Growing Creative Leaders Through Distinctive Approaches to Learning

All of the Center's degree and certificate programs are grounded in several key learning principles. They are:

Learning Together

A collaborative learning community stimulates individual and group learning. It encourages the sharing of ideas, values and experience and leads to the creation of new perspectives and understandings. A learning community co-created by students and faculty contributes to shared knowledge and individual awareness.  

Learning from Experience

Learning from your own experience is essential. By developing the ability to learn from your own practical experience, you open up to new ways of knowing—not derived from books or experts, but from your own life, work, community and family. Also referred to as reflective practice, learning by experience allows you to learn both from action and for action.

Whole Person Learning

Whole person learning enables students to develop and grow as authentic human beings. Learning that engages minds, hearts and spirits enables you to integrate critical thinking, empathetic understanding and hands-on skills. Whole person learning nurtures the compassionate, practical genius in everyone.

Skills for Thinking, Skills for Action

Effective education for creating social change includes developing your skills for thinking and action. Both are essential to create a sustainable and just world. Creative leaders need thinking skills to understand the world and its problems, as well as practical skills to design and implement sustainable solutions.

Diversity of Ideas, Beliefs, Cultures and Ethnicities

A diverse community of students contributes to individual learning and to an inclusive educational environment. Diversity includes different ideas and beliefs, as well as different cultures and ethnicities. Diversity in the classroom is vital for the education of socially-engaged citizens in a diverse, democratic society.

Understanding Systems and Making Connections

Education for creating and leading social change requires understanding the concept of systems. Systemic thinking focuses on how a single thing, event or phenomenon interacts with others. Systemic thinking expands your world view to include interactions and relationships and provide a holistic view of the world.