 | Hawken at University Circle In June of 2007, Hawken School's Board of Trustees approved a mission statement that honors founder James A. Hawken's educational philosophy while preparing students for an increasingly complex world: Forward-focused preparation for the real world through the development of character and intellect.
To fulfill that purpose, Hawken School has acquired an urban extension campus in University Circle to house its experiential and service learning program. The new campus, located in nearby downtown Cleveland just blocks away from Hawken's original home, marks a return to the PS-12 coed day school's geographical roots and a commitment to the city of Cleveland. |
Real World Setting for Authentic Engagement Cleveland's dynamic University Circle area provides an environment that contrasts with the rural and suburban settings of Hawken's Gates Mills and Lyndhurst campuses and is itself a study in contrasts, with its combination of world-class institutions and developing urban neighborhoods. In this setting, students experience the world through a vastly different lens, enabling the development of skills and qualities that cannot be fostered as readily on their home campuses. The possibilities for innovative programming at this urban venue are limitless. |
At the Gries Center at University Circle, Hawken students, faculty and staff will be in a hotbed of cultural and educational activity. University Circle is home to some of the world's finest institutions that nearly 2.5 million people experience and visit each year. There are 15 cultural organizations, 4 medical centers, 7 health and social service agencies and 8 educational institutions.
Partnerships with University Circle institutions continue to develop. To date, Hawken has begun to establish partnerships with the following institutions:
Case Western Reserve University Famicos Foundation
Citizens' Academy Magnolia Clubhouse, Inc.
Cleveland Clinic Foundation University Circle, Inc.
Cleveland Museum of Art University Hospitals
Cleveland Music School Settlement Western Reserve Historical Society
Cleveland Orchestra
The Gries Center is close to University Circle's many fine institutions, as well as Hawken's original location on Ansel Road. For more about the University Circle area, visit University Circle, Inc. |
A Forward-focused Return to Hawken's Roots The Sally & Bob Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning is located in the historic Mather House at 10823 Magnolia Drive (Cleveland, 44106). Not only does the house provide optimal interior and exterior space for our programming purposes, but it is well aligned with Hawken's philosophical and historical roots, with a rich history that reflects the philanthropic outlook of its original owner and stunning architectural features that reflect the artistic integrity of a bygone era.
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| | Community Support for Hawken at University Circle
"Hawken has always impressed us with its ability to improve, adapt and evolve to educate students and help them grow into caring and capable leaders," said Bob Gries, a 1944 graduate. "We feel very passionate about Hawken's presence in University Circle and the wonderful service and learning opportunities it will generate." Through the years Bob and Sally, a Hawken Life Trustee, have been seminal supporters of community service programming at Hawken. Given their longtime support, the Hawken Board of Trustees voted enthusiastically to name the new University Circle campus the Hawken School Sally & Bob Gries Center for Experiential and Service Learning. Hawken continues to seek philanthropic support to build the initiative into a thriving learning center. For more information on supporting Hawken's University Circle Initiative, please contact Kathleen Guzzi, Director of Development, at kguzz@hawken.edu. |
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