MICROCOLLEGE: The Thoreau College Podcast

For this episode of the podcast I spoke with Craig Holdrege and Ryan Shea of the Nature Institute in Ghent, New York about the theory and practice of a very different way of doing science, informed and inspired by the work of the great German poet, scientist, and statesman, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. In contrast to the reductionist paradigm of science as it is often practiced elsewhere today, the Goethean approach seeks a perspective on nature characterized by wholeness and interconnection through a sensitive and self-aware methodology in which the relationships between the phenomena and the observer are not forgotten. Craig was a visiting instructor at Thoreau College in 2020 and we are very excited to welcome Ryan to Wisconsin as guest instructor this coming spring during our Spring 2025 Metamorphosis Gap Semester.Craig Holdrege is the Nature Institute's director and spearheaded its founding in 1998. His passion is to develop what Goethe called “delicate empiricism” — an approach that learns from nature how to understand nature and is infused with a cautious and critical awareness of how intentions and habits of mind affect human understanding. Craig carries out studies of animals and plants that tell the story of these organisms as dynamic and integrated beings within the larger web of life. He has written many articles and books, including Seeing the Animal Whole—And Why It Matters, Do Frogs Come from Tadpoles? and Thinking Like a Plant. Before co-founding The Nature Institute, Craig was a high school biology teacher in Waldorf Schools, working in Germany for 12 years and then in the U.S. for nine years. Since the early 1990s, Craig has been involved in teacher training. Craig has a Ph.D. in sustainability education from Prescott College in Arizona. He completed a Masters-level, non-degree program in phenomenological science at the Science Research Laboratory at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, and has a B.A. in philosophy from Beloit College.Ryan Shea taught at Providence College for eight years, including courses in philosophy of science, environmental philosophy, and nature writing. He has B.A. and M.A. degrees in philosophy. He brings to his work at The Nature Institute a broad knowledge of ancient philosophical biology (especially Aristotle), the scientific revolution, phenomenology, German idealism, and Goethean qualitative science. Ryan has been interested in Goethean Science since he was a teenager. He began working part-time for The Nature Institute in spring 2023 and is full-time as of September 2024. He is excited to now have the opportunity to develop Goethean practice through research and teaching. He is interested in pursuing the nature of metamorphosis in different realms of the living world, and what it means to read the “book of nature.” Nature Institute: https://www.natureinstitute.org/Metamorphosis Gap Semester - Spring 2025 - https://thoreaucollege.org/metamorphosis-spring/

On this episode of the podcast we talk with Grace Greenwald, Research Director at the Springboard Foundation for Whole Person Learning about the white paper she recently researched and wrote entitled "Distinctive Pedagogies that Address the "Meaning Crisis' in Higher Education:" Case Studies from Microcolleges and Living-Learning Institutes." This study is a marvelous new resource for the growing Microcollege Movement, featuring case studies of 4 exemplars of this new field: Thoreau College, Outer Coast, the Tidelines Institute, and the Seguinland Institute. Applying concepts from the work of cognitive scientist John Vervaeke on the "meaning crisis," Grace explores ways in which intimate, place based, and physically engaged higher education programs like these help to cultivate a sense of meaning and purpose for their students. Grace Greenwald graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Human Biology concentrating in Neuroethics, and received her M.Ed from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where she studied education leadership and school design. She served on the team building Outer Coast, a nascent liberal arts college in the rural island community of Sitka, Alaska, and later supported The Burke Middle School in Boston and Workshop U in Philadelphia. At Springboard, Grace helps to tell the story of emerging small-scale, place-based schools and their communities through portraiture, research, writing, and narrative. On her own time, Grace is learning her way around a woodshop, and thinking about the role that labor, building, and fabrication could have in our education system.Springboard Foundation for Whole Person Learning: https://www.springboardlife.org/Distinctive Pedagogies that Address the "Meaning Crisis" in Higher Education: https://indd.adobe.com/view/50a1af48-a183-4a1e-91bb-c70ae0defa91Outer Coast: https://outercoast.org/Tidelines Institute: https://www.tidelinesinstitute.org/Seguinland Institute: https://www.seguinlandinstitute.org/Thoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/

This week on the podcast we spoke with Drs. Rutger Engels and Ginie Servant-Miklos, who recently staged the "Bildung Climate School," a part-type summer pilot program in Rotterdam, the Netherlands that draws inspiration from the model of the Danish folk high school as described by Lene Rachel Andersen in The Nordic Secret as well as from the microcolleges in the United States. Carefully structured from a research perspective to test pedagogical strategies and program impacts for future prototypes and initiatives, the Bildung Climate School brought together students from differing tracks of the Netherlands' highly stratified post-secondary education system for 2 hours per day for 9 weeks during the summer of 2024. The program they experienced put into practice elements of what Ginie calls "the pedagogies of collapse," combining a frank examination of the sobering ecological and economic challenges facing humanity with embodied artistic and social practices and techniques for working through anxiety, building community, and even having fun.Ginie Servant-Miklos is an engaged environmental educator with fifteen years of experience in education practice, research, and advocacy. She currently holds an Assistant Professorship in behavioural sciences at the Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Her research and education work focuses on developing innovative pedagogies for societal impact. She developed the Experimental Pedagogics educational design framework, co-founded the Bildung Climate School with Prof. Rutger Engels, and is the author of Pedagogies of Collapse: A Hopeful Education for the End of the World as We Know It. She is a Senior Fellow of the Comenius Network for educational innovators in the Netherlands. She is the founder and chair of the board of the FairFight Foundation, an organisation that provides girls and women from Zambia, Zimbabwe, and India with the mental and physical benefits of martial arts practice, as well as educational support. Ginie is a vocal activist for sustainability and gender equality, advocating for change through public engagements like TEDx talks, debates, podcasts, and other digital media outlets. Ginie obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from the University of Kent, an LLM in International Law from Kent Law School, an MA in International Relations from Sciences Po Lille, a PhD in Education Philosophy and Psychology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, and a post-doctoral research grant in Sustainability Education from Aalborg University. She was also a visiting professor in Experimental Pedagogics at Tyumen University.Rutger Engels, PhD, is an award-winning full professor in Developmental Psychopathology, at the Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR), and a board member of the venture philanthropy ‘De Verre Bergen'. Dr Engels received his MA in Psychology at the University of Groningen, his Ph.D. at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Maastricht, followed by a post-doc at Utrecht University. In 2001, he was appointed as a professor in Nijmegen. From 2014-2018, he was CEO of the Trimbos Institute, the National Institute for Mental Health and Addictions, and a distinguished professor in Developmental Psychopathology at Utrecht University. From 2018-2021, he was Rector Magnificus of EUR, one of the top public research universities of Europe. Currently, he is cofounding a specialized mental health clinic on psychedelic-assisted treatments. His fundamental and applied research focuses on mental health and substance use in adolescents and adults. In the last decades, he has coordinated programs aiming to design, test, and ship (technology-enabled) interventions for mental health, addictions, resiliency, and personal growth.

