| 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 Exciting Opportunities at FGCU Academy! The Week Ahead in FGCU Academy’s Technology Offerings Apple’s ecosystem of technology apps offers a seamless blend of functionality and in- novation. Safari, the powerful web browser, provides fast and secure browsing, opti- mized for privacy with features like Intelligent Tracking Prevention. The Calendar app keeps users organized, enabling easy scheduling, reminders, and integration across devices. Apple Intelligence, the underlying smart assistant technology, personalizes the experience by learning user habits and enhancing productivity with suggestions and automation. Meanwhile, the Camera app elevates photography, offering cutting- edge tools like advanced computational photography, cinematic modes, and editing capabilities that transform everyday shots into stunning visual content. Together, these apps create a cohesive and intuitive experience, enhancing both personal and professional life. Biographical History, Dynastic History, Musical History & More… Sam Walton, the visionary entrepreneur behind Walmart, revolutionized retail by em- phasizing affordability and accessibility, principles that continue to impact global bus- iness practices. In history, the Habsburg Empire stands as a testament to centuries of European political dominance, marked by its vast territories and influence on cultural and dynastic affairs. The history of rock and roll reflects a vibrant evolution of music, breaking barriers and defining generations with iconic sounds and cultural movements Modern photography has been transformed by mirrorless cameras and digital SLRs, which offer enthusiasts and professionals versatile tools for capturing stunning images. Meanwhile, the need for affordable housing remains a critical issue, shaping urban plan- ning and social policy worldwide. In forensic science, CSI DNA profiling has revolution- ized crime investigations, enhancing the precision and reliability of evidence. Lastly, Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis delves into the intricacies of the human mind, uncover- ing the impact of unconscious desires and early experiences on behavior and thought. Together, these subjects showcase humanity’s boundless curiosity and creativity across disciplines. FGCU Academy has a plethora of courses left on so many exciting topics. 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. Day Trips and Special Events The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg March 27 | 8 – 6pm |Thursday St. Pete 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, en- trance 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. Technology Features iPhone/iPad Apps: Master Safari Web Browsing & Calendar Scheduling March 19 | 10 – 11:30am | Wednesday Online via Zoom Apple’s web browser, Safari, keeps getting faster and better. It sports a smart search bar, tabs, and a special split view version for iPad users. Save your favorite websites to your Home Screen or as Bookmarks. You can view Shared Links and add articles to your Reading List or access your saved passwords and credit cards. Learn how to use the Ap- ple Calendar app so you never miss an appointment again. Schedule your life and have access to your appointments on every device you own. Access your calendar anytime or anywhere from any computing device in the world and know your information is safely backed up. The Best of the Best Apps Every Apple & Android User Should Know March 21 | 10 – 11:30am | Friday Naples Center / Online via Zoom This lecture-style presentation explores some of the best apps that Apple and Android users should know about and install on their devices. Apps are the lifeblood of your smart devices. Without them, your 21st century tools are greatly limited in what they can do. We identify and demo the best apps available in categories like productivity, email, travel, video calling, texting, car services, travel, stocks and so much more. This lecture is appropriate for all An- droid and Apple users, although Apple devices will be used to demonstrate various apps. Apple Intelligence: Private, Secure AI Comes to All Apple Devices March 24 | 10 – 11:30am | Monday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Apple Intelligence is a suite of AI-powered tools that use your personal data to provide recommendations and generate results that are relevant to you. It’s designed to help you communicate, work, and express yourself on iPhones, iPads and Macintosh com- puters. Join this lecture as we explore the power and utility of Apple Intelligence on your devices. Only iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, and latest generation iPads will be able to participate in class. iPad/iPhone Apps: Camera and Taking Great Photos March 26 | 10 – 11:30am | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Apple’s Photos App has changed dramatically in iOS 18. The redesigned Photos app puts your photo library at your fingertips, so you spend less time searching and more time enjoying your memories. It has an immersive, dynamic look that emphasizes your best shots with larger previews and improved organization. Your photos are or- ganized by topics such as Recent Days, Trips, People & Pets and more. Use Pinned Collections to quickly access the collections or albums most important to you. Mem- ories finds your best photos and videos and weaves them together into a video com- plete with music, titles and transitions. Perfect your images with