Afternoon: Registration and check-in to lodging at hotel from 4-5:30 PM. From 5:30-6:00 PM Orientation for the program week in the conference room. University history and all handout materials will be discussed. Any questions will be answered at this time. (**Please note: schedule is subject to change based on weather, instructor, and class availability.)

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel dining area.

Evening: Introductions and questions answered in the classroom. Evening ends by 8:30 PM.

Lodging: Admiral Semmes Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Morning Classes include Bellingrath Gardens and History of Dauphin Island/Afternoon class on Battle of Mobile Bay/All meals in the hotel/Evening Class

Breakfast: Breakfast served in the hotel dining area.

Morning: Explore Bellingrath Gardens and Home in a class conducted by the property’s curator. Discover how this local attraction was chosen as the only Alabama property featured on the A&E series, America’s Castles. Learn about the 65-acre garden estate, its opening to the public in 1932, and the original owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bellingrath. Local historian tells the interesting story of Dauphin Island. Learn of Indian mounds, fort and the influences of Spanish, British and French on this uniquely historical island.

Lunch: Lunch served in the hotel dining area.

Afternoon: "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" Sail into a class on the Battle of Mobile Bay. A local expert discusses the battle and Mobile, Alabama – the Confederacy’s last major port on the Gulf of Mexico during the Civil War. Discover the roll Fort Gaines played in the Battle.

Dinner: Dinner served in the hotel dining area.

Evening: This evening, enjoy a special presentation on Mobile’s famous Azalea Trail Maids. These fifty young women, selected from area high schools, wear traditional hooped antebellum dresses with pantaloons, gloves, and dainty umbrellas. The Azalea Trail Maids are true ambassadors to the city and exemplify Mobile’s southern charm. This class will definitely remain on your list of favorites for years to come!

Lodging: Admiral Semmes Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning Classes on Dauphin Island and Marine Life/Afternoon Pontoon boat ride/All meals in the hotel/Evening Class

Breakfast: Breakfast served in the hotel dining area.

Morning: Local historian tells the interesting story of Dauphin Island. Learn of Indian mounds, fort and the influences of Spanish, British and French on this uniquely historical island. Discover impressive marine life surrounding Dauphin Island from a Marine Resources staff member. Learn of the research currently going on in the waters surrounding this area, and what changes have been occurring in these waters.

Lunch: Lunch served in the hotel dining area.

Afternoon: Field trip to 5 Rivers Delta this afternoon. Enjoy the museum filled with the Delta’s rich array of natural and cultural resources. Then take a ride into the Delta on a pontoon boat. Look out for alligators, pelicans, osprey and many other Delta creatures.

Dinner: Dinner served in the hotel dining area.

Evening: Learn about the animals and flora and fauna surrounding Dauphin Island. Learn the ecology of this beautiful island.

Lodging: Admiral Semmes Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning Classes on Bellingrath Gardens and the Oil Spill/Field Trip to Bellingrath Gardens/All meals in the hotel/Evening Class

Breakfast: Breakfast served in the hotel dining area.

Morning: Explore Bellingrath Gardens and Home in a class conducted by the property’s curator. Discover how this local attraction was chosen as the only Alabama property featured on the A&E series, America’s Castles. Learn about the 65-acre garden estate, its opening to the public in 1932, and the original owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bellingrath. Understand the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill with a Geologist. With this expert you will talk about the spill, the ways they tried to contain the spill and what they finally did to cap the well. You will also talk about the effects and what we learned from this spill.

Lunch: Lunch served in the hotel dining area.

Afternoon: Tour one of A&E’s “American Castles” – Bellingrath Gardens and Home. Step back in time for a journey through the magnificent 15-room mansion. The home showcases its original collection of treasured antiques, furniture, silver, china, crystal, and cut glass. The exterior features handmade brick and ironwork from a landmark 19th century Mobile hotel. Nestled among beautiful live oaks, Spanish moss, and scenic Fowl River, the 65-acre gardens boast blooms every day of the year. During Spring, enjoy azaleas, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, pansies, camellias, Japanese magnolias, ornamental kale and cabbage, foxglove, delphinium, violas and poppies.

Dinner: Dinner served in the hotel dining area.

Evening: Sit back and relax as you finish your day with an entertaining evening class. From comedy to music or local flair, you will always look forward to what this session offers.

Lodging: Admiral Semmes Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast in the hotel/Field trip to Dauphin Island/Lunch at the pavilion/Free Afternoon/Dinner in the hotel/Evening Class

Breakfast: Breakfast served in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Take a tour of beautiful Dauphin Island, the crown jewel of the Gulf Coast. Begin with the Indian Shell mounds, discover this wonderfully preserved landmark. Next, visit the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Estuarium. This educational facility highlighting the four key habitats of coastal Alabama: the Mobile Tensaw River Delta, Mobile Bay, the Barrier Islands and the Northern Gulf of Mexico. It includes the 10,000 square foot Exhibit Hall and Living Marsh Boardwalk. Finally, discover Historic Fort Gaines. Learn of the forts roll in the history of Dauphin Island and its importance to the Battle of Mobile Bay.

Lunch: Box lunch at the in the park on Dauphin Island.

Afternoon: Take this free afternoon to explore the local hot spots. Visit picturesque downtown Fairhope where you'll find shops, boutiques, cafés, art galleries and gift shops galore. The beaches, a short drive south, provide opportunities for souvenir shopping, beach combing, and relaxation! Make a trip to the causeway to sample the area’s finest cuisine – fresh gulf seafood. While you’re there, don’t miss the USS Alabama Battleship.

Dinner: Dinner served in the hotel dining area.

Evening: Enjoy the last class of the program with an entertaining class. From comedy to music to local flair, you will always look forward to what this session offers.

Lodging: Admiral Semmes Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast in the dining room/Check out and Morning Class on The Oil Spill and its Effect on Animals/Box lunch to go

Breakfast: Breakfast served in the hotel dining room.

Morning: Check out of rooms. Talk with a local expert about how the oil spill effected the animals on the Gulf Coast. What work was done to help them and how we can continue to help.

Lunch: Boxed lunch to go after morning class

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch