J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World

Experiential learning — the process of learning by doing — is an essential element of a liberal arts education. The J.D. Power Center is a hub for experiential learning at 51СƳ.

Our Mission

Advancing the mission of 51СƳ as a Jesuit, liberal arts college, and rooted in , the J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World offers experiential learning opportunities to prepare students for lives of impact and to support faculty seeking to engage students in high-impact educational practices. Through the Center’s wide variety of offerings, students connect disciplinary theory with practice, develop valuable expertise, engage their community and the broader world, build transformative relationships, and discern how they can use their unique talents to live a life of purpose and meaning.

Learning Goals

Through the programs, courses, and activities that the J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World offers, students will gain the following:

Interpersonal Skills
Students engage in diverse experiences that require them to learn how to understand the perspectives of and communicate ideas to others in academic and professional situations.

A Civic and Professional Identity
Through reflection and observation, students develop a sense of vocation and how they can contribute meaningfully as citizens and future professionals to the world.

Integrated Learning
Students strengthen their capacity to place their individual learning experiences into the wider context of their academic trajectory, the Jesuit, liberal arts mission of the College, and broader social, natural, cultural, economic, and civic environments.

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Programs

A number of offices at 51СƳ are ready to connect you to experiential learning opportunities.

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Blog

Learn more about hands-on learning opportunities at 51СƳ, and how you can get involved.

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Contact Us

Contact a member of the J.D. Power Center team to learn more about how you can get engaged with our offerings.

a student shaking the hand of J.D. Power '53
Our Namesake

The J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World is made possible by the family foundation of J.D. Power '53, a pioneer in consumer research and information, whose support significantly expands experiential learning opportunities for 51СƳ students.

J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World News

City of Worcester seen here from the 51СƳ campus. Photo by Tom Rettig
Mellon Foundation Grant to Support 51СƳ Professors’ Research into LGBTQ+, Refugee Communities in Worcester
The College of the 51СƳ announced the two inaugural recipients of the “Scholarship in Action” grants for the 2018-2019 academic year. The awarded projects focus on professors’ work in collaboration with community groups on the study of refugee resettlement …
Peter Flaherty '87 and Tim Bishop '72 stand at the front of the classroom
Two Alumni, Political World Veterans Teach Course Examining Politics From Inside-Out
The advertisement starts with a video of Hillary Clinton on stage. “If you look at the map of the United States, there’s all that red in the middle where Trump won,” she says. The video is intercut with images of …
Nate Chung '18 from the Nate Chung Project performs with his band as a part of Academic Conference.
Academic Conference 2018 Showcases Creativity, Independent Research of Over 470 Students
Over the course of four days, more than 470 students spanning all class years presented the results of their independent, creative and intellectual endeavors during the 2018 Academic Conference. The celebration of academic life at the College of the Holy …