Kalamazoo College was founded in 1833 with a commitment to academic
excellence, liberal learning, freedom of individual conscience, and
appreciation of difference. James and Lucinda Stone, who led the College
from 1842 to 1863 and who were primarily responsible for the academic
reputation which gained the College its charter in 1855, embodied
and extended those original values. In their teaching and leadership,
the Stones sustained their vision of a college that transcended barriers
between faculty and students, between intellectual pursuits and moral
values, and between campus life and the larger life of American society
and world events.
This original vision was carried forward in the next century by the
administration of President Allan Hoben (1922-1935). This era is characterized
by Dr. Hoben's concept of the College as a "Fellowship in Learning,"
an academic village whose members collaborate in the project of education.
Dr. Hoben encouraged the high level of faculty involvement in campus
life that distinguishes the College today. He also made the new Stetson
Chapel a meetinghouse where community members could share opinions,
insights, and concerns.
During the administration of President Weimer Hicks (1954-1971), the
Kalamazoo Plan was born, fulfilling the Stones' original notion of
the academic community as an integral component of the world beyond
it. Dr. Hicks also enlarged and strengthened the Kalamazoo College
faculty, raising the level in intellectual leadership and personal
commitment to values that sustained the College through its transition
to a "global campus."
Founded over 168 years ago by visionary Baptists, the College operates
as an independent organization, while acknowledging its historic link
with the American Baptist Church. The College recognizes its indebtedness
to the spirit of individuals such as the Stones and Presidents Hoben
and Hicks, and calls upon all members of its community to work individually
and collectively to sustain a legacy of care and respect for the individual,
unceasing growth as an object of life and learning, commitment to
social justice and community welfare, and courage in seeking an understanding
of, and respect for, different points of view. Through the Kalamazoo
Plan and its emphasis upon global education, Kalamazoo College seeks
to bring its traditions to bear upon the educational needs of students
in the contemporary world. In the combination of on-campus study,
the career development internship program, study abroad, and the senior
individualized project, students experience the dynamic relationship
between academic and experiential learning, between life in a small
community and life in the wider world, and between Western culture
and the wealth of cultures beyond it.
This unique global perspective of education at Kalamazoo College entails
not only an awareness of the diversity and shared experiences among
the peoples of the world, but also a respect for and appreciation
of that diversity. As a reflection of the world community, the campus
community is likewise composed of individuals with differing backgrounds,
interests, goals, and values. In joining this community, students,
faculty, and staff dedicate themselves to maintaining an atmosphere
of mutual caring and respect for the dignity of each individual and
for his or her contribution to campus life. Community members are
called upon to seek an understanding of the unknown, in themselves
and in others, with courage and with responsibility. In our common
search for knowledge, that which brings us together and binds us to
each other, we aim for an education that calls upon community members
to make informed judgements and to take responsibility for translating
learning into life, an education that produces confidence in approaching
the complexity and plurality of a world moving toward a global society.
Our goal is to achieve unity and diversity within a cooperative and
challenging community, where each member is encouraged to realize
his or her full potential.
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The Honor System
more than just a set of regulations, it is
a definition of the very essence of this community
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