Senior Scholars at Queens

Field Trip: Charlotte Museum of History
2026-05-12 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Charlotte Museum of History, 3500 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC, 28215
DATE: May 12, 2026
TIME: 11:00 am (Tour start time)
COST: $15
ADDRESS: 3500 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215
TRANSPORTATION: Self drive and meet at location or carpool from PUMC.
Enjoy America 250 with this immersive exhibit at the Charlotte Museum of History.
The tour is limited to 25 participants. Reserve your spot by April 29 with a $15 payment to Senior Scholars. For an additional $5, you will have your own histopad. You may share one if you would like.
This tour uses the histopads inside the museum. Afterwards, the tour continues at the Rock House which is a 10 minute walk from the museum.
If you have never been to the museum, this is a wonderful way to see it.
Charlotte Museum of History

Curriculum Committee Meeting - May 13
2026-05-13 13:15 - 14:00 | Zoom Registration Required
Curriculum Committee Meetings are open to Membership.
Join our monthly Curriculum Committee meetings, via Zoom, to hear about upcoming speakers/events or to suggest speakers you know (or have heard speak) and believe would be of interest to your fellow Senior Scholars.
These meetings are always held on the Zoom platform.

How Latin American Countries View the United States with Dr. Gregory Weeks
2026-05-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: How Latin American View the United States
SPEAKER: Dr. Gregory Weeks, Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, UNC Charlotte
Dr. Weeks will discuss U.S.-Latin American relations from the Latin American perspective. This will help us understand how Latin American countries are responding to U.S. policies and actions, and how they assert autonomy.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Weeks is a professor at UNC Charlotte for 26 years. He has published numerous books and articles on Latin American politics and U.S.-Latin American relations. His most recent book is Embracing Autonomy: Latin America-U.S. Relations in the Twenty-First Century, published in 2024.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

What if Health was Built Like Community with Dr. Kimberly Scott
2026-05-22 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: What if Health was Built Like Community?
SPEAKER: Dr. Kimberly Scott, Mecklenburg County, Interim Public Health Director
What truly creates a healthy community? Most people think of health as hospitals, doctors, and medical care, but public health looks beyond the walls of a clinic to the everyday conditions that shape our lives. In this engaging and interactive session, participants will explore how neighborhoods, housing, transportation, food access, and more influence health and quality of life.
Using stories, visuals, and real examples from Mecklenburg County’s Community Health
Assessment and Live Well initiative, the presentation will help attendees understand the factors that shape community health.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Kimberly Scott serves as the interim director of the Public Health Department, one of four departments that make up the Mecklenburg County Health and Human Services Agency. She is responsible for managing all public health and environmental health activities in Mecklenburg County.
Previously, she served as assistant Health director of the Population Health Division and was responsible for facilitating resources to design, implement, and evaluate public health programs and initiatives, building relationships between County Public Health and community partners, increasing access to local public health priority data, and overseeing the operation of the Public Health Department’s Offices of Chronic Disease Policy and Prevention, Violence Prevention, and Health Equity.
Scott has over 15 years of experience as a public health practitioner, working in various settings, including local government, nonprofit organizations, and academia. Scott earned her Bachelor of Science (Biology) degree from Albany State University, her Master of Public Health (Community Health) degree from Georgia Southern University, and her Doctor of Public Health (Public Health Leadership) from the University of South Florida. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist and a National Diabetes Prevention Program Certified Lifestyle Coach.
Profile Link

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

State of the Canopy with Krysten Reilly
2026-05-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: State of the Canopy
SPEAKER: Krysten Reilly, Director of Programs, TreesCharlotte
Charlotte is often called a “City of Trees,” with an urban tree canopy covering roughly about half of the city, making it one of the greenest large cities in the U.S. However, rapid growth and development along with an aging canopy and new environmental stresses have caused gradual canopy loss in recent years. TreesCharlotte will take you through a thoughtful presentation to examine where our city’s tree canopy currently stands and what we are doing to help mitigate tree loss through the county. Maintaining Charlotte’s tree canopy is critical for reducing heat, improving air and water quality, managing stormwater, and preserving overall quality of life as the city continues to grow.