intuitive, built-in, powerful editing tools. Search photos based on who or what is in them. iCloud stores your photos and videos and synchronizes them across all your devices. Weekly Features Sam Walton and the Making of Walmart March 19 | 10 – 11:30pm | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Sam Walton built a single “five and dime” store into the largest retailer in the world. His passion for low prices and focus on the customer humbled his much larger com- petitors. But as yesterday’s David became today’s Goliath, critics became as numer- ous as new Walmart Supercenters. Were low prices worth the cost of low wages, lack of health care and the ruin of America’s small retailers? Was Walmart doing what everyone else was doing but just doing it better? Has Walmart changed in re- action to the criticism? We’ll look at Sam Walton and Walmart’s past, present and future. The Rise and Fall of the Habsburg Empire (2-part series) March 19, 26 | 10 – 11:30pm | Wednesdays Naples Center / Online via Zoom For over half a century the Habsburg dynasty ruled over a vast, disparate and scattered empire. At its zenith in the 16th century, Charles V found the task so daunting that he retreated to a monastery. At its nadir five hundred years later, the emperors struggled to hold on against a rising tide of political and social movements beyond their control. And throughout, the personal stories of the Habsburgs – their loves, betrayals and tragedies – were an inextricable part of their history. Understanding Your Mirrorless and Digital SLR March 24, 26, 28 | 9:30 – 12:30pm | Mon / Wed / Fri Naples Center For those wanting to explore their creative side with digital photography, nothing compares to the choices available with a mirrorless single lens reflex (SLR) cam- era. But learning the myriads of alternatives can be daunting. This course is de- signed to make sense of these options: how, when and why to use them. Topics include understanding exposure, white balance, file formats, better flash photo- graphy, focus and shooting options. Affordable Housing: Needs and Impacts March 25 | 10 – 11:30am | Tuesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom The affordable housing crisis in Southwest Florida has been well-documented on a national level. The issue affects various segments of the population, with some groups disproportionately facing housing affordability challenges. Un- able to keep up with the rising costs of housing, Florida’s working families, communities of color, older adults and people with disabilities are bearing the brunt of this housing crisis. Research shows that a lack of quality, affordable housing has impacts on physical and mental well-being, educational attain- ment, workforce issues, and more. This session provides an overview of affordable housing principles, regulations, and strategies with a specific focus on the crisis in Southwest Florida. The History and Evolution of Rock and Roll March 26 | 10 – 11:30am | Wednesday FGCU Main Campus – Building AB9 (Room 106) From Elvis to Pearl Jam, the genre of rock and roll has undergone tremendous change and development since its breakthrough into mainstream culture in the 1950s. This lecture travels back in time to the mid-1800s, almost a century before Elvis’ landmark television appearance, to explore the roots of rock and roll: the Blues. From there, we trace the evolution through jazz and country music before finally landing on the hip- swiveling genre known as rock and roll. Then we examine the genre’s rapid diversifi- cation in the 1960s to the 1980s. Finally, we discuss how the genre’s development in the 1990s and early 2000s set the foundation for modern rock and roll as we know it today. CSI DNA Profiling: Genomes to Gene Editing and Therapies March 26 | 10:30 – 12pm | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom This lecture, designed for the non-scientist, explores the fast-changing and ever interest- ing subject of 21st century DNA technologies. How perpetrators get caught or the inno- cent set free using DNA profiling. Reading our “genomes” to find increased chances of developing disease. Hopes of “editing” genes to correct flaws in our genetic messages. Join us as we explore these topics and more. Freud and the Theory of Psychoanalysis March 26 | 1:30 – 3pm | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Through lecture and class discussion we will review and explore the origins, development and the extensive influences that Sigmund Freud’s efforts have had on psychology, anthro- pology, medicine and psychotherapy in general. Weekly Guide – March 17 – 24 Click on any class below to see more information and to register Wednesday March 19 – Operation Drumbeat: Second Pearl Harbor – The Arab-Israeli Conflict The Rise and Fall and Reinvention of Globalization – William “Wild Bill” Donovan Thursday March 20 – Immigration 2025: Crossroads of “Legal” and “Illegal” Immigration – WWII: The Italian Campaign and Anzio – Whatever Happened to America’s Iconic Department Stores? – The Art of Venice: The Imaginative Artistry of La Serenissima Monday March 24 – Financial Strategies for Estate Planning – Art of the Calusa – Nonverbal Communication: Hearing What is Not Said – Artificial Intelligence (AI): Friend or Foe? – Warren Buffett – The Oracle of Omaha Tuesday March 25 – iPhone/iPad Apps: Mastering Email Wednesday March 26 – Influential Speeches of World War II – Operation Paperclip: Recruiting Nazi Scientists 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] |
