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Fresh Start
We aren’t even two weeks into the new year and chances are that some of us could already use a fresh start—a do-over, a mulligan, a second chance. I’m a fan of the do-over. Thankfully, the calendar gives us plenty of opportunities for new beginnings. For example, you can always choose to try again starting on Monday. That’s a good one for diets and exercise routines. If you are flexing your multicultural muscles, then you can find a way to celebrate the new year just about year-round with such time-honored favorites as Chinese (Lunar) New Year, Hijri, Rosh Hashanah, Diwali, and others. Some of us view spring as a chance to start anew. Others, no matter how long it’s been since we waited for a school bus, think of the start of the school year as that new start. Even if things are going perfectly well, it’s not so bad to take a moment to begin again. At these markers, it may not be so much about setting new resolutions, but more about celebrating different times of year when we can pause, reflect, restart, or keep on going. I hope that 2024 is off to a great start for you and that the future mileposts are just as good.
Stay safe and healthy,
Tracy Jacobs
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The spring semester will start on March 4.
- View the spring At-A-Glance Schedule (PDF)
- Full catalog will be available online Friday, February 2
- Spring Preview of Classes will be available to view online starting Tuesday, February 5 at 2 p.m.
- Spring registration will start Tuesday, February 6
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Osher at Towson University is excited to offer members more online course options through the Osher Online program. Osher Online offers high-quality shared, synchronous courses to members of participating Osher Institutes. Study with subject matter experts, learn with Osher members from across the country, and experience this exciting new opportunity offered in partnership with the Osher National Resource Center. Space is limited so register early.
Winter 2024 Osher Online courses
- Chemistry in the Real World, starts February 20, 2024
- Fake News: Keys to Ethical and Impactful Journalism, starts February 24, 2024
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Free Winter Lecture Series—January and February
The Winter Lecture Series is open to Osher members as well as non-members.
- White House Memories: The Butler Did It!
- The Great Old Days: A Look at ‘The Godfather’ Saga (online)
- Ruth Handler: The Woman Behind Barbie (online)
- The Shame of Satire (online)
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The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Texas, Austin invites Osher members from around the country to register for this free 6-part online series.
Americans will go to the polls in a few months to vote in what innumerable commentators are calling a pivotal presidential election, even one of the most consequential in American history. But it’s hardly the first time such claims have been made. Across the last 250 years, many presidential races have featured sharply contrasting agendas, political outlooks, and personal styles, with dire predictions about the nation’s future if one candidate or the other prevailed. How did these races unfold? How did presidential races encapsulate profound cleavages running through the nation? How did the outcomes shape the nation’s future? Looking back at elections from the nation’s past may provide perspective on our moment.
This six-part virtual series explores these and other questions through lively conversations with eminent historians of American politics and the presidency. Each session will begin with a moderated discussion led by LBJ Library Director Mark Lawrence but will allow ample time for questions from the audience. Over six weeks leading up to Presidents’ Day, we will sweep across American political history by delving into the elections of 1860, 1896, 1948, 1964, 1968, and 1980. We will examine presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Ronald Reagan, exploring the races that elevated them to the Oval Office and the implications of the races they won.
Schedule: Each session will run from 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. (CST) / 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. (EST)
- January 11: A.J. Baime, author of Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America’s Soul
- January 18: Luke Nichter, author of The Year that Broke Politics: Collusion and Chaos in the Presidential Election of 1968
- January 25: Edward Achorn, author of The Lincoln Miracle: Inside the Republican Convention that Changed History
- February 1: Nancy Beck Young, author of Two Suns of the Southwest: Lyndon Johnson, Barry Goldwater, and the 1964 Battle between Liberalism and Conservatism
- February 8: Karl Rove, author of The Triumph of William McKinley: Why the Election of 1896 Still Matters
- February 15: Jon Ward, author of Camelot’s End: The Democrats’ Last Great Civil War
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In partnership with the Towson University’s Asian Arts and Culture Center
The Japan Film Program
January–July 2024
All films are hosted by and from the private collection of Reed Hessler, longtime host on WBJC.
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In partnership with the TU Alumni Association
The Charm of the Amalfi Coast
June 12–20, 2024
Imagine a land where rugged coastlines melt into butter-soft sands and sinuous cobblestones lead to dreamy vistas. Where the remnants of ancient civilizations hum with history and villages are graced with artistic inspiration. From your base in Vietri sul Mare, treat yourself to the indelible spirit of the Amalfi Coast. Amid soothing, lemon-scented breezes, you'll fall into a relaxed rhythm, filling your days with archeological treasures, authentic Italian cuisine and the region's unforgettable wonders. On the Amalfi Coast, the possibilities are endless!
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Support Osher at Towson University. Your tax-deductible contribution helps to provide a rich experience for our members and a vibrant, affordable program for years to come.
Donate online through the link below. If you prefer to donate by check, please make check payable to “Towson University Foundation, Inc.” and note Osher fund in the memo line. Mail to: Towson University Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 17165, Baltimore, MD 21297-0219.
If you would like to honor a friend or loved one with a donation in their memory, please consider supporting Osher at Towson University with a gift to the Osher Excellence Fund.
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