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Artist Talk with Jan Serr

Wednesday, May 1 | 12-1 p.m.
Wriston Art Galleries

Artist Jan Serr will discuss her exhibition, Face It, which explores her substantial body of work in self-portraiture in painting, drawing, and print mediums from different moments in her prolific career. In addition to demonstrating Serr’s deft touch and command of visual forms, the self-portraits reveal her ability to convey multiple aspects of her own personality and a wide range of emotional responses.

George Abraham Poetry Reading

Saturday, May 4 | 5-7 p.m.
Memorial 113 – Diversity Center

PAO is hosting Chicago-based Palestinian-American poet George Abraham for a poetry reading and workshop session. The purpose of this event is to create a space where participants can learn about Palestine through poetry and reading. Especially with current world happenings, and because Arabian identities are often left out of Pan-Asian rhetoric, we feel like this is an especially important event to program.

This event will be taking place as part of PAO’s month-long event series for AAPI heritage month (which takes place every May). The event is one that we have programmed once two years prior that we are looking to bring back for this year’s AAPI heritage month celebration.

15th Annual Wisconsin Grassroots Network Festival

Saturday, May 4 | 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Warch 324 – Somerset Room

The Wisconsin Grassroots Festival is the signature event put on annually by the Wisconsin Grassroots Network bringing together activists and leaders from grassroots groups around the state representing many issues and constituencies who have organized to improve their communities. This year The LU YDSA and LU Dems will be sponsoring the event to host it here at Lawrence University!

Alumnus speaker: Sam Smith ’12

Archives, Agency, and the Artistic Labor of Dance from Chicago to Las Vegas at Mid-Century

Monday, May 6 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Main 201

Sam Smith ’12 (Ph.D. candidate, History, Michigan State University) will present her current research on gender, labor and the entertainment industry in mid-twentieth-century America. Smith holds an M.A. in Public History from Loyola University and is a former archivist at the Newberry Library.

College Night – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

Thursday, May 2 | 6:40 p.m.
Fox Cities Stadium

Lawrence students are invited to attend the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on Thursday, May 2 at 6:40 p.m. for FREE!

There is a limited number of free tickets, which will be given away on a first-come, first serve basis. Tickets will be available during business hours at the Office of SEAL beginning Monday, April 29. This night includes discounted food and beverages for those in attendance.

If you would like free transportation to the stadium, you may sign up to be on the bus when you pick up your tickets.

If you miss out on the free tickets, you can still access discounted tickets on the Timber Rattlers website! Get $2 tickets by using your .edu email.

Enjoy this opportunity to relax and enjoy the game before Reading Period!

Questions? Contact Dakota McKee, Director of SEAL
920-832-7478
dakota.mckee@lawrence.edu

The Timber Rattlers are also offering discounted tickets for their game on Tuesday, April 30 at 6:40 p.m. Lawrence faculty, staff, and students can get tickets for $2 each (8 tickets max). Enjoy discounted food and beverages as well!

Visit the Timber Rattlers online and enter your .edu email to gain access to discounted tickets.

Datathon 2024

Datathon is an exciting and important opportunity for those who are interested in exploring their interests in data science field! The winning teams will be awarded with money prize as well as a chance to have a mock interview with big tech and finance companies.

15 teams will be working for a $900 prize! The top three teams will have mock interview opportunities with three big tech companies.

Register by April 28!

Event Details

Friday, May 17 | 6-9 p.m.
Youngchild Hall | Room 121
Dinner will be provided!

Senior Class Gift

As graduation approaches, it’s time to consider donating to the senior class gift as a Lawrence tradition to commemorate the senior class.

This year, the senior committee has chosen to raise $1,000 to plant a tree with plaque on campus as the gift from the class of 2024. The donation amount starts at $5, and students who donate will receive a special pin to wear with your regalia for graduation.

Give to the Senior Class Gift!

If goal not reached, all money will proceed to the Lawrence Fund. The Lawrence Fund supports all current students and funds scholarships, Björklunden, the Conservatory, Athletics, and Student Life.

Upcoming ComPsych Webinar!

ComPsych will be holding an upcoming webinar on the importance of mental health and how to manage anxiety. If you are interested in attending to learn more, you can register here.

Mental Health Matters: Strategies for Managing Anxiety

Monday, May 6 | Noon

Anxiety is and has been on the rise. In fact, it is the most common issue Gen Z-ers bring up in therapy. According to our own book of business data, anxiety started appearing in 2014 as a reason for seeking out counseling. In 2020, anxiety jumped to the top of our charts and has stayed there ever since, worsening even. As a society, what is making us so anxious and how can we deal with it in a healthy way? Join this session to find out.

Speaker: Jennifer Birdsall, Ph.D., ABPP, Clinical Director, ComPsych

Have a question you would like them to cover during this session? Please send to webinars@compsych.com.

