Gulf Park Courses
We hope you will join us for fall classes, whether in person or online! Classes begin
Monday, August 17, and masks and physical distancing will be required. Because of
COVID-19, this remains a fluid situation, and we appreciate your patience as we work
to update this website with accurate details.
Ready to Register?
New courses will be listed soon! Call 601.264.2780 in Hattiesburg or 228.214.3277 in Long Beach if you have questions about joining or registering.
Course or Field Trip Suggestions
ARTS - GULF PARK
Canvas and Acrylic Crawfish Painting Created by YOU - GP - $25 Wednesday, August 26
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Brynn Santalla
228.214.3277 601.264.2780
Be amazed at the artist in you! Come create your very own acrylic canvas artwork.
Paint a piece that will fit in your home perfectly. We will walk you through the painting
process step by step. No experience necessary. Materials are included in the fee.
Brynn Santalla has degrees in public relations, marketing and business administration.
She has successfully owned and operated Twisted Tree Studios for years.
Decorative Platter - GP - $25
Wednesday, September 2
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Off-site: Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Arts Seminar led by Charlie Mabry
Come learn how to construct a decorative platter out of clay. You may add your own
touch of style to make it fit any occasion. You will then glaze the piece with colorful
Lowfire glazes. Materials are included in the fee. Charlie Mabry is the director of
ceramics at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art. He is a former resident artist at the Callanwolde
Fine Arts Center in Atlanta and has been working with clay professionally for years.
Senior Readers Intro to Acting & Theatre - GP - $10
Thursday, September 10
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Sherri Marengo
Acting on stage isn't just for the young folks, it's also for the young at heart!
Senior Readers Acting is a wonderful creative way to get on stage and be someone else
for a while. In this course we learn acting WITH a script in hand, using improv skills,
props like hats and the fun of being OVERLY dramatic. Sherri Marengo is a retired
radio personality active in live theater since 2003. Between musical events, both
as a performer and host, she has been on the state board for MS Theatre. She is now
the founder of Legacy Actors Theatre Experience.
The Wheel - GP - $25
Wednesday, September 30
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Off-site: Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Arts
Seminar led by Charlie Mabry
Students will learn the basics of how to create pottery on the wheel,
and each student will create two pots. The studio will glaze (your
choice of a selection of glazes) and fire pots for students. Materials are included
in the fee. Charlie Mabry is the director of ceramics at the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of
Art. He is a former resident artist at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta
and has been working with clay professionally for years.
Discover the Art of Native America - GP - $10
Tuesday, October 6
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dr. Tammy Gragg
Native American cultures share a colorful and diverse heritage through their fine
creative forms. This seminar will introduce you to a variety of Native American arts
and crafts, as well as to some of the spiritual, cultural, and economic influences
that have shaped their development. Dr. Tammy Gragg is a retired U.S. Public Health
Service Commissioned Corps nurse practitioner. For over fifteen years she has lived,
worked, and collected art on American Indian reservations throughout the Southwest and
Southeast.
HEALTH AND FITNESS - GULF PARK
Tai Chi Chih for the Beginner - GP
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Pre-Term: August 18 - September 3 - $20
Term I: September 8 - October 8 - $25
Term II: October 20 - November 19 - $25
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Exercise Class led by Susie Pham
This class will teach traditional physical meditative practice. It is designed to
build strength, improve health and flexibility, reduce stress, and increase energy
flow. It is for newcomers to learn and for existing Tai Chi followers to enhance their
skills. Susie Pham has practiced Tai Chi for years and was trained by Grand Master
Shi DeRu, 31st generation descendant of the Shaolin Temple.
Intermediate Tai Chi Chih - GP
Tuesdays and Thursdays
Pre-Term: August 18 - September 3 - $20
Term I: September 8 - October 8 - $25
Term II: October 20 - November 19 - $25
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Exercise Class led by Susie Pham
This class will teach traditional physical meditative practice. It is designed to
build strength, improve health and flexibility, reduce stress, and increase energy
flow. This class is for those who have previously taken Tai Chi for the Beginner.
Susie Pham has practiced Tai Chi for years and was trained by Grand Master Shi DeRu,
31st generation descendant of the Shaolin Temple.
A Look at Theories of Aging - GP - $5
Wednesday, September 2
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
One-Hour Seminar led by Dr. Beverly Lansden
and Tom Hageman
Join us for a guided tour of the latest thinking on aging and how to alter the process.
