IMPORTANT  

New Member to SSC?  Welcome to our Senior College.  Please click the button to proceed.

You will now be asked to “Type the name of an adult to use as the contact for this cart.” Please enter you first and last name. The system will then do a search to see if you have taken a class with us in the past.

It will then present you a list of names that may match what you typed in - scroll down through the names and check to see if your name is there. If your name is not there, at the bottom of the list you will be able to “Create New Account” and add yourself to our system.  Please be sure and select “My SSC Membership is Current” during your checkout process - it will prevent the system from adding an extra $5.00 non-member fee to your purchase.

Current member? When you renew or sign up for Membership, you must pick the option that says “My SSC Membership is Current” when you are checking out so you don't get overcharged for the membership fee.

                                                           MEMBERSHIP POLICY

This membership covers June 1st, 2025, to May 31st, 2026. SSC Members must have a valid membership entry on your file to enjoy the full benefits of our Summer-Fall 2025 and Winter-Spring 2026 programs that take place during this period. You should select your 2025- 2026 membership one time as part of registering for your first class in this new year. If you need to apply for a scholarship to cover your membership fees, this is done using a separate application which is located on the SSC website. Your request must be reviewed and processed by the Scholarship Committee before registering for any classes.

If you are not sure what your current membership status is, before registering for this please contact SSC at sunriseseniorcollege@maine.edu or call 207-255-1384 and leave a message – we will get back to you.

Sunrise Senior College is pleased to welcome back Catherine Hunter as she takes on a fascinating Ocean Quest.

Seventy percent of the Earth's surface is ocean. This planet could be re-named "Ocean"; we are citizens of an ocean planet with islands the size of continents. The ocean is the most important resource on Earth because it controls weather, provides food, and creates 50% of the world's oxygen. 

Awesome life forms are constantly being discovered at all depths of the ocean. Remarkable life forms inhabit the deepest ocean where there is no light!  As scientists pursue all types of marine research, they consistently advocate for caution because exploration and exploitation of the ocean's resources have a history of positive and negative consequences. One might say that the romantic ship-narrative has sailed, replaced with a heightened appreciation for the human impact on marine health and the human pressure on beings who live in or depend on the sea.

Education is the key to understanding the ocean of the past, present, and future. The ocean is a complex and ambitious topic of study; however, a short course is a place to start. This quest to learn more will highlight the following:

1. Maps: What You See and What You Don't See

2. Marine Specimens

3. Ocean Voyagers: Seafarers and Refugees

4. Innovative Marine Museums

5. Stories Told by Artists and Scientists

Why not join Catherine on this five-week journey exploring our fascinating ocean.

Instructor: Catherine Hunter was museum curator, educator, and consultant for over twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Arts in History of Art from Cornell University and began her career as a curator in the Department of Textiles at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Hunter has been developing and teaching zoom courses for adult learners since 2019. Her courses reflect a lifelong interest in the intersection of art, art history, science, and culture. Hunter is a sailor with a broad interest in all things nautical. She is a member of the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the International Congress of Maritime Museum (ICMM).

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.   The instructor will teach this remotely.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                   IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee.

Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

We have been driving safely for years. Many older adults value the independence of driving however, changes that happen with age may alter a person’s ability to drive safely. You may notice driving is becoming more difficult over time for yourself or for your loved ones you ride with. Changes in health, including medical conditions, medicines or injuries, also may impact a person’s driving skills. It is good to learn more about the different factors that can affect driving as you age and even the signs of when it may be time to stop driving so that you can plan in advance for your needs when that time comes.

In this presentation, Dr. Meuser will present some useful information that will allow us as seniors to better understand, by informing and empowering us, how aging-related changes in health and function may impact our driving safety. He will provide information on how the Maine BMV addresses medical-fitness-to-drive concerns, and how older drivers may self-regulate to remain safely behind the wheel or make a smooth transition into driving retirement.

Instructor:  Dr. Tom Meuser is a clinical psychologist, applied gerontologist, and social scientist based in Portland, Maine. He moved here in 2018 from Missouri to serve as the Founding Director for the University of New England Center for Excellence in Aging & Health. He retired from this role in 2024 and is now self-employed as a geriatric neuropsychologist (https://geropsychmaine.com/) and a researcher-educator for both the Maine Bureaus of Motor Vehicles and Highway Safety.

