Do College Your Way

“Knowledge is, in every country, the surest basis of public happiness.”

These words, spoken by George Washington, reside at the heart of our mission as a liberal arts institution. One of our earliest donors on record, Washington understood that it would take an educated citizenry to meet whatever challenges the future might hold.

A Revolutionary Idea

Washington hoped that young people of the new nation would be equipped not just with facts and figures, but with creativity and the moral courage to safeguard our inheritance and help us form a more perfect union.

Establishing a liberal arts college with this distinctly secular mission was a revolutionary idea at the time. But the idea still resonates on this campus, where students are conducting groundbreaking scientific research, discussing the proper role of government power, exploring great books and works of art, and embracing a code of honor inspired by the values held by George Washington—curiosity, civility, leadership, and moral courage.

Your Revolution Starts Here

Guided by the ideals of our founding patron, you can discover what it takes to lead a worthy and meaningful life, and how much a single person, committed to a cause, can achieve.