NEWS
Date: August 31, 2016
By: The Fountains at Bronson Place, 1700 Bronson Way, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Contact: Nancy Kotarski, Community Life Director, 269-382-3546 or
New Collaborations Expand Lifelong Learning Opportunities in Kalamazoo
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – With the 2016-17 school yearupon us, The Fountainsat Bronson Place is pleased to announceits most comprehensive calendar of lifelong learning opportunities to date. Open to residents of the retirement community and other area seniors, The Fountains’ expansivecurriculumis offered in collaboration withWestern Michigan University Office of Development & Alumni Relations, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and Kalamazoo Institute of the Arts (KIA), according to community life director Nancy Kotarski.
“The Fountains at Bronson Place has always supported residents in their quest for lifelong learning and this year we are privileged to be working together with three notable educational organizations in western Michigan to enhance the educational offerings available on our campus,” Kotarski said.
Starting in September, The Fountains at Bronson Place will offer bi-monthly “Prof Talks” by visiting faculty members from Western Michigan University departments of political science, environmental studies, library archives and engineering.Prof Talks for 2016-17 include:
The 2016 Elections and the Future of American Politics, John Clark, Political Science Chair and Professor
Tuesday, September 20, 3:00pm to 4:00pm, free to all preregistered residents and guests.
Freshwater studies and protecting the Great Lakes,Dr. Steve Kohler, Environmental Studies Program
Tuesday, November 15,3:00pm to 4:00pm, free to all preregistered residents and guests.
Kalamazoo, Michigan and the Civil War, Sharon Carlson, Zhang Legacy Center, Archives and Regional History Collections Director, Librarian, Tuesday, January 10, 3:00pm to 4:00pm, free to all preregistered residents and guests.
Driverless Cars, Drones and Emerging Technologies, Dr. Kapseong Ro, Associate Professor Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Tuesday, March 14, 3:00pm to 4:00pm, free to all preregistered residents and guests.
Students may also register for the following Extended Education courses offered this fall by WMU’s Osher Lifelong Learning Instituteat The Fountains Town Center Auditorium, a new OLLI classroom site:
War Without End, Palestine and the Arab-Israel Conflict, Rev. Harold Beu, Fridays, October 7, 14, 21, 28 & November 4. OLLI Members, $50. Non-members, $100
Up the Old West Michigan Pike—from Chicago to the Straits, Dr. John Geisler, Wednesdays, November 16 & 30 from 11:00 - 1:00 pm, OLLI Members $21. Non-members, $41
Art appreciation programs will once again be offered by The Fountains in collaboration with KIA. KIA’s ARTbreak at The Fountains has been a popular annual series. The 2016-17 ARTbreakseries kicks off September 8 at 3:00 p.m. with a presentation by Greg Waskowsky on The Art of Michael Waskowsky. From 1949 to his death in 1969, Greg’s father Michael Waskowsky was on the faculty of the Art Department at Kalamazoo College. He was an accomplished painter who also frequently taught figure drawing at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. This talk about the elder Waskowsky’sartistic life and journey was originally presented at KIA in 2015.
For a complete catalogue of lifelong learning opportunities available at The Fountains, call 269-382-3546, visit or stop by 1700 Bronson Way.
About The Fountains at Bronson Place
The Fountains at Bronson Place is situated on 23 acres in a park-like setting on the west side of Kalamazoo. The community offers a service-supported lifestyle for seniors with choices like Independent Living at The Town Center, Assisted Living at The Inn, Memory Care at The Gardens and Skilled Nursing with Rehabilitation Services at The Springs. Lifelong mind and body fitness is supported through a wide variety of onsite classes and offsite opportunities. The Fountains at Bronson Place is one of 37 communities proudly managed by Watermark Retirement Communities. Long respected as one of the nation’s leading seniors’ housing innovators, Watermark is committed to creating extraordinary communities where people thrive. For more information, visit