Björklunden Seminars
A Vacation with a Focus
Lawrence University's Northern Campus
Door County, Wisconsin
If you're in search of a unique adventure that combines relaxation with education, Björklunden has just what you're looking for. The Björklunden seminar program provides an opportunity for you to spend a week at the lodge attending an engaging and thought-provoking class in the mornings while giving you ample time to explore beautiful Door County in the afternoons. We like to call it a "vacation with a focus"—and hope you'll consider joining us this summer or fall to experience it for yourself!
The seminars are conducted at the pristine 441-acre Björklunden estate on the shore of Lake Michigan outside Baileys Harbor in Door County.
Please note the following:
- Seminar participants choose only one seminar for each week of attendance.
- Class sizes are limited. Early registration will help ensure participants get into the seminar they prefer. Once seminars have reached or are near capacity, they are no longer available for online registration. You may call the lodge to find out if any spaces remain open.
- Registration is open to the general public – participants need not a connection to Lawrence University in order to attend.
- Seminar participants may either reside at the estate or commute from the area. Houseguests who reside at the estate but do not participate in seminars are also welcome though first preference on housing is given to seminar participants.
- Participants may arrive for seminars after 4 p.m. on Sunday; seminars officially begin with dinner on Sunday evening. Instructors usually hold a “meet and greet” session with class participants after dinner on Sunday. Please plan accordingly.
- Classes typically meet weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, leaving the remaining time free. Instructors may offer optional afternoon or evening sessions and have the freedom to change the typical schedule if need be.
- Public events are often held at Björklunden any given seminar week, which participants may be able to attend. Details about these events will be posted at the lodge and announced during Sunday dinner. Information about events will not be provided to seminar participants before arrival.
- Participants are invited to sample local cuisine on Wednesday evening, our chef’s night off – dinner will not be served at the lodge Wednesday evening. Please plan accordingly.
- Seminars end either Friday after lunch or Saturday after breakfast. Seminars ending on Saturday do not meet that morning.
- Participants are responsible for acquiring any seminar texts and/or materials and some seminars require a materials fee. The necessary information can be found within each course description and will also be sent to participants two months before the start date of their seminar. Please note that some seminar instructors may assign coursework throughout the week.
- Participants are responsible for bringing their own writing utensils, notebooks, folders, and any other items that will aid in taking notes and organizing class materials. Björklunden will not provide these items.
- Björklunden may take photographs, videos, audiotape recordings, and other images and sound-based media during courses and events and may use such media for educational, promotional, advertising, and other purposes.
- Note: Please click on 'Seminar Listing by Date' below for Class and Lodge availability!
FEES
Residents
- For weeks ending Friday afternoon: $950 per person, double occupancy; $1,230 per person, single occupancy
- For weeks ending Saturday morning: $1,055 per person, double occupancy; $1,440 per person, single occupancy
- This all-inclusive fee covers seminar tuition, lodging and meals.
- Participants who register for a double occupancy room but do not specify a roommate will be paired with a same-gender roommate if possible. If the guest rooms fill up before a roommate can be assigned, participants will be charged the single occupancy rate.
Commuters
- $475 per person
- This fee covers seminar tuition, Sunday dinner and all lunches. Other meals charged separately.
- $390 per person
- This fee covers seminar tuition only. Meals are not included with this rate.
Houseguests
- For weeks ending Friday afternoon: $690 per person, double occupancy; $975 per person, single occupancy
- For weeks ending Saturday morning: $700 per person, double occupancy; $1,050 per person, single occupancy
- This fee covers lodging and meals only. First preference on housing is given to seminar participants.
Materials and Other Fees
- Participants are responsible for bringing their own writing utensils, notebooks, folders and any other items that will aid in taking notes and organizing class materials. Björklunden will not provide these items.
- Participants are responsible for acquiring any seminar texts and/or materials and for reading required class texts before the seminar begins. Some seminars require a materials fee. The necessary information can be found within each online seminar description and will also be sent to participants two months before the start date of their seminar.
- Gratuities for student staff members are not included in any fees. A tip box will be set out for participants to leave a gratuity in the form of cash or a check made out to CASH. Tips are split evenly among our staff of 10 students. Participants often ask what is an appropriate tip amount--while we suggest anywhere between $50 and $120, participants are encouraged to leave a gratuity amount that they think accurately reflects the level of service they received.
