Why do some colleges and universities—even those with limited resources—achieve high graduation rates while others do not? Over the past three years, several Vassar administrators, a faculty member, and a student have been engaged in research designed to help answer this question. They will present their findings and continue this discussion at a symposium on April 29 at The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts. Representatives from a dozen colleges, foundation leaders, and policy makers are expected to attend.

Students, faculty, administrators and alums gathered at the Institute for the Liberal Arts on March 11 and 12 to talk about paths—most of them non-linear—to successful entrepreneurial endeavors.

Local college officials met for three days of workshops with representatives of local school districts, local, government and not-for-profit-agencies to develop strategies to improve opportunities for Poughkeepsie public school students.

Vassar Sustainability Director Kenneth Foster recently led a group of town and county officials on a tour of The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts to show them the building’s state-of-the-art energy conservation systems.

The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts hosted EcoVisions, a three-day conference on community and global responses to climate change.

Seven years in the making, The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts officially opened on the weekend of October 25, 2024 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as stimulating speakers and panels that addressed the world of work and the continuing relevance of the liberal arts in tackling global issues.

A 50-room hotel and a farm-to-table restaurant, both imbued with a distinct Vassar vibe, will open July 30 on the site of The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts adjacent to the campus.