Princeton University

Princeton University has a longstanding commitment to service, reflected in Princeton's informal motto — Princeton in the nation's service and the service of humanity — and exemplified by the extraordinary contributions that Princetonians make to society.
The value of service is central to the mission of Princeton as a liberal arts university. It infuses our students, faculty, staff, and alumni's passions and pursuits, and is essential to how Princetonians serve the public good. The University has reinforced its commitment to helping students and alumni use their educations to benefit not only themselves but also society. We push students, faculty, and alumni to think about how their research, education, and lives will benefit the nation, the world, and humanity, and give them the support and resources to make it happen.
Princeton's commitment to undergraduate education is profound. As a student, you benefit from the extraordinary resources of world-class teaching and research University, and our low student-to-faculty ratio means you can develop close working relationships with professors who are leaders in their fields. Our curriculum emphasizes learning, creativity, innovation, and collaboration with a liberal arts program in the humanities, arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. You will explore many disciplines and also develop a deep understanding in one area of concentration. From admission to commencement, the undergraduate academic experience is overseen by the Office of the Dean of the College, fostering your intellectual engagement and growth every step along the way.
As a graduate student at Princeton, you will become part of a community of scholars at one of the world's leading research universities. You will work closely with our distinguished faculty, who routinely push human knowledge frontiers with their research and scholarship. Our focus is on doctoral education, with a select number of master's degree programs. Ph.D. degrees across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering emphasize original and independent scholarship. Our financial support will allow you to focus on your studies. And when you complete your degree, be assured that Princeton has demonstrated success in launching graduates into careers in academia, government, and the nonprofit and corporate sectors.
Independent research is a defining feature of a Princeton education. Most students finish their Princeton career doing original research as part of a significant capstone project: a senior undergraduate thesis or a graduate dissertation. Princeton is unique in being a great research university with a profound commitment to the liberal arts. We provide a liberal arts education to all undergraduates, broadening their outlooks and forming their characters and values. We encourage students to explore ideas and methods across the humanities, arts, natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences. When you graduate from Princeton, you will be prepared for whatever path and passions you choose in life.
At the Princeton University Library, we are committed to discoverability, state-of-the-art technologies, newly designed workspaces, deep subject expertise, and the development of our world-renowned collections. It is lovely to work in such a hub of activity as we seek to enhance the Princeton educational experience.
Entering Princeton University Library opens the doors to a universe of extraordinary resources where access and discoverability are central priorities. One of the world's foremost research libraries, PUL, supports today's researchers' modern needs through technological advances and in-depth knowledge. The Library's expansive digitization initiatives and informed acquisitions allow extensive content to become easily searchable through state-of-the-art platforms and consolidated databases. Support for finding precisely what each researcher needs is readily available through the expert guidance of over 50 dedicated staff subject librarians and curators.
Princetonians pursue service in many ways, such as through a profession, vocation, or role. With innovation and purpose, our students work with each other to propose and pursue civic engagement projects throughout their time at Princeton. Ideas for engagement arise through classes and research, student organizations, and campus activities, and many have a home in the Pace Center for Civic Engagement.
Our alumni engage in service worldwide, participating in civic society, and leading meaningful lives connected to a larger purpose and impact. Every year, more than 15,000 alumni volunteer to serve Princeton and University-sponsored projects. Alumni can serve with their class, regional associations, affiliated groups, the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni, and more. Annually at Alumni Day, top honors go to an undergraduate alumnus and a graduate alumnus for their service to society.
Princeton-sponsored service programs offer students, faculty, and staff positive ways to engage with the broader community. Among many initiatives supported by the University community are opportunities to serve as firefighters, donate bikes, food, and clothing for charities promote sustainability and environmental stewardship and host educational and commemorative events, such as for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In 2016, Princeton's informal motto was revised to "In the Nation's Service and the Service of Humanity," bridging phrases from Woodrow Wilson, Class of 1879, who served as president of Princeton before becoming president of the United States, and Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Class of 1976. A medallion with the informal motto is set in the walkways' crossroads on the front lawn of Nassau Hall.