VSU Continuing Education Offers Personal Enrichment Opportunities

VALDOSTA -- Adult learners across South Georgia are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to learn all about playing the ukulele, planning their financial future, waging war on weeds and garden pests, energy flow yoga, and lots more as Valdosta State University Continuing Education kick off its fall series of personal enrichment classes.

“Our personal enrichment classes will give people a chance to explore new ideas and experiences and learn new skills because they want to -- not because they have to,” said Sue Bailey, program coordinator. “There are no tests or grades, and classes are typically short-term, anywhere from one to five or six sessions, so there’s not a huge time commitment. We have a wide variety of subjects to choose from and enthusiastic instructors who love to share their talents and expertise with members of our community. These classes are fun and a great way to meet new people. And for those people who don’t have time to take a face-to-face class, we provide a wide variety of online personal enrichment classes to choose from.”

Upcoming classes include:

• The Joy of Watercolors. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays beginning Oct. 11 and ending Nov. 8. It will help students unleash their inner artist as they explore this medium. Students will learn about the basic supplies needed and practice a variety of techniques as they create their own works of art.

• How to Listen to Music. This class will help students learn basic music vocabulary and listening skills to enrich their concert or opera experience. Students will learn how to discuss a musical performance in an informed way and explore the music and composers from the 23rd Valdosta Symphony Orchestra season. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on three Tuesdays beginning Oct. 2.

• Ukulele for Beginners. Beginning Oct. 2, this class will meet from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on five Tuesdays. Students will learn the fundamentals of music, melodies, and chords and strumming patterns for different styles of music. Students will learn that the ukulele is not just for Hawaiian music.

• Shady Characters: Shade-Loving Plants. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 25, this class will help students learn about shrubs, trees, grasses, and other plants that will thrive in the dark areas of their yard and bring beauty to those trouble spots.

• Waging War on Weeds and Garden Pests. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 2, this class will help students discover tips and techniques for vanquishing their garden’s enemies.

• Gardening for the Birds and Bees. From 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9, students in this class will learn how to add more beauty to their garden by transforming it into a haven for birds and a buffet for bees.

• Conversational Spanish for Beginners. This class will meet form 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on six Tuesdays beginning Sept. 25. Students will learn Spanish for work, travel, or fun, increasing their vocabulary and improving their ability to converse in Spanish.

• Planning Your Financial Future. Students in this class will learn how to identify and avoid the most common investment mistakes; how to achieve a stable, steady income to live the kind of retirement lifestyle they desire; basic features of bonds, stocks, and mutual funds and the importance of asset allocation; and about tax-free income in retirement. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on four Mondays beginning Sept. 24.

• Zumba Fitness Fun. This class will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesdays beginning Oct. 9 and ending Nov. 13. Students will increase their endurance, burn fat, and have fun as they blend traditional dance steps with basic fitness moves to the beat of Latin dance music.

• Energy Flow Yoga. Students in this class will build flexibility and strength, relieve stress, and relax their minds as they focus their breathing while moving through a series of yoga postures. This class will meet from 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. on six Thursdays beginning Oct. 11.

• Massage for Two. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 9. Students will learn how to massage hands, feet, and faces and discover techniques to relieve back and shoulder discomfort.

• Write it Right. In this class, students will explore current trends in social media and techniques for creating and managing website content. Students will learn how to evaluate the potential of social media, identify pitfalls, and develop plans to promote their business and interact with customers online. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on four Thursdays beginning Oct. 11.

• Writing Formulas in Excel. This class will meet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct. 11. Students will learn how to take Excel beyond simple lists, storing customer records, or creating graphs. They will learn how to utilize the real power of Excel to create useful financial reports for business and personal use.

All those interested in taking a personal enrichment class at VSU are encouraged to register early to avoid additional fees.

Classes will be canceled three days prior to start dates if, at that time, there is not sufficient enrollment to cover costs, noted Continuing Education staff members.

All classes will meet in the Regional Center for Continuing Education, located at 903 N. Patterson St., unless otherwise noted in the course description.

VSU Continuing Education’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in the region by providing educational, artistic, cultural, technological, and economic development activities and programs. It works to develop and present programs and activities for professional and personal enrichment of community persons.

Visit www.valdosta.edu/conted/ to view a complete listing of personal enrichment classes, as well as online, certificate, professional development, and various other classes offered through VSU Continuing Education.

For more information or to register, please call (229) 245-6484.