BIOGRAPHY
Krysten Reilly is the Director of Programs at TreesCharlotte, the nonprofit dedicated to growing, diversifying, and stewarding Charlotte’s urban tree canopy. In her role, she leads community-facing programs, helps develop and refine new campaigns such as their Treesilience Initiative and TreeSpeaker program. Additionally, Krysten coordinates the scheduling and implementation of planting, stewardship, education, and outreach events that connect residents with tree care and equity-focused urban forestry work. She’s originally from New England and brings a passion for resilient, community-centered environmental programming to her work in Charlotte.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Spring Luncheon - June 5
2026-06-05 11:30 - 14:00 | Brewers at 4001 Yancey, 4001 Yancey, Charlotte, NC, 28217
SPRING LUNCHEON
Date: June 5, 2026
Time: 11:30 – 2:00 pm
Cost: $47/person
Place: Brewers at 4001 Yancey, 4001-A Yancey Rd. Charlotte, NC 28217. Private dining room with adjacent patio area.
Speaker: Sheri Lynch, radio personality, “The Bob and Sheri Show”
Topic: Anecdotes of 30+ years as an on-air radio personality
Buffet lunch includes:

Caesar salad
Grilled bistro steak and lemon herbed chicken
Whipped potatoes, rosemary vegetables and roasted brussels sprouts
Dessert,
Beverages: iced tea and water (coffee, soft drinks and cash bar available for extra charge).

Sign up at the Welcome/donut desk at Friday meetings starting April 10 until May 29.
$47.00 check to SS or cash.
Mail checks to:
Senior Scholars at Queens
1900 Selwyn Ave
MSC 1409
Charlotte, NC 28274
Checks must be recieved by Friday May 29.
For questions, contact Nancy Stancill at nancy.stancill@gmail.com

A New Future with Rachel Cusick
2026-09-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: A New Future, Discovery Place Nature Museum
SPEAKER: Rachel Cusick, Chief Advancement Officer, Discovery Place Museums
The upcoming new Charlotte Museum of Nature will feature an expanded layout integrated directly into the surrounding canopy and park space, including:

Native Wildlife Habitats: New custom enclosures for North American river otters, a frog bog, and an owl aviary.
Treetop Canopy Walk: An outdoor elevated trail system designed to take advantage of the park’s older forest setting.
Hands-on Naturalist Lab: Immersive indoor spaces designed for local ecosystem schooling and science exploration.
Saplings Zone: A dedicated, nature-inspired indoor play space built explicitly for early childhood discovery.
Public Plaza & Gardens: Free community spaces and gardens facing the Little Sugar Creek Greenway that do not require museum admission.

BIOGRAPHY
Coming soon.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Immigration and Charlotte with Dr. Maggie Commins
2026-09-18 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Immigration and Charlotte: What does it mean to be a “welcoming city?”
SPEAKER: Dr. Maggie Commins, Queens University of Charlotte
Charlotte’s population is growing and changing. We are often told that over 150 people move to the region every day.
What you may not have heard is that Charlotte attracts people from around the world. Almost one in five Charlotte Mecklenburg County residents was born in another country, four times the percentage in 1990.
This changing demography is transforming our city and challenging local governments to connect with and integrate people from many backgrounds. During the national celebration of “Welcoming Week” (September 10th – 19th), join us to explore what it means to be a “Welcoming City,” and whether the Queen City measures up.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Maggie Commins is the Shelton Professor of Political Science and chair of the Department of Political Science, International Studies, and Sociology at Queens University of Charlotte. Her research interests include U.S. immigration policy, municipal immigrant integration, U.S. policy toward Latin America, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, with a focus on pedagogies that encourage students’ civic engagement.
In 2020 Queens honored Maggie with their Hunter-Hamilton Love of Teaching award. Modeling what she encourages in her students, Dr. Commins is actively involved in the Charlotte community. She serves on the Charlotte International Cabinet, an advisory board for the mayor and city council that focuses on promoting both international business and immigrant integration in the Queen City.
She is also a board member of the Latin American Coalition, the city’s oldest immigrant-serving nonprofit organization, and of the National Issues Forum Institute, a national nonprofit that promotes civic dialogue and engagement.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Is Classical Music Irrelevant? with Conductor James Meena
2026-10-02 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Is Classical Music Irrelevant?
SPEAKER: James Meena, Conductor; Founder & President, Charlotte Lyric Theatre
In this presentation, we posit that the preponderance of entertainment, immediate gratification on all levels, shortened attention spans have made classical music irrelevant to modern society.

