About Keuka College
Keuka College was founded in 1890 and is located on the shore of Keuka Lake in New York state’s Finger Lakes region. Keuka College is a private, undergraduate and graduate, residential college that offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs on campus and through its Accelerated Studies for Adults Program across much of Central and Western New York state, as well as international programs in China and Vietnam.
Regardless of degree or location, Keuka College graduates boast significant, real-world experience that impresses employers and graduate schools. We produce well-educated, optimistic, and resourceful people who lead lives of purpose and accomplishment.
The College’s 290-acre campus hosts more than 1,100 students, approximately 300 employees, and more than 5,000 summer conference guests. It is the largest private employer in Yates County, where its annual regional economic impact is more than $110 million.
Our Mission, Vision, and Values Guide Everything We Do
They guide every strategic, operational, and managerial decision, and are also the unifying driving forces as reflected in every educational policy and budget development.
Keuka College believes there is no substitute for the emotional maturation, social development, and increased self-sufficiency that takes place through the college experience.
The need to adapt to changing forces and circumstances, and to have a distinctive, desirable, compelling vision, is paramount. The Board, at its June 2012 retreat, endorsed the new mission and vision statements, and reaffirmed our set of values.
Mission
To create exemplary citizens and leaders to serve the nation and the world.
Vision
We provide a transformational liberal-arts based education, strengthened by experiential learning, which challenges students to develop their intellectual curiosity and to realize, with purpose and integrity, their full personal and professional potential.
Values
Integrity
At Keuka College, behaving ethically and with integrity means being honest, keeping promises, and respecting the property and interests of others. Our personal and professional integrity guides the actions of our College community; supports the character development, wellness, and spirituality of our students; and makes us a more civil society. Keuka College develops integrity and ethical behavior in its students through the curriculum and by consistent modeling of honest and forthright behavior by faculty, staff, administration, and alumni.
Academic Excellence
At Keuka College, academic excellence is central to the College’s educational mission, and high expectations are set for students and faculty. We value intellectual achievement and scholarship, employ innovative and engaging educational practices to develop the whole person, and emphasize the cultivation of critical thinking skills and the love of learning. Academic excellence is not solely a function of the intellectual abilities of the students, but is highly dependent on the quality and rigor of the teaching/learning process.
Student-Centeredness
At Keuka College, we provide a holistic learning experience fostering the intellectual and personal growth of each student. Students, teachers, staff, and alumni are engaged in a way that connects the learning process to the world beyond the College. Through academic programs, collaborative partnerships and experiential learning experiences, Keuka College students broaden their skills and perspectives of careers, personal responsibility, wellness, and civic engagement.
Diversity
At Keuka College, we acknowledge, respect, and celebrate our differences. Our community consists of many identities, each of which provides a valued perspective. We foster an inclusive environment in which we intentionally work toward understanding, respecting, and appreciating diversity. In doing so, we move beyond tolerance to understanding and mutual respect.
Global Perspective
At Keuka College, having a global perspective means being open-minded when working with people of diverse geographical origin and cultural heritage – learning from them, and they from us. In order to prepare students for the world, we provide them with opportunities to learn and interact with other cultures, peoples, and perspectives. Student exposure occurs in many ways: in the classroom through our domestic and international academic programs and curricula, and outside the classroom through multiple opportunities to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Stewardship
At Keuka College, we are committed to preserving and building our legacy for future generations and to fostering a sense of responsibility and commitment to the College. Active stewardship is an ethical and institutional responsibility that embodies careful, prudent utilization and management of our resources, including our people, financial holdings, natural resources, and capital assets. The College and its constituents have a moral and financial imperative to use our many and varied resources in ways that are effective, efficient, and sustainable.
Citizenship
At Keuka College, we believe citizenship includes aspects of leadership, service, and social responsibility. All members of the Keuka College community strive to be good leaders and exemplary citizens. Effective leaders and citizens exhibit common traits of wisdom, determination, vision, emotional intelligence, empathy, and social responsibility. We actively model these qualities and mentor their development, thereby demonstrating and encouraging exemplary citizenship – locally, nationally, and globally.
Nimbleness
At Keuka College, we recognize that the landscape of higher education is rapidly evolving and that business, structural, and pedagogical models can become outdated quickly, presenting barriers to our sustainability and success. The College is nimble when its people are constantly reinventing processes, programs, and products. We value adaptability in our faculty, staff, and students and strive for the ability to be responsive in a dynamic environment.
History
Honored by the past. Proud of the present. Focused on the future. Today Keuka College continues the original mission of founder George Harvey Ball by educating young students and adult learners “to bring strength to our nation and to help humanity” through combined classroom and experiential learning activities.