In this episode of Microcollege, we speak with Felipe Medina and Jakob Seidler, two of the co-founders of Suna Barichara, an aspiring microcollege and educational center located in a remarkable rural community and dry tropical forest biome in the mountains of Colombia. According to their website, Suna Barichara is "a living education platform created to support people become the authors of their lives and weave futures of connection and reciprocal flourishing of life. This is what we mean by growing whole... Suna offers an open registry and series of learning routes, that grant locals and visitors the possibility of meeting meaningfully to learn how to live better on earth in connection. Suna is a Muysca word that means the meeting of important or sacred paths."Join us for an inspiring conversation about the influences and life experiences that have led Felipe and Jakob to this project and about how thoughtfully enacted place based education might serve as an alternative to the extractive industries that have done so much damage in rural areas of Latin America and elsewhere in the world.Suna Barichara: https://sunabarichara.com/Thoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/

Join us this week for a conversation with Hannah Schwartz about her life devoted to the service of community and people with disabilities in the context of the Camphill Movement. She was a founder and longtime leader of the Heartbeet Lifesharing Camphill Village in Hardwick, VT and is now engaged with the founding of a new community called Riverflow, in Monkton, VT. Riverflow aspires to create wholeness in life for everyone who is part of and connected to the community. United by meaningful work, community members with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities form friendships, gain vocational skills, and pursue dignified, self-directed lives. Hannah formed and cofounded Heartbeet Lifesharing in 2000. She served as the community ' s Executive Director and Development Director, drawing on her lifelong experience with social therapy and her commitment to bringing the lifesharing philosophy to community-based care for adults with developmental disabilities in Vermont. Hannah dedicated over 20 years to Heartbeet and during her tenure there joined national and statewide conversations and action to expand meaningful options for adult life, removing barriers and increasing opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. Hannah pursued a Masters in Special Education at Antioch New England, graduating in 2016. In 2020, Hannah felt called to leave Heartbeet Lifesharing, to deepen and expand her understanding of diversity, equity, justice and inclusion, through a social work and policy lens, at the University of Vermont in their Masters of Social Work program. Hannah has dedicated her working life to embodying alternative, diverse systems of care with a special focus on neurology. She is a social researcher, innovator and leader in cutting edge thinking who is dedicated to encouraging all to reach their highest potential.Riverflow Community: https://www.riverflowcommunity.org/Heartbeet Lifesharing: https://heartbeet.org/Camphill Association of North America: https://www.camphill.org/

Patrick Doyle is a theater-maker, director, writer, poet, and dancer, who has spent a life time turning old buildings into theaters. Patrick is also a certified Waldorf teacher and thrilled to be bringing a new rendition of this production of GIVEN to Viroqua with the Thoreau College students.RSVP on Facebook for the event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/EvgL6sWBFZV3arrg/Reserve tickets here: https://thoreaucollege.ludus.com/index.php

This week on the podcast I speak with Kim Vaughan and Megan Durney of the Threefold Community Farm in Chestnut Ridge, NY, just outside of New York City. Threefold Community Farm is one of the key centers for the practice of biodynamic agriculture, as well as the training of biodynamic farmers through the Pfeiffer Center. Biodynamic agriculture is a spiritually-informed model of farming flowing from the work of Rudolf Steiner and it has had a big impact as one of the original forms of organic agriculture. Join us to learn more about the rich cultural community in which the Threefold Community Farm is located as well as about how they work to train students and farm interns in the heightened forms of perception and awareness that are required by biodynamics.Megan Durney is Co-Manager of Threefold Community Farm. She collaboratively oversees the vegetable, nursery plant, herb, seed and bee operations, heads up intern training, is an instructor in their One-Year Part-Time Training in Biodynamics, and serves as a board member of the Nature Institute. Megan joined the Pfeiffer Center as an intern in 2006 and became a staff member in 2010. In 2014-2015, she studied seed saving and CSA management under Harald Hoven at Raphael Garden in Fair Oaks, CA, later bringing that knowledge back to the Pfeiffer Center and launching a thriving CSA program, now in its ninth season. Kim Vaughan is Herdsperson and Dairy Manager of Threefold Community Farm, heading up the only dairy herd in Rockland County, NY. She supports all aspects of farm operations, fundraising and administration. Kim first met biodynamics at a year-long course with Harald Hoven at Raphael Garden in Fair Oaks, CA. She soon joined their CSA and became a star volunteer, serving on the steering committee, organizing fundraisers, and milking the cows on weekends. In 2016, Kim stepped away from Waldorf kindergarten teaching to become a full-time apprentice at Raphael Garden, followed by a summer at Fulcrum Farm in Grass Valley, CA, where she helped tend a small herd of Scottish Highland cows. She is currently in her seventh season living her dream job of professional cow cuddler. Threefold Community Farm & the Pfeiffer Center - https://threefoldcommunityfarm.org/ Thoreau College - https://thoreaucollege.org

This week's guest on the Microcollege podcast is Dr. Dan McKanan, a professor at the Harvard Divinity School who is one of the foremost American scholars of biodynamic agriculture and the Camphill communities, two influential movements applying the ideas of Rudolf Steiner in practical fields. In our conversation, we learn about Dan's own formative experiences in intentional communities with spiritual roots and a focus on radical social transformation, as well as the ways in which elite universities like Harvard sometimes fail to live up to their calling to help young people find their way to lives of service.Dan serves as the Ralph Waldo Emerson Unitarian Universalist Senior Lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, where he has taught since 2008. He studies religious and spiritual movements for social transformation in the United States and beyond, with particular emphasis on environmental activism, intentional communities, and socialism. Much of his research focuses on the Unitarian Universalist tradition and the anthroposophical movement. He is the author of six books, among them Camphill and the Future: Spirituality and Disability in an Evolving Communal Movement, Eco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism, and Prophetic Encounters: Religion and the American Radical Tradition. Earlier works explored the Catholic Worker movement and nonviolent activism in the early nineteenth century.Links: Dr. Dan McKanan: https://hds.harvard.edu/people/dan-mckananCamphill and the Future: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520344082/camphill-and-the-futureEco-Alchemy: Anthroposophy and the History and Future of Environmentalism: https://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520290068Thoreau College: www.thoreaucollege.org

On today's episode we discuss the concept of "third places" with Dr. Richard Kyte, author of the forthcoming book Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way). What is a "third place"? According to Dr. Kyte: "Your first place is home, your second place is work, and your third place is where you go to socialize. As more of our lives are spent online and in digital spaces, these often overlooked "Third Places" play a crucial role in keeping our communities vibrant."Join me for a fascinating conversation with a longtime leader in higher education and civic life here in western Wisconsin for a discussion of why third places are important, how they have become harder to find, and how to remedy this in our lives and communities. We also discuss the state of liberal arts education, the ways in which college campus can facilitate vibrant community life among students, and what role microcolleges might play in all of this.Dr. Richard Kyte -A native of northern Minnesota, Rick Kyte is the Endowed Professor and Director of the D. B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin where he teaches a variety of courses in ethics dealing with issues in business, leadership, and the environment. He received his undergraduate degree from Hamline University and his Ph.D. in philosophy from The Johns Hopkins University in 1994. He writes a regular column for Lee Newspapers titled “The Ethical Life.” He serves on the board of the La Crosse Community Foundation and LeaderEthics-Wisconsin. Links:Dr. Kyte's Website: https://www.richardkyte.net/Finding Your Third Place: https://www.fulcrumbooks.com/product-page/finding-your-third-placeThe D. B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership: https://www.viterbo.edu/db-reinhart-institute-ethics-leadershipThoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/The Microcollege Network: https://www.hylo.com/groups/microcollege-network

