Mission, Vision & Values

Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

  • To develop career-ready graduates through hands-on, personalized education.
  • To educate, research and advocate for issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people that inhabit it.
  • To help the Adirondack region be ecologically and economically sustainable.

Vision

We are a thriving college, broadly recognized for our outstanding experiential education and an adventurous spirit.

Values

Through its focus on teaching, learning, research, and outreach, the College endeavors to create, disseminate, and apply knowledge to expand the horizons and opportunities of our students and to advance community and economic development in the Adirondack region. The College also strives to graduate persons capable of making significant and enduring contributions to their families, professions, communities and the world. The foremost goal is to prepare students to become competent professionals and active citizens, confident in their knowledge, skills and beliefs. Eight fundamental values guide the personal and professional conduct of the PSC faculty and staff as they serve as educators, facilitators, and role models for delivery of the Paul Smith's educational experience. It is our aspiration to challenge our students to reach their full potential by embracing these values:

Provide Experience
We involve our students in the learning process as they set out to discover the essential knowledge of their chosen discipline, the arts, and sciences.

Encourage Responsibility
We celebrate independent thinking, self-motivation, maintenance of optimum physical stamina, and a strong work ethic as exhibited through ownership of positive work and life style choices.

Strive for Excellence
We expect a well-developed, internal model of quality work resulting in a sense of pride and ownership for a student and demonstrated by the highest level of competence, professionalism, and productivity.

Expect Integrity
We hold all faculty, staff, and students to high ethical standards of trustworthiness, integrity, and morality based on mutual respect and honesty.

Develop Self-Confidence
We encourage our students to see themselves as positive, competent, and successful, with poise and self-assurance in a variety of situations.

Foster Tolerance
We celebrate diverse social, cultural, and ecological communities through awareness and active involvement in vital contemporary issues.

Build Community
We are committed to our local and global community and expect our students to be responsible, active members of that community. As members of that community we value the strength that comes through teamwork and collaboration.

Engage in Lifelong Learning
We are committed to nurturing a love for learning in ourselves and in our students. We will help students develop skills and quality such as: problem solving, decision making, critical thinking, creativity, communication, information competency, organization, management and leadership to foster inter-disciplinary understanding, and interpersonal development.

Degrees & Certificates
Course Descriptions