Academia Hernando Presents “A Visual History of Mapmaking”

A map is far more than a directional tool. It is a timeless document that tells the story and relates the history of a geographic region. Maps come in all shapes, sizes and base materials. And nowadays, the phrase ‘map legend’ has a whole new and richly educational meaning.

Its Spring 2024 Lecture Series continues as Academia Hernando welcomes media expert and seasoned educator Sheryl Long, who will present “A Visual History of Mapmaking” at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 2301 Deltona Blvd., Spring Hill.

Academia Hernando is a not-for-profit lifelong learning organization providing quality instruction and learning experiences for adult students throughout Hernando County and beyond. Their goal is to inform, educate and inspire adult learners through a series of weekly lectures on a wide variety of topics.
“Maps have always fascinated me. As a child, maps revealed so many unknown places that I wanted to visit and explore,” said Long. “Back then, I thought maps were only made of paper but have since learned that they can be made from an amazing variety of materials.”

Sheryl Long graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in mass communications. In her youth, she managed an independent bookstore on Sanibel Island, worked as an artist assistant for Robert Rauschenberg and produced an international television series for WEDU PBS, among other jobs. Her last 17 years in the workplace were in communications and marketing. She has lectured at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Mastering the Possibilities, Academia Hernando, Tampa Bay History Center and other venues. She has a curious mind and loves a good story.

“Another wonderful thing about maps is how they show the constantly changing knowledge of our earth and beyond. Prehistoric maps of an area are far from today’s GPS versions. I love researching and sharing amazing images, fun facts and some mysteries from historical maps.” she said.

Bev Nuzzi, a board member of Academia Hernando, looks forward to welcoming this popular presenter to the Academia stage. “We’re delighted to welcome Sheryl back to Academia Hernando as she presents ‘A Visual History of Mapmaking,'” she said. “She previously took us on a tour of ‘Pirates, Spies and Women Warriors’ Now she is going to explore and educate us about many maps, many of which changed as the lands and regions of the world changed, and meet the cartographers who made those maps.”

“A Visual History of Mapmaking” is the seventh presentation of the Spring 2024 series of Academia Hernando, which features a brilliant spectrum of topics delivered by experts who know them best. The season will continue on March 1 with Bruce Gobioff’s The Science of Star Trek and a March 8 bus excursion or event.

Academia Hernando presentations begin promptly at 10 a.m. and last two hours with a 15-minute intermission. To register for the entire lecture series in addition to a March 8 mystery bus trip or event, print the registration form found at https://www.academiahernando.org/spring-series and mail with your check for $80 payable to Academia Hernando Inc. to Bev Nuzzi
15027 Middle Fairway Drive
Brooksville, FL 34609

Checks can also be brought to an Academia Hernando presentation; walk-in admissions are available at $15 per presentation. Visit https://www.academiahernando.org/ for more information, or call (352) 345-8345 or (352) 515-0300.