Thoreau College: An experiment in holistic higher education
For the past months, I’ve had a fellowship at a microcollege called Thoreau College in Viroqua, Wisconsin where I’m living and taking classes with artists and activists from ages 18 to 46. Thoreau College is working to create immersive, impactful, personalized higher education that is also financially accessible. The college currently has academic courses in regenerative agriculture, writing composition, political philosophy and visual arts. In addition to internships and classes, each student and faculty participates in self-governance of all college programs including admissions, outreach, curriculum design, operating the business aspect of a greenhouse called Thoreau’s Garden and stewarding all administrative elements of the community.