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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 Keep your mind active and engaged this year! Register for a lecture with FGCU Academy! Register for a Day Trip with FGCU Academy! Greetings, Wednesday was made for you and FGCU Academy. There is a little of something for everyone. Learn about optical illusions in the morning and then come on into the Naples Center where you can pick your topic…Orchids, Florida Government, Health related Science, or dabble in the Wives of Henry VIII. However you look at it, it will be a fascinating and spark- ling day. Visit our Sneak Peaks section for next week, below. Click here to view our list of day trips & special events. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 2024 WINTER-SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE ONLINE! REGISTRATION AVAILABLE ONLINE BY CLICKING HERE Call our offices anytime for assistance at 239.434.4737 Click on any topic below to learn more. WEDNESDAY’S HOT TOPICS  Perceptual Illusions: Seeing (Is or Is Not) Believing March 6 | 10 – 11:30 am Wednesday Brooks Enrichment Center We discuss the perceptual process and look at how our beliefs and imagination influence our understanding of what we see. Our reality is constructed from our interpretation of sensory data (what we see, hear, etc.). However, this “interpretation” is influenced by numerous mental and social processes. We cover several concepts related to perceptual anomalies. This includes a fun sampling of optical illusions and other visual examples revealing how our eyes play tricks on us.  Beautiful, Flowering Orchids: How to Make Yours Thrive and Grow! March 6 | 1:30 – 3 pm Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Taught by a member of both the Naples Orchid Society and the Gulf Coast Orchid Alliance, you learn interesting facts and how to grow and flower the orchids you love. The lecture discusses the popular Phalaenopsis, Cattleyas and Dendrobium orchids. Learn the best way to care for these orchids and get more flowers.  Florida Local Government Boot Camp: What Every Florida Resident Should Know! March 6 | 1:30 – 3 pm Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom As Southwest Florida’s population continues to surge, with many people coming from other states with very different organizations of local governments and tax structures, the interest in learning how our local government functions is intense. This lecture provides an overview of how local government in Florida is organized, how to access local governments, the elements of the Florida Open Meeting and Public Records Law, and how Florida local governments pay for services through taxes and fees.  Science, Disinformation and the Covid Pandemic March 6 | 1:30 – 3 pm Wednesday Naples Center / Online via Zoom Taken from the speaker’s book, “Communicating Science and Managing the Coronavirus Pandemic,” this lecture addresses much of the disinformation and conspiracy theories about the Covid 19 virus. For many in our country, the lies and misinformation spread about the virus and its treatments were embraced wholeheartedly and taken as truth. Peer-reviewed, fact-based science, while not always perfect, offers conclusions, suggestions and solutions, but such information must be presented to the public in a strong and effective manner. This presentation addresses the nine stages of a pandemic, from the event to closure, a template for managing a pandemic, the process of developing a pandemic scenario, a pandemic exercise, and much more.  The Wives of Henry VIII (2-part series) March 6 | 1:30 – 3 pm Naples Center / Online via Zoom King Henry VIII had six wives – a piece of history we all seem to remember from our school days! Henry’s marriages were about both love and power, but romance with this king could be a dangerous game. He needed an heir, but what else was Henry hoping to achieve through these marriages? And who were his wives? Were they hapless victims or ambitious schemers or perhaps a combination of the two? Each one’s story was unique. Let’s meet these six very memorable 16th century ladies of the English court. HOT TOPICS of the Week –Introduction to Facebook and Instagram –Zealot, the Life and Times of Jesus –Climate Change – Sources and Solutions –Pirates of the Golden Age: 1630-1730 Sneak Peak for Next Week – see what is coming –Beyond Snapshots: Taking the Best Photos –Immigration 2024: Crossroads of “Legal” and “Illegal” Immigration –Space Exploration: History and What Does the Future Hold? –The Problem of Mass Incarceration in the U.S. –Communication Competence: Respectful and Rewarding Interaction –Minimizing Taxes in Retirement –Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales –Yoga Nidra Meditation: Become Relaxed and Serene (2-part series) –Escape Your Filter Bubble: Learn to Talk With Those You Disagree With –The Making of Modern China –The Rosenberg Trial Day Trips / Special Events  Miami Design District Art and Food Tour March 12 | 9 – 6 pm, Tuesday Miami LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER Join us as we experience the cultural, artistic and culinary delights of Miami’s Design district. Embark on a delicious journey into the world of cutting-edge design, monumental art installations, and a diverse selection of cuisine that celebrates the Design District’s fusion of creativity and flavor. Enjoy mouthwatering dishes from some of the top restaurants in the neighborhood. Explore a large, modern chef-driven food hall that is considered a culinary mecca and savor a variety of global cuisines, with bites from Vietnam, Israel, the American South and more. Sample the unique fusion of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine at one of Miami’s most celebrated sushi destinations and indulge in Chef Andrew G.’s famous cookie creations. Between food tastings, we make several stops to learn and admire public art installations, including the famous “Fly’s Eye Dome” by Buckminster Fuller. Departure information will be emailed 3 days prior to the trip. Itineraries are subject to change. No refunds within 10 business days of departure. 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 l ocations, 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 returned 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] |