Treasures of the Pharaohs–16 October 2026
The Gentrain Society is sponsoring a trip to the De Young Museum for the special exhibit “The Treasures of the Pharaohs.” The exhibit is described
New Faculty Co-ordinator
Our new faculty coordinator is Dr. Heather Crowley. She is a History professor at MPC and will organize the Gentrain course in the fall. Please welcome her to our Gentrain community.
The Treasures of the Pharaohs 16 October
Join us to experience a special exhibit at the De Young Museum. See details.
Fall Course
Classes will resume 18 August. Find a quick guide to registration procedures here.
The Gentrain Society is sponsoring a trip to the De Young Museum for the special exhibit “The Treasures of the Pharaohs.” The exhibit is described
Professor Morgan will speak about the social science of economics–the causes of inflation (too much demand, too little supply and pricing power) and the policies
Seth Gustafson will speak about practical applications of the results findings of environmental studies. Details to follow.

Wednesday March 15, 2023 -1:30 pm – A Titan Of Monterey History – Mr. Pat Hathaway

Tuesday, March 14, 2023 8:45-9:40 Early Islamic visual culture — Gamble 9:55-10:50 The Rise of Islam, Tom
Nancy Johnson, President
It’s time to get excited! The new Gentrain academic year will begin on August 18, and it will bring with it two new team members. First, a new Coordinator has been chosen to succeed the retiring Alan Haffa. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Crowley, a historian trained at Cardiff University in Wales.
Vice President Becky Taylor and I enjoyed meeting Heather over coffee recently. We found her engaging, knowledgeable in her field, and savvy about the administrative challenges of community college teaching. We think she will be an excellent fit for the Gentrain Program.
In other faculty news, a new Literature/Drama instructor is being chosen to join the team. Gamble and Stephanie will be returning to do what they do so well, and, for those of you who love Tom Logan (and who doesn’t), Tom will be back to work his magic on Egypt. He will continue giving insights into other cultures of the ancient world before Heather steps in as Gentrain’s new historian.
If you need any further persuading to return in the fall, consider a few of the many benefits of lifelong learning. In addition to expanding our knowledge, continuous learning has been shown to slow cognitive decline. Staying intellectually active keeps us adaptable and increases self-confidence. It broadens our worldview, and by connecting us with like-minded people, deepens our enjoyment of life. I hope many of you will come to welcome our new instructors this fall as we continue to build our stimulating Gentrain Community.
The Society was formed in 1983 to help financially support the Gentrain Program at Monterey Peninsula College. The dues of $35 per person and $50 per couple, are paid annually and assist the Society to provide programs which include: a special lecture given on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month (free of charge), field trips and special events, and a scholarship fund. The Gentrain Society lends its support to the Gentrain Courses given in four-week, two-hour units on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:45 to 10:50 AM
The Gentrain Society is a non-profit organization established as volunteer auxiliary of Monterey Peninsula College. It
Enjoy all the benefits of membership in the Gentrain Society. Join Today!
It’s
time to get excited!
The new Gentrain academic year will begin on August 18, and it will
bring with it two new team members. First, a new Coordinator has been chosen to
succeed
the retiring Alan Haffa. We are pleased
to welcome Dr. Heather Crowley, a historian
trained at Cardiff University in Wales.
Vice
President Becky Taylor and I enjoyed meeting Heather over coffee recently. We
found her engaging, knowledgeable in her field,
and savvy about the administrative challenges of community college
teaching. We think she will be an excellent fit for the Gentrain Program.
In
other faculty news, a new Literature/Drama instructor is being chosen to join
the team. Gamble and Stephanie will be
returning to do what they do so well,
and, for those of you who love Tom Logan (and who doesn’t), Tom will be back to
work his magic on Egypt. He will continue giving insights into other cultures
of the ancient world before Heather steps in as Gentrain’s new historian.
Your
Gentrain Board is working hard to make the coming year a success. We know that
the new registration system has been challenging, and we want to make
the process easier. Elsewhere in this
issue you will find an article designed to make registering for Gentrain less
daunting. If you would prefer hands-on
help, look for another article announcing an upcoming event where “expert” Society
veterans will be present give assistance.
If you need any further persuading to attend in the fall, consider a few of the
many benefits of lifelong learning. In addition to expanding our knowledge,
continuous learning has been shown to slow cognitive decline. Staying
intellectually active keeps us adaptable and increases self-confidence. It broadens
our worldview, and by connecting us with like-minded people, deepens our enjoyment
of life. I hope many of you will come to welcome our new instructors this fall
as we continue to build our stimulating Gentrain community.
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I am Muhammad Najm Akbar. Call me Najm.
Born in Multan, Pakistan, I had my initial education there.
In the United States, I have graduated twice from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, MA 1995 and MALD, 2011, and have a graduate degree in History from Fresno State, 2022. Middlebury awarded me an MA in Teaching of Foreign Language, in 2009.
Alia and I have lived In Monterey since 2005. Our children are married and engaged in their professional lives in New York.
Our biggest delight is our two granddaughters, the eldest turns four soon, and the youngest is about a year and a half old.
I remained part of the Pakistan Foreign Service for two decades and at the Defense Language Institute taught Urdu for thirteen years until 2018.
I joined the MPC pool of adjunct history instructors in 2022 and have taught courses in Gentrain, World History, US History, and History of World Religions.
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