The large variety of schools in the US means you can apply to US Universities that share your values. Even amongst the most selective schools, there are significant differences in pedagogical approach and ethos! For students with commitments to various social causes, it’s important to do research and make sure your new university community shares your values and advocates for your causes. Vela Education aims to help students find the right “fit.” 

Below, find our recommendations for schools engaged in making the world a better place.

Environmental Sustainability: The climate crisis requires action, and some US Universities are leading the charge. Urban campuses are actually at the forefront. American University in Washington has an established environmental sustainability plan and also a centre for producing future leaders on environmental policy.  In Chicago, Loyola University, Chicago is home to more green roofs (roofs covered in living greenery) than any other campus in the Midwest. Their comprehensive Green Campus programme is a model for other universities! Also, their school of Environmental Sustainability draws students who deeply care about the climate crisis and want to focus their education on finding solutions. Schools in California are also leaders on the environment. Santa Clara University has committed to reaching carbon neutrality! Also, their Center for Sustainability details all the ways the campus is committed to the environment as well as how it prepare students to work towards solving the climate crisis. And the University of California at San Diego has also designed a system in which they produce 85% of their own electricity! Also, their Environmental Systems Programme has great opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students.  For more school’s committed to environmental sustainability check out this list.  

Racial Justice: Schools that centre antiracism are doing important work in the US. Some schools have been leaders on this movement since their inception, including Pitzer College and Oberlin College. Both schools were founded to provide an education to those who had been traditionally excluded from higher ed. On the east coast, Wesleyan University has continued to extend the work they began eighteen year ago. The Lane Center for Social and Racial Equity at Wesleyan. This center works to “[t]his includes making transparent and holding accountability for Wesleyan’s commitment to creating an anti-racist campus community and provide DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) training, workshops, and facilitations for Wesleyan constituents utilizing the Interactivity Foundation/Diversity and Inclusion Discussions model (IF/DID).” This is not an exhaustive list but is rather a beginning point for students who want their education to be antiracist.

LGBTQ Inclusion: Queer students may want to choose schools with LGBTQ programmes and policies which support them. For students who want a small school with great resources, students should consider Macalester College in the Minnesota. Macalester offers students a chance to participate, and run, its Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC). MAC shows its LGBT campus pride by offering gender inclusive housing for students identifying as LGBT. The Campus Pride Index has recognized Macalester College as one of the best colleges for LGBT students in the nation. In the Ivy League, both University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University have made significant strides in supporting LGBT students. In 2006, Princeton opened the LGBT Center opened as a symbol of their campus pride. This center provides the necessary resources for those on an exploration path to discover their own sexuality. UPenn demonstrates its campus pride by offering The Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center (LGBT Center) to its entire student body. UPenn’s LGBT Center was the first of its kind and has operated as a social hub for 35 years. To learn more about school’s that work towards LGBTQ inclusion, go to Princeton Review’s list of the most LGBT schools.

As you research US universities, definitely seek out information about how schools address causes you care about. Vela Education is also here to help! Consider scheduling a strategic consultation so we can help you find the schools that align with your values.