Summer Savings! Refer-a-Friend Discount
Participants who have attended Björklunden seminars in the past and who refer a new seminar participant are eligible to receive a discount of $100 if the new participant attends as a resident or $50 if the new participant attends as a commuter. Limit one discount per person. Please contact the office at Bjorklunden to discuss refund options by calling 920-839-2216 or emailing bjorkseminars@lawrence.edu.
Viking Decade Discount
Lawrence University alumni from the Viking Decade (2011–2021) are invited to attend the seminars at half price. You will have an option to apply this discount when you register online.
Cancellation Policy
- If it turns out you are unable to attend a seminar for which you registered, please contact the office at Bjorklunden to discuss refund options by calling 920-839-2216 or emailing bjorkseminars@lawrence.edu.
- Occasionally, Björklunden must cancel a seminar due to low enrollment, instructor illness or other unforeseen circumstances. If this occurs, we will notify participants as soon as possible. Participants may either receive a full refund of any fees paid, transfer the registration to another seminar (based on availability), or donate the fees to Björklunden as a tax-deductible gift. Notification of cancellation will normally occur three weeks prior to the beginning of the seminar, if possible, but can occur last minute.
- Björklunden is not responsible for losses incurred due to off-site lodging, travel, class materials or other arrangements.
Explore Seminars - Note: Please click on 'Seminar Listing by Date' below for class and Lodge availability!
Seminar Listing by Date
June 12 to June 17
- Listen to the Birds / Don Quintenz
- The Weimar Republic: Grandeur and Disaster / Jon Greenwald
- Wildlife Photography / John Van Den Brandt
June 19 to June 24
- An Insider’s Look at the Fundamentals of Geology / Bill Shefchik
June 26 to July 1
- Impressionism: Painting of Modern Life Family / Elizabeth Carlson
- The Fall of Rome: From Caesar to King and From Jupiter to Jesus in 500 Years / Nikolas O. Hoel ’99
- Two Irishmen, Two Novels, Two Portraits / Robert Spoo ’79
July 10 to July 15
- Chemistry of Art / Allison Fleshman
- Expanding the Canon: Exploring Diversity and Inclusion in Classical Music / Anthony Padilla
- Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina / Peter Thomas
July 15 to July 17
- Family Weekend/Grandparent-Grandchild Weekend / David Stokes
July 17 to July 22
- African America in Slavery and Freedom: How our Racial Past Informs our Present / Joe Patterson ’69 and Jerald Podair
- Miskwabik: The Art, Science, and History of Copper-Working / Martha Buche ’86 and Margaret Koker
- Richard Nixon: The Triumph and Tragedy of an American Politician / Tim Crain
July 24 to July 30
- Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp / Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp
July 31 to August 5
- American Politics and Our Disturbing Discourse: How Did We Get Here? / Susy Schultz '81
- The Midterms: America at the Crossroads / Terry Moran '82
August 7 to August 12
- Is Belief in God Rational? / Terry Goode
- The Rise of Ideology: America's Surprising Political Journey / Arnold F. Shober
- The Stars: Mansions Built by Nature’s Hand / Megan Pickett
August 14 to August 20
- Exploring the Mind-Gut Connection / Brian Piasecki
- Family Ties: The Case of King David / Bill Urbrock
- Watercolor: The Expressive Medium / Helen Klebesadel
August 28 to September 2
- Indelible Images: Iconic Moments, Scenes, and Dialogue from Classic Films / Jack Rhodes
- The Beatles: 4 Lads Who Shook the World / Carl Rath '75
- The Original Book Club: Literary Legacies of Medieval Women / Catherine Keene and Danielle Joyner
September 11 to September 16
- Loves Me, Loves Me Knot / The History, Law, and Literature of Marriage (Fifteen Years Later) / Charles B. Schudson and Karen R. Schudson
- Wildflowers and Birds / Don Quintenz
- Writing the Tough Ones: A Workshop Designed for Fearless Poets / Marilyn L. Taylor
September 18 to September 23
- Door Kinetic Arts Festival / DKAF
September 25 to September 30
