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Welcome to Senior Scholars!
Senior Scholars is a continuing education program for senior adults hosted by Oak Hill & the Martha Berry Museum. The program offers a wide variety of classes and social programs designed for adults 55 and older. Instructors include both Berry College faculty members and members of the Rome community. Join our program to build friendships and community, all while participating in lifelong learning and growth!
Course registration for Summer 2024 will open on June 21st.
Frequently Asked Questions
Senior Scholars offers a wide variety of classes every year to fit all interests, including courses in: history, studio arts & handicrafts, recreation & leisure, health & wellness, languages & writing, and much more! While we will have some reoccurring classes, others are only offered one time.
For a detailed list of our current offerings, please scroll to the bottom of this page.
Like Berry College, Senior Scholars offers two full semesters of courses every year. For the 2024-2025 year, the Fall Semester courses will begin the week of September 16th and the Spring Semester courses will begin the week of February 10th. Most courses are between four and eight weeks in length. We also offer single-day courses and travel opportunities throughout the entire year!
Registration for each semester will open one month before the start of classes.
For a detailed list of our current class times and offerings, please scroll to the bottom of this page.
Senior Scholars courses take place at Oak Hill & the Martha Berry Museum, the Spires at Berry College, or on the Berry College Campus. See below for maps of each location.
If your class is in the Oak Hill Garden Room or Martha Berry Museum Auditorium, click here.
If your class is at the Spires at Berry College, click here.
If your class is at the Berry College Pickleball Courts or Richards Gymnasium, click here.
If your class is at the Cage Center or Krannert Center, click here.
Do you have a special skill or expertise that you would like to share as part of a Senior Scholars course? We are always looking for new instructors! Please email us at seniorscholars@berry.edu for more information.
Do you have a question that wasn't answered here? Call Oak Hill & the Martha Berry Museum at 706.368.6789 or email us at seniorscholars@berry.edu for more information.
Summer 2024 CourseS
Wednesday, July 10 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
For artists of all skill levels, enjoy time with friends while flexing your creative muscles! Join instructors from Swerve Off The Path for step-by-step instructions on how to create your own painted ceramic. All supplies are included in the cost of the course. Fired ceramics can be picked up from Swerve about 2 weeks after the course.
Location: Swerve Off The Path (108 Broad Street, Rome, GA 30161)
Cost: $45
Registration closes on July 2nd at midnight.
Wednesday, July 17 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Join Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum for a morning reserved for Senior Scholars and their friends and family! All ages are welcome for these tour times. Admission includes the Miracle in the Mountains film, access to museum galleries, and a guided tour of the Oak Hill home.
Location: Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum (24 Veteran's Memorial Hwy, Rome)
Cost: $6
Registration closes on July 15th at midnight.
Wednesday, July 24 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Come enjoy lunch while learning about the facts and nuances of Civil War Reconstruction with history educators Donald Casey and Daniel Bennett. Follow along with discussion of topics such as the goals of Reconstruction, differing plans for approaching Reconstruction, and the lasting impact Civil War Reconstruction has had on America and the American South. Lunch is included in the cost of registration. Please email seniorscholar@berry.edu regarding any dietary restrictions.
Location: Oak Hill Garden Room (24 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Rome)
Cost: $25
Registration closes on July 21st at midnight.
Monday, July 29 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Sitting atop Lavender Mountain at the back of the Berry College campus, the House o’ Dreams was built in 1922 as a gift to Martha Berry on the 20th anniversary of the Berry Schools. Join an Oak Hill docent for a tour of the house to learn more about its history and to enjoy the superb view of the campus. Wear comfortable shoes to navigate uneven paths and sweeping hills.
Location: Meet at The Martha Berry Museum for bus shuttle service.
Cost: $15
Registration closes on July 25th at midnight.
Wednesday, July 31 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Join Dr. Curt Hersey of the Berry College Communications Department as he does a deep dive into the backstory, history, and methods that make the classic, It’s A Wonderful Life, what it is today. Clips of the film will be shown during the lecture, but Dr. Hersey recommends watching it in advance if you have not seen the film before!
Location: The Martha Berry Museum Auditorium (24 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Rome)
Cost: $18
Registration closes on July 28th at midnight.
Wednesday, August 7 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Join Dan Roper, editor of Georgia Backgrounds magazine and local historian, for a morning filled with history and storytelling as he explores some of the oft-forgotten tales of the Berry College campus. At 27,000 acres, the campus is so vast that it includes the remains of four ghost towns, many farms, a vanished railroad, a Civilian Conservation Corps camp - and his favorite tombstone. Dan's History Interrupted course is a regular offering for the Senior Scholars program, and we hope you will enjoy this “teaser” for his full course!
Location: The Martha Berry Museum Auditorium (24 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Rome)
Cost: $15
Registration closes on August 4th at midnight.