Registration for Fall 2025 classes will open on Friday, August 15 at 11 a.m. and close on Tuesday, September 2 at 5 p.m. 

RISE Membership
Make sure you are a RISE member before you register for courses:

  • If you are new to RISE, use the Membership Form to join. 
  • If you are a returning RISE member, LOGIN and use your saved email and password from prior registration. If you have forgotten your password, use the Forgot Password link to reset it. 

Course Registration
Registration is first come, first served during the registration period. Some courses have participant limits. Call the RISE Office at (603) 897-8623 to be placed on a waiting list if you want to register for a course that is full. You be notified if space in the course becomes available.

Semester Membership Fee
The Semester Membership fee is due for each fall and spring semester that you register for. Pay your semester membership fee after you register for classes and before classes begin.

  • Click here to pay by credit card. This is an easy, quick and secure way to pay. You will receive an emailed receipt.
  • Make a check payable to Rivier University and write RISE in the memo field. Mail to: Rivier University, ATTN: RISE, 420 South Main Street, Nashua NH 03060 (please allow more time for processing)


Course Selections

After you register, you can print your course selections by clicking here and following instructions Print Course Selections.


Courses will appear below when registration opens on Friday, August 15.


SEMESTER COURSES BELOW:

    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Muldoon Health & Fitness Center
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/8 - 11/10) Mondays 8:30 - 9:30AM

    ON CAMPUS - Muldoon Health & Fitness Center

    Exercise to music - Class will include cardio, light weights, resistance bands, and balance.  All are welcome to come and move at their own level.  Rivier University is not liable for any injuries sustained in a RISE sponsored exercise class.

    Facilitator: Joanne Merrill


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 6 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/8 - 10/6) Mondays 10:00 – 10:45AM ONLINE ZOOM

    Join experienced instructor, Gretchen Nadeau, for well-rounded exercise classes designed specifically for the older population.  You will need a sturdy chair without arms; a folding chair works well. Gretchen strives to bring fun, safe and effective classes to all participants.

    Disclaimer: Participants should consult their physician before beginning any exercise, fitness, diet or nutrition routine, especially those who have pre-existing health conditions. Rivier University is not liable for any injuries sustained in a RISE sponsored exercise class.

    Facilitator: Gretchen Nadeau


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/8 – 11/10) Mondays 10:00 – 11:30 AM ONLINE ZOOM

    Composers usually get their feet wet with their earliest compositions. By the end of their careers, they will have experienced one or more milestones: fulfilling their goals, reaching the limits of their abilities, or even simply becoming physically and/or mentally exhausted. This class will compare the first and last compositions of each composer and discuss the differences. When time allows, we can also introduce the works in mid-career as well to understand that the peak can sometimes be reached well before the end of the composing career.

    Facilitator: Robert Hoffman


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 6 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE - The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH
    • 28
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/8 – 10/6)  Mondays 10:00 - 11:30AM

    The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH

    Truth can’t be trashed for technology to work. Will AI help or hinder the ecological challenges of climate change? Billion-dollar weather extremes have increased from three in 1980 to twenty-seven in 2024. Truth, new technology, beautifying theology, and enabling economics could save our ecology.

    Facilitator: Paul Carr


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 6 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    • 5
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/8 - 10/6) Mondays 1:00 - 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    An introduction to the basics of the Zentangle method of art - a fun, relaxing, and easy-to-do pen & ink drawing method that has therapeutic effects as well!  Fundamental pen strokes, design components, ideas for embellishment, and simple shading techniques are covered. 

    A beginner Materials Kit will be available for pickup at the RISE office. Kits are $15 plus shared postage; payment is made directly to the facilitator via VENMO or a check mailed to the facilitator. The RISE Coordinator will email participants to inform you that your kit is available for pickup at the RISE office.

    Facilitator: Martha Brooks, CZT


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 6 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/8 – 10/6) Mondays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    It is vital that musicians prepare thoroughly before performing in a concert. Even before the first rehearsal, this preparation requires many hours of private study: learning about the composers and backgrounds of their compositions, listening to various performances, studying the music, and learning the notes. After this preparation, the players join together in rehearsals to ensure that the pieces will be performed well. Section leaders convey the mechanics of playing the pieces to members of their section, including physical requirements (such as bowings for string players) and/or important musical subtleties.

