| 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! FGCU Academy presents an incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in a variety of engaging and thought-provoking activities this week. With topics ranging from history, art, and religion to technology and exciting day trips, there’s a little something for every- one to enjoy. Whether you’re a history buff looking to explore the stories of the past, an art enthusiast eager to dive into creative expression, or someone who loves uncovering the latest in technology, FGCU Academy promises a week filled with discovery and en- richment. These sessions are not only informative but also a great way to connect with like-minded individuals who share your interests. So why not seize the moment? With such a diverse and captivating lineup, spending the week with FGCU Academy could be an experience to remember. What are you most curious about? 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. Peters 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 ex- perience – the dream. The exhibition examines how Western artists have depicted dreams for different audiences throughout time, exploring the continuity and disconnections be- tween 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. Weekly Technology Features Introduction to Microsoft Excel March 17 | 10 – 11:30am | Monday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Learn the fundamentals of Microsoft Excel in this lecture-style course. Topics include: opening, saving, editing and printing spreadsheets; formatting and editing cells; creat- ing and editing formulae to add, subtract, multiply and divide; Quick Analysis and Flash Fill tools; and finding and sorting. Learn to be a spreadsheet wizard using Excel. iPhone/iPad Apps: Master Safari Web Browsing & Calendar Scheduling March 19 | 10 – 11:30am | Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom March 20 | 1:30 – 3pm | Thursday Cypress Cove 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. Pages Word Processor for the iPhone/iPad/Mac March 20 | 9:30 – 11am | Thursday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Create gorgeous documents in minutes with the Pages word processor for iPhone/iPad/Mac. A word processor that is easy end user-friendly is just what we expect from Apple. Start with a predesigned template to instantly create beautiful reports, resumes, posters and more or use a blank document and create your own design. Easily add images, movies, audio, charts and shapes and use comments, change tracking and highlights to review your work. With iCloud, your documents are kept up to date across all your devices. And with real-time col- laboration, you can work together at the same time with others, even on a PC. This class pre- sumes you are familiar with using an iPhone/iPad/Mac. 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. Weekly Features A Study of Miracles March 18 | 1:30 – 3pm | Tuesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom What is a miracle, and more importantly what is not a miracle? For millennia, there have been debates between philosophy, science and theology on the nature of miracles and whether the laws of nature can be/have been violated. Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Emerson, Einstein and other brilliant thinkers and noble prize winners cannot agree on how, why and when miracles can or do occur. Is it divine intervention, lack of scientific understanding, metaphysics, or mysticism upon which miracles appear to happen? Is it possible we have ever experienced one? Join our conversation in this intriguing class. From the Delta to the Internet: A History of American Popular Music March 18 | 1:30 – 3pm | Tuesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Do you ever wonder how music evolved from Elvis to Beyoncé? This lecture will provide some insight into that process, starting not in the 1950s, but a century prior in the mid-1800s, and pro- gressing through to the present day. We will examine how the music of the enslaved people of the Mississippi Delta formed the foundation of the music that started it all: the Blues. The dawn of the twentieth century also gave rise to the jazz. Together, these two styles (along with several others) would eventually form the basis of rock ’n’ roll and pop. Other genres included are rap and hip hop, disco, grunge, and EDM (electronic dance music). The Rise and Fall of the Habsburg Empire (2-part series) March 19, 26 | 10 – 11:30pm | Wednesday 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 politi- cal and social movements beyond their control. And throughout, the personal stories of the Habs- burgs – their loves, betrayals and tragedies – were an inextricable part of their history. Making/Taking Better Photos March 20 | 9:30 – 12:30pm | Thursday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Ansel Adams said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make a photograph.” Photography is a very subjective endeavor. There are no hard-and-fast rules to follow that always assure your picture will be, well, “picture perfect.” However, an understanding of light, exposure and compositional guide- lines that can be applied to virtually any scene will enhance its impact and quality. Understanding these principles helps you to capture more compelling images, turning your snapshots into works of art. This lecture is for all photographers, regardless of the camera they use. Weekly Guide – March 17 – 24 Click on any class below to see more information and to register Monday March 17 – Apollo Space Program: 55th Anniversary – Ireland: A Sacred Island, Before Christianity – The Pentagon Papers and the Ellsberg Trial – John D. Rockefeller – His Life and Times Tuesday March 18 – The Underestimated Presidency of Dwight Eisenhower and His Attempt to Demilitarize the Cold War – The Constitution and the New “Imperial Presidency” – Artificial Intelligence (AI): Friend or Foe? – Queen Victoria: The Grandmother of Europe Wednesday March 19 – Operation Drumbeat: Second Pearl Harbor Sam Walton and the Making of Walmart – 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 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] |
