Personal Enrichment
Just for Fun Courses
Program Overview
Our “Just for Fun” courses are offered for your personal enjoyment and satisfaction, rather than for professional or academic purposes. They give you an opportunity to pursue one’s interests, hobbies, or passions, without the pressure of grades or the expectation of a career-related outcome.
Satisfy your curiosity.
Learn something new and fun.
Connect with others.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Taking courses just for fun is a great way to explore new interests, learn new skills, and expand your knowledge base. It’s also a great way to meet new people and connect with others who share similar interests. Additionally, these courses can provide a sense of personal fulfillment and satisfaction and can serve as a way to relieve stress and promote mental health.
Program Courses
Please click the course titles below for details.
Music for Movies (Feb. 2-March 9, 2026)
NEW! Beginner Pickleball (Feb. 3-24, 2026)
NEW! Intermediate Pickleball (March 17-April 7, 2026)
Urban Hiking Tour of Knoxville (April 8-29, 2026)
NEW! Beginner Pickleball (Aug. 4-25, 2026)
NEW! Introduction to Landscape Painting & Creating Illusionist Space – ONLINE (Sept. 3-Oct. 8, 2026)
NEW! Hidden Influences: Lost Literary Gems of the Twentieth Century – ONLINE (Sept. 3-24, 2026)
NEW! Intermediate Pickleball (Sept. 8-29, 2026)
Exploring the Night Sky (Nov. 2-23, 2026)
The Animated Screen (Nov. 2-30, 2026)
An Exploration of Artificial Intelligence – ONLINE (Nov. 3-Dec. 1, 2026)
NEW! Sourdough Masterclass (Nov. 17, 2026)
Luncheons:
UT Culinary Luncheon – Banquet Style (April 10, 2026)
UT Culinary Luncheon – Tableside (April 17, 2026)
UT Culinary Luncheon – Buffet Style (Oct. 23, 2026)
Student Testimonial
Through the Landscape & Garden Design Certificate, I was able to cultivate the skills and best techniques necessary to properly design and install my own landscape and hardscape concepts. Moreover, I acquired a much more expansive knowledge of local resources, including the instructor’s extensive proprietary plant selection list for our East Tennessee growing zones, which truly made my dream garden outstanding.
Mary Woody, Former Landscape and Design Certificate Student
Meet Your Instructors
Kathaleen Boche
Kathaleen Boche is an educator, writer, and historian. With training as a dancer, analyzing movement and choreography is part of her research and writing. Her writing focuses on dance and nationalism during the Cold War, from ballet to Hollywood musicals. She also has experience in public history, arts administration, and dance criticism.
John Cooper
John Cooper is a retired professor of electronic media and film studies at Eastern Michigan University, where he taught for 30 years. He wrote the instructor’s manual for “Broadcasting, Cable, the Internet and Beyond,” the preeminent text for introductory media students.
Cooper holds a bachelor’s degree in radio, film, and television from Miami (Ohio) University, a master’s degree in telecommunication arts from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in mass communication from Bowling Green State University.
Megan Cooper
Megan Cooper has spent the majority of her career working in copyright and licensing in the higher education and entertainment/media fields. She’s a graduate of Eastern Michigan University (B.S. English) and Arizona State University (MS Legal Studies).
Her professional interests include artificial intelligence, interactive learning, and writing. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, puzzles, and science fiction TV shows.
Paul Lewis
Paul Lewis is a senior teaching lab and tutor specialist for the UT Department of Physics. He is an astronomer extraordinaire, passionate about sharing his love of the night sky with others.
Darien Stathakis
Chef Darien Stathakis is the founder and owner of Bake that Dough. She opened her business back in 2021. She is also a UT Culinary Program instructor and has hired some UT Culinary graduates at her bakery.
She graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, California, with an associate’s degree in baking and pastry. Then, graduated from The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York, with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a concentration in advanced baking and pastry.
Register Today
Explore new interests, learn new skills, and expand your knowledge base.
