Welcome To Lifetime Learning Center
Sharpen Your Mind & Meet New Friends!
We offer daytime, non-credit college-level courses in a wide range of subjects, from literature, history, and opera appreciation to bridge, yoga, and tai chi (geared to older adults), watercolor, quilting, computer classes, and writing your life story. About 35 classes are offered each quarter (Fall, Winter, and Spring). Each class is offered one day a week for eight weeks.
The best way to get to know us is to visit a class. You are welcome to sit in on any class you are interested in - just drop by the office and introduce yourself before class!
Many of our instructors are retired academics. Others are current professionals and artists. All are volunteers who offer their time and expertise. Their reward is the satisfaction of teaching enthusiastic students.
You'll find we are one of the best bargains in continuing education in the Puget Sound region. Our goal is that no student be excluded by the cost of attending our classes. Check our current schedule for class fees.
Special Events
In addition to scheduled classes, the Center invites speakers and performers for lunch events at the Center's auditorium. Our social festivities include the Holiday Faire and auction and a Teacher and Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon.
Our Location
Lake City Presbyterian Church at 3841 NE 123rd St. Seattle, WA 98125, and phone number: (206) 949-8882.
LLC Instructor Profile
Michael Shurgot: You may have seen Michael arriving at LLC on his bicycle. He's been teaching at LLC for six years and is a board member as well an active member of Seattle's environmentalist community.
Michael loves the play of words in literature of all kinds, especially short stories, novels and drama. Although his principal teaching and research interest is Shakespeare, he has taught a wide variety of other literature classes including Ibsen, Hemingway, and Faulkner. Recent offerings at LLC have ranged from Frank O'Connor to Marilynne Robinson's Gilead and Sherman Alexie's The Toughest Indian in the World. During Winter Quarter he is teaching Shakespeare's Twelfth Night; or What you Will as well as Raymond Carver's What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.
Michael grew up in Buffalo, NY and it was there that an influential mentor at Canisius College convinced him that teaching Shakespeare was the best life possible. This led to a PhD from the University of Wisconsin and teaching positions at the University of Texas, Seattle University, and a community college from which he retired in 2006. He has published 2 books on Shakespeare.
It was a chance meeting and conversation with our director, Roger Neale, three years ago that led Michael to join the teaching staff at LLC. He says that LLC has given him the opportunity to teach literature that not only fascinates him and but that he would not otherwise be able to teach in a normal college setting. He adds that it allows him to interact with "dedicated and talented adults who genuinely appreciate powerful literature and contribute wonderfully to discussions."
Growing up in Buffalo led Michael to an early awareness of environmental pollution and he later co-founded a branch of Friends of the Earth in 1970. He has been an award winning environmental activist ever since. His chief form of relaxation is listening to the music of the Baroque period (especially Bach) and modern jazz (especially Miles Davis.). He is a fervid baseball fan and has published several essays on the sport. When asked if he had any prescriptions for aging wisely, Michael said, "Buy and ride a bicycle, walk often, and read constantly. Keep the body and mind active! Aging is scary, inevitable, and challenging. But never let the process get the better of you."
For information about our other dedicated instructors click here: LLC Instructors.