Dr. Beverly Lansden is a retired board certified physician in endocrinology and anti-aging
and regenerative medicine. Tom Hageman, former training officer in the U.S. Army Reserves,
businessman, and recipient of the Distinguished Toastmaster Certification (DTM) from
Toastmasters International, now provides information and education on the body's ability
to deal with health issues.
Yoga for Seniors - GP - $25 Each Term
Wednesdays
Term I: September 9 - October 7
Term II: October 21 - November 18 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Exercise Class led by Buck Lawrence
This class will teach gentle yoga that will help build and maintain flexibility, stamina
and range of motion in our bodies. Buck Lawrence is a certified yoga instructor through
the Yoga Alliance. He has taught for several years, specializing in classes for seniors.
HUMANITIES - GULF PARK
The Battle and Siege of Vicksburg - GP -$10
Monday, August 17
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Rodney Nichols
Join us in a virtual reenactment of the events that allowed the Union Army to take
control of the Mississippi River from the Confederacy on July 1-3, 1863. Those days
were a turning point of the Civil War. The Vicksburg Campaign under Union General
Ulysses S. Grant will be reviewed for its importance and effect on later battles of
the Civil War. Rodney Nichols is a retired physical and therapist native of Vicksburg,
MS, who has read extensively on the Civil War history of Vicksburg.
Archaeological Discoveries of the Tower of London - GP - $15
Tuesdays, August 18 and 25
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Two-Part Seminar led by Rebecca Orfila
Over the course of its nearly 1,000-year history, the Tower of London has functioned
as much more than a prison. Current discoveries highlight the dynamic nature of the
site, turning many long held assumptions about it upside down. Come discover the history
and archaeology of this historic English structure. Becky Orfila is a retired archaeologist
and avocational historian with research interests in forgotten or unusual history,
red-light districts, and cemetery studies.
Ahoy! Ship Island Calls to You - GP - $10
Wednesday, August 19
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Patrick Alford
Hear its story, from deep-water port for early French explorers to its current role
as a recreation destination. Did you know this barrier island was the nation's first
quarantine station and a war camp for Civil War prisoners? Take a virtual look at
its historic Fort Massachusetts, its newest lighthouse, its clear blue-green waters.
Patrick Alford is a retired educator who studied at USM.
Hunter-Gatherers - GP - $10
Friday, August 21
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dr. Victoria Hippard
Hunter-gatherers have populated the earth for hundreds of thousands of years, for
90% of human history. Of what importance is this prehistoric worldview as we negotiate
the highly technical third millennium? We will look at the traditions of the Inuit,
Native Americans, Bushmen, and Aborigines as well as "green consciousness" and prehistoric
art. Victoria Hippard MSW, Ph.D., LCSW has taught as an adjunct professor at Loyola
and Tulane. She maintains a small private practice in psychotherapy in New Orleans.
She enjoys learning about the many ways in which people find meaning and enlightenment.
The Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America - GP - $10
Monday, August 31
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dave Reed
The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 is arguably the worst natural disaster to affect
the United States. In addition to inundating all of the lower Mississippi Valley and
causing massive destruction, the flood was a catalyst for significant changes in the
United States. Dave Reed worked as a hydrologist and river forecaster for the National
Weather Service for thirty-two years. Since his retirement, he has enjoyed traveling
and pursuing his hobbies of bird watching and bird photography.
Ancient Cultures II - GP - $25
Tuesdays, September 8 - October 6
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Five-Week Class led by Jon Caridad
Come learn about human history from the first days of the Ancient Greek Empire through
the successes and failures of Ancient Rome. Jon Caridad is a retired Episcopal priest
with extensive experience in education, ancient history, and biblical studies.
Conservative Judaism in the Modern World - GP - $25
Thursdays, September 10 - October 8
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Five-Week Class led by Jon Caridad
The Hasidic Jewish community is an old and highly traditional approach to a historic
faith. By using a novel or two written by Chaim Potok, we will examine and interpret
conservative Judaism and its place in the modern world. "The Chosen" and "The Promise"
by Chaim Potok are books one can read to accompany the course. Jon Caridad is a retired
Episcopal priest with extensive experience in education, ancient history, and biblical
studies.
