Welcome to the Institute for Learning in Retirement
Our goal is simple: create opportunities for retired professionals to share their knowledge and skills. Learning is lifelong, and we offer active learning and connections with like-minded peers.
- An opportunity to enjoy active learning while meeting wonderful new people of similar
age and with varied interests. - No long-term commitments; study groups meet once a week during the
day from one to three months. - Lectures – presented by experts with various backgrounds.
Additional benefits: attendance at college events, lectures and workshops.
Learn how to Register Here!
Annual Yearly Membership
Registration Procedure: Registration for Study Groups and Lectures is on a first-come, first-served basis. All ILR activities are open to members only unless otherwise noted and are subjected to availability and change.
- Fascinating Study Groups led by knowledgeable facilitators where you can explore various subjects and delve into meaningful discussions with fellow members.
- Inspiring Guest Lectures by esteemed experts from diverse fields, providing insights and perspectives on a wide range of topics.
Click Here to Pay Annual Membership
Workshops
Watercolor
Watercolor Painting workshop designed for artists of all levels. This is an open space for artists to paint freely without the structure of a guided class. This session encourages artistic freedom, allowing you to explore your own unique style and ideas at your own pace. Connect with fellow members, share techniques, and collaborate in a relaxed environment. Participants are encouraged to bring their own supplies for this session. Each week as a group you will decide on a topic are create your own watercolor art!
Watercolor Painting workshop designed for artists of all levels. This is an open space for artists to paint freely without the structure of a guided class. This session encourages artistic freedom, allowing you to explore your own unique style and ideas at your own pace. Connect with fellow members, share techniques, and collaborate in a relaxed environment. Participants are encouraged to bring their own supplies for this session. Each week as a group you will decide on a topic are create your own watercolor art!
Leader: Shirley Ruby
2025 Sessions Fees: $50 per 8 sessions
Location: Campus Center Meeting Room B
Time: 9 AM - 11 AM
Dates: Winter: 1/8, 1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26
Register Here
Study Groups
| ON CAMPUS | MONDAY | WEDNESDAY | FRIDAY |
| Spring 2025 | History | Contemporary Literature | Current Issues Forum |
| Spring 2025 | Business of Sports | Introduction to Spanish | Movie Review |
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 per 5 sessions
Dates: Spring: 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 material 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.”
Register Here
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 per 5 sessions
Dates: Spring: 3/24, 3/31, 4/7, 4/21 & 4/28
Location: Campus Center Meeting Room A
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM
Class session dates and topics:
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
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: $30 per 5 sessions
Location: Gleeson Hall 119
Time: Wednesdays 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Class session dates and topics: Spring: 2/26, 3/26, 4/16, 5/14 & 6/18
February 26 The Circle by 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
Introduction to Spanish
Leader: Profesora Shari O'Flanagan
2025 Sessions Fees: $50 per 8 sessions
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!
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
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
2024 Sessions Fees: $50 per 8 sessions
Location: Gleeson Hall 131
Time: Fridays 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Dates: Winter: 12/6, 12/13, 12/20, 1/3, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14 Snow Out Date: 2/21
Dates: Spring: 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16 & 5/23
Register Here
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.
Movie Review
This spring 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 per 8 sessions
Location: Gleeson Hall 127* (Room Change)
Time: Fridays 12:45 PM - 3:15 PM
Class session dates and topics: Spring: 3/14, 3/21, 4/4, 4/11, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16, 5/23
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
Lecture
James Cole
Speaker: James Cole
2025 Fee: $10
Location: Gleeson Hall 102
Time: 11 AM
Date: Friday 03/21
“The Classroom and The Constitution”
Few issues in America generate as much debate as the controversy surrounding the rights of students and teachers in the classroom. The difficulty in preserving individual liberty while providing a safe and productive learning environment has produced decades of legal action in an attempt to find the balance between these sometimes-opposing objectives. In this lecture, controversies & Supreme Court decisions are analyzed as a way to comprehend the application of the Constitution in our schools.
Register Here
Please note that additional fees may be incurred for materials, auditing, books, study groups, and lectures. The membership fee covers an annual access fee, granting you entry to all offerings available through Farmingdale State College and the Institute for Learning in Retirement.
Together, we look forward to a remarkable semester of growth, knowledge-sharing, and meaningful connections.
Institute for Learning in Retirement Events
There are no upcoming Institute for Learning in Retirement events at this time. Check back soon for upcoming events.
institute for learning in retirement
Thompson Hall, Room 119
934-420-2160
ilr@farmingdale.edu