In this episode of the Microcollege podcast, join me for a fascinating conversation with Eric Schwarz, Co-Founder and CEO of the College for Social Innovation (CFSI), which offers semester-long immersive service learning internships in partnership with community organizations in the Boston area, as well as on college campuses throughout the northeast and midwestern United States. CFSI participants are primarily current college students who receive a semester of college credit from one of several partner universities, while living with other CFSI students and participating in supportive workshops and courses. This year, CFSI is also launching a version of their programming for gap year students.An experienced social entrepreneur, Eric is the Co-Founder and CEO of the College for Social Innovation (CFSI), which seeks to "educate and inspire the next generation of problem solvers for humanity's tough challenges.” CFSI seeks to build a bigger, better prepared, and more diverse talent pipeline for the social impact sector through its flagship Semester in the City experiential learning program in Boston and a new national Semester for Impact program launched in 2023. Eric is also Co-Founder and former CEO of Citizen Schools, an apprenticeship-based model for out of school time learning, which has had a positive impact on the after-school and extended learning time fields across the U.S. Prior to starting Citizen Schools in 1995, Eric served as vice president of City Year, the national service program, and as a journalist at The Oakland Tribune and The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, MA) where he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Eric is a member of the board of Citizen Schools, College for Social Innovation, and Crimson Goes Blue. He is a past board member of First Night, The Breakthrough Collaborative, Do Something, Beyond12, the Harvard Outward Bound Project, and past chair of the FAO Schwarz Family Foundation and of Citizen Schools. Eric is the author of the critically-acclaimed book, The Opportunity Equation, the co-editor of The Case For 21st Century Learning, and the author of numerous articles and book chapters, including “Calling All Citizens” in The New York Times best-selling Waiting For Superman.Eric graduated from the University of Vermont (B.A.) in 1983 and from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (M. Ed) in 1997. He lives in Brookline, MA with his wife and two children.College for Social Innovation: https://collegeforsocialinnovation.org/CFSI Gap Semester: https://collegeforsocialinnovation.org/gap-semesterCitizen Schools: https://www.citizenschools.org/Thoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/The Microcollege Network: https://www.hylo.com/groups/microcollege-network

Today's guests are Andrea de la Cruz and Nathaniel Williams, leaders in the area of educational courses and the youth movement at the Goetheanum, located in Dornach, Switzerland. The Goetheanum is a remarkable building, a masterpiece of modern architecture nestled in the green foothills near Basel. It is also an organization that lies at the heart of anthroposophy, the spiritual and cultural movement flowing from the life and work of Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Waldorf schools. As such, the Goetheanum is home to a variety of artistic, scholarly, and social activities, as well as educational programs for youth and adults of all ages. In this episode, Andrea and Nathaniel share their own stories and describe the remarkable international community that gathers in Dornach for these programs, as well as how the anthroposophical youth movement manifests elsewhere in Europe and around the world.Andrea de la Cruz -Born in 1989 in Madrid, Spain, Andrea has been working with young people and in adult education in international settings since 2011. She coordinates the Studies & Further Education Department of the General Anthroposophical Section at the Goetheanum, Switzerland, where she develops educational activities on basic Anthroposophy together with the faculty team. In 2015 she took part in the Goetheanum's Anthroposophical Studies as a student, which marked a turning point in her life as she encountered the works of Rudolf Steiner. She then joined the Youth Section and worked as a youth researcher and facilitator of informal/experiential learning programmes from 2017-2022. Andrea holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Community Theatre, and Drama and Theatre Arts from Edinburgh and London, has a Waldorf Teacher Certification and is currently completing her MA in Pedagogical Innovation.Nathaniel WIlliams -Originally from the state of Alabama, Nathaniel has served as the leader of the Youth Section of the Goethenum since 2023. Prior to this role, he was the co-founder of Free Columbia with Laura Summer in upstate New York, which included a microcollege initiative known as the MC Richards Program. He studied visual art and marionette theatre in Basel, Switzerland, graduating with a certificate in visual art from the neueKUNSTschule in 2002. He also received a PhD in Political Theory from the University of Albany.Links:The Youth Section of the Goetheanum: https://youthsection.org/enGoetheanum Studium: https://studium.goetheanum.ch/enThoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/The Microcollege Network: https://www.hylo.com/groups/microcollege-network

Blake Boles is one of the leading voices in the world of unschooling and a passionate advocate for alternative approaches to education of all kinds. He is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures, a travel program for self-directed learners, and is the author of Why Are You Still Sending Your Kids to School?, The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. Blake and his work have appeared on The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, BBC Travel, Psychology Today, Fox Business, TEDx, The Huffington Post, USA Today, NPR, and the blogs of Wired and The Wall Street Journal. In 2003 Blake was studying astrophysics at UC Berkeley when he stumbled upon the works of John Taylor Gatto, Grace Llewellyn, and other alternative education pioneers. Deeply inspired by the philosophy of unschooling, Blake custom-designed his final two years of college to focus exclusively on education theory. After graduating he joined the Not Back to School Camp community and began writing and speaking widely on the subject of self-directed learning. In his previous lives, Blake worked as a high-volume cook, delivery truck driver, summer camp director, Aurora Borealis research assistant, math tutor, outdoor science teacher, camp medic, ski resort market researcher, web designer, and windsurfing instructor. His biggest passion is sharing his enthusiasm and experience with young adults who are blazing their own trails through life. He was born in 1982.Blake's Website: https://www.blakeboles.com/Unschool Adventures: https://www.unschooladventures.com/Not Back to School Camp: https://www.nbtsc.org/Thoreau College: www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: www.driftlessfolkschool.org

