Honoring History, Charting a Path to the Future

When my husband and I first formally visited Vassar during the presidential search process in 2016, we stayed at Alumnae House. It was vintage Vassar. The lovely building from the 1920s, on the hill overlooking the Juliet, surrounded by trees and the beauty of campus beyond. The push-on, push-off light switches carried particular charm, reminding me of my grandmother’s house. Fast forward, it is 2023, and we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of this magnificent investment in the Alumnae House and all that it has meant for the Vassar family over the years.

Today, Alumnae House anchors what is becoming a signature gateway to campus, which will now include the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts, The Heartwood (a 50-room inn featuring the Salt Line restaurant and the Night Owls bar), with Alumnae House presiding on the knoll. These three buildings, along with the Alumnae Lawn (now conserved in perpetuity) and thoughtful landscaping to enhance access and synergy of the area, make contemporary the age-old functions of hosting alums and guests, convening conversations, and enjoying the Vassar community over good food and drink. Yes, Vassar Devils will continue to be served.

The architecture of the Institute and Inn takes inspiration from Alumnae House. For instance, the subtle pattern in the Institute glass siding mimics the wooden timbers on Alumnae House. The shape of the Inn windows and dormers recalls the windows and dormers of Alumnae House, and a gentle accessible path through greenery connects the new structures with the older Alumnae House. This bringing together of the historical and the contemporary while thoughtfully considering their interrelationship is core to Vassar—the ability to honor tradition and be cutting-edge at the same time.

Vassar is a place where edges meet. And the collisions of ideas, ways of being, and beliefs can spark creativity. It can be rough—working at the boundaries where differences are in full view—but this is where novel advances emerge, where learning happens, and where transformation begins. The Institute and Inn will enable expanded programming (e.g., conferences, workshops, community engagement activities, lifelong learning efforts) for Vassar and broader local, regional, national, and global communities. And for those who cannot make it physically to campus, the Institute hosts a podcast called “Conversations at the Salt Line,” again prompting conversations where differences and edges in one’s life come together for learning. Recent guests have included Professor Eddie Glaude, Jr., Jason Blum, Chip Reid, Sasha Velour, Stacy London, and Margaret Hamburg.

In summary, the new addition to the “West Campus” builds upon the vision of Alumnae House while honoring its 100 years of convening. Together, this part of campus exemplifies the bringing together of disparate paths in a hospitable and inclusive environment to connect us all for the next 100 years and beyond.

Come visit!