Warren Wilson College (USA)

Warren Wilson College is a private liberal arts college in the Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina. Founded by Presbyterians in 1894, Warren Wilson is known for its curriculum of work, academics, and service, called “the Triad.” The Triad requires every student to work an on-campus job, perform at least one hundred hours of community service over four years, and complete a requisite course of academic work in order to graduate. Warren Wilson is one of the few colleges in the United States that require students to work for the institution in order to graduate and is part of the Work Colleges Consortium. The College’s mission is to provide an education combining liberal arts study, work, and service with a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and experiential opportunities for international and cross-cultural understanding in a setting that promotes wisdom, spiritual growth, and contribution to the common good. Warren Wilson College’s website>>

Service Learning Office

Students at Warren Wilson are required to complete at least 100 hours of community service before graduation, at least 25 of which must be earned through an “extended project” related to a single issue area, and each year students contribute about 20,000 hours of service. The Service Learning Office is responsible for coordinating a variety of service projects so that students may continue to effectively serve the community. Service learning is also incorporated into a variety of courses across the curriculum. Learn more>>

Wilson CARES

Wilson CARES develops student understanding through policy analysis, advocacy, reflection, direct service, and community involvement, and attempts to provide an atmosphere of contextual learning. Through a diverse array of connections with work crews, academic courses, and staff and faculty leaders, Wilson CARES reinforces the notion that Warren Wilson asks its students for a 100-hour service commitment to community issues.  This initiative hinges upon a two-year community leadership model for service-learning crew members that is supported by the Bonner Foundation. The model includes semester-long workshops giving students a spectrum experience in one issue, giving them a better understanding of how current policy affects community organizations/agencies and the populations they serve. The Wilson CARES initiative also includes Warren Wilson’s alternative break program. For over a decade, this program has sent students throughout the southeastern US during their school breaks to spend their week working with non-profit organizations. Upon return to campus, participants work closely with the College’s Writing Center to turn their service experiences into the required Extended Service Project Reflection paper. Learn more>>

Sustainability at Warren Wilson

Warren Wilson is nationally recognized for its commitment to environmental sustainability. Among the College’s sustainability initiatives (many conceived by students) are environmental literacy programs for local children, college garden and composting programs, green building and land use practices, a student-staffed campus-wide recycling program, energy conservation, and green transportation initiatives such as a student-initiated biodiesel program for university vehicles and equipment. Learn more>>