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| Hundreds of lectures. Knowledgeable instructors. Join us in-person at one of our 19 locations or participate online.  JANUARY – MAY 2024 PROGRAM REGISTRATION IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE OR VIA PHONE  March 11 – 17 Keep your mind active and engaged in the new year! Register for a lecture with FGCU Academy! Register for a Day Trip with FGCU Academy! Greetings, This week is Brain Awareness Week. What better time to celebrate! FGCU Academy has so many topics this week for you to choose from to help you celebrate and participate in Brain Awareness Week. Studies show that read -ing and continued learning keep your brain active and helps keep you younger. Check out this week’s lecture’s below and get registered for one now! Exercise your brain! If you love orchids and want to learn how to grow orchids from seedlings, you will want to join Dr. John Finer at Naples Botanical Gardens this Thursday, March 14 at 1:30pm. You can view Dr. Finer’s You Tube Channel here. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2024 WINTER-SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE ONLINE! WINTER-SPRING REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN AVAILABLE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE Call our offices anytime for assistance at 239.434.4737 NEW COURSE / NEW LOCATION Glenview at Pelican Bay – 100 Glenview Pl., Naples, 34108  iPhone/iPad: Tips, Tricks and Secrets All Users Should Know April 11 | 3 – 4:30pm, Thursday Glenview at Pelican Bay Join this lecture-style presentation to learn all the new features, upgrades and enhancements of Apple’s newest operating system for iPhone and iPad, iOS 17. We explore tips, tricks and secrets that make using your device easier, more powerful and efficient. All levels from beginner to advanced users will benefit from this informative and interesting program  Week of March 11 – March 15 Click on any topic below to learn more.  The Problem of Mass Incarceration in the U.S. March 11 | 10 – 11:30am, Monday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Incarceration is now one of the primary means of punishment for the commission of crimes. Over five million people are under some form of supervision by the criminal justice system. More than 1.2 million people are incarcerated in state or federal prisons; over 700,000 are housed in local jails; and over 800,000 people are on parole. How did the trend towards mass incarceration develop and what is being done to reverse its course?  Yoga Nidra Meditation: Become Relaxed and Serene (2-part series) March 12 | 9 – 10am, Tuesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom From the comfort and peace of your own home, calm and reset your body and mind through the practice of Yoga Nidra Meditation. We begin with breathing exercises to relax the body as we ease into a guided meditation. Yoga Nidra is the easiest form of meditation. It is an ancient sleep-based meditation and very relaxing. People feel refreshed and their energy is re- charged afterwards. Each session is equivalent to 3-4 hours of deep sleep. Participants can sit in a chair, lie down on a sofa or yoga mat with a blanket.  China – The Mandate of Heaven; Humiliation and Rebirth March 13 | 10 – 11:30am, Wednesday Bentley Village China is one of the places on earth, along with Egypt and Mexico, that created civilization. For four thousand years, it ruled Asia. Belief in her superiority led to stagnation. Humiliation followed. She is now experiencing her rebirth. Napoleon once said “China is asleep. Let her sleep. When she awakens, the world will be sorry.”  Religious Affiliation and Participation is Declining in the U.S.: Why and So What? March 13 | 10 – 11:30am, Wednesday FGCU Main Campus (AB9) Room 106 The religious landscape of the U.S.is and has been changing rapidly. In Pew Research Surveys conducted in the last few years, 63% of American adults described themselves as Christians, down 14% from a decade earlier. The percentage of people who described themselves as atheist, agnostic or “no- thing in particular,” was 29% — up from 17% in 2009. While enrollment in Catholic schools has been growing in much of the global south, the situation is different in developed countries. Catholic school enrollment in the U.S. to- day is less than half of what it was 50 years ago.  