To Engage a Complex World

A Life of Values

President S. Alan Ray explains how the College’s commitment to faith, meaning and values prepares its students for a changing world.

Strategic Plan 2009–2014

Blueprint for the Future

The plan lays out the College's mission, vision and core values as well as five top strategic goals.

Speeches & Writings

Scholarly and Newsworthy

President Ray covers topics ranging from interfaith dialogue to Native American rights.

Welcome to Elmhurst College

When my family and I joined the Elmhurst College community in 2008, we were impressed first by the remarkable beauty of the campus and its ideal location in an attractive suburb of Chicago, one of the world’s most exciting cities. We also were immediately struck by the warmth of the people we met—students, faculty, and staff—and by their commitment to this community.

At the heart of the Elmhurst Experience lives a vibrant, student-centered culture. Our faculty and administration are committed to three ideals: providing an outstanding liberal arts education to every undergraduate; challenging each student to think critically and constructively about their beliefs and values; and preparing students from their first day on campus for meaningful, successful lives in a global society. These three ideals—liberal education, self-formation and early professional preparation—serve as the foundation for the entire Elmhurst Experience.

Liberal education. Effective liberal education begins with a great faculty. The Elmhurst faculty are dedicated teachers and scholars who work closely with students as individuals. We encourage the development of strong bonds between faculty and students through intentionally small classes, limited first-year enrollment, and special initiatives such as an intensive orientation program and a series of intimate seminars for first-year students.

Outside the classroom, many of our faculty are recognized leaders in their fields. They contribute to the arts and engage in scholarly work at a level usually associated with major research universities. For many of our students, working alongside a faculty member on a high-level research project is a highlight of the Elmhurst Experience.

Self-formation. Elmhurst students explore the world not simply to understand it, but also to understand and transform themselves; to grow as self-directed, ethical individuals while preparing for professional futures that are consonant with their values and worldviews. Our students are not cogs in a wheel; they are unique agents of their own futures and citizens of a world in which they have a stake and to which they bear a responsibility.

Whether by contributing to the cultural life of Chicago, serving the community or studying across the world, Elmhurst students seek out opportunities to cultivate themselves through intellectual, spiritual and social-justice exploration.

Early professional preparation. We believe that students’ ultimate career decisions should be highly informed by real-world experiences. From their first day on campus, we encourage our students to meet with professionals in the private and public sectors and to engage in mentoring, shadowing, internships and other pre-professional activities. We also offer a select number of outstanding graduate programs that complement our undergraduate tracks and position our students for entry or advancement in their chosen professions.

Elmhurst is an increasingly diverse community in which each member is committed to learning from and contributing to the self-formation and professional preparation of the others. Though we are affiliated with the United Church of Christ, Elmhurst College embraces students of many religious traditions—and of none. We prize critical and constructive thinking, imagination and wit, compassion, and the cultivation of informed respect for different cultures and ways of life.

As you continue to explore Elmhurst College, I think you'll find a beautiful campus, an inspiring community, and experiences that will transform you in unexpected and exciting ways. And that's what a great liberal education is all about.

Sincerely,
Dr. S. Alan Ray
President