Upcoming Courses

The Goldenaires have been singing their way through the Stateline Area for over 3 decades. No one knows when this group “officially” started, but records indicate they were doing performances in 1990 at Grinnell Hall. They practice every Monday morning and share their talents with the community on a regular basis, often performing at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other community events. A staple of the Goldenaires is performing at Grinnell Hall’s annual Veteran’s Day program. They are a unique group of singers from different backgrounds, abilities, and ages. This group puts on a performance everyone will enjoy!

Beloit Police Chief and/or a Deputy Chief will discuss policing in Beloit and improvements/changes that the new police chief has made since her historic appointment as the first Black woman and first woman to be Beloit’s police chief.

We value autonomy—the capacity to make decisions for ourselves, particularly on important matters. We respect our autonomy to be morally important; we expect institutions and policies to be arranged in ways that reflect this respect; and we resist paternalistic interferences in our decision-making as violations of our autonomy. But autonomy is a complex thing, and in this presentation, we’ll examine a range of hard cases in order to explore this complexity together.

Author Tammy Borden will discuss her book, and will show you just how resilient the human spirit can be. The book details the life of her mother, Waltraud, coming of age under Hitler’s regime. It captures her life from age 10 in 1937 through the end of the war, highlighting her quiet resistance, survival, and a forbidden love story that led to a new life.

The Merrill Community Sharing Garden is an urban farm located at Merrill Elementary School in the 1300 block of Porter Avenue. All of the produce grown on the property is given to local residents in the under-resourced community. The goals of the garden are to grow as much produce as possible, provide habitat for local biodiversity, and provide a positive green space to the community. The property is filled with fruit trees, raised and in-ground beds, native plant beds, an outdoor classroom and artwork. Lokrantz will be on hand to answer questions and give a tour. Community Action Inc. of Rock and Walworth County is the parent program. This program requires good walking shoes.

The musical “Hamilton” has created great interest in Alexander Hamilton, and this class will delve into his life, contributions, and legacy. His life was filled with challenges from his youth in the West Indies to his position as United States Secretary of the Treasury. His personal life was also filled with intrigue and drama. Join us as we look at this amazing man whose contributions to the early republic cannot be overstated, which is why his visage appears on the ten dollar bill.

Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the U.S. and Iran have been locked in an intense rivalry across multiple fronts in the Middle East. Yet direct military engagements were rare before 2025, when the U.S. and Israel bombed Iranian nuclear sites during the Twelve Day War. In 2026, the U.S. and Israel attacked once again. This talk will address why the U.S. resorted to war, examine its political and military strategy, and assess the future of U.S.-lranian relations.

Author John Graf speculates how Satchel Paige and other black baseball heroes might have been ranked if they had been integrated into white baseball at that time. He bases his perceptions on a gaming system that has been around for many years called “strat-o-matic.”

Most historians agree that 1963 was a pivotal year, a paradoxical year that contained both “immense hope and profound tragedy.” In this slide-illustrated lecture, Professor White will first present a nostalgic snapshot of the country in 1963 and then a detailed chronology of dramatic events that shaped our nation’s history. (The second part of the story is emotional but not nostalgic.)

This class will explore the general geology of Beloit and the Rock River, and the possible impact a data center would have on our area.

Step back in time and explore the remarkable 175-year history of Camp Randall—one of Wisconsin’s most significant historic sites. In this presentation, you’ll trace Camp Randall’s transformation from a Civil War training ground to one of the most iconic college football stadiums in the nation. You’ll learn how land once used for state fairs was repurposed during the Civil War to train Union soldiers under Governor Alexander Randall, and how it transitioned to a University of Wisconsin athletic facility. You’ll also experience the traditions that make Camp Randall legendary, from game day rituals like “Jump Around” to the post-game “5th Quarter.” By the end of this presentation, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for how Camp Randall became a symbol of Wisconsin history, resilience, and Badger pride.

Caritas is Beloit’s largest food pantry, serving the state line area since 1974. Over the years, services have changed slightly, but the mission remains the same: “Share the Necessities of Life.” Go behind the scenes with Chmielewski to learn what it takes to stock, staff, and operate the Caritas Food Pantry. Where does the food come from and how does Caritas get it? What does an “average” day at Caritas look like? How did Caritas start and how did it grow to the size it is today? What are the current plans for the future, and how can the community support Caritas’s goals?

Tour the Historic Wheeler House in South Beloit. There are over 50 years worth of history and memorabilia in this historic home that has been refurbished by the South Beloit Historical Society. (Limit: 20 people)

Dr. Kapoor will discuss everything you wanted to know about your skin and taking proper care of it.

Retirement isn’t the finish line; it’s a new season filled with opportunity, purpose, and impact. In this discussion, we’ll explore how to make the most of the years ahead by aligning your finances with what matters most to you. We’ll also discuss thoughtful strategies for preserving what you’ve built and passing it on with intention to the people and causes you care about. Whether your goal is security, generosity, or both, you’ll gain practical insights to help your legacy live well beyond your lifetime. Join us to discover how thriving in retirement can be both personally fulfilling and meaningfully lasting.

On four Friday mornings in a row, BIFF staff will show anddiscuss selected films from the 2027 season of the Beloit International Film Festival.

The Union of Concerned Scientists is constructing initiativesto address pollution and its health impacts in the greater Beloit area, which has some of the highest rates of pollution and related health conditions in the state.

