Press Releases | Intellectual Diversity

Stephen S. Smith Center Becomes 66th Member of ACTA’s Oases of Excellence Network

August 15, 2018 by ACTA

WASHINGTON, DC—The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) today announced the acceptance of the Stephen S. Smith Center at Xavier University into the Oases of Excellence network.

The Stephen S. Smith Center will join an esteemed list of academic centers across the country that promote rigorous academic study, liberal arts curricula, and viewpoint diversity on college campuses. The Oases of Excellence network shares a commitment to educating students for informed citizenship in a free society by introducing students to the best of the foundational arts and sciences, teaching American heritage, and encouraging the free exchange of ideas.

Directed by Dr. R. Stafford Johnson, the Stephen S. Smith Center promotes learning, scholarship, and debate about fundamental questions and ideas that impact society. The center’s undergraduate, cohort honors program—the Smith Scholars Program—provides a challenging and comprehensive learning opportunity for students who want to pursue a business major that is enriched with an in-depth study of the liberal arts.

ACTA President Michael Poliakoff expressed his admiration for the center: “The way in which the Smith Center is designed to combine business excellence with the rich and rigorous study of the liberal arts is truly inspiring: It is a clear pathway to the education future leaders need for success in career and citizenship.”

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CONTACT: Doug Sprei, dsprei@goacta.org

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