In an environment that fosters the free exchange of ideas, lafayette college seeks to nurture the inquiring mind and to integrate intellectual, social, and personal growth. The college strives to develop students skills of critical thinking, (continued in SCH o) verbal communication, and quantitative reasoning and their capacity for creative endeavor; it encourages students to examine the traditions of their own culture and those of others; to develop systems of values that include an understanding of personal, social, and professional responsibility; and to regard education as an indispensable, lifelong process.