 |
Former name | Prescott Center for Alternative Education |
|---|---|
| Motto | For the Liberal Arts, the Environment, and Social Justice |
| Type | Private college |
| Established | 1966 |
| President | Barbara Morris |
| Vice-president | Michele Peterson |
| Students | 969 (Fall 2022) |
| Undergraduates | 313 (Fall 2022) |
| Postgraduates | 656 (Fall 2022) |
| 70 (Fall 2018) | |
| Location | , , United States |
| Campus | Rural |
| Colors | Tan and Teal |
Sporting affiliations | USA Cycling |
| Website | www |
Prescott College is a private college in Prescott, Arizona.
In 1965, the Ford Foundation brought together a group of educators from around the United States. Prescott College was the result of this gathering.
The college was originally built in 1966 on 200 acres (0.81 km2) outside of Prescott, Arizona. In 1974 the college went bankrupt due to poor fiscal management and the loss of anticipated donor funds. The original campus was purchased by Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott. A core of determined faculty and students refused to see the college fold, and after a series of emergency meetings, formed the Prescott Center for Alternative Education. This earned the school national publicity as "The College That Wouldn't Die." [1]
During the spring semester of 1975, classes were held in the basement of the historic Hassayampa Hotel in downtown Prescott, Arizona, as well as in the homes of both faculty and students. Over the succeeding years, the college was able to regain the legal right to the name Prescott College and acquire property and buildings for its main campus. Prescott College has an agroecology program at Jenner Farm, an international center in Bahía Kino, Sonora, Mexico, programs in regenerative design in partnership with the Ecosa Institute, [2] the Prescott College Art Gallery at Sam Hill Warehouse and the college also has a Tucson, Arizona location. [3]
Most of the Prescott location buildings are repurposed buildings, converted to classrooms from stores and offices. The Village residence hall has a townhouse style housing groups of 7–8 students with shared common areas. The Crossroads Center is built from reclaimed timber, Corten steel, compressed earth with solar panels and rooftop gardens. It houses the Crossroads Cafe, classrooms, meeting facilities, the Fanon Center, the college library as well as computer labs. [3]
There are four general degree programs at Prescott College: the Resident Undergraduate Program (RU), Limited-Residency Undergraduate Program (LRU), the Resident Masters and Limited-Residency Masters Program (RM/LRM), and a Limited-Residency Ph.D. program (PhD) in Sustainability Education. [4]
Within the resident undergraduate program, students can earn a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, or a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Visual Arts or Interdisciplinary Arts & Letters.
Resident students live in Prescott and attend classes at the main campus. Students enrolled in the Limited-Residency program work with community based mentors and Prescott College faculty. [5]
Prescott College was an early adopter of Prior Learning Assessment and in 2014 was certified as a Veteran Supportive Campus by the Arizona Department of Veterans Services. The college was the first private college in Arizona to receive such a designation. The college uses the system of narrative evaluation in addition to or as a substitute for the conventional grading system of A-F letter grades. [3]
Resident undergraduate students begin with a three-week orientation in Arizona's wilderness, known as wilderness orientation. In their first week, students are introduced to the college and gather supplies before being sent out in groups of 7–14 people, depending on the size of the incoming class. The average distance covered varies from 50–100 miles. There are also options for a community-based orientation where students explore and are educated about their surrounding environment. [6]
Students may also choose the limited residency program which allows one to attend a colloquium (or series of such) on campus once a year, work with a primary faculty adviser and a mentor(s) who is usually based in the student's home community. This allows for the student to study from home in a community based setting. Programs are offered for the bachelor's degree, the master's degree and even a Ph.D using this limited residency model. [5]
Students design a degree plan by the beginning of their junior year. Prescott College students fulfill basic requirements (such as math and writing) and then design their Competence (like a major) and Breadth (like a minor). The degree plan is submitted to the student's Individual Graduation Committee (IGC) for review. The IGC consists of at least one faculty member, and another faculty member and a student if desired. The committee will then edit and suggest classes that are needed to enhance and complete the Competence and Breadth.
A student's course of study will fall under one of the following: Adventure Education (AE), Arts and Humanities (AH), Education (EDU), Environmental Studies and Sustainability (ESS), Psychology and Counseling (PSC) or Cultural and Regional Studies (CRS). [7]
Some examples of student degree plans would be: "Environmental Studies with a competence in Ecology and a breadth in Chemistry" or "Global Studies with a competence in Latin American Cultures and a breadth in Psychology".