This week on the Microcollege podcast we explore the deeply important and little discussed question of who the farmers of the future will be and how they will be educated. Our guest is Christine Deck, co-owner of the Deck Family Farm in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Together with her husband John and their 5 kids, Christine runs a diversified organic farm that is also a remarkable residential hands-on school for aspiring young farmers, which gives students a chance to try out entrepreneurial ideas and even pays them a meaningful stipend while they do it.Christine Deck's journey as a farmer has been built out of determination, and a deep-rooted passion for sustainable farming. Raised in the farming heartland of California's San Joaquin Valley, Christine grew up in a farming family that stretched back through generations. Her paternal grandfather tended to beef herds and walnut groves, while her maternal grandfather dedicated himself to dairy farming. However, the landscape of farming changed in the early 1970s when policies favoring large-scale corporate farming left small family operations like theirs struggling to survive. The trend was "Get big or get out!"Despite seeing her family legacy lost to big AG Christine held onto the dream of traditional, sustainable and organic farming. Pursuing higher education at UC Davis as an animal science major, she initially aimed to attend medical school, viewing it as a means to gain the financial resources necessary to fulfill her farming aspirations. It was during her time at UC Davis that she met and married John Deck, and their shared vision for their future began to take shape.As their family grew to include 5 children, so did their dreams of farming. By the time Christine graduated from UC Berkeley in Neurobiology and John completed his Master's in Environmental Science, it was obvious that the high land prices and barriers to entry in California's farming scene required them to seek opportunities elsewhere.In 2004, the Deck family made the decision to relocate to the Willamette Valley of Oregon, where land was more affordable and conducive to their farming ambitions. There, they founded Deck Family Farm, a thriving operation encompassing a diverse range of endeavors. From raising beef, hogs, and meat birds to producing cheese, butter, and eggs, the farm has grown to encompass a market garden, orchard, and tree nuts.Deck Family Farm is not just a business; it's also a community. With over 500 acres of grazed and cultivated land, 30 dedicated employees, and an education program welcoming 8-10 students annually, the farm is home to many of the “Farmily” members and a beacon of sustainable agriculture. From attending farmers' markets and running a CSA program to supplying grocery stores, institutions, and wholesale accounts, Deck Family Farm embodies the values of stewardship, quality, and community enrichment that Christine and John hold dear.Now in their late 50's with adult children and grandchildren on the farm the Deck's are looking at the future and with the farm trainee program they continue to answer the question of who will be the next generation to hold the practice of environmental stewardship, food sovereignty, and community engagement. Christine's hope is that her work will ignite and inspire more young farmers to invest in the farming lifestyle for generations to come.Deck Family Farm: https://www.deckfamilyfarm.com/Thoreau College: www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Philip Francis is the Director and Co-Founder of the Seguinland Institute, an innovative gap year program provider located in beautiful Georgetown, Maine. Philip is a native son of the region, where his parents settled to become homesteaders under the influence of Scott and Helen Nearing, authors of the early 20th century back-to-the-land classic Living the Good Life: How to Live Sanely and Simply in a Troubled World. Today, Philip and his wife, co-founder Marsha Dunn, share this powerful legacy at the Seguinland Institute with gap year students through the "Good Life Gap Semester" and other programs hosted on their spectacular forest campus dotted with cabins and treehouses, animated by the heartbeat of the tides that flood the tidal salt marshes twice each day.Philip is a scholar of art and religion with a PhD from the Harvard Divinity School. He completed a postdoc at UPenn and professorships at Carleton College and Manhattan College before returning to his home state as Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at UMaine Farmington. His book, When Art Disrupts Religion, was published by Oxford University Press in 2017.The Seguinland Institute is an important leader within the microcollege movement and a close collaborator with Thoreau College under the auspices of Springboard, a wonderful new nonprofit supporting education of this kind, which hosted a convening of educators at Seguinland in June 2023.Seguinland Institute: https://www.seguinlandinstitute.org/When Art Disrupts Religion: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/when-art-disrupts-religion-9780190279769?cc=us&lang=en&Springboard: https://www.springboardlife.org/Thoreau College: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Join the Microcollege Movement!: https://www.hylo.com/groups/microcollege-network

For the 50th Episode of the Microcollege Podcast, we checked back in with one of our favorite guests from the first few months of the show. Lene Rachel Andersen is one of the stimulating and ambitious thinkers we have met during this remarkable journey. A native of Denmark, Lene is an economist, futurist, Bildung activist, and author of many books in Danish and English. The occasion for this conversation is the upcoming release of a significantly revised new edition of Lene's landmark book The Nordic Secret: A European Story of Beauty and Freedom. Originally published in 2017 with the collaboration of Swedish author Tomas Björkman, the new edition of The Nordic Secret will be available in late January 2024. Lene will be traveling to the West and East Coasts of the US in January and February as well, with plans for a visit to the Midwest (including Thoreau College) in late summer or early fall in the works as well.The Nordic Secret is an important text for anyone seeking hopeful inspiration and practical advice about what could be done with regards to the collapse of civic engagement, social cohesion, and personal sense of meaning in our time in the United States and elsewhere. The book tells the remarkable story of how Denmark and the other Nordic countries made the transition from being among the poorest, most socially stratified, and authoritarian countries in Europe in the early 19th century to being the most wealthy, egalitarian, and democratic counties in the early 20th century. The "secret" in Lene's title turns out to be a revolutionary new model of education for young adults - the Danish folk high schools - grounded in a deeply humanistic conception of the human being and of human development. Lene labels this conception "Bildung," a term with deep roots in the thought and practice of key early modern German thinkers including Herder, Goethe, and Schiller, who in turn inspired the creators of the folk high school movement in Denmark (and also the Transcendentalists in America, including Emerson and Thoreau).Testing the hypothesis that what worked in Scandinavia may work elsewhere, Lene has spent the last several years working to instigate and support a global Bildung movement. In addition to her writing and speaking, Lene is the co-founder of the Global Bildung Network, a worldwide network of educators, thinkers, and activists collaborating online and in person to share ideas and promote the idea of Bildung in ways appropriate to diverse cultures and contexts. The Global Bildung Network organizes twice-yearly virtual "Global Bildung Days" on the March and September equinoxes, as well as regional gatherings in Europe and now in North America. So if this conversation is inspiring to you, check out the Global Bildung Network and find out how to get involved.Nordic Bildung: www.nordicbildung.orgGlobal Bildung Network: www.globalbildung.netThe Nordic Secret: www.nordicsecret.org/

