Photo by Tom Kimmell

Dear Alumni, Parents, and Friends:

Thirty-five years ago, Colorado College launched a grand experiment. Today, The Colorado College Plan, better known as the Block Plan, is so ingrained in the fabric of our college that to us it is neither experimental nor strange.

For those of us who live — or have lived — life on the Block Plan, its peculiar rhythm and its intensity are second nature. The possibilities it affords — for immersion, off-campus fieldwork, study abroad, and service; for faculty-student and independent research; and of course, for memorable block breaks — are the foundation of CC’s unique intellectual adventure.

There are also impossibilities under the Block Plan: hiding in a corner to avoid participating in class discussion, not managing time well, falling behind in reading or lab work.

All of these facets constitute The Colorado College Plan, sometimes an enigma to those who have not experienced it. As we move into the year of the 35th anniversary of our now-signature way of living, teaching, and learning, this issue of the Bulletin celebrates, illustrates, and perhaps demystifies the Block Plan.

I invite you to enjoy this rich retrospective and to join us in commemorating a landmark for Colorado College.

Sincerely,

Richard F. Celeste

 

The possibilities afforded by the Block Plan are the foundation of CC's unique intellectual adventure.