    Facilitator: Robert Hoffman

    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Learning Commons

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/8 – 11/10) Mondays 3:00 – 4:30PM

    CANCELLED

    This course will cover 5 topics:

    • 1.    Basic Computer Skills - How to use a computer, navigate the internet, and perform basic troubleshooting.
    • 2.    Smartphone and Tablet Use - How to use mobile devices, download apps, and manage settings.
    • 3.    Social Media for Seniors - How to connect with family and friends using Facebook and Instagram.
    • 4.    Online Safety and Privacy - Recognizing scams, creating strong passwords, and understanding privacy settings.
    • 5.    Video Conferencing Tools - How to use Zoom or FaceTime to stay in touch with loved ones.
    Each topic will be covered in two class sessions.  The first session will be a lecture; the second session will be hands-on with your devices that you will bring to class.
    Facilitator: Ashish Usman


    • 8 Sep 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    • 3
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/8 – 11/10) Mondays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    As you harvest the flowers from your garden before the first frost this Fall, think Spring, and create a botanical garden of your own. Using the 9” x 9” Zentangle Spinner template, we will fill at least 64 spaces with different tangles of all kinds of flora! After we have inked our botanicals onto our spinner tile, we’ll use watercolor pencils to bring color and accents to our beautiful blooms! A prerequisite for this course would be Zentangle 101 (or the equivalent) or familiarity with basic Zentangle concepts.

    Materials kits will be mailed to the RISE Office.  Kits are $25 plus shared postage; payment is made directly to the facilitator via VENMO or a check mailed to the facilitator.  The RISE Coordinator will email participants to inform you that your kit is available for pickup at the RISE office.

    Facilitator: Martha Brooks, CZT


    • 9 Sep 2025
    • 7 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE at The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH
    • 8
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/9 – 10/7) Tuesdays 1:00 – 2:30PM

    OFFSITE at The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH

    The course will help shape and challenge your perspective on Vietnam’s evolution as a nation. Vietnam entered written history in the 3rd Century BC with a long history of subjugation by dominant civilizations. The Vietnamese adapted the dominant civilizations’ ideas, institutions, and technology to their own purposes, which still happens today under “Bamboo Diplomacy.” We will follow Vietnam’s history to show why these continual suppression, adaption and resilience traits enhanced Vietnamese culture, but also formed a unique Vietnamese character.

    Facilitator: Peter Henriques


    • 9 Sep 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/9 – 11/11) Tuesdays 3:00 - 4:30PM

    ONLINE ZOOM

    I love this sports metaphor because most of us (and me too) are living in our 4th quarters. This course is segmented into five easy to remember parts – P.I.P.E.S: Physical, Intellectual, Purpose/Planning, Emotional and Spiritual. Our first two classes will provide some amusing and surprising insights into ourselves, our expectations, demographics, and time itself. The last two classes will synthesize everything since all parts are interconnected. This course also includes a workshop in which you will write up your 4th quarter plans - in detail!

    I’m not empowered to give the “2-minute warning” – so no worries. The ‘goal’ is to examine each of the five parts as a ‘Team’ in class - and outside with family and friends. How? By having these criteria in mind: How do we maintain a healthy balance in our lives between the A) human doings we are and the legacy we might want to create or leave behind and B) as human beings? What qualities of human being do we now want to nurture for ourselves and/or to model for others, and how?

    The course ‘tackles’ both the play clock (day to day issues) and the game clock – the long game which will, of course, eventually end. “It’s About Our Time” strives to encourage us to reexamine our own time use and reset our clocks to fully enjoy and make the very best use of our time. This course will not be recorded.

    Facilitator: Bob Meissner, Jr.


    • 9 Sep 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/9 – 11/11) Tuesdays 4:00 – 5:30 ONLINE ZOOM

    We will read A Secret History of Christianity: Jesus, the Last Inkling and the Evolution of Consciousness by Mark Vernon.  Mark Vernon tells the inner story of 3000 years of Christianity, beginning from the earliest Biblical times. Drawing, too, on the latest scholarship and spiritual questions of our day, he presents a gripping account of how Christianity constellated a new perception of what it is to be human. For 1500 years, this sense of things informed many lives, though it fell into crisis with the Reformation, scientific revolution and Enlightenment. Mark Vernon uses his doctorate in ancient philosophy, background as an ordained minister and current work as a practicing psychotherapist to elucidate key elements of this fascinating approach to Christianity. This book’s ISBN is 978-1789041941. This class will be recorded.

    Facilitator: Michael Conley


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 8 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • IN PERSON - Various Locations
    • 0

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/10 – 10/8) Wednesdays 1:00 - 2:30PM

    IN PERSON – Various Locations

    We will visit local businesses to learn about their operations. 

