The Mission

As a contemporary liberal arts college, Marietta reaffirms a liberal arts foundation as essential preparation for any career. Students will take a breadth of general education courses in the major areas of knowledge within the ever-changing liberal arts. This approach to teaching and learning stresses the development of critical thinking, problem solving, and effective communication skills.

Marietta College is committed to offering programs of in-depth study that prepare students for both challenging careers and admission to well-respected graduate and professional schools. Marietta College offers majors, minors and other academic programs in those select areas that are consistent with the mission of the College and where it has the expertise and resources to meet or exceed baselines of excellence.

Marietta College will remain primarily a residential college. A residential college is a living, dynamic community. It builds a sense of community among the students, faculty and administration. Through a residential college we create a stronger sense of belonging to the institution and to the students’ matriculating class. As a residential community we develop our distinctive ethos, our dedication to the whole student, and affirm the interdependence between life inside and outside the classroom. We expect a critical mass of students will live on campus and participate in campus activities.

Marietta College students will be prepared to succeed in our increasingly technological society. Students will be technologically proficient, comfortable and capable with methods of communication and ways to gather information intelligently. They will use a variety of computer software, but will also be made aware of non-computer technology in science, mathematics, and/or engineering courses. Equally important, students will understand the importance of technology to culture, ways of learning, and our sense of being human.

As a contemporary liberal arts college, Marietta today remains true to the founders’ emphasis on an education "in the various branches of useful knowledge." We are steadfast in our commitment to liberal education, yet our curriculum also reflects today’s realities of economic expansion, worldwide market orientation, and our recognition that, ultimately, Marietta College prepares its students for the world of work. As we enter the 21st Century, Marietta will build a connection between the liberal arts and the pre-professions by integrating our belief that the liberal arts are the best preparation for any career with an equal commitment to practical experience as a necessary prerequisite for the world of work.

Marietta College reaffirms the importance of following sound financial planning as a means to ensure that the institution achieves its operational and strategic goals. The primary goal of budget planning is to provide a framework for decision making that results in a balance between expected revenues and projected expenditures. The primary goal of financial planning is to facilitate the development of long range policy initiatives.

Marietta College is a source of pride for the Mid-Ohio Valley, having brought regional and national attention to the area for nearly two centuries. As the only private liberal arts college in Southeast Ohio, Marietta is positioned to serve as a cultural and intellectual center for area residents. Whereas the College is proud of the contribution it has made to the area, it likewise appreciates the benefits it has received from the Mid-Ohio Valley. Marietta College of the 21st Century maintains its commitment to the area.

A successful society demands familiarity with the principles of responsible citizenship and knowledge of leadership behaviors and skills. Marietta College believes that the role of citizen-leader must become a way of life if we are to create a livable, sustainable, ethical future.

We are living in what has been called the "global village," a term which embodies a recognition that economic growth and political stability in the 21st Century will come through cooperative efforts among the nations of the world. Marietta College students will be prepared to thrive in a diverse, global society.