| Hundreds of lectures. Knowledgeable instructors. Join us in-person at one of over 20 locations or participate online. Winter / Spring January – May 2025 PROGRAM REGISTRATION IS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE OR VIA PHONE Keep your mind active and engaged! Register for a lecture or special event with FGCU Academy! Discover a World of Learning and Exploration with FGCU Academy! This week, FGCU Academy brings you an incredible variety of engaging topics and classes to enrich your mind and inspire your curiosity. Whether you’re pas- sionate about history, technology, art, or photography, there’s something for everyone. Fun & Exciting Topics Collier County Civics: Dive into the local political and social landscape with insightful discussions and expert-led lectures. Beautiful Flowering Orchids: Learn about the delicate beauty and fascinating biology of orchids in this captivating session. The Louvre Museum in Paris: Explore the wonders of one of the most iconic museums in the world, right from the comfort of Naples or your home. The Latest on AI and ChatGPT: Stay ahead of the curve with an update on art- ificial intelligence and its rapidly evolving impact on our lives. Technology Classes for Apple Enthusiasts: If you’re a Mac laptop user, join us at the Naples Center or online via Zoom for our MacOS Sequoia class. Master tips, tricks, and secrets of Apple’s latest oper- ating system. Discover the power of the free and versatile Notes app, and learn how it can or- ganize your life efficiently and creatively. Take your iPhone photography to the next level in Frank Berna’s popular iPhone- ography class. Unleash your inner photographer and make the most of your iPhone camera. For History Buffs: Immerse yourself in history with two thought-provoking lectures at Pelican Bay, FGCU Academy’s newest community venue. These sessions are perfect for those who enjoy diving into the stories and lessons of the past. – Chinese Intelligence and Spy Craft by Thomas Eastwood – Love and Treachery – Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson by Nancy Maxwell Scroll below to featured lectures section for additional information Don’t miss the opportunity to connect, learn, and grow through our wide range of programs. FGCU Academy offers a seamless experience, whether in person or on- line via Zoom, so you can participate from wherever you are. Scroll below to view details of classes and see what interests you. Register today! VIEW WINTER/SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE HERE REGISTER FOR COURSES HERE Call our office for assistance with your registrations at 239.434.4737. View 2025 Winter / Spring Program Guide View Here Feel free to print catalog at home, or just print the specific pages that interest you. View our Chronological Calendar by date beginning on page 8. Just look for your available dates and see everything being offered that day. View our LATE EDITIONS page at back of catalog on page 67. Feature Lectures Pelican Bay Featured Lectures PELICAN BAY COMMUNITY CENTER 8960 Hammock Oak Dr., Naples. Chinese Intelligence and Spy Craft April 2 | 2 – 3:30pm | Wednesday Pelican Bay Community Center China has a large and highly proficient intelligence organization. They are particularly effective in human intelligence, economic espionage and cyber warfare. They are also very aggressive in co-opting students, academics and businessmen. Topics include: structure; mission; effectiveness; operations; Ministry for State Security; People’s Liberation Army; industrial and economic espionage; cyber warfare; and TikTok. Love and Treachery – Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson April 16 | 2 – 3:30pm | Wednesday Pelican Bay Community Center King Edward VIII relinquished the English throne and left his country to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Forbidden to enter England, they spent their lives in exile. Surely this is a love story for the ages! But was it? Did Wallis even like Edward? Was Edward a loyal Englishman? Close examination and new evidence reveal a differ- ent picture. iPhone-ography April 9 | 9:30 – 11:30am | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom If you love taking photos with your iPhone but can’t figure out how to capture any- thing more than simple snapshots and you’d like to take incredible photos with the camera that you always have in your pocket, then this course is for you. We discuss the features of the camera and how to use them properly along with how to deal with the myriad ways to edit and organize your photos. Technology Features iPhone/iPad Apps: Master Organization with Notes April 8 | 