    • September 10 – Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main Street, Nashua, NH
    • September 17 – Natura Apothecary, 114 Milford Road (Route 101A), Amherst, NH
    • September 24 – TBD
    • October 1 – Nashua Historical Society Museum – 5 Abbott Street, Nashua, NH
    • October 8 – Mine Falls Gate House – Directions will be provided to the Part/Trail entrance

    Class Coordinators – Carol Anderson and Bruce Greenland


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS Muldoon Health & Fitness Center
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/10 - 11/12) Wednesdays 8:30 – 9:30AM

    ON CAMPUS Muldoon Health & Fitness Center

    Exercise to music - Class will include cardio, light weights, resistance bands, and balance.  All are welcome to come and move at their own level.  Rivier University is not liable for any injuries sustained in a RISE sponsored exercise class.

    Facilitator: Joanne Merrill


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/10 – 11/12) Wednesdays 10 – 11:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    We will learn about the causes of the war, the rise of Nazism, Genocide, D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, the invasion of Russia, the battle of Berlin, and the Nuremberg trials. We will view documentary films and discuss these topics.

    Facilitator: Tom Barry


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/10 – 11/12) Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    Most creative persons in jazz start their careers as performers and interpreters of songs written by others. Eventually they add their own compositions to their repertory, some of which are then performed by other musicians. As their creative careers progress, we see a two-fold growth that encompasses both composing and performing. The composers either play their familiar arrangements or choose to improvise in new ways. As they continue to perform, they must focus on changes in band membership. 

    Facilitator: Robert Hoffman


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/10 - 11/12) Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Practice yoga while sitting in an armless chair. We begin with guided breath control, then conscious movement coordinated with the breath. We complete the practice with relaxation and meditation. Please have an armless chair, a yoga strap, and a Yoga block. A man’s tie is a good substitute for a yoga strap.

    Facilitator: Amy Jo Cielinski

    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 29 Oct 2025
    • 8 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    8 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/10 – 10/8 and 3 Weeks of TERM2: 10/14, 10/22, 10/29)

    Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Tired of inner conflict and feeling disconnected from yourself or others? This book study course offers a practical and empowering approach to cultivating inner harmony and deeper connections through the principles of "parts work." The primary reading is Parts Work: An Illustrated Guide to Your Inner Life by Tom Holmes, ISBN 978-0-9798897-1-4. The more in-depth, optional game-changing course book is No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard Schwartz, ISBN 978-1683646686.

    This class will be a lively, interactive book-group discussion with no bad questions or bad answers. This is not psychotherapy - it’s group learning and personal discovery. Together we’ll learn how to identify parts, their roles, understand their origins, and ultimately foster a more loving and accepting relationship with each part. Imagine feeling more whole, more integrated, and more at peace within yourself. By learning to work with your inner "protectors," understand your "exiles," and connect with your core "Self," where you can unlock a deeper capacity for self-love and extend that compassion to others. This course will not be recorded.

    Facilitator: Bob Meissner, Jr.


    • 10 Sep 2025
    • 8 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/10 – 10/8) Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Ten years after the first appearance of Don Quixote, Cervantes published Part Two, which sends the Knight and his Squire on a new path to adventure. This novel stands on its own and so you do NOT need to have read Part One. Join us for a lively and relaxed weekly discussion group.

    We will read Don Quixote, the Edith Grossman translation, published by Ecco.  The ISBN for the hardcover is 978-006018870; the ISBN for the paperback is 978-0060934347.
    Facilitator: Barry Jackson


    • 11 Sep 2025
    • 9 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/11 - 10/9) Thursdays 10:00 – 11:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    The RISE Speakers Forum presents experts who engage RISE members on a wide variety of topics. Sponsored by the Curriculum Committee, the Speakers Forum brings the outside world to RISE. Here is the schedule: 

    • 9/11 - Road Scholar is North America’s largest, non-profit, educational travel organization for older adults, Road Scholar participants travel the world.  Join us as one of their Ambassadors discusses their life-enriching experiences with Road Scholar.
    • 9/18 - League of NH Craftsmen –Since 1932, the Mission of the League of NH Craftsmen has been to advance, cultivate and champion excellence in fine craft. Join the Associate Executive Director, Sarah Nyhan, as she discusses the history, mission and outreach of the League.
    • 9/25 - Pennichuck Water Corporation - Join us for a refreshing presentation that flows through the fascinating history of Pennichuck Water, from its humble beginnings in 1852 to its role today as a vital part of communities across New Hampshire. Our speaker will be Chris Countie, Director of Operations.
    • 10/2 - Granite State Ambassadors - New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors add value to state agencies, local businesses, and individuals through a training and service support network that sustains and enhances the New Hampshire experience. The Executive Director, Kelly Bryer, will discuss the wide-ranging impact of this organization and its effect on residents and visitors alike.
    • 10/9 - Sister Madeleine of Jesus and the Founding of Rivier University - Join Sr. Lucille Tibedeau, past President of Rivier University and author of the book, Crucible and Charism: a biography of Sr. Madeleine of Jesus, p.m.  founder of Rivier University, as she discusses this amazing woman’s life. 

