What is the Initiative?

Support for the residential life, programmatic, and co-curricular activities that enhance learning and develop greater independence and leadership

At Middlebury, education is not restricted to the classroom and the laboratory. Learning takes place in every setting: in the Commons, in studios and performance spaces, on the athletic field, in student organizations and committees, and in the community surrounding the campus.Every aspect of life at Middlebury is designed to create an environment that encourages students to experiment and to take intellectual risks. The College is committed to enhancing the constellation of programs, facilities, and technological resources required to create and maintain that environment.

Middlebury recently launched a new initiative to foster creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial experimentation outside the classroom. The Project on Creativity and Innovation in the Liberal Arts will provide opportunities for students to explore creative skills and practice problem solving outside a strictly graded environment. The initiative will supplement what students learn in class, with faculty members serving as mentors and advisers to students who participate. The goal is to make innovation and creative problem solving second nature to Middlebury students—part of a portfolio of critical skills that will serve them throughout their lives.