Every autumn since 1975, several
dozen college students from across
the country have taken a step “out of
the mainstream” for an unusual
semester of vigorous intellectual
exploration.
dozen college students from across
the country have taken a step “out of
the mainstream” for an unusual
semester of vigorous intellectual
exploration.
Students earn 16 credits, but focus on one topic of study at a time. Daily reading, small group
discussion, and one-on-one conversations with faculty members comprise the heart of the OE program.
In a fresh academic atmosphere, students discover new intellectual energies within themselves.
Naturally, they begin to identify and explore the issues that matter most to them.
The setting invites students to pursue the kinds of questions that build up during a college education,
but that often don’t get the attention they deserve in the normal routine. Questions like:
This academic adventure takes place in Lincoln, a renovated lumber-mill town in the mountains east of
Ashland, Oregon. Students live in comfortable, rustic cabins with three or four of their peers. They fire
their own wood stove, cook their own meals, and work to build mutual trust and honesty. When it’s time
for a break from reading and writing, they head outdoors to hike, jog, mountain bike, and ride horses in
the surrounding forest. We also take regular breaks from our studies to backpack, climb a nearby
mountain peak, explore the Oregon Coast, and spend a few days in San Francisco.
discussion, and one-on-one conversations with faculty members comprise the heart of the OE program.
In a fresh academic atmosphere, students discover new intellectual energies within themselves.
Naturally, they begin to identify and explore the issues that matter most to them.
The setting invites students to pursue the kinds of questions that build up during a college education,
but that often don’t get the attention they deserve in the normal routine. Questions like:
- What kind of person do I want to be?
- What do I believe about God, personal faith, the meaning of life?
- What kinds of relationships do I want shaping my life?
- What do all these facts and ideas mean, and what kinds of responses do they ask of me?
- How can I act and live more authentically in this world?
This academic adventure takes place in Lincoln, a renovated lumber-mill town in the mountains east of
Ashland, Oregon. Students live in comfortable, rustic cabins with three or four of their peers. They fire
their own wood stove, cook their own meals, and work to build mutual trust and honesty. When it’s time
for a break from reading and writing, they head outdoors to hike, jog, mountain bike, and ride horses in
the surrounding forest. We also take regular breaks from our studies to backpack, climb a nearby
mountain peak, explore the Oregon Coast, and spend a few days in San Francisco.
| Academics: The Program |
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