FGCU Academy 2024 Travel Open House March 13 | 10:30 – 12pm, Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom The “Down Under” countries of Australia and New Zealand are in a league of their own. From the sandy tropical beaches of Cairns to the snowy mountains of Queenstown in the Southern Alps, these two countries are often similar yet very different. We experience majestic fjords, bubbling geysers, jungles, glaciers, rainforests, empty deserts and bustling cities. We visit the world class cities of Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne, experience the emptiness of the Outback, dive the Great Barrier Reef, see the sunrise at Uluru the world’s largest rock monolith, and visit the boiling springs and geysers of Rotorua.  Growing Orchids from Seed March 14 | 1:30pm, Thursday Naples Botanical Gardens View You Tube Channel It may surprise you to know that most orchids that are sold in the big box stores and specialty garden shops started their journal in a laboratory. Orchids are either grown from seed or cloned from small shoot tips under sterile conditions, using a process called “flasking.” Students learn how orchids are bred to make seeds and how those seeds are placed in flasks, where they efficiently but slowly grow into small seedlings. Once seedlings are mature, they can be removed from their flask and acclimated to ambient conditions to continue their growth and eventually flower.  Understanding Economics – Limited Resources, Unlimited Demand March 14 | 10:30am, Thursday The Collaboratory The so-called economic problem can be simply stated: How do you allocate limited resources in the face of unlimited demand? The Malthusian Challenge points to the discrepancy between growth of food (an arithmetic progression) and the growth of population (a geometric progression). Much of economics may be understood in terms of incentives, including the so-called law of supply and demand and questions of self-interest. We address the troubling issue of inequality: causes, consequences, and considerations.  Becoming More News Literate March 15 | 1:30pm, Friday Brooks Enrichment Center This talk pulls from FGCU’s 16-week News Literacy course that teaches students how to become more discerning consumers of news. Participants can expect to improve their critical thinking skills to judge the credibility and reliability of information. DAY TRIPS  The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg March 28 | 8 – 6:30 pm, Thursday St. Petersburg Our private, docent-led tour takes us through the highlights of the permanent collection as well as a brand-new exhibition, The Shape of Dreams. The Shape of Dreams explores 500 years of dream-inspired paintings from the 16th to 20th century, demonstrating how artists throughout time have depicted a profound yet common phenomenon of human experience – the dream. The exhibition examines how Western artists have depicted dreams for different audiences throughout time, exploring the continuity and disconnections between the past and present. Our tour includes round-trip motor coach transportation, driver gratuity, entrance fees, a private docent-led tour and audio guides. Lunch is on your own. Departure information will be emailed 3 days prior to the trip. Itineraries are subject to change. No refunds within 10 business days of departure The Week Ahead Monday March 11 –Beyond Snapshots: Taking the Best Photos –Immigration 2024: Crossroads of “Legal” and “Illegal” Immigration –Communication Competence: Respectful and Rewarding Interaction –Minimizing Taxes in Retirement –Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales –The Underestimated Presidency of –Dwight Eisenhower and His Attempt to Demilitarize the Cold War –Climate Change – Sources and Solutions Tuesday March 12 –Escape Your Filter Bubble: Learn to Talk With Those You Disagree With –The Making of Modern China –From Pumpkin Papers to Pentagon Papers: The Rosenberg Trial –Sam Walton and the Making of Walmart Wednesday March 13 –Nature and Wildlife Photography— –Chinese Intelligence –A Republic If You Can Keep It: America at a Crossroads –Spies and Espionage – Fact versus Fiction Thursday March 14 –Voyage to Mars –World War II America –iPhone/iPad Calendar