we could generate a podcast about the Federalist Papers, look for new themes in old textbooks, and have conversations between Bronson Alcott meeting Maria Montessori? This course will do all of these things and more.

    You won't need any specific experience with artificial intelligence products or technology. Your own curiosity will suffice. 

    Instructor: Karl Hakkarainen is retired after a 40-year career in the computer industry. A graduate of Amherst College, he is a long-time WISE instructor who has taught courses on technology, history, journalism, music, and law. His grandchildren still ask for and generally heed his advice with their technology concerns. He was born in Gardner, Massachusetts. 


    • 03/28/2025
    • 05/09/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 47
    Register

    In your life, have you ever taken music lessons on a string, wind, or percussion instrument (such as the piano or xylophone)? If so, when given music/music notation from your teacher to practice, could you first sing, hum, or whistle the melody accurately prior to playing it on your instrument? Or, conversely, did you need to play it to know what the melody sounded like? If this latter question, and its answer, resonates with you... then this class is for you! And yes, it’s also for those of us who have never played a musical instrument.  Many instrumental method books do not reflect the way people naturally learn language - a process that begins with learning to speak, and only then moves on learning to read. This is often called sound–to–symbol because it emphasizes oral and aural recognition as precursors to theoretical knowledge and reading skills.

    Instructor: Mitchell Lutch is Wind Band Director at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts, where he directs the concert band and chamber ensembles, and teaches music theory, performance, and appreciation. He received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Instrumental Conducting at the University of Washington and earned his Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory (NEC). His Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education is from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Conducting appearances and research presentations include concerts and conferences throughout the United States, Quebec, London, Japan, The People’s Republic of China, the former Soviet Union, Luxembourg, Prague, and Mexico. 


    • 04/01/2025
    • 04/29/2025
    • 5 sessions
    • In Person: Assumption University, Kennedy 112
    • 43
    Register

    Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government. How did it become law? It is known as the “sports-equity” law, but the original law doesn’t mention sports. What has the impact been on women’s sports? Men’s sports? What other impacts has Title IX had on American schools, including sexual harassment and sexual violence? What’s the lasting legacy of Title IX?

    Instructor: Jean Sifleet is a retired business attorney and CPA. Many years ago, she used Title IX to get equity for her daughters’ high school ice hockey teams. The boys had after-school ice time, bus transportation, uniforms, equipment, all paid for by school (taxpayer) funds. The girls’ teams got no school support; the parents paid for everything. Year after year, the parents worked for some equity for the girls’ teams and recognition as Varsity Teams and were blocked at every turn. Finally, Jean filed a Title IX complaint to change the situation and obtain equity for the girls. Title IX forced the change that was needed. During her business career, she worked in corporate management, consulting, and private practice. In retirement, she served as an Access to Justice Fellow and worked with the Mass Law Reform Institute on immigration and law reform issues. Jean has taught numerous courses for WISE and welcomes participant discussion of the issues.


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Worcester Institute for Senior Education (WISE)
Assumption University, 500 Salisbury Street, Worcester MA 01609
wise@assumption.edu
508-767-7513

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