Jill Nephew, technologist and founder of Inqwire, joins the podcast for a thorough discussion on different forms of intelligence, questions of meta-crisis in the modern world, and solutions.Inqwire: https://www.inqwire.io/Some books mentioned in this episode:The Art of Memory by Frances YatesThe Book of Why by Judea PearlWestern Estoericism: A Guide for the Perplexed by Wouter J. HanegraafWhat is Real? The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics by Adam BeckerSomnium by Johannes KeplerThe Nordic Secret: A European Story of Beauty and Freedom by Lene Rachel Andersen and Tomas BjorkmanLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Liz Rog believes in singing together as an ancient technology for belonging, a simple and powerful tool for restoring our connection in community. She sings with all ages, teaching simple songs that can be woven into the seasons of the year and the changes and challenges of our lives in play, at bedsides, at rallies and in rituals. Liz delights in helping folks rediscover their ancestral birthright of group singing to nurture collective joy, courage and healing and supports songleading leadership practices to nurture our collective unfolding. In 2021, with friends and family Liz helped to create the Center for Belonging Folk School where people of all ages are welcomed to share stories, songs, food, handcraft, laughter and tears, all nested in a beautiful gazebo in a pristine wooded hollow near Decorah, Iowa.Amy Arnold grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and studied ceramics at the University of Minnesota. She enjoys growing and raising food for her family, community organizing, and singing with family and friends.Center for Belonging Folk School: https://www.centerforbelonging.earth/Ubuntu Choir Network: https://www.ubuntuchoirs.net/Highlander Folk School: https://highlandercenter.org/The Bird Sings: https://thebirdsings.com/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Philippe Mesly is a writer and translator whose work examines intersections of political economy, religion, and environmental issues. He is also a trained horticulturalist and craftsperson.Julia Henderson is a writer whose work examines the intersections of religion and philosophy, with particular emphasis on Christian mysticism. She currently lives in Toronto with her cat, Duck.Explore the Organic Metaphor in Politics course here: https://thoreaucollege.org/winter-program/Learn more about the Great Lakes Institute here:https://www.greatlakesinstitute.netLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement here: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Chris Barlow joins the podcast to talk about the High Mountain Institute in Leadville, Colorado and wax poetic on the importance of gap year experiences and alternative educational opportunities for young people in our time.Chris hails from Tennessee and has held myriad roles at HMI dating back to 2005 when he worked as a Spanish apprentice and English teacher. After a number of years working in traditional classrooms and a range of outdoor programs, Chris returned to co-found the HMI Gap in 2014 with his partner Becca. In addition to his work overseeing Gap, Summer Term, and other short programs, Chris enjoys spending his free time in the great outdoors, climbing, running, and camping with Becca, and his daughter, Aven.Explore Gap Year experiences all throughout the month of October during Gap Year Exploration Month! https://www.gapyearassociation.org/gap-year-exploration-month/ The High Mountain Institute engages students with the natural world, boldly uniting rigorous intellectual inquiry, experiential learning, wilderness expeditions, and shared responsibility in a strong community. HMI students realize their potential—as leaders, independent thinkers, and thoughtful citizens.High Mountain Institute: https://hminet.org/Gap Year Association: https://www.gapyearassociation.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Keri McWilliams joins the podcast for Gap Year Exploration Month, October 2023, to talk about the breadth and variety of Gap Year experiences a young person can find!Keri McWilliams joined the Gap Year Association as the organization's Executive Director in January 2022. Born and raised in Montana, Keri currently resides in Missoula, MT where she also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Montana. Keri has been introducing University of Montana students to the importance, role and purpose of the nonprofit sector since 2014.With nearly 20 years of experience in fundraising, grant writing, program management, board governance and nonprofit finance, Keri has worked for, and consulted with, a variety of nonprofit organizations over her professional career. It was through her own gap year experience with AmeriCorps that Keri developed her interest in and passion for the nonprofit sector. During her gap year, she lived in community with 16 other young adults while volunteering at a large homeless shelter in downtown St. Paul, MN.Keri holds a B.S. in Health Promotion from the University of Montana and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a Certificate in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Oregon. When not in the office or classroom, she can be found on adventure of some sort involving hiking, backpacking, cycling, or kayaking with her canine companion, Kona.Gap Year Association: https://www.gapyearassociation.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

The High Desert Center runs gap year programs for adventurous spirits from their home base in Paonia, Colorado, and extending out into Mexico, India, and other environs around the world.High Desert students learn to grow and prepare their own food, explore mindfulness practices practical folk arts, crafts and skills, all while living communally and engaging with rural and traditional lifeways and communities from Colorado to India.Dev Carey is a lover of adventure and the kind of learning that changes who we are and how we see the world. Dev earned a Ph.D. in ecology and later discovered that while chasing butterflies made him happy, education made him passionate. He's been sharing adventures with young people ever since. In the late 90's he became an advocate for students and families learning outside of the classroom, and started The Vision Program, which utilizes public funds to support over 600 students in learning however and wherever they want while still earning a diploma. Dev has worked for Sterling College, with inner city youth as a VISTA Volunteer, as a counselor at Not Back to School Camp, and as a river guide. He is most fulfilled when working outside of traditional classrooms, mentoring students to figure out how to lead a life full of meaningful, wonderful moments.High Desert Center: https://highdesertcenter.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org#gapyear #gapyearexploration #gapyearexplorationmonth #gapyearadventure #highdesertcenter #thoreaucollege

