If there is a unity to the people of Williams College, it's most often expressed in a love for participating in a community where ideas, art, politics and discourse of all sort can happen at any moment of the day. Learning is a collaborative enterprise here.
Marked by intelligence and high energy, the Williams community is a lively one, always in ferment. It’s a place where people learn to learn from one another-through shared experience, intellectual engagement, and their enjoyment of life together in a decidedly noncompetitive environment.
Given the flexibility of a liberal arts degree in general and a Williams degree in particular, it is not surprising that our graduates follow a number of paths. Williams’ 20,000 plus living alumni pursue careers in every field, and they advance to the highest levels.
Writing of Williams in 1839, Henry David Thoreau said: "It would be no small advantage if every small college were thus located at the base of a mountain." We think you'll agree. The setting is vital to the College's character.
Founded in 1793, Williams is the second oldest college in Massachusetts. Our rich history has shaped Williams today and traditions we hold dear.
We live in a place that highlights the importance of non-exclusivity, participation, and school spirit. It’s tough to find yourself genuinely bored in a student community as vibrant as Williams'.