Spring Term All-Staff Meeting April 30

Join us for the Spring Term All-Staff Meeting on Tuesday, April 30, from 10:30 a.m.-Noon in the Warch Campus Center Somerset Room!

Updates will be shared by faculty and staff from across campus.

If you are on campus, please plan to attend in person. If you are working off campus or unable to attend in person, please join us via the Microsoft Teams link found in the Outlook invite.

If you have any questions or if you need the Teams link sent to you, please contact Lindsey Wyngaard at lindsey.wyngaard@lawrence.edu.

Hope to see you there!

Summer Learning at Björklunden

We hope you’ll join us for one (or more!) of our Björklunden seminars. Lawrence faculty, staff, and students receive a half-price discount on all Björklunden seminars!

View the full lineup on the Lawrence website.

Zoom Seminars

Is Evil really Banal? Hannah Arendt and the Question of Genocide

Date(s): (ONLINE) Thursdays, April 4 – May 2, 2-3:30 pm
Instructor(s): Paul Cohen
Description: The current war in the Middle East has raised anew the urgent question of genocide. But what does the word “genocide” mean? When did it first appear, historically? This seminar will address these questions through a close reading of Hannah Arendt’s brilliant and controversial book, Eichmann in Jerusalem.

The Birth of Fascism

Date(s): (ONLINE) Thursdays, May 9 – June 6, 2-3:30 pm
Instructor: Paul Cohen 
Description: There has been a lot of talk about fascism recently, but there is little clarity about what fascism actually means and where it came from historically. This seminar will explore fascism’s historical origins in Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany.

Is Civilization Good for Us: Nietzsche, Freud, and their Discontents

Date(s): (ONLINE) Thursdays, July 18 – Aug.15, 2-3:30 pm
Instructor: Paul Cohen
Description: This seminar will focus on how two of the greatest thinkers of the modern age, Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud, addressed the question of what constitutes a ‘civilized’ or ‘civil’ society.

In-Person Seminars

Democracy Book Club

Date(s): June 9 – 14
Instructor(s): Bronwyn Mauldin
Description: Over five days we will read and discuss five key works of literature, engaging in deep discussions exploring what we can learn from them to improve civic participation in the life of our communities today.

Forests through Time

Date(s): June 9 – 14
Instructor(s): Relena Ribbons
Description: Together, we will learn about the history of the forests at Bjorklunden (including where all those birch trees are!), and how these forests have changed over recent human time scales.

The Mindful Brain

Date(s): June 16-21
Instructor(s): Lori M. Hilt, PhD (’97) 
Description: This seminar will explore how mindfulness has been secularized and utilized in such settings as schools, workplaces, hospitals, as well as in daily life. Additionally, we will explore neuroscience research on how mindfulness changes the brain. *Limited housing available in the lodge. Please contact us at bjorkseminars@lawrence.edu or 920-839-2216 to inquire about resident options. Commuter and auditor still available.

Chemistry of Art

Date(s): June 23-28
Instructor(s): Allison Fleshman
Description: In this seminar, we will explore the fascinating chemistry of paintings, learn the chemical reasons dyes bond to textiles, reflect on the importance of light in the experience of art, and explore the chemistry of glass and stained glass.
*$15 materials fee

Relief Printing: Creation and Repetition

Date(s): June 23-28
Instructor(s): Brady Nichols (’92)
Description: This seminar allows participants to discover and dive into the art of relief printing, utilizing the beauty of Bjorklunden while investigating their imaginations.

Energy, Technology and the Environment

Date(s): June 23-28
Instructor(s): Graham Sazama
Description: This seminar examines the fundamental chemistry and physics behind conventional and emerging energy technologies, with a hands-on component to further explore their design and function.

Russia and Ukraine: From Partners to Enemies

Date(s): July 14-19
Instructor(s): Tim Crain
Description: The seminar will explore the historic relationship between Russia and Ukraine, the future of the two countries engaged in conflict, and why the area is of such vital interest to the EU, NATO, and the United States.

Shakespeare in Love: Romeo and Juliet, 1594-2024

Date(s): July 14-19
Instructor(s): Garth Bond
Description: In conjunction with the Door Shakespeare production of Romeo and Juliet, this seminar will explore Shakespeare’s iconic depiction of tragic love, a story that has become synonymous with modern conceptions of romantic love around the world.

This Land is Your Land, This Land is My Land: How Maps Shape the World 

Date(s): July 14-19
Instructor(s): Arnold F. Shober
Description: We often think about maps as representing some tangible reality — but what if maps actually create it? We’ll start by looking at the difference between “location” and “place,” and how maps are a political tool as much as an aid to hiking Door County.

From Sutton Hoo to Bayeux: Anglo-Saxon England in 10 Amazing Works

Date(s): July 14-19
Instructor(s): Danielle Joyner, Katie Keene
Description: This class explores the medieval worlds of Anglo-Saxon England (c. 600-1066) by focusing on extraordinary works of art and cultural monuments. Course held in Bjorklunden’s studio.

