TU Osher News & Notes

Hello darkness

It’s been barely two weeks since the clocks fell back, and the sun started setting at around five o’clock in the evening. On my way home from work, I’ve noticed that the pumpkins and ghosts from Halloween have already started to make way for Christmas lights. Last week I watched a landscaping crew hang glittering snowflakes from trees while falling leaves swirled in the wind. Under normal circumstances, I might mutter “too soon” considering we haven’t celebrated Thanksgiving yet, but this year is different. This year, I welcome the twinkling lights. They provide illumination in a world that seems both literally and figuratively dark. Maybe the winter decorations are up sooner because others are feeling the same way. Even if all is well in our individual worlds, we can see that not everyone is as fortunate. As we approach Thanksgiving (yes, it is still happening), let’s give grace to others and to ourselves and appreciate that we’re all doing the best we can. Each flicker from those strands of lights has the power to bring us joy, hope and possibility — and who couldn’t use that right now?

Stay safe and healthy,

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Tracy Jacobs

Free Osher Online Community Event

The Benefits of Strength Training for Life's Journey

Thursday, November 20, 5 p.m., Zoom
Free to Osher Members

Did you know that we lose muscle mass starting at age 30 and that loss accelerates after age 60? This loss of muscle and strength is what leads to falls, diseases of aging (such as type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis), a reduced quality of life, and ultimately a loss of independence. But there is something that we can do about it! Engaging in strength training will improve your balance, your mobility, your bone density, help ward off those diseases of aging, and even improve mood, sleep and brain health! Strength training has been shown to be one of the most significant factors in maintaining a high quality of life and independence as we age. How can we safely and effectively incorporate this into our lives and routines and stick with it? Learn ways to foster behavioral change and make exercise a habit, even in a virtual world. There will be an opportunity to participate in a short demonstration and time for questions and answers. The presentation will be 60 minutes, followed by Q & A.

Katie Starr, PhD, RD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine and Research Health Scientist at Durham VA Medical Center. Dr. Starr is also Co-Director of the Duke Center for Aging Clinical Nutrition Laboratory, and her research and professional experience focuses on understudied, older adult populations at high risk for chronic health conditions and functional disability. She is also the Chief Scientific Advisor for Vivo.

Eric Levitan is the founder and CEO of Vivo. He has over 25 years of executive leadership in the technology sector. As he witnessed the decline of his parents’ health and quality of life as they got older, he realized he wanted to better understand the aging process and help them. That’s why he started Vivo – to create awareness and a safe, engaging, and impactful program to guide older adults to a safer and healthier life.

This event is FREE and available to ALL members of our participating Institutes, even if they are not enrolled in an Osher Online course.

TU Exercise Science Symposium

TU and Edenwald logos

TU Exercise Science Student Poster Symposium

Wednesday, December 10, 10:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Edenwald Auditorium
Free parking and prize giveaways

Wellness presentations on:

  • Impact of dance on mobility and mood
  • Motivation strategies for exercise
  • Health benefits of sleep
  • Value of cognitive training

Support your local college students, engage in good discussion, and have fun!

Great Options for Winter with Osher

Winter 2026 Zoom Lectures

$10 per lecture or $50 for all six

In January and February, we bring you our winter lectures on Zoom. Grab a hot beverage and get cozy for these exciting lectures! Lectures are 90-minutes and begin at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursdays. Lectures are recorded and made available to those who register.

Membership is not required to attend, so encourage your friends to participate.

  • Cosmic Update 2026 with Shelley Bonus, Thursday, January 15
  • Madmen and Murderers with Mikita Brottman, Wednesday, January 21
  • The Theology of Die-hard Christian Trump Support with Matthew D. Taylor, Thursday, January 29
  • Understanding the Middle East Conflict Through Maps with Mitchell Bard, Wednesday, February 4
  • The Science of Ha! with David Misch, Thursday, February 12
  • Rose Tint My World: 50 Years of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with Arnold Blumberg, Wednesday, February 18

Osher Online Starts January 14

Study with subject matter experts and learn alongside Osher members from across the country. Each six week course is $80.

  • Milestones in Medicine
  • The Virtues
  • Heroes of the Holocaust: Lights in the Darkness
  • Invisible Intelligence: The Unseen Algorithms Reshaping Your Daily Life
  • How the US Immigration System (Usually) Works
  • The American Revolution Beyond the British Empire with Richard Bell
  • The Noir Novel: Three American Classics
  • Dealing in Futures: The Shape of Science Fiction
  • Japanese History through the Lens of Shogun
  • John James Audubon and the Birds of America
  • Pharmaceuticals and Poisons: Chemistry at the Edge
  • Brain and Behavior in the Era of Digital Technology
  • The History of American Television
  • Post Impressionism and the Birth of Abstraction
  • Einstein without Tears: His Theories Explained without Math and in Everyday Language
  • Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: A Comparative Exploration
  • Osher Integrative Health: Navigating Chronic Illness in a Complex Healthcare System

Science Fiction Book Club Meeting

Tuesday, December 9, 7:30 p.m., Zoom
Free to Osher members

The Science Fiction Book Club will hold its first meeting online on Tuesday, December 9 at 7:30 p.m. The first book to be discussed will be Isaac Asimov's "Foundation," and the second and third meetings will talk about the next two books in the series, "Foundation and Empire" and "Second Foundation." If you've only seen the television adaptation of the series, please read the books! They're very different from the TV version. For more information, please contact Dori at SF_OsherTU@yahoo.com. Dori can provide information on how to get the books for low or no cost. You don't need to be a previous science fiction reader, just have an open and curious mind, which you already have since you're an Osher student!

Give to Osher at Towson University

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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