To graduate from the college, each student must design and complete a senior project. Some examples include: The creation of Butte Creek Restoration Council, HUB (helping understand bicycles), The Ripple Repeat Project (campus thrift store), The Latin American Studies Scholarship Endowment Fund, The Freedom of Education Fund, an internship relevant to a student's Competence, or a research paper. A student must rigorously justify the project as proof of competence in their field of study. [8]
Prescott College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the Association for Experiential Education. [9]
The college's Teacher Education Program is approved by the Arizona State Board of Education and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). [9]
Prescott College has stand-alone student exchange relationships with Telemark University College in Norway, the Ecosa Institute in Prescott, the SOS Conservation Project, and Sail Caribbean, that permit students to study as visitors at other institutions while maintaining enrollment and paying tuition to Prescott.
Prescott College is a member of the EcoLeague, a six-college consortium of liberal arts colleges dedicated to ecologically focused education, and to modeling sustainability through their operations and facilities: Alaska Pacific University, Green Mountain College (now closed), New College of Florida in Sarasota, FL, Northland College, and College of the Atlantic and, since January 2014, Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The consortium is unique in that each college is in a different geographic area.
Prescott College is also a member of Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), a public interest, not-for-profit environmental law firm founded in 1989 in the US to strengthen international and comparative environmental law and policy around the world.
In fall 2012, the college completed a $7.4M on-campus sustainable housing project, the Village, to accommodate up to 104 first-year students. The Village is a LEED Platinum certified facility that consists of 13 new multi-story townhome style apartment units, for up to eight students in each three-level unit. Most other students reside in nearby apartments, condos, and houses.
From 2013–2016 Prescott College rented out one of its Village buildings to Embry-Riddle University.
In 2016 a student-led initiative resulted in the acquisition of the Frantz Fanon Community Strategy Center for use for student and community organizing and club meetings. Groups that currently meet in the Frantz Fanon Community Strategy Center include the Queer Student Union, The Advocates for Responsible Sexual Culture, the Black Student Union, Mi Familia (a Latino and indigenous group), Yavapai County Planned Parenthood, and others. These clubs have successfully organized many events and demonstrations at Prescott College, and in the community. The Frantz Fanon Community Strategy Center also includes a zine library, a food pantry, a kitchen, and multiple classroom spaces. [10]
Prescott College Activists were also able to successfully institute a $30 semester fee to support the Freedom Education Fund scholarship for undocumented immigrants seeking to attend university. Prescott College President John Flicker has said of this project “I am proud that our students take on the role of scholar activists”. [11]
The College also has a Student Activity Center (SAC) which is used by a variety of individual students and clubs to hold meetings and interact. The space is also utilized for the Student Union Board (SUB) meetings and includes a lounge area, kitchen area and the Max and Bessie Bakal Memorial Lounge and Library. [10]
Prescott College has a mountain biking team registered with USA Cycling that offers scholarships. Most athletics are intramural in general, since the college curriculum is centered on field-based immersion courses.
Stetson University is a private university with its main campus in DeLand, Florida, United States. Established in 1883 as DeLand Academy, it was later renamed John B. Stetson University in honor of a donor. The university's main campus in DeLand spans 175 acres and has Florida's oldest collection of education-related buildings, including DeLand Hall, the state's longest-standing building used for higher education.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a private university focused on aviation and aerospace programs. Founded at Lunken Field in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1926, its main campuses are located in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona. It is the largest accredited university system specializing in aviation and aerospace. It has numerous online programs and academic programs offered at satellite locations.
Trinity College of Arts and Sciences is the undergraduate liberal arts college of Duke University. Founded in 1838, it is the original school of the university. Currently, Trinity is one of five undergraduate degree programs at Duke, the others being the Edmund T. Pratt School of Engineering, Nicholas School of the Environment, School of Nursing, and Duke Kunshan University.
Green Mountain College was a private liberal arts college in Poultney, Vermont, at the foot of the Taconic Mountains between the Green Mountains and Adirondacks. The college was affiliated with the United Methodist Church and offered a liberal arts undergraduate education with a focus on the environment, and some graduate degrees. For part of its history it was a women's college. It was founded in 1834 and closed at the end of the 2018–19 academic year.
