In the fall, California Lutheran University’s Fifty and Better (FAB) program will offer its Fall Session of six-week courses and two-part lectures. All courses and lectures will be available virtually, and several of the courses and lectures will be available in-person.

The Fall Session six-week courses are on a wide range of topics: Katherine Zoraster will explore the artists of Montmartre such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Suzanne Valadon, and more; Dr. Chris Kimball will examine the causes and questions of the Civil War and reflect on what remains unanswered and the relevance today; Christine Maasdam will examine current cases of art restitution including the ill-gotten dazzling jewels of Horton; Matthew Weisman will use the career of Jack Benny as a stepping off point to look at the golden age of radio and the dawn of television; Eleanor Schrader will discuss the history of furniture and ornamentation through the 18th century; Tony Moon will unpack the Italian influence on pop music culture and will look at artists such as Dean Martin, Frankie Avalon, and Tony Bennett; and Dr. Jason Hensley will delve into many of the theoretical underpinnings of discussions of race today and why they matter in the creation of tomorrow’s society.

The Fall Session will also include three two-part lectures: Sharon Boorstin will take us on a virtual tour of Madagascar, Southeast Asia, and South America to meet our cousins, lemurs, monkeys, and apes; Cary Ginell will survey aspects of Johnny Cash’s career including his legendary appearances and live recordings from various prisons; and Dr. Cliff Wilcox will delve into the life and career of Bob Dylan through a Jewish lens.

Several courses and lectures will be delivered in a “HyFlex” format – FAB students may attend the same lecture in-person or virtually. Students attending virtually will access the lectures via Zoom.

The Fall Session runs Sept. 6 – Oct. 23.

All courses and lectures meet for two hours, one day each week. FAB’s in-person courses and lectures will meet at Cal Lutheran’s main campus in Thousand Oaks or Cal Lutheran’s satellite campus in Oxnard. Parking is free at both locations. Six-week courses are $45 each; two-part lectures are $20 each. Students can purchase two courses and get one course or all three two-part lectures for free, or bundle all courses and lectures at a highlight discounted rate. Registration closes after the first class meeting.

FAB was designed to offer university level-courses with no tests or homework taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals 50 years of age and older. When COVID-19 erupted and the first-ever offering of in-person courses had to be postponed indefinitely, Cal Lutheran responded by being the first program in the area to offer courses virtually via Zoom. The first year of the program was a success, giving those most impacted by the pandemic an outlet to continue learning and networking. Additionally, the student base grew with approximately 40% of FAB students living out of the local area. The program has continued to thrive and is entering its fourth year.

“I keep coming back to FAB because I enjoy being part of this educational community,” said Devoted FAB student, Susan Salmore. “There is always a variety of interesting courses offered and the instructors are excellent…FAB offers an opportunity for me to stay active in my retirement, both intellectually and socially.”

To register for the fall, go to CalLutheran.edu/fab. For more information, visit the website or contact Christina Tierney at fab@callutheran.edu or (805) 493-3290.