Communications
Emails sent to the community regarding aspirational design.
Aspirational Design Updates (Week of 10/6)
October 6, 2025
This Email in 10 Seconds
The first Community Charrette is Wednesday, Oct. 8 (7–9 p.m., Tolles Pavilion). Come hear new ideas, add your voice, and enjoy free dessert. More details below.
We’re still in the early stages, so your feedback will help these ideas evolve.
What Happened Last Week
- Alumni Charrette: An enthusiastic group of roughly 40 alumni joined President Tepper and Joe Shelley for an Aspirational Design session during Homecoming. Participants brought plenty of energy as they rotated through all six themes and shared ideas, questions, and feedback.
- The Design Hub opened! Located in Burke Library outside the Stryker All-Night Reading Room, the Design Hub will remain open throughout the fall. Stop by anytime to learn more about Aspirational Design, and share what sparks your imagination.
Coming Up this Week
Join Us! Community Charrette
Wednesday, Oct. 8; 7-9 p.m.
Tolles Pavilion
What You Can Expect
-
Explore the bold ideas that have emerged so far in the first three Focus Charrettes (Open Curriculum 2.0, Democracy & Imagination, and Creative Campus & What If).
- President Steven Tepper will share his thoughts about “Social Intelligence,” his framework for Aspirational Design that focuses on our unique value and how we learn and work together.
- Share your feedback, questions, and ideas to help shape how these themes evolve in the weeks and months ahead.
- Dessert and drinks will be provided.
Coming Soon
- Focus Charrettes: To participate in any of these charrettes (or other Aspirational Design activities), please email aspirationaldesign@hamilton.edu.
- Oct. 21-22: Hamilton 360
- Oct. 23-24: Practicing the Liberal Arts
- Nov. 6-7: Innovation, Technology, & Authentic Intelligence
- Faculty Mini-Charrettes: Additional opportunities for faculty to engage with the process are being offered in October and November. Please see the recent email from the Dean of Faculty for dates and to RSVP. Please reach out to Dean Munemo with any questions.
Questions?
Visit the Aspirational Design website or email aspirationaldesign@hamilton.edu.
We hope to see you Wednesday!
Aspirational Design Core Team
Joe Shelley
Marisa Benincasa
Kimberly Butler
Mike Klapmeyer
Lisa McFall
Miriam Merrill
Ngoni Munemo