Ben Samuels & Max Feigelson are current Deep Springs College students who have joined the podcast this week to discuss their experiences at the infamous Deep Springs College cattle ranch campus for cowboy philosophers and future world leaders.Both Ben & Sam attended Bard High School in New York City. In the podcast, they remark on the drastic differences between Deep Springs and most other institutions of higher education, including the academic rigor, diversity of perspectives, and the way in general that colleges market and promote themselves -- namely, the promotion of luxury experiences at many state schools.Bard Early College High School: https://bhsec.bard.edu/League of Nunnian Schools: https://www.deepsprings.edu/wp-content/uploads/TheLeagueOfNunnianSchools2023-09-18.pdfLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Gordon S. Jones, NAS, Provost, Trustee, and Professor. M.Phil, Political Science, George Washington University; MA, Education, Stanford University; BA, U.S. History, Columbia University; adjunct faculty at Utah Valley University and Salt Lake Community College; co-founder of United Families of America (now United Families International). Served as staff to members and committees of the U.S. House and Senate, and as director of congressional relations for a variety of federal departments and for several outside policy and political organizations and think tanks.Jennifer Jensen, Ph.D., NAS, President, Trustee, and Professor, Ph.D. Constitutional Studies, George Wythe University; MA, Political Economy, George Wythe College; BA, Brigham Young University. President, Trustee, Professor at MLC. NAS Utah Chapter Secretary. Previous experience: Adjunct Faculty and Graduate Dean, George Wythe University, Adjunct Faculty, BYU-Idaho, Presenter at the 68th U.N. Civil Society Conference, Board Member and blogger for Gathering Families, author of Raising Intentional Parents as well as two biographies, volunteer with various organizations, and homeschool mom of 25 years.Mt. Liberty College: https://mountlibertycollege.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Dawn Breeze is a creativity advocate, change agent, and internationally awarded artist, living and working in Germantown, NY. She consults on creativity and leadership with global organizations and progressive institutions, as well as with individual entrepreneurs and leaders. Breeze is committed to building community through creativity.Her social projects include: Place Corps, a progressive education institute founded in 2019 and offering a variety of residencies, fellowships, and community learning opportunities to know, love, and serve our places, Instar Lodge, the non-for-profit arts project space she founded and directed, Wayfinding: Imaging History with (Our)story, a mapping odyssey at Olana State Historic Site, and her creativity curriculum Creativity + Courage™ which she leads as participatory workshops throughout New England for institutions, corporations, and recovery programs.She has demonstrated her vision and voice through her expansive and eclectic publishing projects and art exhibitions. Such as Girls in Trees, a widely acclaimed anthology edited by writer Rebecca Godfrey featuring thirty-three artists including: Sharon Olds, Nick Flynn, Samantha Hunt and others. As well as her recent self-published book of poetry, Breath 40x inspired by her work with iconic poet Bernadette Mayer.Learn about the breadth and variety of Dawn's work at http://www.dawnbreeze.org/PlaceCorps: https://www.placecorps.org/Kingston Fellowship: https://www.placecorps.org/kingstonfellowshipInstar Lodge: http://instarlodge.com/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Jenny Finn has designed structures that foster vitality in people, communities, and organizations for nearly 30 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Sustainability Education and is a co-founder of Springhouse Community School in Pilot, Virginia. Jenny's research, mentoring, and teaching invites people to strengthen the relationship they have with themselves in order to serve the world with greater clarity, courage, compassion, and creativity. Her work has taken many forms including non-profit leadership, trauma and hospice care, chaplaincy, clinical private practice, community-building through the expressive arts, and education. Jenny lives on a farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her husband Andy and their many furry friends, and she is the mother of Andrew and Lizzie. She loves riding the Peloton bike, swimming, spending time with family and friends, and watching a good British mystery.Springhouse Community School: https://springhouse.org/Find Jenny on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-finn-a7752a131?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2FLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Evan Edwards pioneered the Thoreau College Residency from August-December 2020, when he served as the “Captain of Nourishment” – drawing on deep experience as a professional chef to plan, cook, and serve meals for Thoreau College Semester Program students and staff, while also processing produce from Thoreau College gardens and helping students plan meals for their residential houses. In addition, he taught cooking and kitchen skills workshops and led a series of academic sessions on the key figures of phenomenology, including Husserl, Heidegger, and Merleau-Ponty. At the same time, Evan used his Residency to work on his PhD dissertation in Philosophy from DePaul University, which he completed in 2022. His dissertation, entitled Autotrophy of the Other: On Food and Hospitality, drew heavily on his experience at Thoreau College, and is focused on the intersection of contemporary philosophies of food and of plant life. He is currently a visiting assistant professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Grand Valley State University.Autotrophy of the Other: On Food and Hospitality: https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/331/#:~:text=It's%20my%20doctoral%20dissertation%2C%20but,individuals%20that%20facilitate%20our%20nourishment.Contact Evan directly @ the.laurentian.gr@gmail.comLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Ethan Kobayashi-Hsieh is a practice researcher, theatre practitioner and transformational facilitator working in the intersection between actor training and 4E cognitive science. He is the co-founder of The Integrative Approach and Methodology of Active Transformation (TIAMAT), as well as the Artistic Director of 5tomidnight, an arts organization stretching across Taiwan, Indonesia and Japan, where he leads a team that creates platforms and opportunities that foster intercultural exchange and increases the cultural mobility of artists across a wide range of disciplines and experiences.5tomidnight: https://www.5tomidnight.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School:https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Muhammad Bassyouny and Ahmed Yehia are two of the founders (along with Alaa Ahmed) of Nour Holistic Education, which immerses students in the tradition, nature, and the ancient lifeways and wisdom of the Bedouin people living in the sacred region around St Catherine's monastery, on the slopes of Mt Sinai in Egypt. Drawing upon influences as diverse as Deep Springs College, the Danish folk high schools, and the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, Nour offers holistic summer and winter programs for teenagers and adults combining readings and movement practices drawn from qi gong and martial arts with profound immersions in the lives of their Bedouin faculty and hosts, all in one most spiritually and culturally significant places on Earth.Nour Holistic Education: https://nourprograms.org/Thoreau College: https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDeep Springs College: https://www.deepsprings.eduDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.orgAfrican Leadership Academy: https://www.africanleadershipacademy.org/The Island School: https://islandschool.org/Brandbjerg Højskole: https://brandbjerg.dk/international/

Ana and Justin from Gull Island Institute talk the importance of place-making in the landscape of higher education, including at their new initiative Gull Island Institute located in the Vineyard Sound, off the coast of Massachusetts.Raised in Maine, Ana Isabel Keilson is currently a lecturer on Social Studies at Harvard University and has taught previously at Deep Springs College, Columbia University, Barnard College, and SciencesPo (Paris). She received her PhD in History from Columbia University and her BA Phi Beta Kappa in Literature from Barnard College. Prior to her academic career, she danced professionally.Raised in Woods Hole, MA, Justin Reynolds has taught in the Social Studies concentration at Harvard University, the Core Curriculum at Columbia University, and Deep Springs College. He received his PhD in Modern European History from Columbia University, an MPhil in Political Thought and Intellectual History from the University of Cambridge, and his AB in History from the University of Chicago. Before entering graduate school, he worked as a scuba diver and specimen collector at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole and as a program director at think-tanks in Washington, DC and Berlin.Gull Island Institute: https://www.gullisland.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Brandon and Maurielle reflect on their experiences at Thoreau College versus other more traditional institutions of higher education. Brandon also compares his experiences at Deep Springs College.Maurielle McGarvey is a theater artist and filmmaker from Houston, Texas. She is passionate about facilitating site specific creative opportunities for local communities. In addition to being a proud Thoreau. College alum, Maurielle is a YoungArts Winner, Eugene O'Neill Young Playwright Fellow, and BFA candidate at the University of Southern Caifornia's Writing for Screen and Television program.Thoreau College: https://www.thoreaucollege.orgDeep Springs College: https://www.deepsprings.eduDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org

Pavel Cenkl is the Director of Learning and Land, and Head of Schumacher College in Totnes, United Kingdom and previously served as the Dean of Sterling College Vermont. Pavel has worked for more than two decades in higher education in America and has always been drawn to colleges and universities whose curriculum fully integrates learning with practice and thinking with embodiment.Schumacher College: https://campus.dartington.org/schumacher-college/Dartington Trust: https://campus.dartington.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Thoreau's Garden: https://thoreausgarden.com/

Dawn is a fellow with Fielding Graduate University's Marie Fielder Center for Democracy, Leadership and Education and is currently in the final stages of her Ph.D. journey. Dawn's area of focus combines her work as the facilitator of the Folk School Alliance and her study of transformational learning for social justice.The Folk School Alliance began in 2013 and includes over ninety North American Folk Schools. This group began meeting monthly through an online platform in 2018 and continues today engaging in multiple collaborations supporting and promoting folk schooling in North America.Folk Education Association of America: https://folkschoolalliance.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Thoreau's Garden: https://thoreausgarden.com/

Linda Conroy is a bioregional herbalist, herbal and traditional food educator and a community organizer. She dedicates her life to connecting with the green world as well as sharing the wisdom of the earth. Her primary mentors are the plants who never cease to instill a sense of awe in her daily life. Linda has a certificate in permaculture design, which she completed through the International Earth Activist Program and has been a student of compassionate nonviolent communication for close to 20 years. She is the creator of the ever popular Wild Eats Community Meals, Moonwise Herbs, LLC and The Midwest Women's Herbal Conference.To find out more about Linda's work, visit www.moonwiseherbs.com and www.midwestwomensherbal.comLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Zak Stein studied philosophy and religion at Hampshire College, and then educational neuroscience, human development, and the philosophy of education at Harvard University. While a student at Harvard, he co-founded what would become Lectica, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to the research-based, justice-oriented reform of large-scale standardized testing in K-12, higher-education, and business.​He is also a writer whose work has appeared in a variety of journals including American Psychologist, New Ideas in Psychology, Mind, Brain, and Education, Integral Review, and the Journal of Philosophy of Education.He has published two books, Social Justice and Educational Measurement a dissertation that traces the history of standardized testing and its ethical implications, and Education in a Time Between Worlds, which expands the philosophical work to include grappling with the relations between schooling and technology more broadly.Learn more about Zak's work: http://www.zakstein.org/Lectica, Inc.: http://lectica.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Thoreau's Garden: https://thoreausgarden.com/

