Serving the Greater Good
“I call on members of the College community to rededicate ourselves to building a culture that links Amherst to a lifetime of advancing democratic principles and contributing to society beyond our campus. As we recommit to these ideals, I am asking all of us to work together toward concrete steps the College will be taking in three core areas: our classrooms, our career programs, and our community.” — PRESIDENT MICHAEL A. ELLIOTT
We are working together to build a community that makes room for both true disagreement and true connection, one that practices the kind of recognition and robust negotiation that the everyday life of democracy requires, and one that explicitly prepares our students to work for the greater good in their professional and personal endeavors.
The Latest
- Faculty are developing new, innovative courses that will enhance our support for the greater good in the Amherst curriculum. In coordination with Mellon and Davis Foundation grants focused on experiential learning, curricular development funding was awarded for proposals from more than 25 faculty this spring, with the first cohort of courses to launch in 2024-25 and 2025-26. These courses ask students what it means to be a member of a democratic society, invite work with community partners, and address the pressing challenges of our time.
- We announced Amherst for Amherst, a new vision for partnership with the town we call home. This work includes significant investments in the Town of Amherst—with more to come—and we are working to develop a more expansive and mutually beneficial relationship between the College and our local communities.