About Us

About

Us

Jefferson Clemente Foundation is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit in the State of Washington.

Founded in 1999, we are the first rural and only independent affiliate of The Clemente Course in the Humanities®, a unique educational institution to teach the humanities at the college level to people living in economic distress. Students learn through dialogue about moral philosophy, literature, history, art history, critical thinking, and writing. More than ten thousand students worldwide have participated in a Clemente course and the enrichment of so many lives earned the course the 2014 National Humanities Medal from the National Endowment for the Humanities.


The course is based on the belief that anyone, if given the opportunity and support, can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to enrich and transform his or her life.

The goal of the course is to bring the clarity and beauty of the humanities to people who have been deprived of these riches through economic, social, or political forces. Many graduates of the Clemente Course have gone on to two- and four-year colleges. The Clemente Course is accredited by Bard College and successful students receive transferrable college credits.

There is no tuition; books are provided, and the college credits offered in most courses are readily transferable to other institutions. In addition to free tuition and books, access to childcare and transportation is provided without charge.


In 2007, the founder of Jefferson Clemente Foundation, Lela Hilton, was honored with the Humanities Washington award for her commitment as the first Jefferson Clemente Academic Director and the driving force behind establishing and expanding the first rural Clemente Course program.  Jefferson Clemente Foundation continues to strive towards reaching the three original goals established at its founding: to better equip course participants for civic engagement, to promote their personal growth and enrichment, and to build a bridge for them to higher education.


In addition to offering the Clemente Course, Jefferson Clemente Foundation also sponsors events throughout Jefferson County to promote and encourage community engagement, development and education through the humanities.

Our

Mission

Jefferson Clemente Foundation strengthens communities by providing all people access to cultural, educational, and economic opportunities. We foster creativity, encourage critical reflection, and increase civic engagement through partnerships and programming to build a more sustainable and equitable society.

Our

Values

Access: To remove significant obstacles that impede access to higher education by providing tuition, books, childcare and transportation at no cost to qualified students;


Higher Education: To create a bridge to higher education by developing the skills, confidence and motivation necessary to succeed in that context;


Civic Engagement: To strengthen habits of reflection and critical thinking so that students are better able to control the direction of their lives and engage effectively in action to improve their communities;


Partnerships: To sustain courses in Jefferson County by fostering partnerships with colleges and community organizations and developing collaborative resources to deliver the Clemente program to qualified individuals.



Our

Board

The Jefferson Clemente Foundation Board is comprised of dedicated community members with diverse backgrounds and professional experience who are committed to equity, access, and excitement in education.

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