Calendar of Events - Future Events View
The event calendar shows upcoming club events. Select a view then use the navigation buttons to move
between dates. Click on the event to view more information, including the event description, times,
location, fees and any rules regarding attendance; you can also register for events from this screen.
Click on the magnifying glass on the toolbar to see search and filter options.
Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 10:00 AM
ZOOM ONLY
The one thing in life that is inevitable is Death, yet this remains a topic that people shy away from discussing.
Volunteers from Compassion and Choices will discuss how planning, communicating your wishes to your loved ones, and educating yourself, may give you more control of your final act.
This presentation will be recorded.
Sponsor: Karen Kallay
Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Joella Killian, ElderStudy member and retired UMW Biology professor, will provide a brief introduction to insects and their impact on our world.
Sponsor: Ellen Brown
Wed, Jan 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Humans have always looked to the skies with wonder, pondering the possibility of life beyond Earth.
Naturalist Jon Bachman seeks to unravel this long and complex story that has engaged humanity from myth to objective science; this story is far from being solved.
Sponsor: Charlie Fennemore
Thu, Jan 29, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
The Membership Committee is responsible for outreach to prospective and current members. We conduct marketing efforts, maintain the website, oversee the member management system (including the roster), provide newsletters and other timely communications, coordinate the Book Group and plan social events. All members are encouraged to experience the benefits of volunteering! Please join us!
Committee Chair: Donna Lewis
Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
In April, 1863, several hundred women rioted in downtown Richmond during the Civil War. Frustration with conscription, rising prices, and shortages drove the women to break into stores and loot.
Historian Robert Dunkerly discusses the causes of the riot, its course, and its lasting significance.
Sponsor: Carolyn Sulima
Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Klein Theatre
Join Gregg Stull, Chair of the UMW Dept of Theatre and Dance, in the UMW Klein Theatre, for the preview of Hand to God, a riotous dark comedy.
Sponsors: Bob & Carole Hanus
Wed, Feb 4, 2026 at 1:30 PM
TOUR UMW Gallery Tour
NOTE UNUSUAL START TIME.
Thu, Feb 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
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.
Committee Chair: Ellen Brown
Tue, Feb 10, 2026 at 1:00 PM
University Hall ONLY
An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin
By Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of America’s most beloved historians, this artfully weaves together biography, memoir, and history. She takes you along on the emotional journey she and her husband, Richard (Dick) Goodwin embarked upon in the last years of his life.--Goodreads
Discussion Leader: Keith Morgenheim
Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 1:00 PM
HYBRID
A representative of the Rappahannock Beekeepers Association will discuss the nuts and bolts and best practices of beekeeping in Virginia and give us tips about how we can be good neighbors to our friends, the bee.
Sponsor: Carol Wachter
Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
RSVP $
ElderStudy Aperitivo
Similar to the American happy hour, aperitivo goes beyond simply having a drink before dinner. It is a time when Italians meet to relax and socialize after work over a glass of wine or a light cocktail and finger foods.
Fri, Feb 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM for active discussions of various topics.
Topic: Show and Tell
Share something in your home that has a story, maybe it’s a family heirloom, maybe it’s something you created, maybe a gift or a souvenir, or maybe just something that brings up a fond memory.
Sponsor: Gail Oakes
Tue, Feb 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
In a continuation of his November 2025 ElderStudy presentation, Scott Walker explores the "Hunter‘s Iron Works" in Stafford, the most significant site of a facility -- largely unknown--that supported the American Revolution.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
Wed, Feb 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
ZOOM ONLY
How does generative AI actually work, and why is it shaping so much of our society and economy?
Anand Rao, UMW Professor of Communication and Director of the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts, will demystify the core ideas behind generative AI, share accessible examples, and explore its growing influence on work, culture, and everyday life.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
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.
Committee Chair: Joe Alfred
Tue, Feb 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRiD
Gary Richards, UMW Professor of English & Linguistics, will provide a basic overview of the writers who rose to prominence in that era.
