Lifelong Learners Institute
The Lifelong Learners Institute offers open courses for the community independent of Canisius College degree programs. Our instructors come from a wide range of academic disciplines to give our courses a broad cross-section of knowledge, experience, and experience. No papers or tests are given! Just much good discussion! Due to continuing COVID-19 protocols, classes meet through Zoom.
Classes meet weekly for six weeks and are limited to 16 students. Cost is $60. Questions? Email us at CALLICMA@canisius.edu.
Spring 2022
Witches & Wives:
Women in the Middle Ages
Thursdays, January 27 to March 3
5:30 to 7:00 PM
Via ZOOM
The trope of the damsel in distress, or princess locked in the tower, is a powerful and pervasive one. In this course, we will look at the role that women played in Medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. With a brief stop in the world of medieval romance, we’ll look at women both fictional and historical to see the roles that women played within the court and in the village. Were they as helpless as we’re made to think? Who were these women, and how different are their lives to ours today in terms of being able to make their own choices?
Session 1: Medieval Romance
Session 2: The Witches
Session 3: The Wives
Session 4: Women at Court
Session 5: Urban Women
Session 6: Women in the Country
Kara Larson Maloney earned her PhD at Binghamton University, writing almost 300 pages on King Arthur’s knights. She’s still not an expert. When not teaching writing or medieval literature at several colleges in Buffalo, she dreams of traveling, and finally finding the time to write that novel. Her most recent pandemic hobbies include baking, welding, and cross-country skiing.

Fall 2021
A Brief History of Byzantium
Jeff Brubaker (Classics)

Spring 2021
The Plague in Medieval Literature
Johanna Fisher (English)
The Crusades
Jeff Brubaker (Classics)


Fall 2020
Arthur: The Once & Future King
Kara Maloney (English)
Tempters & Temptresses: The Medieval Romance
Johanna Fisher (English)


Spring 2020
Jesus: From Messiah to God
Rebecca Krawiec & Matthew Mitchell (Religious Studies/Theology)

Fall 2019
The Vikings
Bridgette Slavin (History)
China & The Silk Roads
David Devereux (History)


Spring 2019
Medieval Art & Architecture
Eileen Sullivan (Art History)
From Odysseus to Harry Potter: The Evolution of the Hero
Robert Butler (English)


Fall 2018
Crown, Sword, & Charter: Making the Monarchy
Julie Gibert (History)
The Seven Wonders: Ancient & Modern
Erin Warford (Classics)


Spring 2018
The Great Persian War: Ancient Greek Influence on Modern Attitudes of War
Thomas Banchich (Classics & History)