FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Cindy Deppe, media relations, 641-269-4834

May 29, 2008

GRINNELL COLLEGE TO OFFER FREE SUMMER ADULT LEARNING PROGRAMS

GRINNELL, IA—Grinnell College will offer the Adult Community Exploration Series (ACES) during June and July with courses taught by faculty in biology, economics, English, and history. The courses are free and registration is requested to assist instructors in preparing for class needs. Adult participants may register by calling 641-269-3178. Courses for summer 2008 include:

June 11, 18, and 25

Pride, Prejudice, and Poetry: Jane Austen and English Romanticism

Taught by Erik Simpson, associate professor of English

The course will begin with an overview of English Romantic poetry through readings of poems by William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Keats, and Lord Byron. The final session will examine Jane Austen’s novel, "Pride and Prejudice," written and published in the middle of the Romantic period. Simpson, who has taught at Grinnell since 2001, teaches literature courses focused on British writing from Shakespeare to the present. His first book, "Literary Minstrelsy, 1770-1830: Minstrels and Improvisers in British, Irish, and American Literature," will appear this year. He is writing his second book, "Mercenaries in British and American Literature, 1790-1830: Writing, Fighting, and Marrying for Money."

July 2 and 9

Applied Genetics: Sense or Nonsense?

Taught by Leslie Gregg-Jolly, associate dean and professor of biology

This course will review principles of molecular genetics as well as advances and applications of contemporary genetic technology, such as genetic engineering and genetic testing. Participants will discuss the societal implications and ethical dilemmas presented by the available technology and the ways society uses genetics. Gregg-Jolly, who joined the faculty in 1993, specializes in molecular biology and microbial genetics. She conducts research on the response of bacteria to DNA damage and teaches courses in molecular biology and genetics, including the ethical and social issues related to biotechnology.

July 16 and 23

WWII -- The Battlefield and the Home Front

Taught by Bill Ferguson, professor of economics

As a preview of the fall events celebrating Grinnell area World War II veterans, Ferguson will read from memoirs of his father who fought in WWII. A 1975 Grinnell graduate, Ferguson teaches labor economics, macroeconomic analysis, political economy, and game theory courses, and does research on implicit bargaining power in labor markets.

All ACES classes will be held on Wednesday mornings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Pioneer Room of the college’s Old Glove Factory, located at 733 Broad Street in Grinnell. For questions or registration, call 641-269-3178.

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