Dr. Watson will bring to this discussion his expertise and lead us in an interactive discussion of why differences continue in the populations at risk. He will share data and discuss ways forward for better healthcare outcomes.

In “A Midsummer’s Night Dream,” a bunch of mismatched lovers say that forest fairies sorted out all their troubles. In 1961 Betty and Barney Hill said they had been abducted by Martians. What’s going on? Whom can we believe? In this short course we’ll delve into the problems raised by reports of alien abductions and the faith we can place in second-hand accounts of weird events.

Join Beloit Interim Superintendent Wayne Anderson for an in-depth discussion about the state of the School District of Beloit. Topics of interest include reorganization plans for the 2027-2028 school year and the upcoming district referendum. Dr. Anderson brings wealth of experience and knowledge to his work and will be taking questions during this presentation.

Longtime Beloit journalist Bill Barth will moderate a panel discussion about how the branches of government are supposed to work, and the impact of polarization on the American system.

During his 41 years as a finance professional, Tom Holmes witnessed a series of dramatic failures in the banking system. Among them was the collapse of a prestigious German bank where he was employed. He will walk us through the many ways trusted financial institutions, big and small, have continued to meet their demise.

Salaam will present an informative and engaging discussion on hospice and palliative care. With 20 years of experience as a registered nurse in this field, she will provide a clear overview of the Medicare Hospice Benefit, address common misconceptions, and explain the key differences between hospice and palliative care. Participants will gain a better understanding of who qualifies for these services, the interdisciplinary team that supports patients and families, and how care is focused on enhancing quality of life during serious illness.

As we age, our bodies naturally change—but we can take steps to avoid losing strength, energy, and independence. Dr. Sophie Kramer, a geriatric physician, will share practical and encouraging strategies to stay resilient. The talk will explain what frailty is, how to recognize early warning signs, and what can be done to prevent or even reverse it. Through simple, evidence-based approaches including exercise, nutrition, balance, sleep, and social connection, attendees will learn realistic ways to protect their health and maintain quality of life.

Follow along as Andrea (Dooley) Amend talks about her journey to become the 37th female to run a marathon in all 50 states, all in under 4 hours. She’ll discuss the challenges of traveling, training, recovering and racing. She’ll talk about her favorites and least favorites. She will share photos and bring along some of her favorite medals.

This seminar includes a viewing of the documentary about the experience of Robin Williams and his wife Susan Schneider Williams with his Lewy Body Dementia. We will see their numerous attempts to get a correct diagnosis, how they dealt with symptoms and the eventual outcome of Williams’s death. There will be a discussion about the film with the second hour of the seminar reviewing the disease, it’s primary symptoms, the effects on the person and their caregivers as well as treatments.

Beloit College’s School of Health Sciences is expanding to strengthen healthcare education and better serve the needs of our region. A key part of this growth is the new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program, designed to prepare compassionate, highly skilled nurses through hands-on learning and clinical experiences. This expansion creates new opportunities for students to learn from local partners while staying connected to the people and places they will ultimately serve.

Mr. Finnegan will present the history and a film regarding VetsRoll in the Beloit area. VetsRoll has been annually transporting America’s Senior Veterans and “Rosie-the-Riveters” to Washington, D.C. since 2010.

A PowerPoint presentation of our home life, schools, churches, the bustling downtown and businesses that have come and gone, including neighborhood grocery stores, the Plaza, supermarkets, restaurants and gas stations. Did you have milk delivered to your home? Did you heat your home with coal? Join us as we take a trip down memory lane in Beloit. There will be a Beloit trivia contest in the second half.

The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Rock County will present its three core programs: Seniors Volunteering for Seniors (providing essential transportation support), Foster Grandparent/America Reads (supporting youth through mentorship and literacy), and Community Partnerships (connecting volunteers with meaningful local service opportunities). This interactive session will include a visual and video presentation, along with time for questions and discussion.

Since Dr. Scharringhausen’s last SLU presentation in 2024, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has observed everything from the planets of our solar system to planets around other stars, to black holes and nebulae in our galaxy, to the most distant galaxies ever observed. You will hear about the most thrilling discoveries of the last few years.

Central Eurasia is rather sparsely inhabited by ethnic groups not known for their urban centers or their sought-after products, but rather for their adaptation and survival under less-than-favorable conditions. As exhibited by the most widely known among them, the Mongols, they developed and cultivated a semi-nomadic horse-mounted lifestyle, which enabled them to reach and influence lands as far as Poland in the West and Japan in the East. Their most effective organizer was Genghis Khan, whose dynasty built one of the largest land empires in history. What made this achievement possible?

In this program we’ll delve into some of Beloit College’s most colorful stories, including the Eaton Chapel fire of 1953, the powerhouse baseball teams of the 1890s, the “great red scare” of 1936, Beloit’s Hotel Hilton, how women fought for the right to establish a sorority, and how the college coped during World War Two and its aftermath. We’ll learn about such intriguing personalities as donor D.K. Pearsons, famed architect Daniel Burnham, Civil Rights catalyst James Zwerg, Gunsmoke actor James Arness, and we will see work by Ray K. Metzker, a student working for the Beloit College News Service, who became a renowned art photographer. Burwell will illustrate all of these stories with a great variety of rare images from the Beloit College Archives.