Growing up Chinese in Segregated Mississippi Delta - GP - $10
Wednesday, October 7
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dr. Sherman Hong
Before Chinese were allowed to attend the white public schools in the Delta, young
Sherman Hong experienced segregation to its fullest. He will tell of his efforts to
attend public schools; the neighborhood and cultural environments that helped and
hindered; religion; and the societal influences that affected his education and professional
future. Dr. Sherman Hong is professor emeritus of music at the USM School of Music,
where he taught music for four decades.
War! It Just got Graphic - ZOOM - $5
Thursday, October 22
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Seminar led by Jamie Stanfield
Want to learn about warfare as depicted in comics? This presentation will explore
comics seen in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and many other wars in the 21st century that
became popular graphic novels, such as Maus.
PERSONAL ENRICHMENT - GULF PARK
Bee-utiful, Bee-friendly Gardens - GP - $10
Tuesday, August 18
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dr. LaRue Stephens
Honey bees and other pollinators have a vital role in world food production. Flowerless
landscapes and other factors have led to a serious loss in pollinator numbers. What
can we do to reverse the loss of pollinator habitat? Creating bee-utiful, bee-friendly
gardens is a first step and can help restore lost habitat. Dr. LaRue Stephens has
kept honey bees since 1984 and currently manages more than thirty colonies for honey
production. He is a certified beekeeper through the University of Georgia's Beekeeping
Institute.
Birding Southern Mississippi - A Beginners Guide - GP - $10
Monday, August 24
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Dave Reed
Over 400 species of birds either live in or migrate through the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Come learn how to get started in the enjoyable pastime of bird watching. Topics will
include birding locations in the area, equipment needs, and tips to identify some
of the more common birds in the area. Dave Reed worked as a hydrologist and river
forecaster for the National Weather Service for thirty-two years. Since his retirement,
he has enjoyed traveling and pursuing his hobbies of bird watching and bird photography.
Understanding Medicare and Your Benefits - GP - $5
Tuesday, September 1
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
One-Hour Seminar led by Kim Casano-Ware
This seminar is geared towards those turning sixty-five who would like a better understanding
of retirement benefits. Kim Casano-Ware is an independent insurance agent and broker.
Croquet: It's More Than You Remember - GP - $10
Wednesday, September 9
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Clyde Anderson
Countless Americans have all played and enjoyed 9 wickets croquet. It's a fun family game played in backyards and public parks across the US by children and adults alike. It is a competitive sport with a relaxed, sociable atmosphere, and a strong tradition of sportsmanship. Clyde Anderson is an Army vet who attended trade school in Virginia. He worked as a pipe welder, pipe fitter, and specialized in designing mechanical rooms until retirement in 2019. He plays croquet and loves the simplicity of the game.
Understanding Social Security and Your Retirement - GP - $5
Wednesday, September 9
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
One-Hour Seminar led by Kim Casano-Ware
This course will discuss strategies and considerations to help maximize Social Security
benefits. Kim Casano- Ware is an independent insurance agent and broker.
Care and Maintenance of Flowering Plants in South MS - GP - $10
Tuesday, October 13
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Polly Cuevas
We will be discussing plants that are good to use during the heat of summer and how
to care for and maintain these plants. Polly Cuevas has been the manager at Pine Hills
Nursery from its beginning in 1986.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - GULF PARK
Witchcraft Then and Now - GP - $5
Thursday, August 20
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
One-Hour Seminar led by Connie Rainey
The concept of witchcraft and the belief in its existence has persisted throughout
recorded history. This seminar will explore the origin of witchcraft, its past association
with causing harm, and how it more commonly refers to benign practices. We will examine
articles used in casting spells. Connie Rainey is a retired nurse, world traveler,
and active paranormal investigator. She is interested in people, their beliefs and
behaviors.
Paranormal Investigation: Realities vs. the Unexplained - GP - $15
Fridays, August 28 and September 4
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Two-Part Seminar led by Lois Ellitt
This serious, yet entertaining, two-part seminar shares paranormal history, evidence,
investigative tools, and frauds in the field. We'll cover safety, set up, investigation,
evidence collection and review, and resolutions. Lois Ellitt has over forty years
of experience in science-based investigations covering all paranormal aspects, including
ghost-hunt sites, bigfoot hunts, and urban legends.