    This class will be recorded.

    Moderator: Nancy Nordstrom


    • 11 Sep 2025
    • 13 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/11 - 11/13) Thursdays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Write, share, and receive gentle critiquing of original prose or poetry in an interactive group of RISE writers.

    Facilitators: Joan Gibson and Charlie Pogue


    • 11 Sep 2025
    • 9 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 WEEKS (TERM 1: 9/11 - 10/9) Thursdays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    This course is based on the paperback book Brain-Based Strategies to Reach Every Learner (2005) written by Dr. Diane Connell, the course Instructor. Using current brain-based research & questionnaires, you will enjoy determining the following:

    (1)   What "type" of learner are you --- are you a LEFT, a RIGHT, or a MIDDLE BRAIN learner?

    (2)  What are your strongest MULTIPLE Intelligence's?

    (3)  What are your strongest EMOTIONAL Intelligence's?

    Using your brain-based strengths, you will be able to create a goal designed to significantly improve your life looking ahead towards the next two years. Please order Dr. Connell’s book through Rivier University’s online bookstore, https://rivier.ecampus.com.

    Facilitator: Dr. Diane Connell


    • 11 Sep 2025
    • 13 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • OFFSITE at Langdon Place Pool, 319 East Dunstable Road, Nashua, NH 03062
    • 0
    Join waitlist

    10 Weeks (BOTH TERMS: 9/11 – 11/13) Thursdays 1:00 – 2:00PM

    OFFSITE at Langdon Place Pool, 319 East Dunstable Road, Nashua, NH 03062

    This class, taught by a certified instructor, will begin with a warmup. We’ll then work with and without equipment for the core of the class and will end with a yoga cooldown. Classes vary from week to week and include motivating music.

    Please bring your own towel and water to drink, Note that there is only one changing room at Langdon Place, so please wear your bathing suit under your clothes.

    Rivier University and Langdon Place are is not liable for any injuries sustained in a RISE sponsored exercise class.

    Facilitator: Lorraine Matkowsky


    • 11 Sep 2025
    • 9 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/11 – 10/9) Thursdays 3:00 - 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Portraits have a social purpose. Before the introduction of the camera snapshot, portraits were essential to remembering, commemorating, promoting and connecting people within a social context. Portraits come full length, closeup and everything in between. They feature people individually, in pairs, and in groups. They document political history and let us trace styles and fashions in clothing. Most revealing are self-portraits of the artists who create this enduring form of art. This class will be recorded.

    Facilitator: Nancy Baker


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Memorial Hall 104
    • 40
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM1: 9/12 – 10/10) Fridays 2:45PM to end of film

    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 104

    The decade of the 1930s was a golden age of Hollywood film. The use of voices, sound effects and music, as well as Technicolor, broadened the scope of film's ability to portray real life. This was also a decade in which many memorable stars began their careers and performed in their earliest starring roles. We'll enjoy five of the best films made in the 1930s. We'll watch: 

    • The Thin Man
    •  Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
    •  It Happened One Night
    •  Top Hat
    •  The Adventures of Robin Hood
    Facilitator: Susan Deschenes


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Memorial Hall 101
    • 0
    Registration is closed

    5 Weeks (TERM1: 9/12 – 10/10) Fridays 10:00 – 11:30AM

    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 101

    Listening is so important in today’s world – in this era, right now, wherever you are. Probably no other single skill has the potential to provide as much joy, civility, discovery of common ground, conflict resolution, or teamwork. You get it. Everyone does but do you care enough about all this to be a better listener – as a life-long skill, a discipline, a commitment?

    With lots of humor, we’ll examine where good (and poor) listening starts - at home, (of course) and evolves (or distorts) from elementary school on. Sadly, today … no one is listening. We spend a lot of time on social media, i.e., looking down not up into the eyes of someone.

    Together we’ll (re-)discover the high importance better listening has for seniors at a time when clearer communications, improved interpersonal interactions - all based on improved listening skills, are critical for happiness and wellbeing.

    Facilitator: Bob Meissner, Jr.


