The College
A Vision for the Future
Educating for creative leadership
Even before our nation’s founders immortalized their eloquent vision of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, Yale College was instilling similar values in its students. Since our founding in 1701, generations of undergraduates have sought education and enlightenment at Yale in a dedicated pursuit of knowledge and leadership skills. As a society, we all share in their successes—in their contributions to various professions, their remarkable works of art, their historic literature, their public service efforts, and their commitment to democracy. Decade after decade, the graduates of Yale College have set out to make our world a better place.
Today, many consider Yale to be among the small group of the world’s greatest universities—an institution eminently able to withstand the challenges of time. But time is not something we can disregard. For tomorrow, everything will be different. The very nature of undergraduate education is changing, and Yale must remain in the vanguard and continue evolving if we are to maintain our leadership role.
In the vanguard of change
Yale has a long, widely recognized tradition of imparting an outstanding and broad education to its undergraduate students. As a liberal arts college surrounded by a bright constellation of graduate and professional schools, we offer students an unmatched educational experience. We pride ourselves on the commitment and energy with which our faculty undertakes not only its scholarly work but also the intellectual development of our students. And our tremendous research capabilities—coupled with our highly competitive admissions standards and innovative leadership in financial aid—have made Yale College an ideal environment for learning.
Yet as a beloved and defining institution of higher education, we understand we cannot be complacent. We must hold fast to our fundamental educational principles while looking ahead to a future encompassing technologies, professions, and socio-political and economic contexts that will defy outdated perspectives.
We have already initiated the process by engaging in a rigorous examination of the undergraduate experience and beginning to implement the recommendations of the Report on Yale College Education. But to remain true to our longstanding tradition of relevant education and responsible graduates, we must become even more active in motivating change. The graduates of tomorrow will need a broader knowledge of science and quantitative reasoning, greater fluency in foreign languages, superior writing and communication skills, and a deeper sense of global issues. For these students, we bear the responsibility we have always shouldered: to instill in them the values, goals, skills, and knowledge they need to pursue inspiring work, take joy in lifetime learning, and lead successful and meaningful lives.
Redefining undergraduate education at Yale
To ensure that we fulfill this responsibility, we must accelerate our efforts to redefine undergraduate education at Yale. With the strength of our past to guide us and a vision of our future, we will continue to provide students with the intellectual resources they will need to become leaders in a changing and increasingly complex world.
With your support, we will transform Yale College for the betterment of our students, our graduates, and the world around us.
