The Exemplary Programs section consists of 405 programs divided into 10 categories.

• First-Year Programs: 60 college programs that offer students the tools to develop a moral compass to navigate between increased personal freedom and new responsibilities

• Academic Honesty Programs: 35 college programs that effectively communicate the values of honesty, trust, respect, responsibility, integrity, and fairness in the classroom

• Faculty and Curriculum Programs: 45 college programs that offer opportunities in the classroom for students to examine, reflect on, and articulate a set of moral ideals and commitments

• Volunteer Service Programs: 60 college programs that provide opportunities for students to learn through serving others in their communities and in the world

• Substance-Abuse Prevention Programs: 35 college programs that place character development at the heart of their alcohol- and drug-abuse prevention efforts

• Student Leadership Programs: 40 college programs that help students develop the competencies, conscience, and compassion required of leaders in a civil society

• Spiritual Growth Programs: 40 college programs, not all church-related, that provide opportunities for students to develop a coherent vision of moral integrity that connects belief to behavior

• Civic Education Programs: 40 college programs that encourage students to develop the skills and habits of mind to become active, well-informed, responsible citizens in a democratic society

• Character and Sexuality Programs: 20 college programs that help students to learn, appreciate, and apply the core virtues of self-control, respect, responsibility, and integrity in their relationships

• Senior-Year Programs: 30 college programs that help seniors reflect on, connect, and attach meaning to their undergraduate experience

In some cases, it is obvious that these activities directly foster and encourage character development (e.g., Academic Honesty Programs, Volunteer Service Programs). However, the uniqueness of this guidebook is that it identifies the character dimension of college programs that might not immediately appear to encourage developing such virtues as self-control, respect, and courage.

For example, the 60 First-Year Programs do more than help students adjust to new surroundings; they provide critical-thinking skills that enable them to address the ethical and behavioral challenges of contemporary college life. Most significantly, these programs foster the development of good character by encouraging first-year students to commit themselves to high standards of academic and personal behavior.

The Substance-Abuse Prevention Program category is another example of how college programs focus on the character dimension of education. Virtually all colleges and universities have in place programs that aim to reduce binge drinking and drug use. However, the 35 programs profiled in this guidebook place character development at the heart of the issue. They extend beyond mere enforcement of campus rules to include campus and community activities that strive to change perceptions, expectations, and behaviors about alcohol and other drug use. At the core of these efforts are professionally designed and often student-led activities that equip young people with the skills to resist participating in peer cultures and community practices that lead to binge drinking and drug use.

As part of each of the 405 Exemplary Program profiles, we provide the name and contact information for the college official or faculty member who coordinates or directs that particular program. We encourage readers to contact these men and women to learn more about their successes and continuing challenges. Most important, we hope that these profiles inspire college-bound students and their families to find out what character-development programs are offered at the college or university they are considering attending. Admissions officers need to know about this interest in learning more about the school's commitment to character development.