DePaul University is a private Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul. In 1998, it became the largest Catholic university in terms of enrollment in North America. Following in the footsteps of its founders, DePaul places special emphasis on recruiting first-generation students and others from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Northern Arizona University (NAU) is a public research university based in Flagstaff, Arizona. Founded in 1899, it was the final university established in the Arizona Territory.
The University of Southern Maine (USM) is a public university with campuses in Portland, Gorham and Lewiston, Maine, United States. It is the southernmost of the University of Maine System. It was founded as two separate state universities, Gorham Normal School and Portland University. The two universities, later known as Gorham State College and the University of Maine at Portland, were combined in 1970 to help streamline the public university system in Maine and eventually expanded by adding the Lewiston campus in 1988.
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a public university in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is an art school of Willamette University and is located in Portland, Oregon. Established in 1909, the art school grants Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and graduate degrees including the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees. It has an enrollment of about 500 students. The college merged with Willamette University in 2021.
A low-residency program is a form of education, normally at the university level, which involves some amount of distance education and brief on-campus or specific-site residencies—residencies may be one weekend or several weeks. These programs are most frequently offered by colleges and universities that also teach standard full-time courses on campus. There are numerous master's degree programs in a wide range of content areas; one of the most popular limited residency degree programs is the Master of Fine Arts in creative writing. The first such program was developed by Evalyn Bates and launched in 1963 at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.
Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus is a public university in Mesa, Arizona. It is one of five campuses of Arizona State University. Founded as ASU East, the campus opened in fall 1996 on the former Williams Air Force Base in southeast Mesa.
The American University of Paris (AUP) is a private university in Paris, France. Founded in 1962, the university is one of the oldest American institutions of higher education in Europe, and the first to be established in France. The university campus consists of seven buildings, centrally located in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, on the Left Bank near the Eiffel Tower, Les Invalides, and the Seine.
Coconino Community College (CCC) is a public community college in Coconino County, Arizona. It enrolls more than 7,500 learners annually.
The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of three MD granting medical schools in the state of Arizona, affiliated with the University of Arizona. The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix was initially established as a branch campus in 2007, but became an independent medical school in 2012. The College of Medicine – Tucson campus is located at the University of Arizona Health Sciences (UAHS) center on the campus of the University of Arizona and is governed by the Arizona Board of Regents. Traditionally, the college accepted Arizona residents exclusively. However, beginning the 2009–2010 incoming class, the school changed its policy to allow for admission of "highly-qualified," non-residents.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott is a residential campus of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. The university offers bachelor of science degrees in applied science, aviation, business, computers & technology, engineering, security, intelligence & safety, and space. The Prescott campus also offers master's degrees in Safety Science, Security & Intelligence, and Cyber Intelligence & Security.
The Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design is a college part of the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. The college houses over 1,600 students; making it one of largest environmental design programs in the United States. The college offers bachelor's degrees in five departments, as well as three master's degree programs. It is the only academic unit within the California State University system to be associated with a Pritzker Prize laureate.
University of Florida Center for African Studies (CAS) is a center within of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at the University of Florida (UF). The Center provides teaching and research into issues of African languages, humanities, social sciences, agriculture, business, engineering, education, fine arts, environmental studies, conservation, journalism, and law.
Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), also known as Northwestern Qatar, is Northwestern University’s campus in Education City, Doha, Qatar, founded in partnership with the Qatar Foundation in 2008.
North American collegiate sustainability programs are institutions of higher education in the United States, Mexico, and Canada that have majors and/or minors dedicated to the subject of sustainability. Sustainability as a major and minor is spreading to more and more colleges as the need for humanity to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle becomes increasingly apparent with the onset of global warming. The majors and minors listed here cover a wide array of sustainability aspects from business to construction to agriculture to simply the study of sustainability itself.
The Levin College of Public Affairs and Education (Levin) is an accredited college that houses the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs, School of Communication, as well as, the Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision and Adult Learning, the Department of Criminology and Sociology, the Department of Educational Studies, Research and Technology, and the Department of Teacher Education. Levin is a part of Cleveland State University located in Cleveland, Ohio. The Levin College offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees, as well as professional development programs. Its urban policy research centers and programs provide communities with decision-making tools to address their policy challenges. The Levin College is recognized for offering highly ranked programs in urban policy, local government management, nonprofit management, and public management and leadership.
| Public institutions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private institutions |
| ||||
| Community/junior colleges |
| ||||
| Graduate and professional institutions | |||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
