New Centers to Ensure that W&J Students are Prepared for Ethical Leadership, Professional Success
WASHINGTON, Pa., July 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two new centers at Washington & Jefferson College will give students a distinctive advantage through customized programs to ensure that they become ethical leaders who are well prepared for professional success in their chosen fields.
These centers add new dimensions to the W&J experience by emphasizing continuous professional preparation within a comprehensive liberal arts curriculum long known for producing successful graduates.
The Center for Ethical Leadership, which launches this fall, will develop students' skills and commitments to leading with integrity—both personally and professionally—in a complex and rapidly changing world.
"Our promise to produce graduates of 'uncommon integrity' has long been enshrined in the mission statement of Washington & Jefferson College," said President John C. Knapp. "With this new Center, we will ensure that our students are known as leaders dedicated to upholding the highest ethical standards in their professions and communities."
The Center for Ethical Leadership will serve as a hub for curricular and co-curricular programming and will be introduced to first-year students when they arrive at the College. First-year students will be paired with faculty advisors and student success consultants, as the Center's programming provides opportunities to develop skills for ethical reasoning and action, both in the context of their academic study and through many other activities throughout campus life.
To further ensure professional readiness, the new Center for Professional and Career Pathways will enable every student to design and hone their own four-year plan for success beyond college.
Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Eva Chatterjee-Sutton said Pathways represents W&J's commitment to aligning all aspects of the student experience with preparation for professional life or further study in graduate school. "This process starts in the first year to equip every student with a roadmap to their successful future during and after W&J," she said. "This is not an opt-in experience; every student benefits from these programs. This is integrated throughout their undergraduate experience, both academic and co-curricular, throughout their four years here."
Key components of the Pathways program include quarterly workshops as well as regular interaction with alumni, who will share lessons from their own leadership journeys and act as mentors. This intentional and focused approach enables each W&J student to become familiar with their own aptitudes, interests and opportunities, while allowing the flexibility to explore broadly their areas of academic interest. In addition, a new requirement calls for all students to complete a supervised practical experience customized to their unique interests. Whether through laboratory research, a professional internship, or other hands-on experiences, all students will demonstrate their ability to apply their knowledge and skills in relevant ways.
"College is such a precious time and you don't want to look back and say 'Well I wish I would have…'" Chatterjee-Sutton said. "Through these Centers, students will have license to make sure that they get what they need out of their college experience."
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, proudly located in Washington, Pa., is a historic liberal arts college founded in 1781 that values ethical leadership, professional readiness, and inclusive communities. Our highly customized and intellectually engaging student experience develops professionals of uncommon integrity to lead in an ever-changing world. For more information about W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
CONTACT: Erin Jones, 1-724-223-6535, [email protected]
SOURCE Washington & Jefferson College
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