No Registration Required
Open to members only, except for March 8th Open House
All Programs are In-Person
Location: Culinary Arts Dining Room – West Campus W121
Seating is very limited – due to renovations at the East Campus Forum.
Except for March 15th and March 22nd Presentation
12:15 pm – Cookies, tea and coffee
1:00 pm – Presentation
March 8 – The Oscars – Open house – Bring a friend!
Just two days in advance of the announcement of Oscar Winners on Sunday evening March 10, Joe Meyers provides an overview of the history of the Oscars, famous winners over the years, as well as this year’s contenders in major categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress in a Leading Role, and Best Foreign Language Film. Come join us for this fun cinematic event.
Joe Meyers is Director of Programming for the Focus on French Cinema film festival in Connecticut and is co-host of the Spotify podcast ‘Now a Major Motion Picture!’ Since 2020, he has been a regular contributor to Connecticut’s Number 1 morning drive-time radio show “Chaz & AJ.”
March 15 – Reclaiming My Identity 
Refreshments will take place in the West Campus Cafeteria
The presentation will take place in W126
Juan Negroni shares how he went from “Tony” to “John” and finally, in 2000, after much soul-searching, to “Juan.” Share his journey of living in two distinct worlds and finally deciding which direction to choose. He hopes his experience will help attendees in any personal decision-making journey.
Juan Negroni has a Ph.D. and is an international executive and former CEO of the Institute of Management Consultants, and is a member of the National Speakers Association. He was born in Cuba and spoke no English upon his arrival in the U.S. Currently, he is a bilingual advisor, speaker, writer and a Hearst columnist.
March 22 – Women’s History
Refreshments will take place in the West Campus Cafeteria
The presentation will take place in W126
In recognition of Women’s History Month, we take a look at six women whose words and actions changed history. Some may not be easily recognizable names, which is one of the reasons it behooves us to learn and appreciate their contributions to our society. We take a close look at Jane Addams, Betty Friedan, Emma Goldman, Frances Perkins, Margaret Sanger and Ida B. Wells. At a time when the study of diversity and democracy seem to be under attack, we become acquainted with the legacy of some lesser-known, but extraordinary, women who fought for equality and justice for all.
Jean Hofheimer Bennett taught Advanced Placement United States history at Weston High School and served as a reader for the College Board. She is co-author of Cracking the A.P. U.S. History Exam published by the Princeton Review and she also contributed to the 13th Edition of The American Pageant. Jean previously taught the LLI courses Movers and Shakers Who Shaped History and Facing History and Ourselves.
March 29 – No Lunch & Learn
April 5 – Connecticut Attorney General Fights the Addiction Industry
Over the past five years, Connecticut has led nationwide efforts to secure more than $50 billion to combat the opioid epidemic. Connecticut should receive $600 million to support treatment, prevention, and recovery, and that money has begun to flow. Attorney General William Tong provides an update on his ongoing efforts to combat this crisis and hold the entire addiction industry accountable.
William Tong graduated from Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School. He is the 25th Attorney General to serve Connecticut, taking office in 2019 and currently serving his second term. Attorney General Tong is a national leader in many of the most consequential lawsuits and investigations in our country today, including bipartisan, multistate efforts to hold the addiction industry accountable for its role in the opioid crisis; to restore fair competition and prices in the generic drug industry; to hold social media giants accountable for the harms they may cause to kids and young people; to stop robocall scammers; and to ensure corporations safeguard our personal information from misuse and respect consumers’ rights regarding the collection and use of their information.
April 12 – Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Taking Stock
Nearly two years ago Russia invaded Ukraine. Although pundits thought the war would be over in months, if not weeks, Ukraine stood up, fought back and continues to stand as a fiercely independent country. Olena Lennon reviews the history of Ukraine before the demise of the Soviet Union up until the present.
A native of Eastern Ukraine, Olena Lennon holds MA and PhD degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (where she was a Fulbright Scholar and International Scholar of the Year in 2008). She is Practitioner in Residence of National Security at the University of New Haven and teaches courses on U.S. foreign and defense policy and international relations. Most recently, she was a Title VIII Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute in Washington, D.C. and published various articles on Ukrainian-Russian affairs.
April 19 – Fifty Years of Travel and Photography
In this program Bill Barnett shares an adventure that filled much of his life—not his career, but a 50-year-long passion that occupied much of his time outside of work. This passion was the combination of travel and photography. Photography began as an artistic complement to his career in science, and when he added the travel component, it enhanced the total experience. He shares the sources of his inspiration and the resources he relies upon. He also discusses the transition of film to digital photography that occurred during his adventure. Bill displays images captured at home and in far-flung places.
Bill Barnett has been an active photographer and participant in various photographic organizations for more than 50 years. He is a frequent photography judge, speaker and award winner. His favorite types of photography are travel and culture.
April 26 – No Lunch & Learn
May 3 – Singer/Entertainer – John Coperine
A musician (guitar, piano and banjo) and singer, John Coperine plays several of his original songs about love, life and loss, family (and sometimes politics). Some of his songs are also silly. John also performs some favorite singalongs, encouraging all to join in. The goal is to entertain you while also touching your heart, and leave you smiling, feeling connected and inspired by the power of music.
John Coperine spent nearly 30 years as a teacher and administrator in public and private schools. As a musician, John started young in rock and roll, became a singer/songwriter during the coffeehouse era, played at weddings and corporate functions with all-occasion bands, recorded an album of original songs, and now performs for his favorite audiences ever—seniors!
May 10 – LLI Annual Meeting – The CT State Community College Norwalk Choir-Hybrid
In addition to the brief business portion of the meeting, this ensemble of talented students is thrilled to be singing once again for LLI. They will perform a diverse selection of numbers chosen from iconic musical Standards and Broadway Musicals. The CT State Community College Norwalk Choir meets twice a week during the semester from 2:00 to 2:50pm and welcomes people of all ages who enjoy singing to join them and perform with the group.
Eric Balboni currently directs the CT State Community College Norwalk Choir. He enjoys cultivating a teaching career that includes work in colleges and universities. He currently teaches at CT State Community College Norwalk and formerly taught at Fairfield University, Anna Maria College and New York University. He also does private voice instruction, music directing and accompanying singers for recitals and recording sessions!