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 105
    • 3
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/12 – 10/10) Fridays 10:00 – 11:30AM
    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 105
    Artist Dominique Boutaud, who has exhibited internationally, will tell stories from her childhood in Provence – including the olive harvest, village life, World War Two's impact, traditions, and special foods. She will also share her experience of immigrating to the United States with her family.  Since arriving in the United States, she organized Francophonie events in Nashua from 2012 to 2018, participated in the Presidential Campaign of 2015-2016 as an art advocate, and received an award from Harvard University.

    Dominique has also travelled to Italy, Spain, Monaco, Asia, the Seychelles Islands, Africa, Canada, and elsewhere and will share tales of her travels.

    This will be an interactive class; participants will be encouraged to share their stories as well.
    Faciltator: Dominique Boutaud



    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 24 Oct 2025
    • 7 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    7 Weeks: (TERM 1 and 2 weeks in TERM 2: 10/17 and 10/24) Fridays 10:00 – 11:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    Participants will learn how to go about their daily lives without anxiety or worry.

    Facilitator: William Sawyer


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Science and Innovation Center - Room 140
    • 20
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/12 - 10/10) Fridays 10:00 - 11:30AM

    ON CAMPUS - Science and Innovation Center - Room 140

    Rock and Roll emerged in the mid-1950s and has continued to keep up with the times.  This course will use music and photos to show how Rock and Roll portrayed and often influenced what was happening in the United States and internationally.

    Facilitator: Terrie Vincent.



    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 10 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 103
    • 23
    Register

    10 Weeks: (BOTH TERMS: 9/12 - 11/14) Fridays 10:15– 11:15AM 

    ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 103

    Course Objectives:

    To properly dispose us for the most worthy celebration of Mass . . .

    To attain every grace the Father wishes to bestow on us . . .

    To become the person He intended.

    The textbook for this class is Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass, 2nd Edition, ISBN 979-8874025571, by Ralph Barnett.  The optional workbook is Heaven on Earth: The Order and Meaning of Mass, Catechism Lesson Review Workbook, ISBN 979-8882888861, by Ralph Barnett. Both books are available on Amazon.  If you prefer, you can purchase one or both books from Mr. Barnett at the first class meeting.

    Facilitator: Ralph Barnett


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 31 Oct 2025
    • 8 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 103
    • 5
    Register

    8 Weeks (TERM 1 and 3 weeks in TERM 2: 10/17, 10/24 and 10/31) Fridays 1:00 – 2:30PM

    ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 103

    You are invited to embark on a journey of self-discovery. Your body has an energy system where body, mind and emotion connect. There are seven major centers that symbolize this connection. In this eight-week class, you will learn about the great benefits of this powerful personal energy as a vehicle to your well-being.

    Facilitator: Gloria Bry


    • 12 Sep 2025
    • 10 Oct 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE at The Huntington, 55 Kent Lane, Nashua, NH
    • 5
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 1: 9/12 - 10/10) Fridays 2:45 – 4:15 

    OFFSITE at The Huntington, 55 Kent Lane, Nashua, NH

    We will create all-occasion cards for your family, friends, and neighbors.  Wow your loved ones with incredible handmade cards!  Each class will be like a party as you create fabulous cards, using innovative techniques and tools for paper crafting.  All supplies except adhesives are supplied for a $30 fee payable to the facilitator.  Please bring your own double-sided tape. You may also want double-sided thick foam tape to “pop” up items on your cards.  Also…think you are not creative?  Then this is the class for you!

    Facilitator: Lynn Thieret


    • 26 Sep 2025
    • 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 121
    • 3
    Register

    Single-session course, Friday, September 26 from 3 – 4:30PM

    ON CAMPUS Memorial Hall 121

    Discover the healing power of sound in this immersive session combining sound therapy and guided meditation. Through the soothing tones of crystal and Tibetan singing bowls, sound therapy promotes deep relaxation, reduces stress, and supports emotional balance and better sleep. Facilitator Lorraine Ludwicki will guide you through a holistic sound bath experience, enhanced by a loving-kindness (Metta) meditation. A practice that cultivates feelings of love, compassion, and well-being for oneself and others.

    Facilitator: Lorraine Ludwicki


    Facilitator: Lorraine Ludwicki


    • 3 Oct 2025
    • 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 121
    Register

    Single Session course, Friday, October 3 from 3:00 – 4:30PM

    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 121

    We’ll learn about the most common Scams, avoiding personal financial losses, and protecting your financial assets, real estate, and Social Security.

