Signature Programs are projects that best exemplify the spirit of The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts. Vassar faculty and others collaborate with partners across the campus, in the local community, and around the country to engage in meaningful work and dialogue about the most pressing issues of our time.
Four Thought-Provoking Public Programs Coming to The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts in the 2026–27 Academic Year
These programs will invite a variety of stakeholders to participate. If you would like to express interest in receiving registration information about any or all of them, please complete our form to show interest.
The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts—a convening space where scholars, students, and professionals from all over the world engage in meaningful work on contemporary challenges—is excited to announce its schedule of symposiums for the 2026–27 academic year. Known as Signature Programs, these symposiums delve into an intriguing variety of topics of local, national, and global interest. All are convened by members of the Vassar community whose grant proposals were accepted by the Institute Committee.
Going to the Source: Opportunities to Co-create Institutional and Individual Character
November 9–10, 2026
An ethos of Vassar almost from its beginning has been “go to the source”—an approach that resists transactional and extractive learning and yields, instead, to the primacy of the inventor, creator, discoverer, or witness. In this fractured time—when social media and AI-generated text and videos encourage isolation, defy scrutiny, and sow disruption—could “going to the source” serve not only as a pedagogical tool, but also as a way to cultivate institutional and individual character? This signature program will explore the broad applications and opportunities offered by this approach, including deep investigation, generative participation, thoughtful interpretation, and respect for/engagement of wide-ranging voices and source materials.
Humans in the Loop: Artificial Intelligence, Society, and the Liberal Arts
February 19, 2027
Artificial intelligence promises new forms of efficiency and creativity while also raising urgent questions about authorship, labor, environmental sustainability, and even institutional integrity. This program acknowledges that Vassar, like all colleges, exists within a world increasingly shaped by machine learning and automation. But it also insists that the liberal arts have a vital role to play: to think critically, collectively, and ethically about what these technologies mean for human life, creativity, and justice. Through conversations that unite technical and humanistic inquiry, the program will empower students, faculty, and staff to engage critically with AI and demonstrate how a liberal arts college can lead national dialogue by daring to think deeply.
Nature-Based Climate Solutions in the Hudson Valley: From Theory to Action
April 8–10, 2027
Making a positive impact on the climate means something distinct for everyone, but the unifying factor is reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. There are many methods for accomplishing this, including nature-based solutions that seek to enhance environmental processes that naturally remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This program will catalyze interdisciplinary and intergenerational learning, knowledge sharing, and collaboration on new and existing nature-based climate solutions projects in the Hudson Valley and beyond by bringing together students, community members, and regional professional leaders to help build new coalitions that will push natural climate solutions projects forward.
Creative Connections: Exploring Nature through Science and Art
April 22, 2027
This program will bring together artists, scientists, and students for a day of critical conversations and hands-on experiences that investigate the evolutionary and imaginary relationships between humans and nature. The event will feature a panel discussion on interdisciplinary methods of understanding the role of humans in our ecosystems followed by artist-led workshops that utilize nature-based art practice to deepen participants’ connection to the discussion topics. The day will conclude with a showcase of student artwork from local high schools that have worked with the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center to explore their own relationships with nature through art, inspired by the program’s featured artists and works from the Loeb’s collection.
How to Submit a Proposal
All members of the Vassar community are invited to submit proposals to convene an Institute for the Liberal Arts program.
2027–28 proposal submission deadlines from the Institute Committee will be announced later this year. Please check back for updates.
Criteria for Proposals
- The proposal has a clear and reasonable budget that is consistent with College policies and practices.
- The speakers, guests, or other programmatic desires are viable and attainable by the applicant/submitter (i.e. is it possible that the key aspects of the proposal can be materialized).
- The proposal demonstrates values of inclusion and Engaged Pluralism. Importantly, the content of the proposal reflects an appreciation for and inclusion of heterogeneous perspectives/ideas that embody the principles of speaking across difference.
- The proposal demonstrates robust collaboration across the campus or off-campus communities. The program is not situated in a narrow department or office, but rather engages various on- and off-campus constituencies.
- The proposal aligns with the Institute’s mission to create a space for intellectual exploration.
- The proposal lends itself to the creative use of resources to attract and engage alums, faculty, students, and others who may not be geographically proximate to campus.
- The proposal demonstrates a compelling reason why the proposed activities should be Institute-branded. The proposal demonstrates alignment with the specific mission of the Institute, distinct from Vassar’s overall mission as an institution of higher education.
Apply for a Signature Program
If you are interested in applying for a Signature Program, contact Wesley Dixon. The Institute Committee will prioritize proposals received by the 2027–28 submission deadlines, which will be announced later this year.
Funding Awards
The Committee of The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts awards up to $25,000 for each accepted Signature Program.
You can review examples of Signature Programs and past Summer Institute programs. Do not feel you need to replicate this model; there are many ways Institute programming can embody the values of the College and the Institute.
Thank you.
The programs and content presented at The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts do not necessarily represent the opinions of Vassar College or The Vassar Institute.
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