The Shepherd’s Center of St. Andrews has successfully completed its first international full-session Zoom course, Poland Past and Present, taught by Dr. Lynn Zimmerman, a Purdue University Professor Emerita and Distinguished Fulbright Scholar. Dr. Zimmerman instructed members from Lublin, Poland, where she is spending a year at Marie Curie-Skłodowska University.
This achievement builds on the Center’s post-pandemic expansion of virtual offerings, which began with a one-hour special in early 2023 titled The 3 R’s: My Life Around the Globe. That presentation, delivered from Llandudno, Wales, featured Rev. Jane Allen, a retired Anglican priest. Allen captivated members with tales of her global adventures, including life in Calcutta, Malaya, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Dr. Zimmerman’s six-part course provided a more focused exploration, tracing Poland’s history and culture while sharing contemporary insights from her time in Central Europe. Her deep international experience includes previous Fulbright Scholar roles in Poland, Belarus, and Moldova, as well as teaching English in Albania, Chad, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan.
Zimmerman connected with the Shepherd’s Center of St. Andrews through its Greensboro, North Carolina counterpart, where she had first volunteered after retiring in 2013. She began teaching for St. Andrews in 2023, presenting courses on the central and eastern European countries where she has worked. She praises the eagerness and enthusiasm of senior learners at organizations like the Shepherd’s Center.
To learn more or explore recent recorded classes, visit shepherdscenterofstandrews.org. Registration for the Winter session opens January 1, with classes starting January 21.
