Roanoke College joins LearningWell Coalition to advance purpose-driven education

Roanoke College is proud to be invited to join the LearningWell Coalition, a national network of colleges and universities dedicated to learner-centered education that supports the lifelong well-being and career development of students.

The partnership puts Roanoke among a leading group of institutions that are using innovative strategies to blend learning with opportunities for leadership, character development and community building — a multifaceted approach that helps student grow and thrive as whole people.

Roanoke was chosen for the coalition because of its commitment to integrating the exploration and discovery of purpose into every aspect of the student experience, from academics and career services to campus life and student activities. That focus is a guiding principle of the college’s dynamic strategic plan, Imagine Roanoke, which calls on it: To make the exploration of purpose, the pursuit of character, and the graduation of leaders a distinction of a Roanoke College education.

By putting purpose at the heart of all it does, the college strives to help students make deeper connections between what they are learning and who they hope to become, fostering a sense of identity, direction and meaning that can guide them long after college.

The goal is to support students in building fulfilling lives. This is an ongoing initiative that Roanoke is working to refine and expand. By joining the LearningWell Coalition, it will be able to collaborate with other institutions and take part in research and programs that help inform new, evidence-based strategies.

“We are eager to collaborate with like-minded institutions to exchange ideas, share best practices, and work collectively to reshape the future of higher education and build lifelong well-being into exemplary models for higher education,” Roanoke College President Frank Shushok Jr. said. “By embedding purpose and character into our curriculum and campus life, we can provide students with the skills to thrive, both personally and professionally, in an ever-changing world.”

The LearningWell Coalition was formed in 2019 as a hub for colleges and universities seeking to drive transformational change. Its mission recognizes the profound impact that supportive mentoring, real-world learning, and other key experiences have on a student’s long-term success and wellness.

Finding ways to build on that impact and equip students to thrive in all aspects of their lives is a core focus for all coalition members. Member institutions include Georgetown University, Tufts University, University of Virginia and University of Michigan-Dearborn.

“We are thrilled to welcome Roanoke College to the LearningWell Coalition,” said Keith Buffinton, executive director of the coalition. “Roanoke’s commitment to student development and their strategic focus on purpose and well-being is an ideal fit for our mission to promote transformative education that empowers students for lifelong flourishing.”