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Learning
Current
President Larry Shinn suggested in his inaugural address that, "Berea's
motto and commitments invite... deep learning. A deep learning
that fills the head and the heart so that we
might serve others... A deep learning that stems from ancient
roots but serves well our modern imperatives." The core
of Berea's general studies program that is required of all students
is distinctly liberal arts in nature, and the liberal arts pervade
the design of the College's pedagogy and curriculum. Frequently
ranked as the South's finest regional liberal arts college, the
College was from the beginning, as former President Francis Hutchins
observed, "…both academic and practical. Thus the
utilitarian and the practical, the scientific and the spiritual,
have always been part of our heritage."
In keeping with the College's mission of life-long learning, faculty
and staff are provided with professional development opportunities
in the classroom and in the workplace. Endowed chairs provide exemplars
of excellence in teaching and leadership and ensure key faculty
positions in perpetuity.
Labor
From the beginning, the College's charter promised "opportunities
for manual labor as an assistance in self-support." Whether
they are assisting in the computer center or maintaining the campus
grounds, Berea students integrate productive work, disciplined
learning, career exploration, and personal development by working
10 to 15 hours per week in any one of 130 labor departments that
range from food service, to handicrafts, to technology, and academic
research. Beyond its practical goal of self-help, the College's
work program is grounded in the belief that all work has "dignity
as well as utility" and that work is service in community.
In addition, Berea students really "earn" a portion of
their education costs.
Service
As President John Stephenson wrote, "Berea is, as
it has always been, more than just a college. It is ... an opportunity
school
for all those ... who need what we have to give." Throughout
its history, the College has found innovative avenues of service.
In earlier days, a mule-drawn book wagon spread literacy and good
reading into nearby mountain counties. The original "Opportunity
School" provided enrichment in literature, music, and handicrafts
for adults in small, remote communities. The "contrast house" was
a model home that promoted inexpensive building and interior design,
using local resources and traditions.
Today, Berea students, faculty, and staff work together to address
the needs of our communities-both local and national. In combining
service and academic activities, faculty and students may develop
intellectual, physical, and spiritual characteristics that translate
into committed action. Berea's new Center for Excellence in Learning
Through Service (CELTS) assists in coordinating and expanding curricular
and co-curricular efforts to encourage students and employees to
serve others, whether it be tutoring atrisk students, reaching
out to mentally and physically challenged persons, assisting in
local schools, or other forms of community service. The Brushy
Fork Institute cultivates local leadership in Appalachian counties
aimed at economic, community, and educational development. The
Entrepreneurship for the Public Good Program, which complements
the College's internship program, fosters skills in creative problem-solving,
collaborative leadership, and calculated risk-taking through classroom
instruction as well as internships with small non-profit and community
organizations.
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