Hands-On Learning. Life-Changing Experiences Steger Center Expands Course Offerings for 2022
The Steger Center is expanding its unique School of Sustainability programming in 2022, opening doors for adults to learn viable skills while reconnecting with nature.
Courses run one or two weeks, depending on the subject matter and project complexity. Enrollment is extremely limited to accommodate a very tight student-instructor ratio for maximized learning and hands-on experience. The courses cover a wide range of construction and foster skills that will empower participants to expand their career options or simply gain confidence and ability to apply to their own projects with cabins, homes, or their overall lifestyle.
The list below covers topics, instructors, and number of available student openings. Tuition for all courses is $900/week, which includes meals and rustic accommodations on the extraordinary grounds of the Steger Center, located just north of Ely, Minnesota.
Important note: Registration information will be provided soon. Check back here or follow us on social media for updates!
July 10-16 – Women’s Post-and-Beam Construction
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- Taught by Jenna Pollard
- Capped at 4 students
July 10-16 – Stone Masonry, Foundations, and Walls
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- Taught by Aurora Walhstrom
- Capped at 4 students
July 10-16 – Glass and Wood: A Paradigm in Stain Glass Construction
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- Taught by Nolen Sherman
- Capped at 3 students
July 17-30 – All Women’s A-Z Log Cabin Building
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- Taught by Nolen Sherman
- Capped at 4 students
July 17-30 – All Women’s Stone Masonry, Walls, and Walkways
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- Taught by Aurora Walhstrom
- Capped at 4 students
July 17-30 – All Women’s Fine Woodworking
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- Taught by Hans Mouritzen
- Capped at 3 students
July 31-August 6 – Glass and Wood: A Paradigm in Stain Glass Construction
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- Taught by Nolen Sherman
- Capped at 3 students
August 7-20 – Build a Pizza Oven and Learn Stone Masonry
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- Taught by Ian Mckeil and Aurora Walhstrom
- Capped at 8 students
Paid Positions Available – Apply Today to Be Part of the School of Sustainability
The Steger Center seeks hard-working, dedicated staffers for paid summer work opportunities. Great for college students, teachers, or anyone looking for a rich summer experience. The center is currently seeking:
- Documentarian: This position is an intern-level opportunity for a person who can help capture video, photos, and stories to help tell the story of the School of Sustainability to the world. This role is needed for July and August 2022.
Media Release
The courses listed above and participants will be filmed and photographed. All students will be asked to sign a media release prior to the start of the course.
Course #1 for 2022: Women's Post-and-Beam Construction
Taught by and for women, in an inclusive, creative setting.
• When: July 10-16, 2022
• Where: Steger Center, Ely, MN
The first course in the School of Sustainability series provides hands-on skill development specifically for creating post-and-beam frames, essential for wilderness building projects.
- One-week tuition: $900
- Includes meals, rustic Steger Center accommodations, on-site coursework and construction with up to four students total.
INSTRUCTORS
Nolen Sherman has 5 years of experience building dovetail cabins and is currently employed as a finish carpenter. She has spent time living and working at Steger Center and also specializes in building stained glass windows, featured in other cabins on site.
Jenna Pollard first visited Steger Center as a stone masonry apprentice in 2012. Her continued work has included timber frame, round log, dovetail and adobe building techniques.
Aurora Wahlstrom has practiced stone masonry for nearly a decade. Most recently, she’s practiced stone work in San Luis Obispo, California. She currently works as an arborist and is pursuing a yoga instructor license.