Lawrence University 5.84

Lawrence University is a residential liberal arts college and conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It is a supportive and welcoming academic community of 1,500 intellectually curious, diverse, multi-interested students from nearly every state and over 50 countries and nations – all committed to a rigorous and challenging educational experience.

Led by a faculty of 165 professors* (95% of whom have a PhD or other terminal degree), Lawrence is devoted to Engaged Learning as the most effective way to prepare students for lives of personal fulfillment and professional accomplishment. It is a demanding approach to education for students who demand much of themselves. Engaged Learning takes place in the classroom, the residence hall, the community and all our off-campus and international programs. It is what characterizes a Lawrence education and distinguishes Lawrentians.

Using this engaging approach to learning, Lawrence helps students develop the abilities that are highly valued by graduate schools as well as employers. Among these are the ability to solve problems, communicate effectively, work collaboratively and thrive in a rapidly changing world.

Lawrence is located adjacent to downtown Appleton, a vibrant city of 73,000 (situated in a growing metropolitan area of 250,000) in which the community and the college benefit from one another.

* That works out to a 9 to 1 student to faculty ratio, one of the smallest in the country. Looking at it another way, Lawrence has more professors per student than nearly every other college in the country. (The translation? You will have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with your professors.)


Educational Philosophy:

Students enter Lawrence at a time when they are actively forging their identities and seeking their place in the world. A Lawrence education is therefore transformative: we strive to help each student develop as a liberally educated person who can think deeply and creatively about ideas, gather and analyze evidence, communicate effectively, articulate a personal identity that leads to thoughtful life choices, and who is committed to responsible citizenship. This transformation is supported by a learning community that immerses students in the breadth of human experience, engages ideas in a spirit of open discourse, values the uniqueness of the individual, and celebrates accomplishment. The foundation for this learning community is a vibrant, safe, and healthful residential campus that contains talented and diverse groups of students, faculty, administrators, and staff. Our residential experience is enhanced by opportunities to study abroad and to become involved in the wider community. The University values effective teaching combined with distinguished scholarship and creative activity.

We see in each student the potential to become an informed, independent thinker, and concerned, responsible citizen. Lawrence students can personalize their learning through interactions with peers, professors, and staff in a wide variety of settings, both formal and informal. The process begins with our Freshman Studies program, and continues through the sophomore and junior years, and into our Senior Experience programs.


Lawrence in the Community:

Lawrence is part of an intellectual and creative community that includes the Fox Valley, Lawrence's alumni, and the larger global community. We are committed to providing service to and learning from the larger community. Through such resources as Björklunden and the Academy of Music, Lawrence contributes to the vitality of the surrounding community by: (1) making available programs of cultural enrichment, (2) drawing on the knowledge and experience of members of that community in the exploration of significant issues, (3) providing opportunities for alumni to maintain a lifelong connection with the institution and with each other and encouraging their continuing interest in learning, and (4) providing such educational programs as the certification as public school teachers in the state of Wisconsin.