About
Mission, Values, & History
WHITTIER COLLEGE: LIVING AND LEARNING IN TRUE COMMUNITY
Our long academic tradition—grounded in the Quaker quest for knowledge and personal growth—aims to foster in students an appreciation for the complexities of the modern world and workplace while never losing sight of the importance of social responsibility. This is a place where students become actively involved in the local community as they explore their role in the global community too.
Whittier's residential nature is a key component in defining who we are, as students and professors live and learn in close proximity to one another, fostering an atmosphere where knowledge can be pursued 24/7. This is a community where individuality is valued, tolerance is cherished, and the things that make each of us unique are seen as invaluable tools in seeking greater knowledge and understanding.
MISSION STATEMENT
Faculty and students at Whittier College share a love of learning and delight in the life of the mind. They join in understanding the value of the intellectual quest, the use of reason, and a respect for values. They seek knowledge of their own culture and the informed appreciation of other traditions, and they explore the interrelatedness of knowledge and the connections among disciplines.
An extraordinary community emerges from teachers and students representing a variety of academic pursuits, individuals who have come together at Whittier in the belief that study within the liberal arts forms the best foundation for rewarding endeavor throughout a lifetime.
Whittier College, an independent, nationally recognized liberal arts institution, provides an important option in American higher education: a distinctive, high quality academic program based upon the liberal arts that also integrates selected professional and pre-professional programs into the core of the college through innovative interdisciplinary curricula.
The college's primary mission is to educate students in a small college atmosphere where they can learn, acquire skills, and form attitudes and values appropriate for leading and serving in a global society. It seeks to do this in the context of a diverse, friendly and caring community. Committed to excellence in undergraduate education, Whittier also offers selected advanced degrees, and the Whittier Law School is an important part of the total institution.
