August 29, 2005

Free information forums for seniors

The Renaissance Society of Sacramento State - a learning community for seniors - offers free fall forums on an array of topics such as community development, politics, culture and health. All forums will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. on Fridays at various locations throughout the University. More forums will be scheduled and announced later in the semester. Updated schedules and new forum listings can be found at the Renaissance Society's website at www.csus.edu/org/rensoc.

The forum "Sacramento State's 'Destination 2010' Program" kicks off the fall semester with speaker President Alexander Gonzalez, who will discuss the vision and plans for the University on Sept. 9 in the University Union Hinde Auditorium.

Issues facing the Hmong people will be discussed in "The New Hmong Refugees: Dealing with the Clash of the Hmong and Western Cultures," Sept. 16 in Mendocino Hall 1003. Speaker May Xing Ly is the current executive director of the Hmong Women's Heritage Association, which provides educational and social services to Hmong families in Sacramento.

President and CEO of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Matthew Mayhood will speak at the forum "Issues and Opportunities in Metropolitan Sacramento: Fostering Regional Growth and Economic Prosperity," Sept. 30 in the Hinde Auditorium.

Current events in Iran will be addressed in "Iran's Presidential Election: What is the Legacy Left by Khatomi, the Former President" on Oct. 7 in the Hinde Auditorium. The speaker, Sacramento State professor Bahman Fozouni, traveled to his native Iran this past summer for the election.

The future of journalism will be the topic of "What is the Future of American Newspapers? What Happens to Freedom of Information, Freedom of the Press?" on Oct. 14 in the Hinde Auditorium. The speaker will be Rick Rodriguez, executive editor of the Sacramento Bee.

Tim Hodson, executive director of the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State, will discuss issues surrounding political redistricting on Oct. 21 in Mendocino Hall 1005. He is the former staff director of the California Senate Elections and Reapportionment Committee and is recognized as a top expert on redistricting.

On Oct. 28, educational psychologist Alice Jacobs will show how seniors can sharpen their memory in "Memory Can Get Better as We Age: Use it or Lose It!" Jacobs serves on the California State Department of Human Services Senior Wellness and Prevention Task Force. The location will be announced.

For more information on forums and schedules, contact the Renaissance Society at (916) 278-7834 or visit www.csus.edu/org/rensoc. For media assistance, contact the Sacramento State Public Affairs office at (916) 278-6156.

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