Rappahannock Community College’s Rappahannock Institute for Lifelong Learning has announced its spring schedule for non-credit, personal enrichment courses.
These classes offer adult learners a range of opportunities to explore new interests, deepen knowledge and develop practical skills. Two of the RILL courses are scheduled to be held this spring on the Glenns campus.
“Geographic Strategies in Amphibious Warfare” will be held on Mondays, March 2, 9 and 16, from 10 a.m. until noon each session. The class will explore how geography influences major amphibious military operations. Through three historic case studies, the invasions of Tarawa and Iwo Jima in World War II and Inchon in the Korean War, students will explore how elements such as climate, weather, tides, water depth, geology, terrain, infrastructure and human activity affect military decision-making and outcomes.
Retired Army Colonel Dr. Paul Severance is the instructor. He taught military geography at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., for 20 years.
“The Physical Coast” will be held on Wednesdays March 25, April 1 and 8 from 1-3 p.m. each session. In this course, students will explore the major features of the coastline, including beaches, barrier islands and tidal marshes, and the natural forces that shape them. Waves, tides, storm surges, sea-level rise and other powerful processes constantly build, reshape and redefine shores. By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of how coastal environments work.
Dr. Carl Hobbs will be the course’s instructor. He worked for over 40 years at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science specializing in coastal geology and the geology of the Chesapeake Bay region. Hobbs led projects studying the tidal shoreline of Virginia and the environmental consequences of mining offshore sand.
The cost to take either course is $35. Registration is available online at rappahannock.edu/rill or by contacting Donor Engagement Officer Brittany Abdul-Malik at 804-333-6707 or by email at bjenkins@rappahannock.edu.