Study Groups

Class Offerings 

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Mondays:

History

Explore the lives of three influential figures in New York's history: Herkimer, Lincoln and La Guardia. This course delves into their biographies, uncovering the remarkable contributions and legacies they left behind. Discover the stories of these heroes in depth and gain a richer understanding of their impact on New York and beyond! 

Leader: Dr. Daniel Marrone, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor (Ret.), Recipient of the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Scholarship and Creative Activities, and Current member of the SUNY University Faculty Senate Governance Committee.

2025 Sessions Fees: $30 for 5 weeks

Dates: 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/21 & 4/28
Location: Campus Center Meeting Room A
Time: 10 AM - 12 PM

Book:  Marrone, D. S. (2014). New York Heroes: Herkimer, Lincoln, TR, & La Guardia. Halo Press International.

Class session dates and topics:  

3/24/25 and 3/31/25:  Abraham Lincoln has been judged by historians as the highest-rated U.S president for many reasons among which were his unique gifts as a speech writer and orator.  Class sessions will cover his seven most significant speeches:  “Peoria (Illinois) Speech” opposing the repeal of the Missouri Compromise (AKA as the Compromise of 1820) (October 16, 1854);  “House Divided Speech” upon being nominated as the Republican Party candidate for the U.S. Senate representing Illinois (June 16, 1858);  “Cooper Union Address in New-York City” (February 27, 1860);  “Farewell to Springfield, Illinois” (February 11, 1861);  “First Inaugural Address” (March 4, 1861);  “Gettysburg Address” (November 19, 1863); and  “Second Inaugural Address” (March 4, 1865).

No class session on 4/14/25.

4/7/25 and 4/21/25:  Theodore Roosevelt, a Progressive-leaning moderate Republican, modeled his foundational political credo upon that of Abraham Lincoln.  Class sessions will cover TR’s family and Sagamore Hill residence that has become the most visited site of the National Park System.  Covered also will be TR’s groundbreaking and pivotal role as Peace Negotiator that ended the Russo-Japanese War for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.  TR was the first president to act upon and be called a “Trust Buster.”  In his post-presidency “New Nationalism Speech” delivered in Osawatomie, Kansas (August 31, 1910), TR espoused “Fair Play” for everyone and for ending special treatment in government for business.  His distant cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, expanded TR’s mantra as the “New Deal” throughout his presidency (1933-1945).  More than a century after the “Most Famous Long Islander” displayed intrepid leadership and valor leading a daring charge up San Juan Hill, Republic of Cuba, TR was posthumously--and most justifiably--awarded the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor (January 16, 2001).  His son, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr, known as “Ted” Roosevelt, was also posthumously awarded the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor for leadership and valor. General Omar N. Bradley stated that on D-Day, June 6, 1943, “Ted Roosevelt was the most heroic soldier he had ever seen in combat.”  Roosevelt, the oldest soldier and only general that day, landed with the first wave of troops during the Normandy Invasion.  At Utah Beach, soldiers and war materiel landed at different sites.  Brigadier General Roosevelt, while dodging deadly machine gun fire, modified pre-invasion battle plans and helped establish the Normandy beachhead, a most crucial milestone to victory in World War II.

4/28/25:  Fiorello H. La Guardia was born in lower Manhattan and raised in Arizona.  He returned to NYC to represent, as an attorney, the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU).  In a series of elective positions, five-foot tall, but a towering force of nature, La Guardia became a Congressman, a NYC municipal government leader, and ultimately NYC’s Mayor (1934-1945).  The “Little Flower” fought corruption, especially targeting Tammany Hall for absconding municipal funds and for employing fraudulent election tactics.  La Guardia informed and encouraged New Yorkers in his weekly “Talk to the People” weekly radio broadcasts during the “Great Depression” and throughout World War II.  He achieved an unbroken record for the sheer volume of newly built public housing, parks, schools, highways, and bridges.  Fiorello La Guardia has been rated by municipal experts repeatedly as the “Best Big City Mayor in History.”

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History of New York Sports

Explore the history of professional and college sports teams, once and currently located in New York. Review the team histories, principal players and its current and historical venues.   

Leader: Dr. Ira Stolzenberg
2025 Sessions Fees: $25 for 5 weeks.

Dates: Spring: 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/21 & 4/28
Location: Campus Center Meeting Room A
Time: 12:30 AM - 1:45 PM

History of New York’s sports, its teams, players and stadiums/arenas:

3/24 Baseball (Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Giants)

3/31   Football  (Giants, Jets, Titans, Bills)  

4/7 Basketball  (Knicks, Nets)

4/21 Hockey   (Rangers, Islanders)

4/28 Colleges  (US Military Academy, Columbia, St. John’s, NYU, LIU, Farmingdale)

 

Register Here

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Wednesdays:

Contemporary Literature

Join our monthly group to dive into engaging books together. Explore diverse genres, share insights, and enjoy lively discussions in a welcoming environment. Perfect for book lovers seeking connection and thoughtful conversation. 

