The Good Life Gap Year @Seguinland Institute
Vitals
- GYA Accredited Since: Unaccredited by the GYA. Please see the Standards for more information.
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Enrolling:
Yes - Mission Statement:
Seguinland Institute creates immersive academic programs in which gap year students explore what it means to live a good life in the 21st Century. Our programs combine immersion in the natural with world with experiential learning, mindfulness practice, the creative arts and a back-to-the-land ethos. Our campus lies on a 60-acre homestead peninsula in the coastal woodlands of Maine. We are a non-profit organization founded in 2009.
Our programs include:
The Good Life Gap Semester (Fall Semester: 10 weeks on site in Maine)
The Good Life May Term (May-June: 3 weeks on site in Maine)
Wintering: A Good Life Writer's Retreat (January Term: 3 weeks in Maine)
The Good Life Bridge Semester (January - May) -
Level of Independence/Supervision (mouse-over for definition):
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Attachments
Program Locations
Typical Itinerary
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
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W e e k 1 |
AWE & WONDER: Visiting Maine's dramatic oceanfront, readings and discussions on philosophical themes of awe and wonder | SEGUIN ISLAND TRIP: Take the classroom to an uninhibited island in the Atlantic. Journaling and discussions on the daily philosophy themes. | COOKING (all semester): learn culinary skills and harvest the bounty of our greenhouse | COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE (1 week): Seminar on community formation as a means to establish new habits, resiliency, and a vision for life. | CANOE TRIP (2 days) to Beal Island w/ readings & lectures & writing on re-wilding yourself and finding "the peace of wild things." -W. Berry. +Songs on the river and around the campfire | TREE HOUSE RETREAT - a night in one of our epic tree houses, forest bathing, soaking in hot tub 20' up the trees. A literal change in perspective. | COMMUNITY BUILDING DAY: games, activities and connecting with your peers. Head to the pond for a Sauna Plunge! |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | |
|
W e e k 2 |
DAY OF REST: yoga, contemplation, journaling. "Rest is the essence of giving and receiving." -D. Whyte | FORAGED FEAST: students work with expert foragers and artists to prepare an epic and beautiful feast for all to enjoy. | CREATIVITY & ENVIRONMENT: Work with natural materials, take inspiration from nature-based artists to explore this deep interrelationship | FOREST BATHING: Contemplative practices of being and walking in the woods combined with readings & lectures on nature, meditation & "the secret life of trees." | ENVISIONING THE GOOD LIFE - an intensive seminar on the use of visuals & innate visual intelligence in service of learning, community & vision for life. "We think in pictures." -L.Wittgenstein | CREATIVITY & CHANGE - Explore the role of creativity in creating change and shaping/reflecting communities | SERVICE SATURDAY: service project, environmentally themed. Then campfire debrief. |
We invite students to step away from the buzzing and blooming confusions of everyday life and hunker down on our 60 acre campus in the coastal woodlands of Maine. At Seguinland, students find a place for spacious reflection on questions of the good life and intentional community-building. While getting their hands dirty in the garden, expanding their capacity for creative expression, being immersed in the natural world, students gain a sense of purpose and perspective on what really matters. During our programs students complete 1-3 interconnected college courses for up to 10 credits. This is not academics as usual. All courses are integrated with immersive experiences, mentorship relationships and soul-expanding adventures.
Program Outcomes
- VISION & VALUES: Articulate your values & visions of the good life. Take concrete steps toward that life. Learn how to begin again.
- EXPERIENTIAL INQUIRY: Rediscover your love of learning. Integrate learning with lived experience. Engage with the big ideas & the bigger questions.
- NATURE, WONDER, & JOY: Learn to connect with the natural world as a source of grounding and insight. Gain an increased appreciation for the natural world.
- GOOD FOOD: Eat and learn to prepare good, nourishing food. Volunteer at an organic farm, work with expert foragers to prepare a feast. Explore connections between the good life & the food life.
- CULTIVATE MINDFULESS PRACTICES: Help knit your attention span together, calm and focus your mind.
- COMMUNITY BUILDING: Foster inclusive & growth-oriented community.
- CONNECT TO CREATIVITY: Learn to tap into and expand your capacity for creativity. Undertake creative project. Visit artist studios. Learn from musicians, artists and creators.
- MENTORSHIP: Learn how to develop & sustain strong mentor relationships.
- JUSTICE: Put compassion into action. Gain a greater ability to engage in a wise, passionate, & sustainable struggle for the good of all.
- GRATITUDE: Develop a gratitude practice; establish daily habits for fostering your felt sense of gratitude.
Program Details
- Program Starts: Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer
- Program Duration: Less than 2 months, Semester, Yearlong
- Typical Program Cost: $13,900 (includes everything)
- Program Financial Aid: Yes
- Other Financial Aid Details:
We offer need-based scholarships. Please inquire.
Staff Training and Certification
Our team is comprised of award-winning professors, caring mentors and experienced outdoor guides.
PHILIP FRANCIS, PhD, Harvard University
Founder and director of Seguinland Institute, Philip grew up on a boat yard in Maine, completed his doctorate at Harvard, his postdoc at Penn, and was Professor of Philosophy and Religion at UMaine Farmington before going full time at Seguinland.
MARSHA DUNN, MSW, Boston University. BA, Brown University.
For the past 20-years Marsha has worked as a designer, graphic facilitator, teacher of the creative arts, and founder/designer of Seguin Tree Dwellings in Maine.
JENNY O'CONNELL, MFA in Creative Writing, USM.
A Maine Literary Award finalist and Pushcart Prize nominee, Jenny’s award-winning outdoor writing has appeared in numerous magazines. She has been an outdoor guide for 14 years.
MATTHEW WEEMAN, M.Ed, Boston University.
For two decades Matthew has worked in a myriad of roles in the fields of education and youth development. Before arriving at Seguinland Institute, Matthew worked as a Licensed School Counselor in Boston for 13 years.