The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts will convene scholars and thought leaders from Vassar, our local area, and around the globe.
Reflecting the Vassar ethos of “going to the source,” the Institute will create a space for meaningful dialogue and lively debate, and will be an incubator for scholarly discoveries limited only by the imagination.
The Institute will accommodate a wide variety of gatherings, including lectures, classes and training sessions, conferences, and meetings of varying sizes. The Institute will play an important role in fostering dialogue about contemporary challenges, creating a stimulating ecosystem for intellectual pursuit, and drawing together the finest minds and most curious souls.
Conversations @ The Salt Line
An intellectual exploration from The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts.
Conversations @ The Salt Line is a podcast where host Wesley Dixon talks with distinguished guests and explores subjects that stimulate, reflects on the world’s grand challenges, and finds common ground while embracing diverging perspectives. Pursuing honest dialogue and debate nurtures an intellectual curiosity that leads to understanding and connection.
Naomi Seligman ’55
Oracle board member and senior partner at Ostriker von Simson
Lloyd Braun ’80
Served as Chairman of ABC Entertainment Group
Dr. Michelle Monje ’98
2021 MacArthur “Genius” award recipient and Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine
Robert Jones Jr.
Author of “The Prophets”
Minerva Tantoco ’86
Chief Technology Officer
Jonathan Littman ’85
Independent Television Producer
Rhiana Gunn-Wright
Senior Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and the policy architect of the Green New Deal
Dr. Jim Kim
Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity
Marie Solis ’15
Style Editor at The New York Times
Naomi Seligman ’55
Oracle board member and senior partner at Ostriker von Simson
Lloyd Braun ’80
Served as Chairman of ABC Entertainment Group
Dr. Michelle Monje ’98
2021 MacArthur “Genius” award recipient and Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine
Robert Jones Jr.
Author of “The Prophets”
Minerva Tantoco ’86
Chief Technology Officer
Jonathan Littman ’85
Independent Television Producer
Rhiana Gunn-Wright
Senior Fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and the policy architect of the Green New Deal
Dr. Jim Kim
Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity
Marie Solis ’15
Style Editor at The New York Times
Dining and Accommodations
Visitors to The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts will have the convenience of staying at The Heartwood at Vassar and dining at The Salt Line Hudson Valley restaurant. Both welcome all visitors.
The Salt Line
A new addition to the Hudson Valley restaurant world, The Salt Line sits inside The Heartwood hotel and is connected to The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts. The restaurant is farm-to-table, serving local seasonal dishes with a focus on sustainability and offers a full bar with specialty cocktails. The Salt Line welcomes all visitors with its congenial and lively atmosphere.
The Heartwood inn
With 50 guest rooms, and 48,000 square feet, The Heartwood hotel is a place where guests from different backgrounds can comfortably reflect and relax, or have serendipitous encounters and unexpected exchanges.
Community Partners
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The Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts
165 College Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604
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