Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs

Mission

Founded in 2003 with a generous gift from Colby Trustee Emeritus William Goldfarb ’68, P’00, the Goldfarb Center is Colby’s hub for politics, policy, and the press. We bring influential leaders, policymakers, activists, journalists, and innovative thinkers to connect the Colby community to public affairs. Through our integrated approach of dialogue, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we empower students to think critically, engage meaningfully, and drive change.

Overview

The Goldfarb Center exemplifies Colby’s commitment to developing engaged and thoughtful leaders capable of addressing complex challenges. We are student-focused, bridging the gap between academics and practice. We expose students to new information and diverse perspectives, fostering the formation of new ideas and deepening their understanding of critical issues. We facilitate student internships, research projects, and offer skills-based programming that builds critical thinking, problem-solving, and real-world understanding of politics, public policy, and the press.

Dialogue: Fostering Critical Thinking

The Goldfarb Center hosts high-profile events featuring world leaders, innovative thinkers, influential politicians, community activists, and cutting-edge academics. Our events expose students to diverse perspectives on pressing public affairs issues. Our “In The News” speaker series further enhances this dialogue, encouraging students to think critically about current events and policy challenges. The center also supports prominent campus award ceremonies like the Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award for Courage in Journalism and the Morton A. Brody Distinguished Award for Judicial Service, fostering discussions on ethics and leadership in public life.

Experiential Learning: Engaging Meaningfully

We offer numerous opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in public affairs. We facilitate and fund Jan Plan internships in Washington, D.C., providing students with exposure to public affairs careers. Our Mayflower Hill To Capitol Hill internship program further bridges classroom learning with real-world practice. The Sandy Maisel Student Internship and Research Grants support dozens of student projects each year, allowing students to explore public affairs issues in depth. These experiences, coupled with our skills-based programming, equip students with the tools to engage meaningfully in the realms of politics, policy, and the press.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Driving Change

The Goldfarb Center promotes interdisciplinary approaches to complex societal challenges. We integrate our initiatives with Colby’s curriculum and support faculty research across disciplines through extensive funding and grants. Our Student Advisory Board, open to all Colby students, collaborates with staff to design and execute programming that addresses multifaceted public affairs issues. The annual Franko-Maisel Public Policy Prize, awarded to a graduating senior pursuing a career in public policy, exemplifies our commitment to fostering leaders capable of driving change through interdisciplinary problem-solving. By connecting students with diverse perspectives and opportunities, we empower them to develop innovative solutions to today’s most pressing policy challenges.