The Gettysburg Approach is A Consequential Education in practice: a renewed and intensive focus on how we deliver our signature undergraduate experience. Designed to benefit the whole student, throughout the entirety of their life and career, the Gettysburg Approach builds within every student a breadth and depth of knowledge and set of enduring skills—cultivated both inside and outside of the classroom—that will prepare them for a lifetime of career advancement and personal success.
How the Gettysburg Approach Works
A breadth and depth of knowledge through a rigorous education in the liberal arts and sciences.
The development and deepening of enduring skills most valued by employers.
360 degrees of advising from a Personal Advising Team.
High-impact learning experiences situated within Guided Pathways.
Knowledge
The first anchor in the Gettysburg Approach is to provide students with a breadth and depth of knowledge through a rigorous and contemporary education in the liberal arts and sciences. Our world-class faculty brings to life the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, ensuring that Gettysburg students are exposed to viewpoints across disciplines, and they gain a nuanced understanding of the human experience. Every Gettysburg College student will enhance their capacity for action, grow as effective leaders and socially responsible citizens, and develop the capacity to pursue knowledge throughout their lifetime.
Responding to the Preparedness Gap
In 2021, The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) released a study titled How College Contributes to Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most. The survey identified a preparedness gap: a divide between the importance employers place on specific skills in the workforce and their assessment of a college graduate’s readiness to effectively execute those skills.
The Gettysburg Approach responds to this preparedness gap by equipping our graduates with the knowledge and skills that are most desired by employers today.
A Proven Approach
Our emphasis on enduring skill-building has proven successful for generations of Gettysburgians. For nearly 200 years, Gettysburg College graduates have excelled in a wide range of work and service, and have made positive contributions to organizations and communities worldwide.
Gettysburg graduates outperform peers
A survey of 200 employers said that Gettysburg graduates possess and outperform their peers in what employers define as the must-have career skills:
The Gettysburg Approach at Work
Career Coaching with Lawrese Brown ’10
When Lawrese Brown ’10 founded career consultancy C-Track Training in 2018, she aimed to share with her clients the communication and critical thinking skills she learned at Gettysburg to empower them to better advocate for themselves in their careers. “Gettysburg does a wonderful job of offering people opportunities to do, and doing is important,” she said. “You get to test things. You get feedback. You understand the consequences of the things you do or don’t do. That’s what I consider a key piece of the consequential education Gettysburg College offers.” Read how Lawrese Brown ’10 helps business professionals hone career competencies.
Student-Faculty Research Through X-SIG
Through the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute (X-SIG), Environmental Studies Prof. Tasha Gownaris ’09, Jehan Mody ’24, and Kaiulani Sund ’23 teamed up with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service staff to study the adaptability of breeding seabirds, an experience that opened “great pathways” for all involved. “I knew going into this field season that I would learn a lot about working with other researchers as well as animals,” Sund said. “I can definitely say that this field season has prepared me for future careers and I will bring with me the mentality that mistakes—and successes—are part of learning.” Learn how they navigated this immersive X-SIG opportunity.
Launching New Endeavors with Ratul Pradhan ’25
In his first year, Ratul Pradhan ’25—an international student from Nepal and India—immediately pursued his passions as a computer science and music double major, joining theatre productions and more. After collaborating with Jack Joiner ’25 to secure $10,000 from Student Senate, he then launched a new program, Listeners & Performers. “My first year has been exploring how these fields intertwine and diving headfirst to find my niche,” he said. “We’re diversifying the social scene by incorporating music and the arts into it. I’ve been able to play a part in creating a more inclusive community here.” Learn more about this defining moment for Ratul Pradhan ’25.