Inspired by the extraordinary vision of our community, and carried forward by the service and support of educators and advocates, Lafayette College commits to this strategic plan with pride in our history, confidence in our present moment, and ambition for the promise of the third century to come. From its founding, Lafayette College has been an experiment by and for the people. A group of citizens gathered to create a space to read, reflect, and bring their ideas to bear on their world. Motivated by the values of its namesake, Lafayette has carried forward this distinctly democratic origin by educating scholars, scientists, and citizen leaders since 1826.
At the College’s bicentennial, Becoming Lafayette: A Vision for Our Third Century rededicates Lafayette to the educational dynamism and ingenuity that superb faculty, students, and staff have modeled from our founding. Through a curriculum anchored in the liberal arts and engineering with a rich array of interdisciplinary programs, we are poised for the next century and will welcome new generations of innovative, inclusive, and creative students. This is a strategic plan that fully embodies our aspirations toward a culture of “and” through connections that define us and delineate our strengths: liberal arts and engineering and interdisciplinary programs, ties to our communities and a close-knit residential campus, and commitments to sustainability and inclusivity.
Lafayette is unique nationally in its particular combination of the liberal arts, engineering, and interdisciplinary study in an undergraduate-focused residential learning environment. The five priorities outlined below seek to enhance these already strong elements of a Lafayette education while providing equitable access to powerful learning experiences across the curriculum, and simultaneously developing pathways for innovation and creativity.
The strategic plan outlines five strategic priorities designed to enhance the College’s existing strengths and provide equitable access to powerful learning experiences. These priorities are intended to guide the college as it moves forward into its third century.
Lafayette College’s campus master plan is a bold vision that will strengthen the campus for future generations. Explore the campus master plan website.
Lafayette College is celebrating 200 years of history, innovation, and community with its bicentennial. Visit the bicentennial website.
Lafayette College’s strategic plan emphasizes interdisciplinarity, democracy and its technologies, and cultivating connections.
