Please note that you must have either a UNC Asheville annual parking permit or a visitor permit to park on campus 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year. Visit the Campus Parking for OLLI Members page for instructions on how to purchase an OLLI-subsidized annual parking permit. Daily and monthly visitor permits must be obtained through the UNC Asheville parking site; OLLI does not provide visitor permits.

Winter Catalog

The winter 2026 College for Seniors course schedule and catalog of courses, programs and events are available by clicking on the buttons below. Please be aware that courses, programs and events are subject to change or cancellation, which may not be reflected in the catalog; the online registration system will always include the most accurate locations and other information about our courses, and this page will always include the most accurate information about programs and events. Consult the schedule of upcoming College for Seniors terms (including term dates, catalog availability and registration).

View Winter 2026 CFS Course Schedule View Winter 2026 Catalog

Program Calendar

Unless otherwise noted, programs take place at the Reuter Center and are free and open to everyone.

Please see UNC Asheville’s expectations of mutual respect and care for all for more information/guidance about maintaining a healthy environment for in-person courses, programs and events.

November

Tuesday, November 4, 7 p.m. | World Affairs Council
Partner Program: “The Russia-Ukraine War in its Fourth Year: Strategic Dynamics, U.S. Interests, and Policy Options” (in-person + online)
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has left a trail of devastation, generating over a million casualties, subjecting millions to brutal occupation, and straining the economic and social fabric of both countries. Yet the war continues to intensify. What are the long-term interests and policy options for the U.S.?  Can the Administration correct previous shortcomings rather than compound them?
James Greene is a former NATO official and U.S. naval officer with over three decades of experience in analysis and practical cooperation with Ukraine and Russia. Working with NATO from 1999 to 2009, including over five years heading the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine, he played an important role in shaping and implementing Ukraine’s cooperation with the alliance. He stays active in analytical, policy, and practical work regarding Ukraine and is a visiting senior fellow at the Ukrainian Center for Economic and Political Studies (Razumkov Center) in Kyiv. 
Join online via Zoom.

Wednesday, November 5, 7 p.m. | WNC Sierra Club
Partner Program: “Life in the Floodplain: Post-Helene Resilience and Reality” (in-person + online)
Lisa Raleigh, executive director, RiverLink
Email organizer Ken Brame for information about location or to receive the Zoom link. Read more about the November meeting on the Sierra Club WNC website.

Thursday, November 6, 7 p.m. | Astronomy Club of Asheville
Partner Program: “James Webb Space Telescope: The Story So Far” (in-person + online)
Maggie Connelly, planetarium specialist, Roper Mountain Science Center
Join online via Zoom and read more about the November 6 Astronomy Club Lecture on their website.

Friday, November 7, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “The Historical MacBeths” (in-person + online)
Upon the Corner of the Moon (March 2025, Regal House) is the story of the Macbeths you have never known: Destined to unite Scotland, they first had to survive as pawns in a dynastic struggle. While closely following recorded history about the rise of this rightful king who ruled for 17 years, it also speculates on the heritage of his wife Gruach, drawing on the Neolithic settlement of Alba and the mysterious legacy of the Picts. This two-book project begins with the childhoods and young adulthoods of Macbeth and Gruach and delineates the complex political, social and religious life of early medieval Scotland between the Viking incursions and the Norman conquest.
Valerie Nieman is a graduate of West Virginia University and Queens University of Charlotte. She has held National Endowment for the Arts and regional fellowships, including a South Arts grant. Now professor emerita of creative writing at NC Agricultural and Technical State University, she was a founding editor of two literary magazines and continues to teach at writers’ workshops. Valerie is the author of a short fiction collection, three poetry books and six other novels including In the Lonely Backwater, winner of the 2022 Sir Walter Raleigh Award, which was called “not only a page-turning thriller but also a complex psychological portrait of a young woman dealing with guilt, betrayal and secrecy.” Her novel Blood Clay won the Eric Hoffer Prize in general fiction. To the Bones, a horror/Appalachian/eco-justice novel, was a finalist for the 2020 Manly Wade Wellman Award and now has a sequel, Dead Hand. Upon the Corner of the Moon, Valerie’s debut historical novel, will be followed by the second book, The Last Highland King, in 2027.
Join the November 7 Fab Friday online via Zoom.

