The Purpose of the College

Albion College is committed to liberal education in the arts and sciences. We believe such an education empowers individuals to live lives of constructive purpose and accomplishment, enriched by the confidence and pleasure that come from thinking logically, imaginatively and humanely. In light of this vision we seek to create and maintain, in a residential setting, a supportive, intellectually stimulating community which exhibits and prizes curiosity, creativity, dissent and diversity.

We believe in the fundamental worth of a broad exposure to intellectual and artistic achievement, to the best that has been thought and said about the world and our place in it. An Albion College education introduces students to classical modes of analysis, interpretation and argument; to unfolding scientific inquiry into the nature of the physical world; to the ways in which contemporary debates derive from and extend an historical but continuing dialogue about enduring questions.

At Albion College we invite students to engage in ongoing conversations centered upon their cultural heritage, yet responsive to global concerns. We believe our students will find their own voices by paying attention to the finest expressions of Western and other intellectual and spiritual traditions. Far from inviting a passive acceptance of such traditions, we encourage students to question and challenge them, to evaluate ethically the social uses they serve and the ends they advocate. In our view, a liberal education is an education in active citizenship and service.

Teaching and learning are central to our mission. This means that while the faculty are productive in scholarly and creative endeavors, their primary commitment is to teaching--specifically, to fostering the intellectual engagement and growth of students. The primary responsibility of students at Albion College is to develop mastery in the methods by which knowledge is acquired, critically evaluated, and appropriately applied. We believe such an emphasis prepares students for a lifetime of learning and a multiplicity of possible careers by developing their broad reasoning, writing and speaking abilities. While the classroom is at the heart of our educational mission, we believe that the entire College community should share in the learning experiences found in our residential setting and through involvement in out-of-classroom opportunities and experiences, including those in the City of Albion.

In recruiting new members to the College community, we seek men and women of intellectual promise from various racial, class, ethnic and geographic backgrounds, whose perspectives can contribute to a process of mutual education within and outside the curriculum. This aim can best be achieved in an environment where individuals value differences and enter into constructive dialogue toward common goals. By pursuing our educational mission, we believe all members of the Albion community will grow in the capacity to work, live and serve effectively with others.

Approved by the Albion College Board of Trustees, October 30, 1993.