Statement of Purpose

The following statement of purpose, framed by a group of students, faculty members, and administrators, was affirmed by the Council of Centre College and approved by the Board of Trustees. It sets forth the goals and mission of the College not only as an academic enterprise but also as a comprehensive educational community.

Centre College is a small, independent, and selective educational community dedicated to study in the liberal arts as a means to develop the intellectual, personal, and moral potential of its students. Centre nurtures in its students the ability to think logically and critically, to work creatively, to analyze and compare values, and to write and speak with clarity and grace. It acquaints students with the range of accomplishments of the human mind and spirit in a variety of arts and theoretical disciplines. It enables students to choose and fulfill significant responsibilities in society. In short, Centre’s highest priority is to prepare its students for lives of learning, leadership, and service.

A long and rich tradition of tolerance, freedom of enquiry, and community informs all aspects of college life. Centre accomplishes its goals in an atmosphere of caring and respectful relationships among faculty, students, and staff, aided by its broadly conceived, nonsectarian, Judeo-Christian heritage. This tradition commits Centre to a belief in the unconditional value of each human being, to an appreciation of the differences among people, and to a recognition of the close connection between responsible self-development and community well-being.