Life During Fellowship

Fellows will be living on the 70 acre Horseshoe Farm campus* which is located approximately 3 miles south of Greensboro, Alabama. Greensboro is a small rural southern town located in west central Alabama. The town has a deep, complex, and rich history that continues to shape community life today.

Fellows should prepare themselves for simple living. Because of the limited access to shopping malls, movie theaters, and the like, community life tends to focus on other activities, and Fellows will have plenty of opportunities to get to know and engage with other members of the community. For many people, church is a main center and an important part of community life. Agriculture, and specifically catfish farming is the single biggest industry. The beautiful surrounding nature of the area provides many opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities.

Greensboro is the home of the internationally recognized Rural Studio Architecture program of Auburn University. Each year, the Rural Studio houses approximately 35 undergraduate and graduate students in or near Greensboro, and these students work on a wide range of design/build projects in the community. The Rural Studio has frequent activities and events, and students get together regularly for basketball, ultimate Frisbee, film festivals, lectures, and other activities. The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is 45 minutes away by car, and Tuscaloosa has all of the amenities of a medium sized city.

Fellows will be living together on a portion of the Horseshoe Farm campus in houses designed with simple living in mind by an Auburn University Rural Studio Graduate. Fellows will have the opportunity to experience the challenges and joys of living simply, without television, air conditioning, or internet (though internet access is easily accessible at the public technology center in Greensboro). Fellows will work together to maintain the grounds and clean their own residences, and regular exercise and fitness will be encouraged. All of this is intended to strengthen the body, mind, and spirit.