Calendar of Events  - Month View

RESCHEDULED from January 20
Jon Malay, author, lecturer and consultant, will discuss two topics.
At 1 pm, he will discuss the sometimes violent Earth. Through advances in marine geophysics in the past century, we know there are “rings of fire” that are the boundaries of the Earth’s crustal plates, and volcanoes bring forth islands from cracks in those plates. He will discuss with us the powerful forces of volcanism, earthquakes and their deadly ocean manifestations – tsunamis.
At 2 pm, Jon will discuss the star we live with and often take for granted. The sun becomes truly extraordinary when revealed in the stunning high resolution animation of solar storms, the interactions between the sun and the Earth and how our planet’s magnetic field, the Van Allen Belts and an ozone layer protect us from too much of a good thing.
Sponsor: Randy Fennemore
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REGISTRATION REQUIRED BY NOON ON FEBRUARY 1
You MUST use the special FEBRUARY LLI/NoVA FORUM button to register for this session.
NOTE UNUSUAL START TIME.
The Lifetime Learning Institute of Northern Virginia invites MWES members to participate in this online monthly meeting open to the public. We will meet socially at 9:30am; the forum begins at 10am and will feature a speaker (an author, a government representative, a businessman or other notable personality) who will cover multiple viewpoints on the subject matter in order to ensure a balanced program. There is a short question and answer period after the speaker has finished.

Gregg Stull, Chair and Professor of the Department of Theatre and Dance, will explain how theatres put together season after season and the effect production choices have on artists, audiences, and the sustainability of regional theatres. But how is this process complicated by the mission of providing students comprehensive preparation for a variety of theatre-related roles in the future? This talk will discuss the additional considerations involved in nurturing future talent.
Sponsor: Carolyn Eldred.
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After months of dealing with the pandemic, are you feeling like it‘s time to move forward? Let‘s search for not just a new normal to life, but a better normal. Join us as Dan Chiodo, a certified life coach, welcomes you into one of his life coaching sessions. All you have to do is grab a pen, some paper, and your favorite beverage as we give you some techniques to help you perform at your very highest level.
Sponsor: Carolyn Sulima
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Please download and/or print the WORKBOOK for use during the session.

Learn what it is like to be a primetime television producer. Ira Sutow was the producer of the Emmy Award-winning television show 48 Hours. The show was launched in 1987 and has been seen by millions of people in 80 countries. 48 Hours went on to become the second longest running primetime tv program that is still on the air today. Ira will explain what a television producer does and tell many stories about his career.
Sponsor: Carolyn Sulima
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Bridgette Dennett, assistant professor of UMW Theatre and Dance, will guide us through a virtual tour of the painted backdrops used to create realistic scenery for film and theatrical productions. We‘ll look at how they‘re created, the different effects that can be achieved, and ways that technology is innovating the field.
Sponsor: Bob & Carole Hanus
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In 1967, Bashir Al-Khayri, a 25-year old Palestinian, journeyed to Israel, hoping to see the beloved old stone house, with the lemon tree behind it, that he and his family had fled nineteen years earlier. To his surprise, when he found the house he was greeted by Dalia Ashkenazi Landau, a nineteen-year-old Israeli college student, whose family fled Europe for Israel following the Holocaust. On the stoop of their shared home, Dalia and Bashir began a rare friendship, forged in the aftermath of war and tested over the next thirty-five years in ways that neither could imagine on that summer day in 1967. Based on extensive research, and springing from his enormously resonant documentary that aired on NPR‘s Fresh Air in 1998, Sandy Tolan brings the Israeli-Palestinian conflict down to its most human level, suggesting that even amid the bleakest political realities there is hope.
Discussion led by Linda Hill.
Sponsor: Mary White
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MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM to discuss life in the time of COVID19.
Topic: Fabulous Frosty February - February has more days to observe or celebrate than any other month based on the number of days per month. Which days do you celebrate/observe and how?
Hosts: Randy & Charlie Fennemore
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David Lassman, park ranger at Thomas Stone National Historic Site, will discuss how George Washington‘s 200th Birthday in 1932 was a world-wide celebration in every state in the Union and 81 countries around the globe. Learn how the First President was commemorated in pageants, parades, and in millions of souvenirs.
Sponsor: Charlie Fennemore
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Terri McAuliff, Community Liaison of the Mary Washington Hospice, Palliative, and Grief Support Services, will discuss Advance Care Planning (ACP), the process of making decisions about the healthcare a person would want to receive if they are facing a medical crisis and preparing for the unexpected while they are well and able to make difficult decisions themselves. The Conversation Project is a national movement to encourage people to have advance care planning conversations. The Conversation Project is a monumental opportunity to help shift our Community’s perspective - to think, discuss, and document how we want to live until the end of lives.
Sponsor: Carol Wachter
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Please download and/or print the Conversation Starter Guide and the VA Advance Directive form for use during the session.

Andrew Marshall, UMW Associate Professor of Computer Science, will speak about cybersecurity today & about the exciting work he is doing with students to take on the challenges of the future. A panel of students will provide their perspectives on the program & next steps.
Sponsor: Carolyn Eldred
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The Curriculum Committee is responsible for planning the 45 plus programs that are scheduled each semester. We are always looking for that next new topic on our journey to lifelong learning. Come join us and help develop programs that are interesting and stimulating.
Sponsor: Joe Alfred
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Jon McMillan, UMW Department Chair of Art and Art History and Associate Professor of Ceramics, will describe the design and construction of a wood fired kiln for ceramics. An example of UMW high impact learning programs, students and community members joined him in working on what will be the only wood fired kiln at an institution of higher education in Virginia. The discussion will include the history and development of wood firing technology, the specialized design considerations and materials used, and the resulting effects on ceramic artwork fired with this process.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
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The Membership Committee is responsible for outreach to our members. We conduct marketing efforts, maintain the website, oversee the member management system (including the roster), provide newsletters and other timely communications, offer Zoom training, coordinate the Book Group and plan social events. Members are always welcome to attend our meetings.
Sponsor: Donna Lewis
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The Administration Committee develops policies and plans for operating the organization. It reviews governing documents, updates the Policies and Procedures, monitors finances and projects future needs, proposes the annual budget and member fees. Members are always welcome to attend our meetings.
Sponsor: Keith Fennell
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What is old is new again! Interested in history and early American crafts? Grace Rochford, registered artist with the Maryland State Arts Council, will discuss the history of floorcloths and present a virtual demonstration of the craft from her studio in Maryland.
Sponsor: Michelle Esbenshade
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Optometrist Dr. Angela Tsai Robson will be covering a wide range of topics from common ocular diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration, to visual therapy. She will discuss new advancements in technology to aid in early detection and better evaluation of diseases including macular degeneration, night vision issues, and dry eyes.
Sponsor: Mike Redding
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Membership Committee members meet to plan the 2021 Spring Social, a virtual ZOOM event due to COVID restrictions.
Sponsor: Donna Lewis