Tom led the team which developed Missouri’s approach to the medical evaluation of at-risk drivers in 2009. He was also the program evaluator for the AMA’s Older Drivers Project (which continues now through AGS). His 2025-2026 speaking tour in Maine focuses on informing and empowering older adults, as well as the clinical providers who serve them, to make reasoned decisions on driving mobility. Maine’s regulations are an important focus too. He can be reached at tom.meuser@maine.gov.

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom. The instructor will teach this remotely on Zoom.  

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                   IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $15.00 fee.

Important:  If you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning on joining SSC as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so the we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

Sunrise Senior College is pleased to present Ms. Jacinta Mbithe Kinyunzu, who’s course, “Climate Change through Generational Eyes,” will explore how climate change impacts the health and wellbeing of different generations. Jacinta is an expert in environmental chemistry and whose academic and professional journey is driven by a deep passion for the environment and a commitment to addressing the critical issues posed by climate change. She will be speaking to us from Africa where she is on the faculty of Science at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She will explore how climate change impacts the health and wellbeing of different generations with a focus on the experiences, challenges and strengths of older adults in coastal communities like ours.

The class will examine how rising seas, changing weather patterns and shifting ecosystems affect physical health, mental and emotional wellbeing and community life. She will use global case studies and local perspectives, participants will share stories, compare experiences across ages and discuss strategies for resilience. Together, we will celebrate the wisdom, adaptability and leadership that older generations bring to safeguarding community wellbeing in a changing climate.

Instructor: Jacinta Mbithe Kinyunzu is an environmental chemist and higher education professional with a Masters in Environmental Chemistry and over eight years of teaching experience at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She is as well affiliated to Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS) as part of the second cohort of Diversifying Ocean Science (DOS) 2024 with an emphasis on aquarium science working on “Isotope Analysis Variation in Jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium” and in the ICONIC Oceans Diet Working Group, applying stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen from shark teeth at the Stable Isotope Ecosystem Lab, UC Merced, to understand historical and present-day ocean ecosystem changes. A program designed to help participants enhance their ocean science skills, broaden their professional networks and gain meaningful mentorship. A Mawazo Institute peer mentor to both undergraduate and postgraduate students in African universities; the GLOW Movement team member addressing climate change and health in coastal Kenya and the IOC Ocean Academy, studying climate impacts on marine biodiversity and coastal communities. Her work blends scientific analysis with global case studies to examine the socio-economic, ecological and cultural dimensions of climate change impacts on coastal communities.

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.   The instructor will teach this remotely on Zoom.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                   IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee.

Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

Please Note:  The date for the class has been changed from February 11th to February 18th due to a conflict for the Instructor.

Sunrise Senior College is pleased to welcome Chef Larry P. Canepa who will take us exploring the world’s most beautiful palaces and foods of days gone by.

Once home to kings and queens, palaces were built to act as royal residences, and to project power and prestige. Monarchs and emperors vied with one another, commissioning lavish homes and assembling exquisite art collections with which to fill their endless halls and royal chambers. Besides the magnificent architecture and artworks, the former royal residences also boast gorgeous grounds and gardens, with plenty of fabulous fountains and flowerbeds on display. And what was for dinner? Plenty of extravagant banquets, luxurious meals and rare and exquisite ingredients. Because of their significant artistic, cultural and historical value, these beautiful palaces now make for some of the most popular tourist attractions and museums around.

Instructor:  Larry P. Canepa is a Certified Culinary Educator, author, food historian, and lecturer. He has over five decades of experience in the food and wine industry and is the founder of Dinner at Eight, LLC, a company that provides culinary ‘food-tainment’ classes and seminars for museums, libraries, colleges, senior groups and life-long learners.

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.   The instructor will be teaching this class from his home in Arizona.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                    IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $15.00 fee.

Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

Here is your opportunity to learn about one of nature’s most misunderstood insects - the Wasp.

Did you know that they are vital to the world’s eco systems, serving as pollinators and pest controllers? There are over 100,000 species of wasp in the world and only one or two of these creatures have resulted in us having a negative view of wasps and their role in our eco system.

Why not join Linda Goodwin as she reviews the evolution, science, engineering marvels, extraordinary variety and the cultural significance of these marvelous insects. The class will span six sessions over 4 weeks where she will cover different topics such as the classification and evolution of Hymenoptera, a large order of insects that includes ants, bees, and Wasps; the diversity of wasps where we look at the wide variety of social and solitary wasps; the role of wasps in ecology and agriculture, as pollinators and pest control; the unique engineering of wasps by examining paper wasps, mud daubers, Potters wasps, and others; the chemistry and medical applications of wasp venom, saliva and other products; and wasps in popular culture throughout history in literature, music, fashion, movies, etc..