Miles Iton tells the story of the founding of the Lo-Fi Language Learning microcollege and the influences that shaped him and the program's pedagogy.The mission of the Lo-Fi Language Learning microcollege is "to modernize men's educational experiences and career prospects in the Humanities by designing a liberal arts experience around a pedagogy based on the five pillars of hip-hop; breaking, DJ'ing, emceeing, graffiti art and knowledge"Miles “Irie Givens” Iton is an interdisciplinary educator and multimedia artist from Miami, Florida. After receiving his MA in Creative Industries Design from Taiwan's National Cheng Kung University thanks to the Fulbright program, he parlayed his thesis project into the hip-hop EFL teaching startup Lo-Fi Language Learning. Today he is a TEFL training instructor and career coach for students of Lo-Fi's Arts ‘n EFL program, currently hosted at New College of Florida. As Irie, his international recordings and ethereal concept albums can be found on most streaming platforms. Outside of curricula and multimedia production, he provides digital marketing services for likeminded organizations, expanding Lo-Fi's operations into a digital education firm.Lo-fi Language Learning: https://www.lofilanguage.com/Creative Canvas Cypher (for Colorado residents only): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScqqv-X8zjCObnvFYMWBG1QtTL0cPKdrj6-ZYf7Mw9Zs8F3rw/viewformSay My Name IndieGoGo: https://igg.me/at/say-my-name-book/x/29707727#/New College of Florida: https://www.ncf.edu/news/hip-hop-creatives-learn-to-teach-efl-at-ncf/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Thoreau's Garden: https://thoreausgarden.com/

Rickey Glen Thomas "RT" preaches the gospel of draft animal power and agrarian education, describing a pedagogy borne from the musings of Wendell Berry.Rick Thomas is a horseman, farmer, author and educator who heads the Sterling College Wendell Berry Farming Program, located in Henry County, Kentucky.Sterling College: https://www.sterlingcollege.edu/Wendell Berry Farming Program: https://www.sterlingcollege.edu/wendellberry/The Berry Center: https://berrycenter.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Kotaro Aoki describes his journey to merge the western liberal arts tradition with eastern contemplative and philosophical practices at his school Kotowari in Aizu Prefecture, Japan.般社団法人 'KOTOWARI' "that which remains unchanging underneath the surface of change"Kotaro Aoki is the founder and director of KOTOWARI, an educational organization based in Japan. He has years of experience in designing and managing academic courses and educational programs. He has been inspired by his undergraduate studies of Philosophy at Wesleyan University as well as his 3 years studying yoga and meditation in the Himalayas to bring unique and powerful methods of exploring the self and the world to today's Japanese youth. KOTOWARI provides transformative educational experiences for high school, university and graduate students as well as young professionals in Japan. Since 2021, KOTOWARI has been offering programs annually. Last year, KOTOWARI was recognized as a pioneer in the field of education and was awarded a grant from the Mitsubishi Mirai Foundation.Kotowari: https://kotowari.co/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Thoreau's Garden: https://thoreausgarden.com/

Mike Haasl of Rhinelander, WI joins Jacob for a discussion on the importance of responsible land stewardship, and the development of skills and capacities that might help a person acquire land without breaking the bank.Mike Haasl is a homesteader, engineer, and author living in northern Wisconsin. He studied and partied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked is an engineer for many years before starting a homestead 8 years ago and transition to a role as an educator and teacher of practical skills and permaculture. He is also co-creator of SKIP - which is a framework for acquiring and documenting the skills needed to successfully lead a self-sufficient life and potentially inherit land.Permaculture and homesteading goofballs: https://permies.com/Skills to Inherit Property: https://permies.com/wiki/skip-pep-bbDriftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: https://thoreaucollege.org/

Reinoud Meijer and Noam Hitsch join us from Sweden to talk about the International Youth Initiative Program, with special attention to the meaning and practice of the word "initiative".Reinoud Meijer (Born 1975 in Amersfoort, the Netherlands) has been involved with youth and education for many years. He organized, facilitated, initiated and founded a number of youth conferences, projects, and initiatives before co-founding the YIP program.He has a passion for human potential and development, for regenerative agriculture, -food culture and -lifestyles, and for the power of imagination put into action.He refers to himself as an Imagineer, who seeks to move possibilities towards probabilities where possible. He is currently the president of the YIP association and a member of the organising team and lives together with his wife and two children on the campus in Ytterjärna, Sweden.Noam Marei Hitsch was born in Germany and grew up in Austria. She attended Waldorf school until 10th grade and from that point on decided to take her learning into her own hands, traveling to several different biodynamic farms and Camphills in the US and in Europe to learn about agriculture and different forms of community. Agriculture in combination with the social realm and personal development have been instrumental teachers in her life so far.She joined the The International Youth Initiative Program in Sweden to gain intellectual nourishment in addition to all the practical skills learned from her time working and traveling on farms and in community.Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/International Youth Initiative Program: https://yip.se/Spark to Flame Youth Initiative Forum: https://initiativeforum.yip.se/

Eddy and Rose riff on the true identity of William Shakespeare.Eddy Nix is a Viroqua resident and proprietor of Driftless Books and Music, possibly Wisconsin's largest used bookstore, located in a 100-year old tobacco warehouse. He is a Shakespeare aficionado who has also worked as a teacher and theater director, and is currently the lead publisher at Ramshackle Press.Rose Bruce is a Viroqua resident who, when she is not involved in Shakespearean endeavors, works in the sectors of forestry and ecology. She has previously served as an instructor and project leader at Thoreau College and also worked at the Thoreau's Garden greenhouse. She is a graduate of Warren Wilson College.Driftless Books and Music: https://driftlessbooks.com/Ramshackle Press: https://www.ramshacklepress.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Chris Knapp is a father, homesteader, environmental educator and founder of Maine Local Living School. He is passionate about sharing pathways into relationship with the human and more-than-human communities through hand craft, homesteading arts and deep listening. Chris is endlessly fascinated by the exploration of why the world is as it is and the human potential for creativity and positive change. Chris has designed and taught experiential programming for grade-schoolers to graduate students for over twenty years. He holds a M.S. in environmental studies from Antioch University New England, is a Wilderness First Responder and a Registered Maine Guide.Maine Local Living School: https://www.mainelocalliving.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Laura Marcus weaves together a beautiful web of her educational and professional experiences, from her public school upbringing in Indianapolis, employment at Deep Springs College, to the founding of her own educational initiatives as an adult.Laura is committed to a vision of education that integrates the active life with the life of the mind. As co-executive director of Tidelines Institute and founding director of the Arete Project, she has worked with her students to create experiential and liberal educational programs that prepare students to be thoughtful stewards of the world around them. Prior to founding the Arete Project, Laura worked at Deep Springs College and as a ranger with the National Park Service. Laura has her B.A. from Yale University, her M.Phil from the University of Cambridge, and is a doctoral candidate at Stanford University. In her spare time, she is an avid backpacker, reader, and cook.Tidelines Institute: https://www.tidelinesinstitute.org/The Arete Project: https://areteproject.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School:https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Vilhelm Skoglund is the secretary-general of Effective Altruism Sweden. In October 2022, Vilhelm and Effective Altruism Sweden launched Future Academy, a five month long free program aimed to equip university students and young professionals from around the world with the thinking, skills, and resources they will need to pursue ambitious and impactful careers. He has several board positions within the non-profit sector and co-founded Nema Problema, a non-profit aiming to make migration policies more effective. Vilhelm has previously worked as a consultant and has studied law, developmental economics, and sustainability studies at Uppsala, Yale, and Cornell University.Effective Altruism: https://www.effektivaltruism.org/Future Academy: https://www.effektivaltruism.org/futureacademyNema Problema: https://www.nemaproblema.se/mentoring-program/

