The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts

Dear friends of the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts,

Thank you for supporting and engaging the Institute for the Liberal Arts! As the Institute continues to mature, the Institute’s leadership is keen to find new ways to tell the story of the transformational activities that take place in our special convening space. The 2025–2026 Academic Year was the second year of programming and a year of programmatic growth. In this annual report, you will find information about the four Signature Programs that took place during the 2025–2026 Academic Year as well as information about some of the additional Institute programming. Over the last year, we have had several goals:

1. Solidify our “Signature Programs” as a key offering;
2. Establish clear pathways for campus partners, alums, and others to curate additional short-term convenings;
3. Continue to engage the broader Mid-Hudson Valley in the work of the Institute.

The convenings that took place at the Institute over the last year represented the best of what we can do together as a community of rigorous and compassionate thinkers, grounded by a sense of purpose and place. And importantly, the Institute represents more than just convenings, it represents connection. The last year showed us that for both our campus and for our community, it is a place where individuals and groups come to connect with people they know and people they do not yet know, with the goal of building on those relationships to grapple with relevant questions and advance possible solutions.

Thank you for being part of this community at the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts.

Bob Brigham, Faculty Director
Wesley Dixon, Program Director

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