Friday, November 7, 2 p.m.
Special Program: “The Power of Scenery: Frederick Law Olmsted and the Origin of National Parks book talk with author Dennis Drabelle ” (in-person + online)
Wallace Stegner called national parks “the best idea we ever had.” As Americans celebrate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone, the world’s first national park, a question naturally arises: Where did the idea for a national park originate? Published in time to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park on March 1, 2022 and the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted on April 26, 2022, The Power of Scenery tells the fascinating story of how the national park movement arose, evolved and has spread around the world.
Dennis Drabelle was born and raised in St. Louis, where he graduated from St. Louis University. Dennis earned a graduate degree in English and a law degree, both from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He moved to Washington, DC, where his favorite job as a lawyer was counsel to the assistant secretary of the interior with responsibility for the national parks. By then, he had developed a passion for wilderness—both hiking in it and reflecting on its importance to the human spirit. While working as a contributing editor of the Washington Post Book World from 1984 to 2015, Dennis squeezed in as much backpacking as he could, ranging from Patagonia to Baffin Island, with many visits to the American West in between. Dennis now lives and writes in Asheville with his spouse, Mike Bell, who doubles as first editor (unpaid but far from unappreciated) of everything he writes.
This event is free and open to everyone, but registration is requested. Register to attend, and read more.

Sunday, November 9, 2:30 p.m. | The Autumn Players/Readers’ Theatre Showcase
Partner Program: “Fallen Angels by Noel Coward, dir. Ellen Pappas”
In this raucously intoxicating 1920s comedy of bad manners, best friends Jane and Julia find themselves in a hilarious tizzy and a tussle when a former lover Maurice arrives on the scene.
Read more about Fallen Angels and purchase tickets online via the Autumn Players’ website for $11; any remaining tickets will be sold for $11 (cash only) at the door beginning at 2 p.m. prior to each performance.

Sunday, November 9, 5:30 p.m. | Carolinas’ Nature Photographers Association
Partner Program: “Member Portfolio Presentations” (in-person + online)
To join online and for more information, visit the CNPA-Asheville Region’s website.

Monday, November 10, 10 a.m.-Monday, November 17, noon
Lottery registration for CFS winter 2026 term
Step-by-step instructions are found on pp. 26-27 of the winter 2026 catalog. Volunteers will be in the office Monday, November 10-Friday, November 14, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and Monday, November 17, 10 a.m.-noon to assist OLLI members with registration.
Read more about CFS course registration, and log into our online registration system to request courses.

Tuesday, November 11, 4:30 p.m. | STEAM Lecture Series
OLLI Program: “Glaze Tests: Exploring the Art and Science of Ceramics” (in-person + online)
Louise Deroualle, lecturer of art, UNC Asheville
Join online via Zoom. Read more about Louise Deroualle’s STEAM Lecture.

Tuesday, November 11, 7 p.m. | Blue Ridge Naturalist Network
Partner Program: “Creating an Ecologically Sustainable Landscape” (in-person + online)
Lisa Wagner, Ph.D., plant ecologist, gardener and educator
Using plants in ways that create pleasing and attractive gardens can be as simple as using nature for your inspiration. By including a diversity of native plants and focusing on species that support a wide range of wildlife, your landscape can become not only sustainable but attractive and easily maintained. We will learn how to choose plants that naturally work together using a plant community approach, reflecting the aesthetic of natural Blue Ridge landscapes.
Join online via Zoom and learn more on the Blue Ridge Naturalist Network website.

Wednesday, November 12, 5 p.m.
OLLI Event: “Welcome to Improv”
Do you love the Upright Citizens Brigade and “An Evening at the Improv”? Join us for an improvisational comedy show hosted by participants in Bob Sack’s fall 2025 course, Introduction to Improv, for an hour of unscripted laughs.

Friday, November 14, 11:30 a.m.
Fab Fridays: “Acute Stroke Care in WNC” (in-person + online)
Acute stroke is a medical emergency. Time to treatment is critical to long-term recovery. We will focus on local hospitals in Western North Carolina and their capability to care for acute stroke. The discussion will include national and state protocols that guide EMS and hospital response to acute stroke.
Robin Jones is a registered nurse with more than 40 years of acute stroke care experience. She is a member of the NC Stroke Advisory Council and co-contributor for the NC Stroke System of Care, as well as a certified stroke RN by the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses.
Join the November 14 Fab Friday online via Zoom.

Friday, November 14, noon
Application for scholarship for CFS winter 2026 term (lottery registration)
To apply for a partial scholarship, submit the CFS Winter 2026 Scholarship Request form on the Forms page

Friday, November 14, 2 p.m.
Inclusion Committee Program: “Just Conversations: The Current Immigration Landscape in WNC: What Is Pisgah Legal Services Doing for Our Immigrant Neighbors Right Now?” (in-person + online)
Join the OLLI at UNC Asheville Inclusion Committee for a conversation on the current immigration landscape in Western North Carolina. Pisgah Legal Services staff will be on hand to talk about their work in civil legal aid, including their Justice for All Program, which serves immigrants in WNC. The presentation will include “know your rights” information that audience members can share with others who may be in need of Pisgah Legal’s services. Immigration attorney Hannah Michalove will share the latest information about immigration law and the changes that have been made by the current administration. There will be time for Q&A, so be sure to jot down any questions that come to mind about this timely topic.
This event is free to OLLI members and the UNC Asheville community, but registration is requested.

