Thoreau College

08/28/2026

Join us to welcome Chase as the new Driftless Folk School fellow! 💚

Please join us in welcoming our new Driftless Folk School Fellow - Chase Van Horn!

Chase comes to DFS and Thoreau College after years of moving with the seasons, learning from the landscapes and people he encounters along the way. He has taught marine science on an island, guided backpacking trips in the wilderness, walked across Spain twice, worked with young people in camps and schools, and made homes in a succession of remarkable places. He is excited to spend the next year in the Driftless exploring the relationship between place, attention, and community, while cultivating a more rooted creative practice.

We are excited to have him on the team for this year long fellowship!

08/28/2026

A new Fall Semester is beginning at Thoreau College, and we’re grateful to welcome this year’s students, fellows, resident, and staff to Viroqua.
We’re glad to begin this journey together. Welcome to the Fall Semester!

08/25/2026

Save the date! Driftless Folk School

SAVE THE DATE! 14th Annual Driftless Spoon Gathering

Learn more & join us September 11-13: https://www.driftlessfolkschool.org/classes/driftless-spoon-gathering-2026

08/25/2026

SEEKING — Marketing and Outreach Coordinator for Driftless Folk School !

08/19/2026

Who is Thoreau College for?
The student who wants to read Aristotle and also plant a garden.
The maker who learns with their hands.
The community-builder who wants to live collaboratively.
The adventurer who wants to canoe wild rivers.
The seeker asking big questions about meaning and purpose.

And now, money won't stand in the way. Thoreau College meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students. Admission is need-blind. Your finances don't determine whether you're accepted.

Books, art supplies, tools, camping gear, housing, weekday lunches, all included in your pledge.

Apply: https://thoreaucollege.org

08/16/2026

Thanks for sharing our good news Sophia Institute 🌿

https://www.sophiainstitute.us/blog/thoreau-college-update

08/16/2026

How does a student actually get to Thoreau College? Here's the full path:

1. Apply — short essays, one personal reference. No application fee. No financial information required.
2. Interview — in person or on Zoom with our admissions team, including current students.
3. Get accepted — admission is need-blind. Your financial situation is not part of this decision.
4. Financial pledge conversation — once admitted, each student has a one-on-one conversation with our staff to create an individualized financial pledge based on their actual ability to contribute. No formulas. No pressure.
5. Come to Thoreau College — arrive in Viroqua, move in, start the semester. Books, art supplies, tools, and camping equipment are all provided.

The financial conversation happens after admission, not before. We find the right fit first, then we figure out finances together.

Learn more and apply here: https://thoreaucollege.org

08/15/2026

"I want to come to Thoreau College, but I don't think I can afford it."

We hear this a lot. So let's talk about it.

Financial accessibility has always been a core value of Thoreau College. We believe that the kind of transformative education that we strive to offer should not be a luxury good, restricted to students from families with higher levels of income. We know and have seen that the people who feel called to take part in a unique program come from all kinds of backgrounds and we need to be able to help make it possible to answer this call.

As a grassroots nonprofit organization, financial contributions from students and their families has always been, and will continue to be, an important part of our financial model, structured through a personalized financial pledge process that centers transparency and flexibility and has allowed students with many different levels of financial need to participate in our programs.

HOW IT WORKS-
Admission to Thoreau College programs is need-blind, meaning that what a student is able to pay has no bearing on admissions decisions and, once a student is admitted, there is no set tuition for attendance. Instead, after completing the admission process, our staff will meet with you, and sometimes your family, to determine a financial pledge that is appropriate to your situation, while also supporting the work of the college. This pledge could range from the full cost of the program to a pledge of zero, if that is appropriate to your situation. Most pledges will fall somewhere in between.

If you are motivated to come to Thoreau College - please apply! We will work with you to find a way for you to attend. Do not allow money to be a barrier.

Learn More Here: https://thoreaucollege.org/financial-process/
Still Accepting applications for our Fall Semester: https://thoreaucollege.org/metamorphosis/

08/13/2026

This week at Thoreau has been a time of transition. Old faces leaving, new faces arriving. Plenty to harvest and we’re still gearing up for fall! We would love to have you here.

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