CCSU Virtual Scholars For Life! Speaker Series

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The impact of Bob Dylan over the past fifty years cannot be overstated. His music inspired much of the social change of the 1960s; he has also released another 30 studio albums since the 1960s. Countless musicians today state that their original inspiration to get into music was Bob Dylan. During this session we will analyze the music of Dylan's most important albums, and try to answer the question that many have asked: "who is Bob Dylan?"  And yes, he CAN sing Mr. Stephen Armstrong is an adjunct professor of history at Central Connecticut State University.

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The conservation of cultural heritage can be very difficult when commemorating recent events and even more difficult when it deals with sites of cultural tragedy and related tourism (so called ‘dark tourism’). This is especially true of cultural heritage and tourism associated with the Holocaust. In this presentation, we will examine tourism of Holocaust sites and how cultural heritage teaches us about our history. We will also look at how heritage sites have evolved over time to more effectively tell those stories. In doing so, we will use the example of a CCSU ‘Central Discover Abroad’ program on Jewish Heritage and Holocaust Memory which is scheduled to take place in June 2026. Dr. Brian Sommers is a professor of geography at Central Connecticut State University. In addition to that role, Dr. Sommers is also the chair of the geography department as well as the co-director of the international studies program here at Central. He has also served as the interim dean of the Carol A. Ammon College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences, here he served as the chief academic and administrative officer for departments and programs in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. This included 17 academic departments, 209 full-time faculty/staff, and 65 academic programs (43 undergraduate, 14 graduate and 8 certificate) housed in the college.

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Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is considered by many to be a true musical genius. This session will discuss some of the major musical accomplishments of Brian Wilson. We will listen to and analyze some of the Beach Boys hits, with a focus on the album "Pet Sounds". Many music historians believe that "Good Vibrations" is the most perfect single song ever created: we will discuss the beauty of this song. We will also listen to songs from Brian Wilson's solo career. This session will commemorate the recent death of this magnificent performer, composer, and producer. Mr. Stephen Armstrong is an adjunct professor of history at Central Connecticut State University.

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Join Thomas Mione, who earned his doctorate in Plant Evolution at UConn and has been a professor for over three decades at Central, as he presents his adventures hunting for and finding wild tomato relatives in the Andes Mountains.