Sponsor: Ellen Brown
Wed, Feb 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
CRISPR, or Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is the technology that research scientists use to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms.
Drs Ginny Morriss and April Wynn, from the UMW Biological Sciences Department, will explain how CRISPR works and demonstrate how to use CRISPR to modify E. coli.
Sponsor: Ellen Brown
Wed, Feb 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM
WORKSHOP RSVP
In a continuation of the preceding ZOOM presentation about CRISPR, Drs Ginny Morriss and April Wynn, from the UMW Biological Sciences Department, will give participants the opportunity to try CRISPR themselves.
Sponsor: Ellen Brown
Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
Oceanographer, Meteorologist, and Space Science guy Jon Malay returns to ElderStudy to discuss Iceland, which should be on everyone‘s bucket list.
Sponsor: Randy Fennemore
Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
If one were to ask how many Civil War presidents there were, the overwhelming answer would be one, Abraham Lincoln. While there is a very good case for that position, ElderStudy member G Preston Burns will discuss how at least several more presidents contributed to the start of the Civil War.
Sponsor: G Preston Burns
Wed, Mar 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Board meetings are open to all ElderStudy members. Come and witness firsthand the decision-making process that ensures that ElderStudy is meeting its objectives. This is a chance for all members to suggest new ideas for the organization directly to the Board and to committee chairpersons.
Sponsor & ES President: Keith Fennell
Thu, Mar 5, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM
Buzz words, mis/dis-information, misrepresentation of credentials- oh my! Jody Long, Diabetes Educator & Dietician at Mary Washington HealthCare, will discuss and dispel some telltale signs and types of misinformation, pseudoscience, frauds and fallacies and arm you with some navigation tools and trustworthy sources for fettering out the facts from horse feathers.
Sponsor:
Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 1:00 PM
University Hall ONLY
James by Percival Everitt
A brilliant reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim‘s point of view.
Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim‘s agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before.--Goodreads
Discussion Leader: Allison Kirchner
Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM
University Hall ONLY
Author and cinephile Gary Olsen brings the Life and Films of Akira Kurosawa to ElderStudy.
Wed, Mar 11, 2026 at 4:00 PM
RSVP $
ElderStudy Aperitivo
Similar to the American happy hour, aperitivo goes beyond simply having a drink before dinner. It is a time when Italians meet to relax and socialize after work over a glass of wine or a light cocktail and finger foods.
Thu, Mar 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
The 1925 Scopes “Monkey Trial” was one of the most well known court cases in modern American history and has been frequently referenced as relevant historical jurisprudence. But did it really deserve that status?
ElderStudy member Dennis Van Derlaske takes a look at that period of history and what really motivated the trial to be conducted in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee at that time. Trial details and personalities involved will be explored through the flamboyant reporting of H. L. Mencken as his daily pieces appeared in the Baltimore Sun ending with his one last salvo reserved for William Jennings Bryan.
Speaker & Sponsor: Dennis Van Derlaske
Fri, Mar 13, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM for active discussions of various topics.
Topic:
Sponsor:
Tue, Mar 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Local historian Jerrilynn Eby MacGregor brings 2 hours of Stafford County history to ElderStudy.
Sponsor: Charlie Fennemore
Wed, Mar 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Becky & Slam bring their unique music to ElderStudy for entertainment and education prior to the General Membership Meeting.
Sponsor: Randy Fennemore
Wed, Mar 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM
HYBRID
This is the open forum designed to communicate directly with your fellow members, to better learn how ElderStudy works, to better understand the issues that are facing the organization, and to vote on those critical issues facing us.
In addition, new members can meet and develop friendships with like-minded persons, and long term members can renew old friendships.
Sponsor & ES President: Keith Fennell
Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
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.
