Our values inspire us to do this work.

Intellectual Curiosity

We love ideas.  We think they matter.  We’re generalists and interdisciplinarians, sector-crossers, lifelong learners, and intellectual evangelists.  

Practical Life

We believe in the life  of the mind.  We know that emotional and social learning are what counts. We love ideas that help us make more sense of our lives.  Think Maria Montessori’s philosophy of practical life – all grown-up. 

Ideas should help us learn to do the activities of life in a purposeful way, to gain independence (and community), to adapt to our society, to develop and practice ways of thinking.  Ideas should help us shape the vocabulary that gives us purpose, meaning, and dreams worth pursuing. 

Doing

While we can analyze, critique, research, and think, what’s more important is that we use ideas to make, to build, to create.  We have a bias towards finding the catalytic idea – the idea that sparks. 

Connection

Ideas are important, but what we really love are people.  People who think ideas and learning matter, and who know the incomparable value of being in relationship.

Learning Community

We value learning.  We don’t try to be the experts all the time.  We know that whatever questions we’re asking are about ourselves.  Even when we know something, we know that it’s human nature to forget so we believe in reminding ourselves and others, and we wholeheartedly seek out opportunities to practice what we know.

Whole People

Not just work, work, work, but work and life.  Family, friends, community, pastimes, passions, diversions, commitments, thoughts, struggles, and feelings.  We want and need to be reminded to value and engage the whole people that we are.