Educational Philosophy
Educational Philosophy
Preparing to succeed in the 21st century requires the intellectual flexibility that a liberal arts education provides.
W&L is a place where you learn from the successes (and failures) of the past, while honing skills for the future. A place where you cultivate interests and may discover your calling. And a place where mentors and friends help you grow personally and intellectually. All the while, uncovering opportunities you never knew possible.
We’re proud of the fact that 96 percent of our graduating class is either employed or in graduate school within nine months of graduation. But we’re prouder still of the contributions that our alumni make to their communities, their country and the world throughout their lives.
How we Learn
Dive Deeper
As a W&L student, you can apply for one of hundreds of research stipends to partner with a professor or undertake an independent research project. Author a paper in an academic journal. Co-present with your professor at an international conference. Dive deep and develop the skills that will give you a taste of — and a head start on — postgraduate life.
The World Classroom
We educate students to be active participants in a global and diverse society. And we do it by engaging students in the critical issues of our time, both on campus — through coursework, speaker series and cultural programs — and off campus, through a vibrant and extensive study abroad program.
Practical Application
At W&L, you won’t be limited to a seminar room or lecture hall. You will go into the lab and into the rivers and streams. Onto archaeology sites and onto the floors of the U.S. House of Representatives or the New York Stock Exchange. Into schools and theaters, hospitals and newsrooms. Out of your comfort zone and around the world.
Making a Difference
W&L students are actively engaged in surrounding communities. From tutoring to interpreting at the hospital, from building houses with Habitat for Humanity to helping at the domestic violence shelter. The commitment to service extends into the classroom as well, through a number of service-learning courses in which community service is integrated with instruction and reflection.