BIOGRAPHY
Maestro James Meena is a musical entrepreneur. His 50year career in classical music has touched the world of the symphony orchestra, ballet, musical theater and opera.
Mo. Meena consistently earns critical acclaim for his artistic vision and dynamic presence on the podium. His guest conducting engagements have included the Washington Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, L’Opera de Montreal, Michigan Opera Theater, Festivale Puccini Torre del Lago, Teatro del Giglio Lucca, Teatro Pavarotti Modena, Teatro Ravenna, Teatro Sociale Rovigo, the Arizona Opera, Edmonton Opera, the KBS Symphony Orchestra in Seoul, South Korea, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of China, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Cairo Philharmonic in Egypt, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Toledo Symphony, the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Sicily and the Orchestra Regionale Toscana in Florence, Italy. Recently, he led performances of Puccini’s Turandot in the historic Teatro Antica in Taromina Sicily and the Teatro Greco in Siracusa.
For more than a decade he was Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony, General Director of Toledo Opera and conductor for the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. He concluded a 25-year tenure as General Director & Principal Conductor of Opera Carolina in Charlotte in May 2025, after which he founded the new Charlotte Lyric Theatre, an advanced mentorship program for emerging artists. Mo. Meena has conducted legendary singers James McCracken, Renee Fleming, Denyce Graves, Diana Soviero, Mignon Dunn, Marilyn Horne, Sherril Milnes, Jerome Hines, Carl Tanner, Jerry Hadley and Marcello Giordani.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

Learning from the Past with Pat McCrory
2026-10-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: Learning from the Past to Lead Better in the Future
SPEAKER: Pat McCrory, Former NC Governor and Charlotte Mayor
Leadership examples on major decisions made in Charlotte and NC.

BIOGRAPHY
Mayor of Charlotte: 1995-2009
Governor of NC: 2013-2017

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.

“Nazi” POWs in the Tar Heel State with Dr. Robert Billinger
2027-01-29 10:00 - 11:00 | Hybrid: In-Person at PUMC & via Zoom, 2810 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, United States
TOPIC: “Nazi” POWs in the Tar Heel State, 1942-1946
SPEAKER: Dr. Robert D. Billinger, Jr., Emeritus Professor of History, Wingate University
This presentation demonstrates the unique and lasting influence on North Carolinians and their 10,000 German POW “guests” of the POW presence in the state during World War II.
His thesis is that enemies were found to be human.
Main Points include: Uniforms concealed diversity and memories of disunity among the POWs themselves and increasingly good relations with Americans were most lasting in the minds of America’s wartime guests and their hosts.

BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Robert D. Billinger, Jr., is member of the Monroe Rotary Club and an emeritus professor of History at Wingate University. A native of Bethlehem, PA, he graduated from Lehigh University and has graduate degrees from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He was a Fulbright Scholar to Vienna and has written three books: Metternich’s South German Policy; Hitler’s Soldiers in the Sunshine State, and Nazi POWs in the Tar Heel State.
See robertbillingerbooks.com for background and bibliography.

NOTE: Attend in-person at PUMC, no registration required. Attend via Zoom, please register with the Zoom link above.