Ilana Redstone outlines her work and approach towards tackling polarization on college campuses and beyond.Ilana Redstone is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Founding Faculty Fellow at UATX, and the Faculty Director of The Mill Center at UATX. She is the co-author of “Unassailable Ideas: How Unwritten Rules and Social Media Shape Discourse in American Higher Education” and the creator of the “Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes'' video series. She is the founder of Diverse Perspectives Consulting and has a joint Ph.D. in demography and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania.The University of Austin, Texas (UATX): https://www.uaustin.org/The Mill Institute at UATX: https://www.uaustin.org/millDiverse Perspectives Consulting: ​​https://diverseperspectivesconsulting.com/Beyond Bigots and Snowflakes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDBD1QdLvr8CiEL7-vyWdyB7s9lc7NsrlLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School:https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Marcus Ford breaks down what makes a microcollege different from a small-liberal arts college, and talks about Flagstaff College, a microcollege initiative in Flagstaff, Arizona. Marcus Ford, Ph.D. is the co-founder of Flagstaff College and a retired professor from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. He is the author of several books, including Beyond the Modern University: Toward a Constructive Post-Modern University and William James: A New Perspective. Flagstaff College: https://www.flagstaffcollege.education/"Why We Need Tiny Colleges" by Marcus Ford: https://www.yesmagazine.org/democracy/2016/08/26/why-we-need-tiny-collegesLearn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School:https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Dave, Justys, and Jacob trade tales of transformational wilderness experiences, and discuss the origins and importance of expeditionary learning as a field.Dave Puig has been a wilderness instructor for fourteen years, leading expeditions in the desert, the Arctic, the wondrous Northwoods, and into the minds of authors, social critics, and high school students. He developed the expedition-based Land Ethics Curriculum at Youth Initiative High School which challenges students to see their own growth in reciprocity with their peers, those they see as different from themselves, and the earth. He also builds houses and lives on his wife's family farm where they are embarking on the incredible journey of parenthood!Justys Grenier is a Viroqua native, alumni of Youth Initiative High School, experiential educator and outdoor enthusiast. I grew up in the Driftless area and enjoyed a community supported upbringing while exploring the creeks and hills of our unique landscape. After a few years of traveling overseas, learning and growing into myself, I found a calling in outdoor education. For the last three years I have been working as an instructor at Voyageur Outward Bound School, leading trips with small groups of young people through the wilderness of the Boundary Waters, and through the Chihuahua desert of Big Bend, Texas. My desire for a change of pace and time to explore other interests has led me back to the Driftless area for the foreseeable future. Here I am learning carpentry and finding ways to engage with my community and give back with the knowledge and experience I have gained over the past few years.Outward Bound: https://www.outwardbound.org/National Outdoor Leadership School: https://www.nols.edu/en/Voyageur Outward Bound School: https://www.vobs.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement: http://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Eric and Brenna Anglada describe the origins of the Catholic Worker Movement and the more recent organization Nuns and Nones.Brenna Cussen Anglada is a founding member of the St. Isidore CW Farm in southwest Wisconsin, home of the Ho Chunk, Meskwaki, Sauk, and many other nations. She serves as the Religious Communities Liaison for the N&N Land Justice Project, and works with the Catholic Native Boarding School Accountability and Healing Project.Eric Anglada is a college dropout and co-founder of St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm outside of Cuba City, WI. He is the ecological programming coordinator at Sinsinawa Mound. He works a bit for the Nuns and Nones Land Justice Project. His interests are in the intersections of land, community, spirituality, and decolonization.Contact the St. Isidore Catholic Worker Farm at catholicworkerschool@gmail.com.Nuns and Nones: https://www.nunsandnones.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School:https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

Lene Rachel Andersen expresses the importance of Bildung philosophy, describing its origins in 18th-century Denmark and impact on Scandinavian societies through to the present day.Lene Rachel Andersen is a Danish author, economist, futurist, and philosopher, President of Nordic Bildung, and co-founder of Global Bildung Network.https://www.nordicsecret.org/Nordic Metamodern PodcastGlobal Bildung NetworkNordic Bildung

Jacob is joined by Frank and Emily of Outer Coast College to talk their story in Sitka, microcolleges, place-based education, and more. Frank Eccher is the College Launch Lead at Outer Coast in Sitka, AK, where he is charting a course to accreditation for the launch of Outer Coast College in fall 2024. Originally from a small town in Colorado, he has written on trout conservation and wilderness narratives in the Mountain West, patterns of college attendance in rural America, among other topics. He plans to pursue doctoral study in the history of experimental colleges and the relationship between general education and American democracy.Emily Drukman is currently a second year architecture student at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. She attended Outer Coast for the 2021-22 Academic Year program, and returned to Sitka last summer as the Dean's Assistant, working in Tlingit translation and editing. A handful of spots for the Spring Semester 2023 at Outer Coast are still open and full scholarships are available. The application is available online at outercoast.org/apply.Outer Coast College in Sitka, Alaska: https://outercoast.org/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/

John Vervaeke and Jacob discuss the importance of thinking, dialogue, and meaning, and explore ways to overcome the barriers we face today in understanding these facets of our humanity in the context of education for young adults and beyond.John Vervaeke, PhD, is an award-winning lecturer at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science and Buddhist psychology, who has published a 50-part lecture series known as "Awakening From the Meaning Crisis".Awakening From the Meaning CrisisJohn's website:http://johnvervaeke.com/

Thoreau College is now accepting applications for our Spring 2023 Semester Program, a full time, in-person program incorporating intellectual work, manual labor, fine arts and folk skills, wilderness expeditions, and community self-governance. This is a perfect program for young adults who are mature, tenacious, curious, collaborative, open, idealistic, and ready to get their hands dirty literally and figuratively. We are seeking up to 6 participants who are excited to embark on this adventure of discovery and creation during this coming spring!Apply now at https://thoreaucollege.org/spring-2023-curriculum/Learn more about Thoreau College and the microcollege movement at: https://thoreaucollege.org/Driftless Folk School: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/