Page 2 - June 2020 Hernando

2 • SEPTEMBER 2020 - Senior Voice of Hernando County
Academia Hernando Brings
Learning to Life for Area Seniors
By Megan Carella
It’s not every day that one can
listen to Eleanor Roosevelt talk
about her experiences during
WWII. Or hear Marie Curie
discuss how she discovered
radium and invented X-rays. Or
have a pirate say what a pirate’s
life was really like. Or see
homing pigeons in action.
Hernando County seniors can
do just that – and learn about so
much more – through Academia
Hernando, a not-for-profit
lifelong learning organization
that provides educational
experiences for adult students
throughout Hernando County.
The organization offers two
eight-session series of lectures,
in fall and spring, presented by
experts from a wide variety of
backgrounds and from all over
the country.
When Academia Hernando starts
its Fall 2020 series on Friday,
Sept. 18, attendees will meet
(following CDC guidelines)
every Friday for eight weeks to
learn about Steven Spielberg,
the music of Richard Rodgers,
black holes, Antarctica, opera,
and the Comedy Hall of Fame,
among other topics. At the end
of each series, the group takes a
“mystery bus trip.” Previous trips
have been to museums, dinner
theaters, outdoor attractions in
the Central Florida area, and the
Florida Aquarium.
“Retired people want something
to keep them stimulated; they
don’t want to just curl up on the
sofa with a cat and go to sleep,”
said Marge Griffin, 81, president
of the Academia Hernando board
of directors. “We have people
The all-volunteer board develops
and plans each semester’s
programs, which are held at St.
Andrew’s Episcopal Church in
Spring Hill. The $70 tuition each
semester (or $10 per session)
covers the cost of the venue and
speaker fees. More than 145
people attended the Fall 2019
series.
Board members Micki Mandel
and Sharon Printz find and
schedule speakers for each
season’s programs.
Susan Marie Frontczak, living history reenactor from Colorado, “It’s a fun job. We go hear people
dons the persona of, and shares a day in the life of women in speak and visit other senior
history, including Eleanor Roosevelt. She makes presentations to
Academia Hernando on a yearly basis. lifelong learning programs. We
(Photo courtesy of Susan Marie Frontczak) check out museums and other
On the cover: Academia Hernando is a not-for-profit lifelong places for the bus trip. We’re on
learning organization that provides educational experiences for the move constantly,” Micki said.
adults in Hernando County. Its all-volunteer board of directors The speakers often have
coordinate details, and research and schedule speakers for the fall advanced degrees, are well-
and spring series of courses. (Photo by Sharon Printz) traveled, well-read and very
in this county from all walks of Commission Chambers of the knowledgeable about their
life, with a variety of education Courthouse, then moved to
and life experience. They come different venues to accommodate subjects. Many of them have
to hear good speakers, socialize, growing interest. taught college courses and
written books about the topics
and learn something new and In 2010, a group of long-time they present, said Micki.
different.”
participants, including Marge, “To me, it’s just natural to want
Marge started attending the decided to break off from the to bring learning to people,
programs soon after she moved USF group and form their own especially seniors. And we’ve
from Pinellas County to Spring lifelong learning organization. found some wonderful presenters
Hill. Academia Hernando was born. that we bring back,” she added.
“It caught my eye because they “We wanted to be able to get Speakers come from as close
were having a program about speakers from outside USF. It as Brooksville and Tampa,
art,” the retired nurse said. “I was kind of like stepping off and as far away as Colorado.
was used to having Ruth Eckerd the edge of a cliff,” Marge said. Sometimes the topic isn’t to
Hall outside my door and I “Since then, we’ve expanded everyone’s interest, but the group
worried that there wouldn’t be and gotten better. We’ve gotten strives for variety – and many of
anything stimulating here. This speakers from all areas and are the attendees surprise themselves
was something for me.” offering much more diverse by being drawn in.
programming. But without them,
At the time, the program was we would never have done “We had a program on bee
sponsored by a learning in this. We’ll be forever grateful keeping. I really didn’t want
retirement division of the that USF wanted to help us all to go; it wasn’t something I
University of South Florida the way up here in Hernando was interested in,” said Micki.
(USF). Called “Mondays in County.” Continued on page 3
Brooksville,” it met in the