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Colleges that Encourage Character Development contains 555 profiles of exemplary programs, presidents, and colleges and universities that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives. It has been designed for students, parents, and educators who know deep in their hearts that character matters. Although the John Templeton Foundation does not recommend any single character-development curriculum, formula, or approach, we have published this guidebook to stress how important it is for each college and university in the United States to establish its own unique set of character-development practices, expectations, and outcomes. In short, this guidebook celebrates the belief that character development can and does occur within a wide diversity of higher-education settings. Who Will Benefit From This Useful Resource High-School Students and Their Families It is important to know that our selection process was highly competitive. If a school or program is not profiled in this guidebook, this does not mean that the college or university has no interest in character development or that it does not provide excellent opportunities for students to explore and strengthen their values, beliefs, and convictions. We encourage college-bound students and their families to contact the admissions office of the school in which they are interested and find out what character-development programs and activities the institution has in place. High-School Counselors High-school guidance and college admissions counselors across the United States help more than one million students each year identify and select the college they will attend. Many counselors are actively involved in their school or community's character-education programs and understand that the old adage "character is destiny" contains an essential truth. We hope that counselors will make this guidebook available to students and their families and help them understand how to use it as a resource during their college selection process. College Administrators, Trustees, Faculty, and Alumni College trustees and officials, faculty members, and alumni have a special understanding that during the college years young people frequently seek to define or redefine for themselves a set of ethical and civic commitments. This guidebook profiles some of the best practices in higher education that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives. We hope that educators will use this comprehensive resource in discussions with colleagues to determine what their institutions can do to increase their commitment to educating students for moral leadership. Colleges That Encourage Character Development is divided into three major sections: 405 exemplary programs listed in 10 categories, 50 presidents, and 100 colleges and universities that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives. The programs, presidents, and institutions selected are listed alphabetically by school name, not according to any ranking or rating. Our goal was to highlight these outstanding examples of character-development programs at colleges and universities. How This Guide is Organized The Exemplary Programs section consists of 405 programs divided into 10 categories:
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. Colleges that Encourage Character Development profiles 50 college and university presidents who are setting the standard in higher education for what a leader can do to establish priorities and programs that help prepare students for lives of personal and civic responsibility. It is a sad but undeniable fact that too many students graduate from college without ever talking to the college president. It used to be different. A century ago, the college president frequently taught a capstone course to seniors to challenge students to develop a lifelong commitment to the virtues of personal and civic responsibility. Indeed, these courses often asked the student to address the core question: What sort of life do I want to live? Today, we realize that it is not feasible for college presidents to teach a capstone course to every graduating senior. But a college president still can visibly demonstrate a personal commitment to establishing character development as a high priority for his or her institution. Serving as a catalyst, college presidents can provide the necessary resources and support to initiate a wide variety of character-development activities on their campuses. Presidents also can provide national leadership to promote the importance of character development in higher education. In addition, college presidents can model in their own actions those aspects of character and integrity that students should emulate. By recognizing these men and women, we hope that they become beacons of inspiration for college administrators across the United States who are interested in learning about ways to establish character development as a priority for their institutions. For parents and educators -- or other alumni -- who graduated from one of these 50 institutions, we encourage you to contact your alma mater and tell the president how much you personally appreciate his or her commitment. Most important, we hope that you will enjoy learning in these pages how critical presidential leadership can be to establishing character development as a high priority on a college campus. In 1989, the John Templeton Foundation established the Honor Roll for Character-Building Colleges to recognize institutions that emphasize character development as an integral part of the undergraduate experience. To date, more than 350 colleges and universities have been named to one or more Honor Rolls. Continuing this tradition of affirming excellence, we recognize 100 Templeton Honor Roll schools in this guidebook. Although their particular missions, practices, and perspectives may differ, each of these institutions exhibits a strong and inspiring campus-wide ethos that articulates the expectations of personal and civic responsibility in all dimensions of college life. In many cases, the Templeton Honor Roll institutions have received numerous awards or recognition for their programs that help students learn about and practice the core values of honesty, compassion, and personal responsibility. It has been a significant challenge to capture in words the inspiring campus-wide ethos that is common to all of the 100 Templeton Honor Roll colleges and universities. We encourage readers to contact a college featured in the Honor Roll to find out more about its commitment to character development. We certainly hope that these profiles will jump-start a lively conversation in homes and in schools about the importance of character development in selecting a college or university. The glossary offers easy-to-understand definitions of the words and terms commonly used to describe campus-based character-development programs. Terms such as "binge drinking," "in loco parentis," and "service learning" are explained in simple and straightforward language. We hope that the glossary will help to increase knowledge and awareness of many terms used today by college students and educators. Resource Directory of Higher-Education This guidebook also includes a directory of organizations in higher education that research, support, or advance one or more dimensions of character development as an essential aspect of the undergraduate experience. We encourage you to contact these organizations to find out more about their mission and activities. The John Templeton Foundation encourages you to contact us with constructive ideas and tangible suggestions to improve future editions of this guidebook. It remains our goal to provide generations of students, parents, and educators with a useful resource that profiles the many different kinds of programs that colleges and universities have established to encourage character development. |
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