Dickinson’s Core Values Project Takes Flight
Community-wide initiative seeks to define who we are—and who we will be
by Tony Moore
In a time when clarity of purpose is more vital than ever, Dickinson is undertaking a bold and inclusive effort to define its soul.
The Core Values Project is a sweeping, 18-month campus-wide initiative designed to uncover and articulate the core values that unite the Dickinson community—past, present, and future. But this isn’t about drafting a new mission statement. It’s deeper than that.
This is about asking the big questions: Who are we? What do we believe in? And what will we carry forward together?
Be Heard!
Led by Associate Professor of Philosophy Amy McKiernan, recent graduates and a team of student researchers, the project kicked off in fall 2024 and will culminate in the formal adoption of three to five core values by spring 2026. Along the way, all Dickinson students, alumni, faculty, staff and parents are invited to participate through the project’s online survey, which closes on July 1. Those who complete the survey are eligible for five $100 gift cards to either Denim Coffee or the college bookstore.
Make sure you let your voice be heard, because these values will only matter if they truly belong to all of us!
“We’re not identifying core values from the top down; we’re committed to careful listening and shared reflection on the college’s history, present and future,” says McKiernan. “This project only works if it captures the lived experience and aspirations of the whole Dickinson community.”
A Multi-Layered Exploration
To get at the heart of Dickinson’s values, the project team is diving deep into a range of resources and methods:
- Historical research in the college archives
- Comparative analysis of values from peer institutions
- Close reading of student publications
- A community-wide survey launched in April 2025
- Two rounds of focus groups
- Stakeholder interviews across all constituencies
- Community-building events
- A public comment period on the final recommendations
It’s a process rooted in both reflection and action—and it’s intentionally designed to engage a wide swath of voices.
Access for All, On Purpose
This isn’t a project happening behind closed doors. It's a campus-wide conversation, and the team is taking concrete steps to ensure diverse perspectives are not just welcomed—they’re actively sought out. That includes:
- Outreach to students, faculty, staff, alumni and parents
- Multiple ways to contribute: written, verbal, individual, group
- Events scheduled across days and times to meet varied needs
- Collaboration with departments across campus
- A dedicated email for input and ideas
Ideas are always welcome, so please email the team as inspiration strikes!
The Road Ahead
Now that the project is underway, here’s where it will take us:
- Spring 2025: Community-wide survey is live
- Summer 2025: Data analysis and planning for phase two
- Fall 2025: Second round of focus groups
- December 2025: Summary and recommendation of core values
- January - March 2026: Public comment period on final draft
- April 2026: Official adoption of Dickinson’s core values
In January, McKiernan will offer our community an extensive written report of what project team members have learned from archival research, focus groups, interviews and survey data. This will be available for public comment until March.
When it’s all said and done, Dickinson won’t just have a list of values; it will have a shared understanding of who we are—and a clear compass pointing toward who we want to become.
“Once we adopt the institutional core values, though, our work is just beginning,” McKiernan says. “We’re building a strong foundation for values-based programming, community discussions of what our values look like in practice and institutional decision-making grounded in shared language about and commitment to why we do what we do.”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published June 4, 2025