Instructor: Linda Goodwin is a retired MD and now a full-time artist with a lifelong curiosity and love of insects. She taught this same course during the summer session of OLLI, at UNC-Asheville, in western NC. Entomology was her favorite course in college. She incorporates paper wasp nests into her artwork.

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.   The instructor will teach this remotely on Zoom. The classes will be on Tuesdays & Thursdays on the following dates – February 26th (Thurs.), March 3rd (Tues.), 5th (Thurs.), 10th (Tues.) 12th (Thurs.) & 19th (Thurs.).  The first 5 classes will be held in Science 102 & on Zoom, the final class will be on Zoom only.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                    IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee.

Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

Crafting ornaments and gifts can be fun to do whether you are a crafty person or not, it’s easy.  They make great gifts and have more meaning because they were made by you!  Whether they’re glittery, colorful or simple scenes, each one is unique and reflects the joy with which they are made.  It is your chance to repurpose ornaments or decorations from wreaths, to use lace, buttons, ribbon, shells, dried flowers, pinecones, potpourri, glitter, paint, old man’s beard and/or lichen from trees, wooden forms, sticks and/or beads by working with scissors, paint brushes and glue.  Give it a try, have fun – you’ll be surprised what you can do. 

Instructor:  Suzie O'Clair has been making different crafting ornaments and gifts for presents for family and friends for years.  She's done this while experimenting with different mediums – glass, plastic, felt and wood – using ribbons, glitter, acrylic paint, natural items such as pinecones and moss, and various other things found around her home.

Class Information:  This is an in person only class - held in the Undercroft of St. Aidan’s Church, 36 Dublin Street, Machias, ME.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                    IMPORTANT:  See Below

This is a fee-based class and for this class only, Sunrise Senior College (SSC) will be purchasing the materials for all the students.  This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee. MSCN and Non-Members will be charged an additional fee for supplies.

Important:  If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class. 

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may incur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, the materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.

Sunrise Senior College is pleased to welcome back Dr. Eric Jones as he tells us how plants communicate.  Can plants “talk”? Well for some time now it has been well documented that plants do communicate with others of their own kind and indeed, with non-plants through chemical messages. They release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air when damaged to warn nearby plants of threats and use underground mycorrhizal fungal networks to share nutrients and warnings with other plants, even those that are not directly connected by roots.

More recent studies have suggested that plants may indeed communicate in myriad other modes. It appears too that plant communication is far more nuanced than previously described. One result of this research is that plants may exhibit what can be described as consciousness based on Integrated Information Theory - a framework for describing consciousness in non-human systems. During this course, Eric will examine the evidence for plant communication and how that relates to the concept of plant consciousness.

Instructor: Dr. Eric Jones is the Associate Professor of Botany at UMM and teaches an introductory course in bioethics, where concepts of consciousness and moral status are key concepts.

Class Information:  This is a hybrid class - held in-person in UM@M’s room SCI 102 and via Zoom.   The instructor will be in person to teach this class.

All facilities at the University of Maine at Machias (UM@M) are fully handicap compliant.  The facilities used by Sunrise Senior College (SSC) at the college have ramps, elevators and handicap accessible bathrooms.  Our offsite functions and activities have various limitations and restrictions and may not be fully handicap accessible.  SSC will endeavor to identify limitations at these to you in advance.

                                                    IMPORTANT:  See Below

“Sunrise Senior College does not endorse any appeal or representation made by a presenter, non-profit organization or business during an SSC presentation.  SSC members attending the presentations may wish to pursue additional involvement with the organization or presenter based on the material that was presented and in doing so, they are acting on their own and not as part of SSC.”

This class is available to all current Maine Senior College (MSCN) Members. The general public not wishing to join Sunrise Senior College at this time may attend this class for a $20.00 fee.

Important: If at this time you are not a current member of Sunrise Senior College (SSC) but are planning to join as a member today, make sure you answer that “Your SSC membership is current” when checking out so that we can properly bill you for this class.

Sunrise Senior College (SSC) is a membership-based organization. Our SSC members receive special benefits as current members when they register for this course. Any member of another MSCN college is also able to enjoy this course, but may occur some additional charges. If you are a member of the general public, you can take this course but will have to pay additional fees associated with being a non-member. For any attendee that is not a current member of Sunrise Senior College, any materials required for the course are your responsibility. When checking out, please carefully read and answer the questions asked associated with this specific course so that you are charged appropriately for this class. Failure to do this may result in your being cancelled from the course. We hope you enjoy this offering.