The Arete College Corporation is a nonprofit corporation aiming to foster discussion and interest in and eventually action towards establishing an all-female liberal arts college based on the educational philosophy of L.L. Nunn.
Arete takes as models both Deep Springs College and the Telluride Association. Its tentative vision is for a college with some degree of isolation that utilizes academics, labor, and self-government to prepare students for lives of leadership and enlightened service at no cost to themselves or their families.
Introduction
Arete College is committed to providing an educational program for women that emphasizes democratic participation and leadership, personal responsibility, and intellectual excellence. It will combine a top-tier liberal arts program with a practical education in citizenship, supported by the three pillars of academics, labor, and self-governance. The size of the college will be limited to a student body of twenty-five to thirty-five young women, all of whom will receive full scholarships during their two years of study, accumulating credits transferable to complete their undergraduate education at four-year colleges or universities.
Objective
The purpose of this prospectus is to generate comments and criticism from a wide range of readers, which will be used to develop and refine the proposal. In addition, we hope to find individuals and institutions interested in working with us as advisors or partners to bring this project to fruition.
Comments may be directed to:
Arete College
4303 Hayes St
Anchorage, AK 99503
Answering the Education Question
The last decade – and the last few years in particular – have seen new reconsiderations both of single-sex education and of higher education in general. Whether a college education ought to provide tangible skills towards a defined career path or whether it ought to inculcate more holistic abilities for life success; whether the benefits of single-sex education outweigh the benefits of coeducation or vice versa – the next few years must answer the questions of the past few years with a reinvigorated effort to challenge the standard collegiate model in creative ways.
Arete College does not propose to be the solution to today’s educational debates, but rather to be one of many visions for higher education re-imagined.