Lawrence University: Björklunden to again host summer and fall seminars in Door County

APPLETON – The summer and fall seminars at Björklunden, Lawrence University’s pristine Door County retreat, are back.

The adult-education seminars, open to the public and led by Lawrence faculty, alumni, or other friends of the university, are returning in person for the first time in three years, beginning in mid-June and continuing through mid-October. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down the seminars in 2020 and 2021.

This year’s slate of 38 week-long seminars will feature topics ranging from wildlife photography to American politics to the history of baseball in Milwaukee, and dozens of topics in between. Registration is open. Visit lawrence.edu and search Bjorklunden Seminars for detailed information, costs, and a link to register.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer a full slate of seminars at Björklunden this summer and fall,” said Mark Breseman, director of Björklunden. “It will be wonderful to have all of our life-long learners back on the shores of Lake Michigan engaging in great conversations and enjoying the wide-ranging seminar topics.”

Adjustments to the seminars will be made as pandemic situations dictate, Breseman said. CDC protocols will be followed, and all participants must be fully vaccinated and boosted and a proof of vaccination will be required.

It’ll once again be a chance to learn while enjoying the beauty of the 441-acre estate along the Lake Michigan shoreline, just south of Baileys Harbor. Visitors to the seminars come from all walks of life. Some commute to the seminars. Others become Björklunden residents for the week, housed in the estate’s 37,000-square-foot lodge. 

Most seminars, which include meals prepared by Björklunden’s resident chef, begin Sunday evening and end Friday afternoon. Classes meet weekday mornings and some evenings, with remaining time available to enjoy Björklunden’s mile-long shoreline and wooded walking trails or to explore area cultural and recreational opportunities.

Lawrence has offered the Björklunden seminars every year since 1980, with the exception of 1993 when a fire destroyed the estate’s main lodge and the past two years when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of Lawrence facilities to the public. 

Björklunden has been an important part of Lawrence since 1963, when Donald and Winifred Boynton bequeathed the property to the university. Student retreats, study sessions, special events, and team bonding opportunities at Björklunden are all part of the Lawrence experience. For additional questions, call 920-839-2216 or email bjorkseminars@lawrence.edu