Project Pericles

In overseeing the research and development of The Bellows Institute’s Learning Centers, there is an integration of active citizenship and social responsibility principles of Project Pericles in the curricula.

The Project Pericles is a non-profit organization that encourages and facilitates commitments by colleges and universities to include education for social responsibility and participatory citizenship as an essential part of their educational programs, in the classroom, on the campus, and in the community.

This learning experience is intended to provide students with a foundation for social and civic involvement and a conviction that democratic institutions and processes offer each person the best opportunity to improve the condition of society.

The inspiration of Project Pericles comes from the the Athenian leader and statesman, Pericles and his views of democracy. According to Thucydides, a contemporary and an historian, Pericles stated, during his Funeral Oration of 431 BC:

“Our Government does not copy our neighbors’, but is an example to them. It is true that we are called a democracy. For the administration is in the hands of the many and not of the few. But while there exists equal justice to all and alike in their private disputes, the claim of excellence is also recognized; and when a citizen is in any way distinguished, he is preferred to the public service, not as a matter of privilege, but as the reward for merit, neither is poverty an obstacle, but a man may benefit his country whatever the obscurity of his condition.”

The Project Pericles website (www.projectpericles.org) states:

Higher Education and the Legacy of Pericles

In the fifth century BCE, under the leadership of Pericles, Athens established the historic prototype of a democratic society. By recognizing that every citizen, regardless of economic or social status, had both a duty to serve and the potential to lead, Pericles and his fellow Athenians established what became the foundation of modern democracy. The legacy of Pericles is the core precept of America’s founding philosophy and has been historically connected to higher education in the United States. Its mission has embraced the preparation of students for active participation in an expanding, pluralistic society in which citizenship, social responsibility, and community are inseparable.

Eugene M. Lang

In 1999, Eugene M. Lang, a retired entrepreneur well-known for his philanthropic ventures in education, was asked to write an essay for Daedalus, the Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, on the continuing relevance of the traditional mission of liberal arts colleges. In his essay, Lang addressed a national concern: the growing political cynicism and civic disengagement of young people. He was aware that many colleges and universities have responded to this concern with student-driven community service programs. He felt, however, that most of these programs have been peripheral to curricula, with little lasting impact on the civic attitudes of students. In effect, Pericles’ legacy to higher education was eroding, threatening the ultimate viability of American democracy.

Project Pericles: “Reclaiming the Legacy of Pericles”

Lang believed that colleges and universities, by reason of their historic mission and uniquely respected position in society, can and should assume a central responsibility for revitalizing Pericles’ vision—’reclaiming the legacy of Pericles.’ In 1999, he organized a distinguished Planning Committee that named the nascent organization ‘Project Pericles.’ Over the next two years, Committee deliberations and discussions with hundreds of educators and civic leaders helped Lang refine Project Pericles’ mission and the basic Policies that provide a framework within which colleges and universities can commit to educating students for civic and social responsibilities.

The Organization of Project Pericles

By the end of 2000, Lang and the Planning Committee had decided upon a suitable operating structure and start-up agenda for Project Pericles as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit corporation. The Planning Committee, chaired by Lang, formally became its Executive Planning Board. A National Board of Advisors was established, comprised of more than thirty distinguished community, educational, and political leaders. Finally, ten diverse colleges and universities were invited to become the membership nucleus—the ‘pilot Pericleans’—of Project Pericles. Their presidents and chairpersons accepted an invitation to a meeting in New York on January 17, 2001. After much discussion, each institution undertook a commitment to the objectives and Policies of Project Pericles. The ten presidents formed the Presidents’ Council to cooperate actively in policymaking and management.

Project Pericles Today

To date, Project Pericles has organized a consortium of like-minded colleges and universities, including: Allegheny College, Bates College, Bethune-Cookman College, Chatham College, Dillard University, Elon University, Hampshire College, Hendrix College, Macalester College, New England College, The New School, Occidental College, Pace University, Pitzer College, Rhodes College, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, Spelman College, Swathmore College, Ursinus College, Wagner College, and Widener University.