Norton Family Center for the Common Good

Think critically. Act boldly. Lead for the common good.

By fostering a daily commitment to the best self and the common good, the Norton Family Center for the Common Good encourages and supports students as they:

think critically about the challenges facing our world,
act boldly in pursuit of solutions, and
lead with compassion and responsibility.

Through our seminars, leadership development and financial literacy programs, community engagement opportunities, and Norton Fellowships, the center provides the guidance, tools, and opportunities for students to be their best selves and make a positive difference in the world around them.

Kelly Kassab Project: Cleanup of the Hasbaya El-Metn community trails in Lebanon. — Kelly Kassab's Norton Fellows Project: Cleanup of the Hasbaya El-Metn community trails in Lebanon

“The Norton Center helps students understand who they are and the impact that they can have on the world.”

Matt Kammrath Director of the Norton Center

The Seminars

Conversations that shape character and community.

The Seminar in the Best Self and The Seminar in the Common Good encourage students to explore the ideas, values, and skills that help them flourish as individuals and contribute meaningfully to their communities. These required, non-credit, yearlong seminars meet once every seven class days in a discussion-based format, free from grades or formal assessments, creating space for curiosity, reflection, and authentic dialogue.

Seminar in the Best Self

For Freshmen: A Journey of Personal Growth

The Seminar in the Best Self is an immersive experience that invites all freshmen to reflect on their own well-being, personal values, and the broader community.

Through themes such as health and wellness, leadership, equity and inclusion, and the intersection of the best self and the common good, these seminars create a dedicated space for students to explore who they are and how they can grow into their best selves.

Seminar in the Common Good

For Sophomores: Expanding Horizons, Deepening Responsibility

The Seminar in the Common Good asks sophomores to consider how their personal growth intersects with their responsibilities as members of the communities of which they are a part. Themes addressed include community engagement, leadership, healthy relationships, identity, and citizenship. Students are guided to recognize their potential to have a positive impact on those around them and to become thoughtful, engaged leaders.

Katharine Conklin, associate director of the Norton Family Center for the Common Good, talks about the seminars’ curricula and the impact the program has on students.

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Leadership

Loomis Leads — discover your leadership potential.

Loomis Leads is a leadership development program aimed at helping freshmen begin to think about their future roles on campus and beyond, and how they can best serve the community in a leadership capacity. All are welcome to join, and no previous leadership training is required.

We hope to help students in the early stages of their leadership journey think about the skills and leadership styles best suited to the roles they hope to occupy on teams, in clubs, in classrooms, and in the dorms. The program runs in the winter and spring terms and students can drop in/out based on availability in their schedule.