    Facilitator: Ben Niles


    • 13 Oct 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/13 - 11/10) Mondays 10:00 – 10:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    Join experienced instructor, Gretchen Nadeau, for well-rounded exercise classes designed specifically for the older population.  You will need a sturdy chair without arms; a folding chair works well. Gretchen strives to bring fun, safe and effective classes to all participants.

    You may take this class even if you didn’t take Senior Sneakers Cardio Part 1.

    Disclaimer: Participants should consult their physician before beginning any exercise, fitness, diet or nutrition routine, especially those who have pre-existing health conditions. Rivier University is not liable for any injuries sustained in a RISE sponsored exercise class.

    Facilitator: Gretchen Nadeau


    • 13 Oct 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE at Nashua Public Library Theater, 2 Court Street, Nashua, NH
    • 46
    Register

    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/13 – 11/10) Mondays 10:00 – 11:30AM

    OFFSITE at Nashua Public Library Theater, 2 Court Street, Nashua, NH  

    Frida Kahlo is one of the world’s most prolific artists.  Her life and work have been celebrated throughout the art world.  She gained fame in the 20th century for her deeply personal self-portraits and bold expressions of pain, identity and resilience.  By the time Frida died in 1954, she had become a golden icon, with her paintings appearing on Vogue magazine covers and murals, as well as the popularity of flower crowns she often included in her paintings.  Her impact on world culture is undeniable.

    Facilitators: Sheila Kabat with co-facilitator David Hansen

    • 13 Oct 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    • 6
    Register

    5 Weeks (Term 2: 10/13 – 11/10) Mondays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Learn letter and number embellishment while creating a delightful Zentangle Alphabet Book! These lettering and numbering skills can be applied to a variety of other personalized creations as well. Participants will explore introducing color to their lettering/numbering tiles. The class will close with the hands-on construction of your own mini book. A prerequisite for this course would be Zentangle 101 (or the equivalent) or familiarity with basic Zentangle concepts.

    Materials kits will be mailed to the RISE Office.  Kits are $32 plus shared postage; payment is made directly to the facilitator via VENMO or a check mailed to the facilitator.  The RISE Coordinator will email participants to inform you that your kit is available for pickup at the RISE office.

    Facilitator: Martha Brooks, CZT


    • 13 Oct 2025
    • 10 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
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    Save Money While Doing Your Bit to Save the Planet

    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/13 - 11/10) Mondays 3:00 – 4:30PM

    Join fellow RISE members to discuss ways to reduce spending and our carbon footprints. Using books, discussion and videos, we will learn that by taking simple, small steps we can all help with climate change. 

    This course uses the text: 2040: A Handbook for the Regeneration, by Damon Gameau, which is based on his documentary entitled 2040. The ISBN for this book is 978-1760554149.

    Facilitator: Marjorie Kamp 

    • 14 Oct 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
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    5 Weeks (Term 2: 10/14 – 11/11) Tuesdays 1:00 – 2:30PM ONLINE ZOOM  

    Revel in the journey of self-exploration as you gather practical skills and impactful methods that stimulate self-discovery and bring forth personal insights. Insights that will empower you to more fully and creatively navigate every stage of your life.

    Facilitator: Lorraine Ludwicki



    • 14 Oct 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE at The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH
    • 0
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/14 - 11/11) Tuesdays 1:00 - 2:30PM

    OFFSITE at The Hunt Community, 10 Allds Street, Nashua, NH

    Success or failure in foreign policy is a function of many factors. Geography, economics, history and culture, demography, and access to natural resources all influence a nation’s ability to operate in the international arena. Leadership, however, often plays a critical role in determining what a nation can or cannot accomplish on the geopolitical chess board. This five week class will highlight the importance of leadership in the pursuit of foreign relations, using both historical figures and current world leaders as subjects to analyze. Brief research projects will be assigned prior to each session while class participation will be strongly encouraged.

    Facilitator: Bob Beck


    • 14 Oct 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Learning Commons
    • 8
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/14 – 11/11) Tuesdays 1:00 – 2:30 PM

    ON CAMPUS - Learning Commons

    In this course, you will create a street architecture project with colorful paper. There will also be an option to create an artwork comprised of paper buttons.  Everyone will create abstract watercolors. In this art course, everything is possible. There is no judgment, only pleasure in creating.

    Please bring scissors, a ruler, and either a glue stick or paper glue such as Elmers.  There is a $40.00 materials fee payable directly to the facilitator.