Leader: Susan Blaeser 
2025 Sessions Fees: $25 for 5 weeks.
Location: Winter in Lupton Hall T101 & Spring in Gleeson 119
Time: Wednesdays  2:00 PM - 5:35 PM

Sessions/Dates:

Spring: 2/26, 3/26, 4/16, 5/14 & 6/18

February 26 The Circle by Tracey Dave Eggers 

March 26 The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobs

April 16 After Annie by Anna Quindlen

May 14 Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

June 18 The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan 

 

Register Here

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Introduction to Spanish

Leader: Profesora Shari O'Flanagan
2025 Sessions Fees: $50 for 8 weeks      
Location: Campus Center Meeting Room B
Time: Wednesdays 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM 

¡Hola Estudiantes! This Spanish Culture and Conversation course is designed for beginning students who have studied Spanish and need an in depth review, and for those who want to learn Spanish before traveling to a Spanish-speaking country. Students will learn new vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, fun facts and basic verb conjugations in the present, past and future tenses. We will listen to Spanish songs, describe famous paintings, explore various places virtually and create simple, practical dialogue's all while covering a wide variety of topics and improving our communication skills in a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. ¡Vámonos!

Sessions/Dates:

Winter: 12/4, 12/11, 12/18, 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5

Spring: 4/2, 4/9, 4/16, 4/30, 5/7, 5/14, 5/21, 5/28

Register Here

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Fridays:

Current Issues Forum

Each week for the first hour the class we will set an agenda and exchange ideas concerning local, national, and global issues. During the second hour the focus is on one or more larger national issues; in an effort to identify problems, generate solutions, and hopefully, clarify your position. 

Leader: Chet Gerstenbluth
2025 Sessions Fees: $50 for 10 weeks
Location: Gleeson Hall 131
Time: Fridays 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

Sessions/Dates:

Winter: 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, 1/3, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21

Spring: 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23

Discussion and participation are strictly voluntary. Members are encouraged to bring in most current news articles and current events are generally provided by Chet our Study Group Leader. 

Register Here

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Movie Review

This fall we will be presenting 8 films and following each with a lively discussion. The movies are from a variety of genres and were released between 1944 to 2017. 

Leader: Larry Blaeser
2025 Sessions Fees: $50 for 8 weeks      
Location: Gleeson Hall 127* (Room Change)
Time: Fridays 12:45 PM - 3:15 PM

Sessions/Dates:

Spring:  3/14/2025, 3/28/2025, 4/4/2025, 4/11/2025, 5/2/2025, 5/9/2025, 5/16/2025, 5/23/2025

March 14  Annie Hall 1977 PG 1h 33m Romantic Comedy

Alvy Singer, a divorced Jewish comedian, reflects on his relationship with ex-lover Annie Hall, an aspiring nightclub singer, which ended abruptly just like his previous marriages.

March 28 All About Eve 1950 Approved 2h 18m Drama

A seemingly timid but secretly ruthless ingénue insinuates herself into the lives of an aging Broadway star and her circle of theater friends.

April 4 The Princess Bride 1987 PG 1h 38m  Fantasy Epic

A bedridden boy's grandfather reads him the story of a farmboy-turned-pirate who encounters numerous obstacles, enemies and allies in his quest to be reunited with his true love.

April 11 A Beautiful Mind 2001 PG-13 2h 15m Biography, Docudrama

A mathematical genius, John Nash made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a harrowing journey of self-discovery.

May 2 The Grand Budapest Hotel 2014 R 1h 39m Quirky Comedy

A writer encounters the owner of an aging high-class hotel, who tells him of his early years serving as a lobby boy in the hotel's glorious years under an exceptional concierge.

May 9 Casablanca 1942  PG 1h 42m Drama, Romance, War

A cynical expatriate American cafe owner struggles to decide whether or not to help his former lover and her fugitive husband escape the Nazis in French Morocco.

May 16 To Have and Have Not 1944 Approved 1h 40m Dark Comedy, Film Noir

During World War II, an American expatriate helps transport a French Resistance leader and his wife to Martinique while romancing a lounge singer.

May 23 The Social Network 2010 PG-13 2h Docudrama

As Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that would become known as Facebook, he is sued by the twins who claimed he stole their idea and by the co-founder who was later squeezed out of the business.

 

Register Here

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Volunteer Opportunities - Join Our Team!

ILR thrives on the enthusiasm and commitment of our members, and we are actively seeking volunteers to contribute their time and expertise to our vibrant community. If you have a passion for a particular subject and would like to lead a study group or contribute in any other capacity, we warmly encourage you to step forward and be part of our dedicated team.

 
We Want to Hear From You!

We are committed to enhancing the ILR experience and creating an inclusive, dynamic learning environment for all. As we embark on this journey together, your ideas, suggestions, and feedback are invaluable in shaping our program and ensuring its success. We welcome your input on new course ideas, potential guest speakers, and any other initiatives that could enrich the ILR community.