St. John’s has embarked on a strategic vision and planning process to realistically assess our strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in a changing higher education environment and establish an implementation plan to get us into a long-term viable position where the college can truly flourish. We must be creative and open to making changes to our operations in order to preserve the core of what we do—our Great Books, discussion-based academic Program—in the best possible way.
The process will be internally driven, led by Collegewide President Nora Demleitner, an executive committee composed of senior leaders from both campuses, and a steering committee that includes tutors, staff, and administrators from both campuses. An outside facilitator, paid through fundraising dollars not otherwise available to the college, has been retained to help analyze internal data, provide market intelligence, and ensure the process keeps to an accelerated timeline, with the goal of a developed plan in place for the June 2025 Board of Visitors and Governors meeting.
An effective strategic visioning document will unify the St. John’s College community around a common vision and shared values, align resources to critical priorities, and outline a clear roadmap for meaningful action.
Huron will provide a neutral, third-party perspective to promote open dialogue among tutors, staff, students, alumni, and partners, while drawing on their extensive experience in higher education strategy and operations to design and execute an effective process.
The strategic visioning document will respect and preserve the core elements of St. John’s identity. It will not alter the college’s academic Program or the deeply valued traditions that define the institution, ensuring that the legacy of SJC remains intact while moving forward with new priorities or initiatives.
The SJC leadership team has charged an Executive Committee of college leadership from the Santa Fe and Annapolis campuses to lead the visioning process in collaboration with a Steering Committee comprising tutors, staff, and administrators from both campuses. Throughout the process, we will also engage other tutors and staff in addition to students, alumni, industry and community partners, and more through focus groups, interviews, and surveys.
We appreciate your interest and welcome your participation! We encourage you to provide your ideas via the online feedback box and to view regular updates on the visioning website.
Thank you for contributing to the St. John’s strategic vision and planning process. We welcome insights and ideas on how we can collectively shape the college’s future from faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other community members and friends of the college. Please share any thoughts, suggestions, or feedback you have regarding the strategic vision and planning process.
St. John’s is committed to ensuring that feedback inputs are used in a deidentified or anonymous manner. This approach guarantees that individual responses remain confidential, fostering an inclusive environment where all views are represented and valued.