    Facilitator: Dominique Boutaud


    • 14 Oct 2025
    • 11 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    • 19
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/14 – 11/11) Tuesdays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Join us to read three memoirs, and excerpts from a fourth, as a springboard to reminiscing in class about our own work, relationships, interests and families. We’ll read The Color of Water by James McBride, The Shift by Theresa Brown, All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley, and excerpts from Joan Didion’s Slouching Towards Bethlehem. Copies of the books will be available for borrowing at the Nashua Public Library. We’ll keep the class small enough to give everyone a chance to participate in the discussions.

    Facilitator: Carol Eyman


    • 15 Oct 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    • 12
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/15 – 11/12) Wednesdays 10:00 – 11:30AM ONLINE ZOOM

    If you've ever had a tune rattling around in your head or if you've found yourself making up songs for your children or grandchildren, you may be a closet songwriter! This five-week course will explore the fundamentals of songwriting and ways in which you can "write down" those melodies. If you sing or play an instrument, so much the better. The goal is to write and perform or record one song by the end of the course. You need not have studied music...only that you feel you may have a song in you just waiting to be expressed!

    Facilitator: Don Gnecco


    • 15 Oct 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Nashua Public Library Large Meeting Room, 2 Court Street, Nashua, NH
    • 16
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/15 – 11/12) Wednesdays 1:00 – 2:30pm

    OFFSITE at Nashua Public Library Large Meeting Room, 2 Court Street, Nashua, NH

    Have you thought of offering a course at RISE or elsewhere but felt you didn't have the tools to turn your knowledge into a course and present it? Or, have you already taught a course and would like to hone your skills? This course will offer suggestions for structuring a one-day or multi-week course, tips on engaging and interacting with your audience, and guidance on using PowerPoint and other visual aids. We'll talk about the pros and cons of presenting in person and on Zoom and offer ideas for getting the most out of each. In a relaxed atmosphere, participants will have opportunities to practice, present, and learn from each other.

    Facilitator: Tess George


    • 15 Oct 2025
    • 12 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/15 – 11/12) Wednesdays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    We will begin by reading some of Faulkner's short fiction to get a feeling for his unique voice. Then slowly and steadily we will enter the world of Absalom, Absalom. I guarantee that it will be an unforgettable read. This masterpiece novel is much, much easier to understand in a group setting where each of us can solve a piece of the puzzle.

    We’ll use these books: William Faulkner Collected Stories, Vintage, ISBN 978-0-679-76403-8 and Absalom, Absalom, by William Faulkner, Vintage, ISBN 978-0-679-73218-1.       


    Facilitator: Barry Jackson


    • 16 Oct 2025
    • 13 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/16 - 11/13) Thursdays 10:00 – 11:30AM 

    Presented by the Curriculum Committee, join these RISE facilitators to learn about the following topics:

    • 10/16 – When Women Ran 5th Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American FashionPart 1with Nancy Nordstrom Bonwit Teller, Lord & Taylor, Henri Bendel; we all know those names. This two-part presentation, however, is about three women you may never have heard of, women who were the business powerhouses and advertising savants behind these great stores. Join us as we get to know about them and their work. Facilitator: Nancy Nordstrom
    • 10/23 - When Women Ran 5th Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American FashionPart 2 – with Nancy Nordstrom – Join us for the continuation of Nancy’s 10/16 presentation.
    • 10/30 – Celebrating the Achievements of 10 – 12 Distinguished American Women – with Marie Connolly - The National Women's Hall of Fame is the nation's first and oldest nonprofit organization and museum dedicated to honoring and celebrating the achievements of distinguished American women.  This presentation will focus on 10-12 of the 50 women honored for their achievements in government/public service.
    • 11/6 - Twelve New Book Recommendations – with Dr. Ann McGreevy - With the holidays before us, let ’s look at 12 new books (from 2024/2025) that I would recommend for reading yourself and/ or for gift giving for family and friends. We will cover all genres- fiction, non-fiction, mysteries/ thrillers, memoirs, spiritual books and children ’s books. Participants should feel free to bring a book of their own to recommend to the group as well.
    • 11/13 Film Stars of the 1930s - with Susan Deschenes - With the introduction of sound and innovations in cinematography, the 1930s was a golden age of film. We'll learn about some stars whose careers began in the 1930s.

    This class will be recorded.

