Trinity College’s new mission statement, approved by the Board of Trustees in October 2016, reflects the evolving vision, values, and educational goals of the institution. The updated mission statement is meant to emphasize the traditional strength of the liberal arts education at Trinity as well as what makes the College distinctive, and it serves as the anchor for Trinity’s strategic planning process.
“Trinity’s new mission statement is both inspirational and aspirational,” said President and Trinity College Professor of Neuroscience Joanne Berger-Sweeney. “This mission represents the core values that Trinity College has held for almost 200 years. It binds us in a common purpose of learning, service, and community.”
The new mission statement is the product of a nine-month process that began with input from the trustees during their January 2016 retreat and continued with faculty, staff, and students during on-campus focus groups in spring 2016. Tim Cresswell, dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs, and Susan Masino, Vernon Roosa Professor of Applied Science, were charged with synthesizing the recommendations from the various groups into draft statements. These drafts were presented to the Trinity community, including the National Alumni Association Executive Board, for reflection and feedback. More than 500 people provided input throughout the process.
“The mission statement will be our North Star for the College throughout our strategic planning process,” said Berger-Sweeney.
In early 2016, Berger-Sweeney announced the beginning of that process, guided by the Bicentennial Strategic Planning Commission, to shepherd Trinity toward its 200th anniversary in 2023.
TRINITY COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT
Engage. Connect. Transform.
As the preeminent liberal arts college in an urban setting, Trinity College prepares students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives.
We engage. We foster critical, reflective engagement with scholarship and the creative arts as well as with one another and the wider world. Our location in Connecticut’s capital offers excellent opportunities for engagement beyond the classroom in internships, student research, and community learning.
We connect. We link students, faculty, and staff to form a diverse community of learning. The connections of Hartford and Trinity College engage students as global citizens in the wider world, and a network of devoted alumni provide lifelong opportunities for Trinity graduates.
We transform. We combine the liberal arts with life in a diverse city, enabling students to learn what they love, to build confidence, and to become leaders and innovators. We support all members of our community in achieving their potential and in moving forward with the skills to navigate and transform a dynamic world.
Trinity College is where the liberal arts meet the real world.