From the Program Director

Letter from the Director, Center for Liberal Arts
in Advanced Academic Programs

“Great Thinkers”

This fall we celebrate 20 years of Odyssey. 20 years of great courses. 20 years of great instructors. 20 years of great students. 20 years of great thinkers. In this catalog we are offering some special “Great Thinkers” courses. This is in response, in part, to course evaluations from the past two semesters. Reoccurring criticisms, if you can call them that, included, “Course wasn’t long enough” or “Need more sessions.” And so we have addressed this issue, in part, by the addition of “Great Thinkers” courses that are a bit more intense and challenging.
 
The ever popular Mini-Medical School returns this fall. Sponsored by The McKusick – Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, the lecture series centers on the theme of “Genes to Society.” The Mini-Med School is joined by other “Health, Wellness, and Lifestyle” classes including the non-credit Certificate on Aging. The courses in the certificate are of interest to anyone concerned with the physiological, psychological and cultural aspects of the process of aging.

We are very pleased to announce that the Odyssey Program has a new Director. Brian Fitzek joined the Center for Liberal Arts in July as the Associate Director of Non-Credit Programs. Brian comes to us from the Johns Hopkins Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the Bloomberg School of Public Health where he was the Communications Coordinator and a Research Associate. He will soon have his Master of Liberal Arts degree from JHU and has a rich background in liberal arts.  We are delighted that Brian will be joining the Center and the Odyssey Program.

We hope you have a great semester. Please let us know what you would like to see in upcoming Odyssey catalogs.

Melissa Hilbish

Director, Center for Liberal Arts

mhilbish@jhu.edu, 410-516-4640

 

D. Melissa Hilbish
Director, Center for Liberal Arts
mhilbish@jhu.edu
Brian Fitzek
Director, Odyssey Program
bfitzek@jhu.edu
Janet S. Roberts
Academic Program Coordinator
janetsroberts@jhu.edu
Bada Hebron
Academic Program Assistant
bhebron@jhu.edu

THE CENTER FOR LIBERAL ARTS

The Odyssey Program is now located in the new Center for Liberal Arts in Advanced Academic Programs in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. Other programs in the Center include the Evergreen Society and the Master of Liberal Arts Program.

THE EVERGREEN SOCIETY

Since 1986, Evergreen has provided learning opportunities for active retired and semi-retired adults seeking intellectual and social enrichment. Offered in Baltimore, Columbia, and Rockville, this popular program includes classes, discussion groups, social events, and more. The program runs for 12 weeks in the fall and 12 weeks in the spring. For more information about the Evergreen Society, call 410-516-9719

MASTER OF LIBERAL ARTS PROGRAM

The MLA program, part of the School of Arts and Sciences' Advanced Academic Programs, provides students with an opportunity to explore a world of knowledge. The program draws on outstanding Johns Hopkins faculty as well as leading experts from cultural, artistic, government and academic institutions in the region. The degree requirements include one core course and seven to nine electives combined with a final project. Courses for the upcoming spring term include Art and Mythology, The American West in Myth and Reality, The Idea of Freedom, The New South, Food and Politics, and Putting Maryland on the Map. For application and registration information, go to http://advanced.jhu.edu/academic/mla