J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World

Experiential learning — the process of learning by doing — is an essential element of a liberal arts education. The J.D. Power Center is a hub for experiential learning at Holy Cross.

Our Mission

Advancing the mission of Holy Cross as a Jesuit, liberal arts college, and rooted in Ignatian pedagogy, the J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World offers experiential learning opportunities to prepare students for lives of impact and to support faculty seeking to engage students in high-impact educational practices. Through the Center’s wide variety of offerings, students connect disciplinary theory with practice, develop valuable expertise, engage their community and the broader world, build transformative relationships, and discern how they can use their unique talents to live a life of purpose and meaning.

Learning Goals

Through the programs, courses, and activities that the J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World offers, students will gain the following:

Interpersonal Skills
Students engage in diverse experiences that require them to learn how to understand the perspectives of and communicate ideas to others in academic and professional situations.

A Civic and Professional Identity
Through reflection and observation, students develop a sense of vocation and how they can contribute meaningfully as citizens and future professionals to the world.

Integrated Learning
Students strengthen their capacity to place their individual learning experiences into the wider context of their academic trajectory, the Jesuit, liberal arts mission of the College, and broader social, natural, cultural, economic, and civic environments.

Image
Programs

A number of offices at Holy Cross are ready to connect you to experiential learning opportunities.

Image
Blog

Learn more about hands-on learning opportunities at Holy Cross, and how you can get involved.

Image
Contact Us

Contact a member of the J.D. Power Center team to learn more about how you can get engaged with our offerings.

a student shaking the hand of J.D. Power '53
Our Namesake

The J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World is made possible by the family foundation of J.D. Power '53, a pioneer in consumer research and information, whose support significantly expands experiential learning opportunities for Holy Cross students.

J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World News

Image
How Architecture Impacts Everyone, Every Day
“Architecture is everywhere, and it’s everything,” says Amy D. Finstein, associate professor of visual arts.
Image
Looking For Research That Didn’t Exist, She Decided to Conduct it Herself
Ashley Pothier ’26 wanted to learn more about language development in Deaf children, but the lone paper was published decades ago. Inspired, she started her own.
Image
How a First-Year Course Unexpectedly Transformed the Path of Two Seniors
Catherine Cannamela '24 and Delaney Walch '24 didn’t expect an early experience to change their lives.