Psychotherapy Meets Popular Advice Columnists - GP - $15
Tuesdays, September 8 and 15
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Two-Part Seminar led by Dr. Raymond Swan
This course is a spin-off from the ever popular advice found in daily newspapers.
Learners will be expected to bring newspaper advice columns depicting widespread problems
of living. Psychotherapeutic strategies will be interwoven into the discussion. Learners
will be encouraged to apply these discussions to their own problems of living. Dr.
Raymond Swan is a professor emeritus from Tulane University. While at Tulane he taught
courses in psychotherapy, ran the doctoral program for years and held an active clinical
practice in the New Orleans area.
Establishing a Home-Based Meditation Practice - GP - $10
Friday, September 18
1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Allison Mull
This course will look at basic tenets, modalities and goals of meditation, identify
the personal intentions of the members, then carefully blend both to create an individual,
successful and fulfilling home practice for each learner. We will explore how a meditation
practice impacts mindfulness. Allison Mull is a full-time instructor at MGCCC who
has studied with different lineage teachers for more than a decade.
Self-Hypnosis - GP - $10
Monday, October 5
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Seminar led by Dr. Joseph Tramontana
Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness in which the conscious and subconscious
minds are focused and receptive to therapeutic suggestions. Participants will learn
self-hypnotic techniques. Dr. Joseph Tramontana is a licensed clinical psychologist
specializing in both adult and child clinical services. He is certified in clinical
hypnosis from the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH).
TRAVEL - GULF PARK
Yellowstone and Beyond - GP - $10
Monday, September 14
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Gulf Park Campus
Seminar led by Leonard Martin
Join us as Leonard Martin shares his experiences traveling the United States and Canada.
He will also speak about his previous job when working at Yellowstone for the Older
and Bolder group. Leonard Martin retired in 2014 and traveled around North America
for two years. He also worked at Yellowstone for three months.
ZOOM ONLINE LEARNING
Tai Chi – ZOOM - $20
Mondays and Wednesdays, August 17 - September 2
9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Seminar led by Susan Nodurft
This is a beginning Tai Chi course for those with or without previous experience and
is designed to prevent falls and improve balance, health and well-being. This specific
program was developed by health and Tai Chi professionals to be safe, easy to learn
and proven effective by medical studies. Susan Nodurft is a retired biology teacher.
After retirement she began the study and practice of Qigong/Tai Chi. She is certified
as a Tai Chi Easy practice leader by the Institute of Integral Qigong and Tai Chi.
Native Bee Biology – ZOOM - $15
Fridays, August 21 and 28
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Two-Part Seminar led by Dr. Blair Sampson
This course is an introduction to the diversity and behavioral adaptations of native
bees and their importance to ecosystem function and agricultural sustainability. Dr.
Blair Sampson has studied insect- related and pollination problems in the garden and
on the small family farm for almost thirty years. Blair has published over 100 scientific
and trade articles, many regarding bee science.
Which Way is Up? Appreciating Art through Virtual Museum Visits – ZOOM - $10
Tuesday, August 25
9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Seminar led by Catherine Edmonson
By popular demand, this seminar will focus on a discussion of the elements and foundations
of design. Catherine Edmonson, an art historian whose research focuses on the interwar
years in Paris, studies the European city’s role as crucible for cross-genre creative
work.
Riot of Color – ZOOM - $10
Tuesday, September 15
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Seminar led by Catherine Edmonson
In this seminar, writer Virginia Woolf and writers and artists of The Bloomsbury Group
and the Post-Impressionists will be examined. Catherine Edmonson, an art historian
whose research focuses on the interwar years in Paris, studies the European city’s
role as crucible for cross-genre creative work.
Making Sense of Nutrition - ZOOM - $15
Fridays, November 6 and 13
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Two-Part Seminar led by Holly Kapusinski
This seminar will explore food awareness practices, current dietary food plans, fresh
food versus packaged food, and how to make sense of healthy eating for improved health
and wellness. Holly Kapusinski has been a nurse for over thirty years and has a passion
for holistic integrative health. She is a board certified integrative nurse coach
with specialization in nutrition, nonviolent communication, and stress management.
War! It Just got Graphic - ZOOM - $5
Thursday, October 22
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
ZOOM Online Learning
Seminar led by Jamie Stanfield
Want to learn about warfare as depicted in comics? This presentation will explore
comics seen in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and many other wars in the 21st century that
became popular graphic novels, such as Maus.