    Moderator: Nancy Nordstrom



    • 16 Oct 2025
    • 13 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/16 – 11/13) Thursdays 3:00 – 4:30PM ONLINE ZOOM

    Until the late 19th century, the decorative arts were not valued in the way that painting and sculpture were. From the 1840s on, industrialization produced furniture, textiles and ceramics quickly and cheaply for a mass market, leaving the artisan in difficulties. A movement began to raise the status of craftsmen by treating handmade objects as fine art made by artists. In parallel, architecture focused on a house as a total work of art, so interior design flourished. The Arts and Crafts movement spread to Europe and America and an emphasis on quality over quantity soon evolved into the distinctive movement called Art Nouveau. We’ll explore these two movements, which brought together the craftsman and the consumer in a modern way. This class will be recorded.

    Facilitator: Nancy Baker


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • Memorial Hall 104
    • 43
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    5 Weeks: (TERM2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 2:45PM to end of film

    On Campus Memorial Hall 104

    Documentaries, which tell true stories, are some of the most exciting and meaningful films ever produced. We'll watch five of the best:

    • Young at Heart
    • Songs of Earth
    • Summer of Soul
    • TBD
    • TBD

    Facilitator: Susan Deschenes


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • On Campus – Memorial Hall 105
    • 21
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    5 Weeks (TERM2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 10:00 – 11:30AM

    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 105

    Retirement is being redefined --- being prepared for the new retirement will be essential to overall success.  A well-crafted financial plan can help you stay on track to pursue your financial goals. You will learn some critical tips to stick to your plan and live retirement the way you deserve. 

    Facilitator: Michael Ferris


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 102
    • 2
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    5 Weeks: (TERM 2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 10:00 – 11:30AM

    ON CAMPUS – Memorial Hall 102)

    When Europeans first explored New Hampshire, they harvested trees for the masts of British ships. Later, trees were harvested for lumber, paper, and other applications. We’ll learn about lumber camps, logging river runs, paper mills, and the evolution of sawmills. We’ll watch several period videos. During the second half of the 19th century, NH forests were wantonly cut, resulting in concern about forest preservation.  The final class meeting will be a presentation by a forester from the University of New Hampshire, who will teach us effective techniques of 21st century sustainable forestry management.

    Facilitator: Cal Knickerbocker


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Sylvia Trotter Hall Room 302
    • 16
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/17 - 11/14) Fridays 1:00 - 2:30PM

    ON CAMPUS, Sylvia Trotter Hall Room 302 [Across the Street from the Dion Center]

    What was it like to be an American child during these decades? How did life change for our kids during that stretch of time? We'll provide some answers.

    Facilitator: David McNeil


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Memorial Hall 121
    • 21
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    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 1:00 – 2:30PM

    ON CAMPUS, Memorial Hall 121

    For nine years, I have traveled nationally and internationally on my own. I'll share photos and stories from those trips and how traveling solo has changed over the years. We will discuss the process of planning for any trip so that you get a trip whose sights and pace meet your needs.

    Facilitator: Judy Brophy



    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • ON CAMPUS - Learning Commons
    • 5
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    5 Weeks: (TERM 2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 1:00 - 2:30PM

    ON CAMPUS, Learning Commons

    Participants will write poems outside of class time, guided by suggested readings.  We’ll read and discuss our poems in class, influenced by our shared and respectful perspectives. We have had so much fun that in the past this class has been called "laughing with poetry.” Participants, including first timers, have a wide range of poetry writing interests, including.  All are welcome.

    Facilitators: Val Raudonis and Barbara Toohey


    • 17 Oct 2025
    • 14 Nov 2025
    • 5 sessions
    • OFFSITE at the Huntington, 55 Kent Lane, Nashua, NH
    • 0
    Registration is closed

    5 Weeks (TERM 2: 10/17 – 11/14) Fridays 2:45 – 4:15 PM

    OFFSITE at The Huntington, 55 Kent Lane, Nashua

    We'll create fabulous holiday cards for Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. Wow your loved ones with incredible handmade cards! Each class will be like a party as you create fabulous cards using innovative techniques and tools for paper crafting. All supplies except adhesives are provided for a $30 fee payable to the facilitator. Please bring your own double-sided tape. You may also want double-sided thick foam tape to "pop" up items on your cards.

    Facilitator: Lynn Thieret


    • 29 Oct 2025
    • 5 Nov 2025
    • 2 sessions
    • ONLINE ZOOM
    Register

    2 Weeks in TERM 2 (10/29 and 11/5: 10:00 – 11:30AM) ONLINE ZOOM

    Whether you are buying groceries at the supermarket, purchasing something online or reimbursing a friend for lunch, you can complete that transaction without using cash. In this class we’ll look at ways to use Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo, PayPal and Zelle. We'll look at how they work, how safe they are, and when you might want to use each. No computer experience is required.

    This class is just 2 sessions and will be recorded.

    Facilitator: Judy Brophy


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