Continuing Education Events at Gustavus

Gustavus Adolphus College and the St. Peter Community and Family Education Office have teamed to provide the St. Peter community with several informational and educational lectures this spring as part of the college’s Continuing Education program. The public is invited to the following continuing education events at Gustavus:

• “Everything You Want to Know About College Admission” will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 6 in the Interpretive Center. Senior Associate Director of Admission Rich Aune will discuss how selecting a college has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Parental and professional advice will be provided along with an opportunity to ask questions. Please note this is not a recruitment session for Gustavus.
• “Rustic Twig Furniture for Every Skill Level” will be offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 in the Interpretive Center. Bob McNeely of From the Forest, LLC will help attendees create either a whimsical twig chair or a slab garden bench. All lumber materials, safety equipment, and fastening hardware are provided and included in the cost of the session. Attendees are asked to bring a marker, tape measure, utility knife, and a power drill. Cost is $125 with an additional charge of $25 if two people want to work on one piece together.
• “Finding Ancestors: Illustrations of Fast Genealogy” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10 in the Interpretive Center. Economics and management professor Michael Klimesh will share details of a cemetery research project he undertook.
• “Global Change and Natural Hazards: A Perfect Storm?” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 27 in the Interpretive Center. Geography professor Mark Bjelland will discuss what effects a changing global climate could have on the frequency and intensity of tornadoes, flash floods, droughts, and hurricanes. This session will survey four natural hazards associated with the atmosphere and look at the factors that lead to hazard vulnerability.
• “Why Christianity Must Change or Die: A Bishop Speaks to Believers in Exile (A Book Discussion)” will be offered at 7 p.m. Monday, April 14 in the Interpretive Center. Religion professors Deborah Goodwin and Casey Elledge will explore some of the ideas presented in Rev. John Shelby Spong’s book. Rev. Spong will be speaking at Gustavus on Monday, April 21.
• “Wildflower Walk — Seven Mile Creek” will be offered at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1. Environmentalists Jim Gilbert and Emily Hoefs will lead attendees on a trail walk to look at spring woodland wildflowers and other signs of spring.
• “Southeastern Europe at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Challenging the Past and Looking for a Rainbow” will be presented at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 8 in the Interpretive Center. History professor Tom Emmert will highlight the work of the Scholars’ Initiative — a consortium of more than 250 scholars co-directed by Emmert — that is working to provide a more objective and honest historical analysis of the region formerly known as Yugoslavia.
• “Tree Identification: Conifers” and “Tree Identification: Deciduous Trees” will be presented from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, May 17 and Saturday, May 24. Biology professor Cindy Johnson-Groh will help attendees learn how to identify the common trees in southern Minnesota. Cost to attend both classes is $25. Cost to attend one class is $15.

To register for continuing education sessions, call 507/934-3048. Sessions are $8 per person unless noted differently. Gustavus employees and students can register for free.