Hitler’s War: The Battle for Democracy, 1939-1945

Date(s): July 21-26
Instructor(s): Jerald Podair, Jon Greenwald
Description: On September 1, 1939, emboldened by an alliance of convenience with the Soviet Union and contemptuous of the resolve of Western democracies, Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to invade Poland — thus began the Second World War.

Water Cycle: A journey around the science and policy of Earth’s most precious molecule

Date(s): July 21-26
Instructor(s): Peter S. Levi (‘01), Titus Seilheimer (‘00) 
Description: In our seminar, we will explore the science and policy of this mighty molecule and how water availability, conservation, policy, and perception varies across communities, states, and countries.

Fact or Fiction: Images of Schools and Adolescents in Hollywood Films

Date(s): July 21-26
Instructor(s): Stewart Purkey
Description: In this course we’ll watch and talk about contemporary movies, exploring the various ways in which a range of modern Hollywood films (and the occasional foreign film) have influenced, even shaped, Americans’ perceptions of schools, the kids who attend them, and the teachers who work in them. 

Resident and Commuter options are no longer available for this week; Auditor options only. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call 920-839-2216. 

The Campaign Nobody Wanted

Date(s): July 28 – Aug. 2
Instructor(s): Terry Moran (’82)
Description: As of this writing, the 2024 presidential election looks to be a rerun of 2020. Biden v Trump. And polls show most Americans react the same way to this choice: Ugh.

A Tour of the History of Russian Film

Date(s): July 28 – August 2
Instructor(s): Peter Thomas
Description: We will spend the week watching and discussing some of the best films made in the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, and the post-Soviet sphere.

The Door Four: Theater Seminar

Date(s): July 28 – Aug. 2
Instructor(s): Dan Klarer
Description: An exploration of Door County theaters with local theater artist Dan Klarer. Seminar participants will take trips to four local theaters to watch and then discuss the shows.

Resident and Commuter options are no longer available for this week; Auditor options only. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please call 920-839-2216. 

The Palestinians, Israelis, and the United States: Past, Present and Future

Date(s): Aug. 4-9
Instructor(s): Tim Crain
Description: The seminar will review the historic conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, as well as how the United States became involved in the dispute, and the future prospects for peace.

Pragmatism: America’s First (and Only!) Philosophy

Date(s): Aug. 4-9
Instructor(s): Terry Goode
Description: We will explore pragmatisms roots in 17th and 18th century European philosophy, and examine the basic theories of pragmatism, explaining how it answers in new and important ways the primary questions of philosophy in epistemology, ontology, logic, ethics and aesthetics.

A Sky Full of Planets: Exploring the Night Sky and Our Solar System

Date(s): Aug. 4-9
Instructor(s): Megan Pickett
Description: In this course we will explore the history of our exploration of the night, particularly our home in the cosmos: our own solar system. You’ll learn about the discoveries of the latest missions, our plans for the future, and the nature of the more than 10,000 other solar systems now known to exist. ​​​

Where do we come from? Where do we go? And Everything in Between: Mythology Across Time and Across the Universe

Date(s): Aug. 11-16
Instructor(s): Nikolas O. Hoel (‘99)
Description: Across the planet, people came up with stories to help them explain earthly phenomena, including, and perhaps, most importantly death. This seminar will be an opportunity to explore mythology as it has existed in many places and amongst many individuals.

Watercolor: The Expressive Medium

Date(s): Aug. 11-17
Instructor(s): Helen Klebesadel
Description: Participants will be a part of a creative community that invites them to experiment with a wide range of traditional and non-traditional watercolor techniques and learn to create strong individualized artistic statements.

*Seminar is currently full, waitlist only. To be added to the waitlist, call 920-839-2216 or email bjorkseminars@lawrence.edu.

Be Present in Nature and Discover What Nature Has to Present You

Date(s): Aug. 25-30
Instructor(s): Jane Burress
Description: Leave the busy world behind and spend each morning immersed in nature. Join Burress, a certified forest and nature guide, for forest bathing sessions. Each session ends with local refreshments and conversation. By connecting with our senses, our imagination is awakened.

Fun with Fungi: Wild Mushrooms and their Relatives

Date(s): Aug. 25-30
Instructor(s): Charlotte Lukes 
Description: This week we will learn mainly about the many types of wild mushrooms in the county. Several PowerPoint color slide programs will be presented about the variety of mushrooms as well as ferns, lichens, mosses, clubmosses and liverworts.

Faith Builds a Chapel: The Legacy of Winifred C. Boynton

Date(s): Aug. 25-30
Instructor(s): Marjorie Graham 
Description: The Norwegian “stavkirke” chapel is the icon of Björklunden, and sits like a jewel at the edge of the forest, facing the shore of Lake Michigan. This seminar will provide an in-depth study of the chapel’s creation, carvings and murals, as well as the Viking myths, Biblical passages and personal stories behind them.