Sunday, November 16, 3 p.m.
OLLI Event: “Original Stand-Up Comedy”
Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of comedy performed by your fellow OLLI members! Comedians were participants in Randy Robins’ fall 2025 course Performing Original Stand-Up Comedy.

Wednesday, November 19, 7 p.m.
University Program: “The Lost Mary book talk with author James Tabor”
Join renowned biblical scholar James Tabor for an eye-opening journey into the life of Mary, not as the familiar figure of Christian devotion but as the first-century Jewish mother living in a world shaped by Roman occupation, prophetic expectation and spiritual resistance. Drawing from archaeology, early texts and his latest book The Lost Mary: Rediscovering the Mother of Jesus, Tabor will reintroduce us to one of history’s most misunderstood women. Presented by the Center for Jewish Studies at UNC Asheville.
The evening will include a book signing and is free and open to everyone, but seating will be limited. Register to attend the November 19 lecture.

Friday, November 21, noon
All payments due for CFS winter 2026 term lottery registration participants
Log into our online registration system to pay any outstanding orders.

Friday, November 21, 5 p.m. | Death Café
Partner Program: “Death Café”
Death Café is an engaging gathering with storytelling and conversation about a topic that too often alienates people in our death-phobic culture. At Death Café, participants break into small groups of five or six people and discuss personal stories related to the death of loved ones; loss of jobs, relationships or marriages; or loss or death of parts of ourselves. These programs are facilitated by Karen Sanders, Greg Lathrop and Said Osïo from Third Messenger. Learn more about Death Café by visiting the Death Café website, the Third Messenger website, or facebook.com/deathcafeasheville. If you have questions about meetings of Death Café at the Reuter Center, please contact Karen Sanders at 828-778-8882.

Monday, November 24, 6:30 p.m. | Science Book Club
Partner Program: “The Two-Mile Time Machine: Ice Cores, Abrupt Climate Change, and Our Future by Richard B. Alley, moderated by Richard Heim”
Richard Alley and colleagues made headlines around the world in the 1990’s with their finding that the most recent ice age, after lasting for tens of thousands of years, ended abruptly – in just three years. Alley explains how the researchers reached this conclusion by reading the annual rings in ice cores drilled through the two-mile-thick Greenland ice sheet. The ice cores or “time machines” further revealed that the past 10,000 years have been unusually stable compared to preceding millennia with their wild fluctuations in climate. Dr. Alley warns that our familiar, comfortable world could end soon and discusses what our options might be. In this 2014 edition, Alley updates our knowledge of climate change compared to 2002, the publication date for the first edition of The Two-Mile Time Machine. His very readable book takes the readers along on a fascinating journey through time made possible by remarkable two-mile long ice cores from the Greenland continental ice sheet.
Richard Alley is a distinguished Geosciences Professor at Pennsylvania State University with over 300 published papers on ice and climate change, based on research in Antarctica, Greenland, and Alaska.
Richard Heim graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics with five minors (Physics/Astronomy, History, Computer Science, English, and Geography/Meteorology/Climatology) and a Master’s Degree in Geography/Meteorology/Climatology. He recently retired from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in Asheville after a 42-year career as a meteorologist.

Wednesday, November 26-Sunday, November 30
UNC Asheville, Reuter Center and OLLI Offices closed for Thanksgiving break

December

Monday, December 1
CFS summer 2026 course proposals open
Submit a CFS Summer 2026 Course Proposal via the Forms page

Friday, December 5, noon
University Program: “Tackling Antimicrobial Resistance Using the One Health Approach”
Cynthia Adinortey, PhD, PGDE, senior lecturer, department of molecular biology and biotechnology, University of Cape Coast, Ghana; and 2025 Fulbright scholar-in-residence with UNC Asheville’s departments of education, biology and environmental science

Friday, December 5, late afternoon
Preliminary schedules emailed to CFS winter 2026 term lottery registration participants
Log into our online registration system to see your schedule (Account > Class List), and follow these steps to troubleshoot email delivery if your schedule has not arrived by 5 p.m.

Monday, December 8, 10 a.m.
Open registration begins for CFS winter 2026 term
Step-by-step instructions are found on pp. 26-27 of the winter 2026 catalog. Volunteers will be in the office Monday, December 8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. to assist OLLI members with registration.
Read more about CFS course registration, and log into our online registration system to register.

January

Thursday, January 1
Priority registration deadline for winter 2026 Osher Online courses
Read more about Osher Online, and log into our online registration system to register.

Monday, January 5
Application for scholarship for CFS winter 2026 term (open registration)
To apply for a partial scholarship, submit the CFS Winter 2026 Scholarship Request form on the Forms page

Friday, January 9, 3 p.m.
Drop/refund deadline for CFS winter 2026 term
To drop all courses and request a tuition refund, submit the CFS Winter 2026 Drop Request form on the Forms page

February

Sunday, February 1
Last day for CFS summer 2026 course proposals
Submit a CFS Summer 2026 Course Proposal via the Forms page