Mission and Values of the Gwen Ifill School
The Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities and Social Sciences is a community of higher education where passion meets purpose. Our alumna Gwen Ifill '77 '93 (HD) broke through barriers of discrimination to become a model of professional excellence and a purposeful life. She embodied Simmons’ historical mission: to empower women in their pursuit of an independent livelihood and a transformative liberal education. The Ifill School aims to carry on these legacies for future generations.
Our Mission
We are a community of educators and learners guided by intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and generosity of spirit. We derive strength from our differences and pursue civic engagement through humanistic inquiries. We value linguistic diversity, lived experience, artistic expression, and imagination. We give voice to our stories, past and present, individual and global, told and untold, to influence a future whose questions have yet to be asked.
Our Vision
In the Gwen Ifill School, we want our community to be known for public engagement and social justice, modeling how our disciplines can participate in civil society and engage in lifelong learning.
As scholars, we want to be known for our contribution to the advancement of the humanities and social sciences and for promoting communication across communities. As teachers and mentors we strive for excellence, emphasize empowerment and open inquiry, and model diversity, inclusion, civility, and cultural responsiveness.
Our Values
In the Gwen Ifill School:
- We are committed to building knowledge promoting core principles of social justice.
- We are committed to educating students who will be known for creativity, social engagement, joy in learning, and ability to navigate differences.
- We are committed to modeling how a liberal arts education provides a foundation for one’s life work and to be an active member of society.