Academic Vision Statement

Stonehill College is a community of scholarship and teaching dedicated to developing the full potential of all its members. Our commitment to academic excellence goes beyond expanding students’ knowledge and skills and seeks to cultivate modes of knowing and habits of mind that lead to lives of purpose and meaning. In the rich tradition of the liberal arts and the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Stonehill launches students on a quest for life-long learning and the pursuit of truth for its own sake. As devoted teacher-scholars, faculty guide students in discovering the unique joys of intellectual inquiry. A thoughtful engagement with ideas of enduring significance endows students with a reflective and innovative approach to knowledge and problem-solving. By leading students to consider fundamental questions of human existence and confront the origins and implications of their own values, a Stonehill education is transformative. From a heightened understanding of the natural world to an appreciation of beauty, from moral reflection to disciplinary rigor, a Stonehill education prepares students for meaningful lives by encouraging service to the common good, the practice of responsible citizenship, and the pursuit of professional fulfillment.

Serving the Common Good

A Stonehill education fosters a commitment to the common good. In proclaiming and modeling the value of diversity and respect in the classroom and across campus, faculty encourage students to do the same in their own present and future communities. In this regard we are guided by a central goal in the College’s mission statement: that “each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts, and leads with courage to create a more just and compassionate world.” Our commitment to justice and compassion reflects Catholic social justice teachings and the distinctive aspiration of the Congregation of Holy Cross: to educate the mind and heart. A Stonehill education inspires in women and men enduring hope, a profound respect for the dignity of others, and a special commitment to the underprivileged – all exemplified by our quest to be of service to our neighbors. As a faculty guided by these traditions, we work to cultivate the imagination and empathy that are necessary for understanding the beliefs and values of all who inhabit our diverse global community.

Engaging in Responsible Citizenship

A Stonehill education prepares students for responsible citizenship in their local and global communities. Building on our commitment to the common good, the faculty stresses knowledge and skills in tandem with curiosity and passion that cut across academic disciplines and foster the deep engagement required for informed and active citizenship. Through original scholarship, public speaking, and professional service, faculty model responsible citizenship and the rewards of intellectual inquiry. Guided by active scholars seeking new truths in a dynamic range of fields, students learn to think critically and to build and communicate rigorous and persuasive arguments. Central to achieving and fully expressing disciplinary mastery in their chosen field of study, students also learn how to formulate discerning questions about inherited knowledge and new information. The faculty remains committed to innovative and collaborative modes of teaching and research that integrate the educational experience so that students develop ethically grounded, creative, and constructive approaches to their own challenges and the challenges faced by society.

Pursuing Professional Fulfillment

A Stonehill education inspires students to pursue rewarding professional lives. Central to this process is our identity as a small residential liberal arts college focused primarily on undergraduates. Small classes, dedicated advising, and close faculty-student collaboration foster extraordinary student development. The faculty encourages students to discover, academically and personally, their own unique paths and purpose at Stonehill as the foundations of professional fulfillment. The enduring strengths of the liberal arts tradition – critical thinking, moral reflection, and scientific inquiry – dovetail with the requirements of a fulfilling and successful career in our times. Ideally, Stonehill graduates possess the open-mindedness, intellectual dexterity, and creative spirit not only to excel but also to adapt, and to do so while sustaining their sense of purpose and meaning. Building on this liberal arts foundation, all of our programs of study prepare students for graduate programs and professions that call for more specialized knowledge and skills.

In these ways, Stonehill College – a curious, critical, creative, and compassionate community of research and teaching wherein free inquiry and ideas are valued as ends in themselves – is dedicated to cultivating student potential through academic excellence and rigor. Our programs of study in the humanities and the arts, in the social and natural sciences, and in business, education, and health care administration are united in this effort to educate the whole person and prepare students for the next stages of their civic and professional lives in the 21st century.