- Spore Losers – The World of Non-flowering Plants / Charlotte Lukes
- The Women Who Made the Movies: Their Notable Contributions to Films of the Classic Era / Jack Rhodes
- Watercolor: A Fresh Start / Helen Klebesadel
October 2 to October 7
- Medical Miracles: Curious Advances from Antibiotics to Vaccines / David W. Hines '76
- The Fascinating History of Baseball in Milwaukee / Steve Landfried '66
- Vergil’s Aeneid / Daniel J. Taylor '63
October 9 to October 14
- Joe Biden’s World: U.S. Foreign Policy after Trump / Christopher Murray '75
October 16 to October 21
- The United States Constitution / Tim Crain
Seminar Listing by Instructor
Allison Fleshman
Arnold F. Shober
Bill Shefchik
Bill Urbrock
Brian Piasecki
Carl Rath '75
Catherine Keene and Danielle Joyner
Charles B. Schudson and Karen R. Schudson
Charlotte Lukes
Christopher Murray '75
Daniel J. Taylor '63
David Stokes
David W. Hines '76
Don Quintenz
Elizabeth Carlson
Helen Klebesadel
Jack Rhodes
Joe Patterson ’69 and Jerald Podair
John Van Den Brandt
Jon Greenwald
Marilyn L. Taylor
Martha Buche ’86 and Margaret Koker
Megan Pickett
Nikolas O. Hoel ’99
Peter Thomas
Robert Spoo ’79
Steve Landfried '66
Susy Schultz '81
Terry Goode
Terry Moran '82
Tim Crain
Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp
Seminar Listing by Topic
Art & Science; Metalworking; History
- Miskwabik: The Art, Science, and History of Copper-Working / Martha Buche ’86 and Margaret Koker
Astronomy; Physics
- The Stars: Mansions Built by Nature’s Hand / Megan Pickett
Baseball
- The Fascinating History of Baseball in Milwaukee / Steve Landfried '66
Birding
- Listen to the Birds / Don Quintenz
Birding; Wildflowers
- Wildflowers and Birds / Don Quintenz
Botany
- Spore Losers – The World of Non-flowering Plants / Charlotte Lukes
Chemistry; Art
- Chemistry of Art / Allison Fleshman
Classical Literature
- Vergil’s Aeneid / Daniel J. Taylor '63
Classical Music; Diversity & Inclusion
Family
- Family Weekend/Grandparent-Grandchild Weekend / David Stokes
Film
Film & Theatre
- Door Kinetic Arts Festival / DKAF
geology
- An Insider’s Look at the Fundamentals of Geology / Bill Shefchik
Geopolitics
- The Weimar Republic: Grandeur and Disaster / Jon Greenwald
History
- Family Ties: The Case of King David / Bill Urbrock
History; Diversity & Inclusion
- African America in Slavery and Freedom: How our Racial Past Informs our Present / Joe Patterson ’69 and Jerald Podair
History; Literature; Women
- The Original Book Club: Literary Legacies of Medieval Women / Catherine Keene and Danielle Joyner
Impressionism; Painting
- Impressionism: Painting of Modern Life Family / Elizabeth Carlson
Jazz
- Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp / Tritone Jazz Fantasy Camp
Literature
- Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina / Peter Thomas
- Two Irishmen, Two Novels, Two Portraits / Robert Spoo ’79
Marriage
- Loves Me, Loves Me Knot / The History, Law, and Literature of Marriage (Fifteen Years Later) / Charles B. Schudson and Karen R. Schudson
Medical History; Health
- Medical Miracles: Curious Advances from Antibiotics to Vaccines / David W. Hines '76
Music
- The Beatles: 4 Lads Who Shook the World / Carl Rath '75
Photography
- Wildlife Photography / John Van Den Brandt
Poetry & Writing
- Writing the Tough Ones: A Workshop Designed for Fearless Poets / Marilyn L. Taylor
politics
- American Politics and Our Disturbing Discourse: How Did We Get Here? / Susy Schultz '81
- The Midterms: America at the Crossroads / Terry Moran '82
- The Rise of Ideology: America's Surprising Political Journey / Arnold F. Shober
Politics & History
- Joe Biden’s World: U.S. Foreign Policy after Trump / Christopher Murray '75
- Richard Nixon: The Triumph and Tragedy of an American Politician / Tim Crain
- The United States Constitution / Tim Crain
Politics & History; History & Religion
- The Fall of Rome: From Caesar to King and From Jupiter to Jesus in 500 Years / Nikolas O. Hoel ’99
Religion
- Is Belief in God Rational? / Terry Goode
Science; Health
- Exploring the Mind-Gut Connection / Brian Piasecki
watercolor
- Watercolor: A Fresh Start / Helen Klebesadel
- Watercolor: The Expressive Medium / Helen Klebesadel