Dear Members of the Sarah Lawrence Community,
“In the time of floods, the wise build bridges, the foolish build walls.”
Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu, the first guest in our Building Bridges event series, opened with this African proverb in her visit to campus on September 2 – the second day of classes for our undergraduate students, including the newly arrived Class of 2029. As this new academic year unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing polarization, isolation, and escalating cultural and political violence, Rev. Tutu’s words are timely, reminding us, as she did with urgency, that in times of difficulty and crisis the wise continue to seek ways to reach out rather than close in; to come together, understanding that new perspectives, new voices, and new eyes on a situation offer the possibility of resolution.
I encourage you to watch the video of my conversation with Rev. Tutu if you missed the event or wish to hear her inspiring words again. It was an important event with which to begin our semester. I am delighted to announce, hot off the press, that we will welcome New York Times columnist, podcast host, and author of Why We’re Polarized Ezra Klein on January 28, 2026, as part of the Building Bridges series to open our spring semester. Watch for more information to come. Events like these are not only important opportunities to come together for reflection and discussion, they also remind us that the work of building bridges cannot be occasional: it is work we must commit to daily in our lives together as a community.
Sarah Lawrence’s commitment to building bridges is deep and varied, underscoring the ways in which we teach, learn, and live. The second week of classes brought another standing room only event, a faculty panel titled Humanities in Danger/Dangerous Humanities. Faculty members Roy Ben-Shai (Philosophy), Jerri Dodds (Art History), Matthew Ellis (History), Sarah Hamill (Art History), and Joel Swanson (Religion) grappled with two opposing views of the field in this moment – one that sees the humanities as outdated in an increasingly digital, STEM-focused world, and the other that asserts they are dangerously influential – as they made the case for why the humanities matter more than ever.
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Yet another significant expression of our commitment to building bridges is our ongoing work to create spaces that help our students connect from campus to the wider world, from their present to their future. With that in mind, I am delighted to share with you the next major step in the strategic renewal of our beloved campus: the transformation of a presently unused section of the Performing Arts Center into a new center for experiential learning, slated to open in mid-2026.
“This new center creates form that supports function, offering an integrated resource for experiential learning and co-working that will support students completing the full range of internship opportunities, from in-person to remote and hybrid.” -Meghan Jablonski, Director of Embedded Education
Guided by John Dewey’s timeless philosophy that “education is not preparation for life; education is life itself,” the center will co-locate Career Services, Community Partnerships, Global Education, and SLC EmbeddED, all of which are presently scattered across campus. Situated directly across from the Barbara Walters Campus Center and alongside The HUB, the center completes a triangle of activity at the heart of campus. Together, these pillars of student life represent new and newly adapted spaces that meet the needs of today’s students, each with a distinct yet complementary role: the BWCC is where “town meets gown” as we welcome in both the campus and outside communities for public events and celebrations; The HUB is home to student-centered spaces aimed at building community; and this center for experiential learning – in the middle literally and figuratively – blends the public and the private in a new vision of how we bring the world to our students and our students to the world.
“This move to the heart of campus creates a vibrant hub for professional development and student success. Bringing Career Services together with SLC EmbeddED, Community Partnerships, and Global Education will promote a unified approach to student advising, enhance career readiness, and expand participation in internships and experiential learning.” -Angela Cherubini, Director of Career Services
Experiential learning is a Sarah Lawrence superpower and a hallmark of our education since our founding. As we embark on our second century, we know this type of learning is more important than ever, and our work on this center will further expand the walls of the classroom and open the doors of opportunity for students beyond campus, near and far. Bringing together Career Services, Community Partnerships, Global Education, and SLC EmbeddED will enhance collaboration among these areas and allow our staff and faculty to better serve students. The prominent location of this new “one stop shop” will also make our offerings more visible to prospective students and families, and welcome in alumni, employers, and community partners with ease (no more hoping you choose the right stairwell in Bates to find the Career Services or Community Partnerships offices!).
“‘Living’ together with our colleagues will foster collaboration and allow us to develop new opportunities for students abroad through internships and project-based learning.” -Prema Samuel, Associate Dean for International Programs
The center will feature two fully accessible entrances and is designed with the future in mind, modeling environments students are likely to encounter as they enter the workforce, such as co-working spaces. There will be staff offices, meeting and presentation rooms, a kitchenette, and pods that offer a professional backdrop and additional privacy for students working in remote internships, engaging in private mentoring sessions, or interviewing with employers. On the second floor we will gain newly renovated classrooms. The entry plaza will feature benches topped with unused marble from the Remy Theatre, linking this project to our broader commitment to adaptive reuse, while a pollinator garden will further our efforts to create a landscape that is both beautiful and sustainable. All of this serves to put a new front door on a key campus building, essentially turning it to face the entrance to campus and positioning it, along with the BWCC, to proudly welcome the community to Sarah Lawrence.
“The opportunity to partner closely with our colleagues and to be more accessible to students, faculty, staff, and community partners will serve to continue and deepen the community engagement for which Sarah Lawrence College is known.” -Nelson Rodriguez, Director of Community Partnerships & Engagement
As we bridge into our second century, this new center for experiential learning is both a nod to our past and a promise for our future. I extend my deep thanks to the students, staff, and faculty who helped shape this project, to those who are generously supporting this vision, and to all who will work hard to make it a reality. Together we are creating a future that ensures our students will continue to thrive in an ever-changing world, and that the world will continue to be transformed by Sarah Lawrence graduates.
Yours,
Cristle Collins Judd
President
president@sarahlawrence.edu
Instagram: @slcprez