App Friday March 15 –Supervised Mah Jongg Play for Intermediates –Pages Word Processor for the iPhone/iPad/Mac TAKE A LECTURE AT ONE OF OUR 19 LOCATIONS The Arlington, Naples (AR) Aston Gardens, North Naples (AG) Bentley Village, North Naples (BV) Bonita Bay Community Assoc., Bonita (BB) Brooks Enrichment Center, Bonita (BR) The Collaboratory, Ft. Myers (CO) Cypress Cove, Ft. Myers (CC) FGCU Main Campus, Ft. Myers (FG) Grey Oaks Country Club, Naples (GR) Hideaway Beach Club, Marco island (HB) The Island Country Club, Marco island (IC) Moorings Park Grande Lake, Naples (GL) Moorings Park at Grey Oaks, Naples (GO) Moorings Park Original Campus, Naples (MP) Naples Center, Naples (NC) Siena Lakes, North Naples (SL) The TwinEagles Club, North Naples (TE) United Church of Marco Island, Marco (UC) Wyndemere Country Club, Naples (WC) (see page 4 of the Winter-Spring 2024 Program Guide for location addresses) FGCU Academy Click Below to View 2024 Travel Open House Presentation  Classic Safari: Kenya & Tanzania August 13-28, 2024 16 days for $11,196 View Brochure  Exploring Iceland August 15-25, 2024 11 days for $6,692 View Brochure  Southern Italy & Sicily September 4-18, 2024 15 days for $6,674 View Brochure  Scotland: Highlands & Islands September 9-20, 2024 12 days for $5,896 View Brochure  Sensations of Lyon & Provence 2024 River Cruise September 17 – 28, 2024 12 days from $5,469 View Brochure  Jewels of the Rhine 2024 River Cruise September 20 – 30, 2024 11 days from $4,925 View Brochure  Provincial French Countryside September 27-October 11, 2024 15 days for $6,297 View Brochure  New Zealand Adventure October 10-25, 2024 16 days for $8,124 View Brochure  Southeast Asia Odysseys October 31-November 18, 2024 19 days for $7,597 View Brochure  Travel Abroad with FGCU Academy Call our office 239.434.4737 for assistance with registration or Click to View our Website DONATE NOW FGCU Academy Needs Your Support Today to Ensure that Our Critical Mission of Adult Education and Enrichment Continues! FGCU Academy is ready to serve the SWFL community for the Winter-Spring 2024 Season—Learning, Growing, Sharing and Socializing. With nearly 700 programs at more than nineteen locations, there is something for everyone. If we have had the opportunity to meet in person or if you have heard me speak, I hope I was able to share with you my passion about FGCU Academy and its mission to provide lifelong learning and enrichment to the SWFL community. I believe it is critical to our well-being to keep exploring new avenues for growth to keep our minds engaged in our past, present and future. Since we are a non-credit programmatic offering, Florida Gulf Coast University can provide $0.00 of support to the Academy. We must be financially self-sustaining. The fact is that the revenue generated through memberships and program fees provides for only 50% of our annual operating costs. Additionally, our attendance has not yet re- turned to pre-pandemic levels, so revenue is much lower than in the past. As an educator, I find myself slightly uncomfortable talking about the financial needs of the Academy beyond thanking everyone for their participation. But, this year and for the near future, it is important that I find the words to ask for additional support through philanthropic donations. Our passion keeps us moving forward and your donations will do the same. Please take a moment to consider a year-end donation to ensure our continued success. All amounts make a difference in strengthening the work we do in the community. Your gift will allow the Academy to offer more than 1,000 diverse and fascinating programs at more than twenty locations throughout SWFL. Through our mission we promise to enrich the lives, minds and social well-being of more than 10,000 SWFL adults and seniors that participate in our programs each year. CLICK HERE TO DONATE NOW or mail your donation to FGCU Academy 704 Goodlette Frank Road North, Suite 330 Naples, FL 34102 I look forward to seeing you at a FGCU Academy program in 2024. Please contact me directly at [email protected] or 239.434.4838 with questions or to learn more. In gratitude, John J. Guerra Director of FGCU Academy     FGCU Academy FGCU ACADEMY NAPLES CENTER 704 Goodlette-Frank Rd N Suite 330 Naples, FL 34102 239.434.4737 [email protected] |