Committee Chair: Joe Alfred
Wed, Mar 25, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
Dr. Amrita Dhar, an Associate Professor of Economics at Mary Washington and the Director of the UMW Center for Economic Education, takes you on a quick journey from the days of barter to the digital age of Bitcoin.
Sponsor: Carolyn Sulima
Thu, Mar 26, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY WORKSHOP
Certified Meditation Counselor Camilla Schwoebel will lead a workshop that will provide a short refresher on the principal concepts of mindfulness, ways to practice, and several mindfulness meditation practices followed by a discussion and question period.
Sponsor: Mary Louise Holmes
Tue, Mar 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Franz Sedelmayer, author, entrepreneur, security expert, lecturer and political analyst returns to ElderStudy to discuss current events and their impact.
Sponsor: Donna Lewis
Wed, Apr 1, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Dr. Miriam Liss, UMW Professor in the Psychological Science Dept, will discuss the field of positive psychology and the results of research into what factors do--or do not--make people happier.
Sponsor: Carolyn Sulima
Thu, Apr 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM
ZOOM ONLY
Around Washington D.C., it‘s said that Foreign Service officers tell the best stories.
Wayne Griffith will put that to the test as he recounts anecdotes, both serious and humorous, from his 30-year career as an American diplomat.
Sponsor: Sue Stoddard
Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Klein Theatre
Join Marc Williams, Assistant Professor of the UMW Dept of Theatre and Dance, for the preview of one of Shakespear‘s most famous history plays.
Sponsors: Bob & Carole Hanus
Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 1:30 PM
TOUR UMW Gallery Tour
NOTE UNUSUAL START TIME.
Wed, Apr 8, 2026 at 4:00 PM
RSVP $
ElderStudy Aperitivo
Similar to the American happy hour, aperitivo goes beyond simply having a drink before dinner. It is a time when Italians meet to relax and socialize after work over a glass of wine or a light cocktail and finger foods.
Thu, Apr 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
Jazz historian Allen Morrison will introduce some of today‘s brightest young jazz artists - singers, band leaders, and outstanding instrumentalists - with amazing video clips of each.
Sponsor: Keith Morgenheim
Fri, Apr 10, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM for active discussions of various topics.
Topic:
Sponsor:
Tue, Apr 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
University Hall
Framed by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
John Grisham, known worldwide for his bestselling novels, and Jim McCloskey of Centurion Ministries, the first organization dedicated to exonerating innocent people who have been wrongly convicted, offer an inside look at the many injustices in our criminal justice system.
Discussion Leader: Gail Oakes
Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 1:00 PM
HYBRID
Animated objects as a theatrical tool cross geographies and centuries. Kevin McCluskey, UMW Associate Professor of Theatre and Dance, looks at the use of puppetry as a theatrical storytelling device.
Sponsor: Carole & Bob Hanus
Thu, Apr 16, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
The Membership Committee is responsible for outreach to prospective and current members. We conduct marketing efforts, maintain the website, oversee the member management system (including the roster), provide newsletters and other timely communications, coordinate the Book Group and plan social events. All members are encouraged to experience the benefits of volunteering! Please join us!
!
Committee Chair: Donna Lewis
Wed, Apr 22, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
ElderStudy member Susan Trunzo discusses the Native American code talkers of World Wars I and II.
Thu, Apr 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM
WORKSHOP $
Join us for this introductory session on pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in our country!
Sponsor: Donna Lewis
Mon, Apr 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
ElderStudy member Joe Alfred returns with an update of the smartphone wars - US & China competition, Apple & Samsung competition, impact of AI and 6G plus winners and losers in the market.
Sponsor: Joe Alfred
Tue, Apr 28, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Park Ranger Ryan Quint of the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park will examine some of the more prominent examples the many misconceptions, misunderstandings, and myths surrounding the battle of Chancellorsville and will dive into how reality sometimes was far more complicated.
