Claremont McKenna College‘s Open Academy initiative serves as a national model for making freedom of expression, viewpoint diversity, and constructive dialogue (the CMC Commitments) a part of the everyday experience on campus.
The Open Academy offers pervasive opportunities for students to build capacity and develop mastery of these commitments through programs including speakers, salons, first- and second-year programming, seminars, debates, and co-curricular activities. As a campuswide initiative, the Open Academy develops values of critical thinking, mutual respect, and leadership for every student.
Left to right: Annie Bernstein ’27, Abhi Ganesh ’26, Jasper Langley Hawthorne ’27
Hear from the student fellows participating in Open Academy:
Annie Bernstein ’27
I first became interested in fostering dialogue after participating in Hands of Peace, a three-week-long program for engaging in discussions concerning the Israel-Palestinian conflict. I’m excited to work with the Open Academy to foster a culture of understanding and mutual respect regarding controversial issues.
Abhi Ganesh ’26
I am eager to use the Open Academy to create a space where students can question the presuppositions that characterize our opinions on politics and culture in order to cultivate creative and inspiring dialogue on our species’ most pressing issues.
Jasper Langley Hawthorne ’27
I have an interest in the structures and stories that affect the modern world, and a desire to better understand the world through a free and constructive flow of ideas. I hope to foster beneficial discussions on the philosophical groundings of social media and the internet as a whole.
Photo caption: CMC’s Athenaeum is the heart of intellectual and social engagement on campus: Notable scholars and thought leaders engage in constructive dialogue with students, faculty, and staff over a shared meal multiple nights a week.
Photo credit: Claremont McKenna College
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