They’re Killing My College

The Heartbreak of Goddard’s Closure

The news hit like a sucker-punch to the gut: Goddard College, my alma mater, was closing its doors forever. And a sucker-punch it was, for this wasn’t just an institutional failure, but a profound betrayal.

The Board of Trustees (BoT), hiding behind a façade of financial necessity, has revealed their true colors through years of mismanagement and poor communication with the wider community. They’ve let this happen, and I’m here to tell you how.

A Legacy of Innovation, Undone by Incompetence

Goddard College isn’t just any school. Founded in 1938, it was a pioneer of progressive education, championing creativity, critical thinking, and social consciousness.

Its radical approach — embracing student work programs, adult education, and individualized learning — was groundbreaking. For me, Goddard was magical. I earned my BFA in creative writing there, graduating in 2018. My time working with the Duende literary magazine was transformative, catapulting my career and giving me the confidence to continue in higher education.

Despite this rich legacy, the BoT blames declining enrollment for the closure. Like many smaller colleges around the United States, enrollment has been a serious issue…