10:30 – 12pm | Tuesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom The Notes app is the best place to jot down quick thoughts or to save checklists, images, web links, scanned documents, handwritten notes or sketches. With iCloud, it’s easy to keep all your devices in sync, so you’ll always have your notes with you. You can search notes for typed text, handwritten notes, text in scanned documents and even images inside your notes. Secure the notes that hold your most personal data – such as financial details, medical information, or secret family recipes with a password, a fingerprint or even Face ID. Record, transcribe and save audio recordings in Notes. Join this lecture as we explore one of Apple’s most useful, powerful and productive apps available. Macintosh Tips, Tricks and Secrets: MacOS Sequoia April 9 | 10 – 11:30pm | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom MacOS Sequoia (released in September 2024) elevates the most advanced desktop and laptop operating system in the world to a new level of power, sophistication and ease of use. We will explore Mac tips, tricks and secrets that all users should know including System Settings, the Finder, the Dock, Spotlight, Window Navigation, Apple Intelligence, software installation, App Store and more. Weekly Guide – April 2 – April 9 Click on any class below to see more information and to register Wednesday April 2 – ChatGPT: Personal Guide to AI – Artificial Intelligence (AI): Friend or Foe? Thursday April 3 – iPhone/iPad Apps: Photo Organization, Editing, Sharing and More in iOS 18 – Operation Underworld: World War II Mob Alliances Friday April 4 – Balance University: Improve Balance, Posture and Flexibility (3-part series) Monday April 7 – The Louvre Museum in Paris: The Royal Treasure House of France – Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and Hitler’s Concept of a “Master Race – ”The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and the Center of the World – Beautiful, Flowering Orchids: How to Make Yours Thrive and Grow! – Five Great American Presidents . Tuesday April 8 – Collier County Civics 101 Wednesday April 9 – Finland, Norway And the Viking Discovery Of the New World CONSIDER BECOMING A FRIEND OF THE ACADEMY WITH A $100 DONATION AS A NON-CREDIT PROGRAM WE RECEIVE NO FUNDING FROM FGCU. WE NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE OUR IMPORTANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH MISSION. To donate, simply: 1. Visit our website at Academy | Online Giving (fgcu.edu). 2. Send a check payable to FGCU Academy with “Friend of the Academy Donation” in the memo line. 3. Or, contact us at 239-434-4737 to arrange a donation over the phone. Thank you for considering this opportunity to contribute to a program that celebrates lifelong growth. Together, we’re enriching lives, one class at a time. 2025 TRAVEL PROGRAMS Travel with FGCU Academy Northern Italy: From the Alps to the Adriatic Departure August 20, 2025 View Brochure Journey Through Central Europe Departure: August 30, 2025 View Brochure Insider’s Japan Departure September 8, 2025 View Brochure Paradores and Pousadas: Portugal & Spain Departure: September 15, 2025 View Brochure Machu Picchu to the Galapagos Departure October 28, 2025 View Brochure Egypt and the Eternal Nile Departure: November 17, 2025 View Brochure Moroccan Discovery: From the Imperial Cities to the Sahara Departure November 18, 2025 View Brochure Portugal and the Douro River Cruise Departure: September 17, 2025 View Brochure View Video Presentation Gems of Eastern Europe River Cruise Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Departure September 24, 2025 View Brochure View Video Presentation Travel Abroad with FGCU Academy in 2026 Travel Brochures will be available shortly Splendors of Europe River Cruise – Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria Departure: May 1, 2026 Norwegian Splendor Departure: September 5, 2026 View Brochure Colorful Canyons & Beautiful Balloons – America’s Greatest National Parks Departure: September 24, 2026 Journey Through Britain Departure September 28, 2026 View Brochure Call our office 239.434.4737 for assistance with registration or Click to View our Website Greek Islands & Turkish Coastline Yacht Cruise Departure August 28, 2026 Portugal and the Douro River Cruise Departure September 16, 2026 Enchanting Ireland Departure September 27, 2026 View Brochure Sicily in Depth Departure October 1, 2026 View Brochure Pearls of Dalmatia Departure October 12, 2026 View Brochure FGCU Academy FGCU ACADEMY NAPLES CENTER 704 Goodlette-Frank Rd N Suite 330 Naples, FL 34102 239.434.4737 [email protected] |