The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts will convene scholars and thought leaders from Vassar, our local area, and around the globe.
Reflecting the Vassar ethos of “going to the source,” the Institute will create a space for meaningful dialogue and lively debate, and will be an incubator for scholarly discoveries limited only by the imagination.
The Institute will accommodate a wide variety of gatherings, including lectures, classes and training sessions, conferences, and meetings of varying sizes. The Institute will play an important role in fostering dialogue about contemporary challenges, creating a stimulating ecosystem for intellectual pursuit, and drawing together the finest minds and most curious souls.
We’re Officially Open!
Seven years in the making, the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts officially opened on the weekend of October 25, 2024 with a ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as stimulating speakers and panels that addressed the world of work and the continuing relevance of the liberal arts in tackling global issues. Read the full story.
Conversations @ The Salt Line
An intellectual exploration from The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts.
Conversations @ The Salt Line is a podcast where host Wesley Dixon talks with distinguished guests and explores subjects that stimulate, reflects on the world’s grand challenges, and finds common ground while embracing diverging perspectives. Pursuing honest dialogue and debate nurtures an intellectual curiosity that leads to understanding and connection.
Beverly Gage
Professor of History, Yale University
Allison Abner ’87
Television writer of “The West Wing”
John Wordock ’91
Executive Editor at Cumulus Media and Westwood One
Ilyse Hogue ’91
Author of “The Lie that Binds”
Dr. Michael Gomez
Author of “Reversing Sail: A History of the African Diaspora” and “African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa”
Liza Donnelly
Cartoonist at the New Yorker
Dr. Liz Andrews
Executive Director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
Chip Reid ’77
Former White House Correspondent
Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg
Former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
Sasha Velour ’09
Author of “The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag” and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 9
Susanne Lyons ’79
Former chair of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
Stacy London ’91
Former Co-Host of “What Not to Wear”
David Ambroz
Best-selling author of his new memoir “A Place Called Home”
Jeh Charles Johnson
Former Secretary of Homeland Security
Jason Blum ’91
Emmy award winning producer, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions
Judy Joo
Chef, restauranteur, writer, entrepreneur, and television personality
Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.
Princeton University Civil Rights Historian and author of “Begin Again”
Beverly Gage
Professor of History, Yale University
Allison Abner ’87
Television writer of “The West Wing”
John Wordock ’91
Executive Editor at Cumulus Media and Westwood One
Ilyse Hogue ’91
Author of “The Lie that Binds”
Dr. Michael Gomez
Author of “Reversing Sail: A History of the African Diaspora” and “African Dominion: A New History of Empire in Early and Medieval West Africa”
Liza Donnelly
Cartoonist at the New Yorker
Dr. Liz Andrews
Executive Director of the Spelman College Museum of Fine Art
Chip Reid ’77
Former White House Correspondent
Margaret “Peggy” Hamburg
Former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
Sasha Velour ’09
Author of “The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag” and winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 9
Susanne Lyons ’79
Former chair of the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC)
Stacy London ’91
Former Co-Host of “What Not to Wear”
David Ambroz
Best-selling author of his new memoir “A Place Called Home”
Jeh Charles Johnson
Former Secretary of Homeland Security
Jason Blum ’91
Emmy award winning producer, founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions
Judy Joo
Chef, restaurateur, writer, entrepreneur, and television personality
Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr.
Princeton University Civil Rights Historian and author of “Begin Again”
Dining and Accommodations
Visitors to The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts will have the convenience of staying at The Heartwood at Vassar and dining at The Salt Line Hudson Valley restaurant. Both welcome all visitors.
The Salt Line
A new addition to the Hudson Valley restaurant world, The Salt Line sits inside The Heartwood hotel and is connected to The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts. The restaurant is farm-to-table, serving local seasonal dishes with a focus on sustainability and offers a full bar with specialty cocktails. The Salt Line welcomes all visitors with its congenial and lively atmosphere.
The Heartwood inn
With 50 guest rooms, and 48,000 square feet, The Heartwood hotel is a place where guests from different backgrounds can comfortably reflect and relax, or have serendipitous encounters and unexpected exchanges.
Community Partners
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The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts
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