Sponsor: Mike Redding
Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Join Tom Conway, English teacher at James Monroe HS, in his quest to investigate the colorful and intriguing McCracken family.
Emigrated from Ireland during times of famine, this family found their way to Spotsylvania in the 1850s where they became kingpins in the local grocery business and major players, beset by both fortune and scandal, in one of Fredericksburg’s most prosperous eras.
Sponsor: Donna Lewis
Tue, May 5, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
For 250 years, Americans have celebrated and, in a few cases, not celebrated, Independence Day.
Historian and National Park Service ranger David Lassman will discuss how this summertime holiday has grown and changed.
Sponsor: Charlie Fennemore
Wed, May 6, 2026 at 1:00 PM
HYBRID
Join Sidney Mullis, Assistant Professor of Sculpture at UMW, who has been building a Make-Believe Forest, an evolving installation that asks what happens to our childhood selves as we grow older.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
Fri, May 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM for active discussions of various topics.
Topic:
Sponsor:
Mon, May 11, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Sammy Zambon, Visitor Experience Specialist with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, will highlight a variety of Virginia state parks outside the greater Fredericksburg area.
Sponsor: Carol Wachter
Tue, May 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM
University Hall ONLY
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich
A majestic, polyphonic novel about a community‘s efforts to halt the proposed displacement and elimination of several Native American tribes in the 1950s.
Discussion Leader: Judy Garland
Wed, May 13, 2026 at 4:00 PM
RSVP $
ElderStudy Aperitivo
Similar to the American happy hour, aperitivo goes beyond simply having a drink before dinner. It is a time when Italians meet to relax and socialize after work over a glass of wine or a light cocktail and finger foods.
Thu, May 14, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
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.
Committee Chair: Ellen Brown
Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM
WORKSHOP
Dr. Randy Reif from the UMW Chemistry Department will discuss ways that over-the-counter acid reflux drugs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) might be useful in treating cancer.
This lab experience will enable us to look at cells exposed to these drugs under the microscope to examine what cell death looks like!
Tue, May 19, 2026 at 1:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
Dr. Randy Reif from the UMW Chemistry Department will discuss ways that over-the-counter acid reflux drugs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) might be useful in treating cancer.
Wed, May 20, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Join your fellow ElderStudy members at its annual Potluck Social.
Look for further details in the April Newsletter.
Thu, May 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM
TOUR RSVP
This is a wonderful opportunity to get a firsthand look at the Rappahannock Education Farm, a nonprofit farm whose mission is to reduce hunger and food insecurity in our community by growing and donating fresh produce and teaching people how they can grow some of their own food.
Sponsor: Rosemary Pitts
Wed, May 27, 2026 at 10:00 AM
TOUR RSVP
Barbra Anderson, local history teacher and Events Coordinator of the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, will walk us through Normandy Village.
This 1950s suburb exemplified the mid-century lifestyle.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
Tue, Jun 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM
TOUR RSVP
Walk along one of Fredericksburg‘s most treasured streets with Scott Walker of Hallowed Ground Tours, and discover stories of the history and architecture of that nationally-and state-recognized Historic District.
Sponsor: Mary Ann Stana
Wed, Jun 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM
HYBRID
Board meetings are open to all ElderStudy members. Come and witness firsthand the decision-making process that ensures that ElderStudy is meeting its objectives. This is a chance for all members to suggest new ideas for the organization directly to the Board and to committee chairpersons.
Sponsor & ElderStudy President: Keith Fennell
Wed, Jun 10, 2026 at 4:00 PM
ElderStudy Aperitivo $
Similar to the American happy hour, aperitivo goes beyond simply having a drink before dinner. It is a time when Italians meet to relax and socialize after work over a glass of wine or a light cocktail and finger foods.
Fri, Jun 12, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ZOOM ONLY
MWES Members gather together for a Virtual Wine & Cheese Hour using ZOOM for active discussions of various topics.
Topic:
Sponsor: