About the Rufus Jones Society

There is in most of us a vast acreage of our inner estate which has never been touched by the plow. It remains uncultivated. We are this, we have been this, but how much more we might be. Coming to our self, our true self, and reaching out with divine help and the gift of Grace to win the whole of oneself is to be ‘spiritual-minded.

Rufus Jones

Rufus M. Jones’s life and thought represents a distinct perspective on leadership and service that is of critical importance for Haverford College and the world. We are committed to ensuring that his vision of the innate dignity and equality of all people and his leadership lessons in support of this goal become an  integral part of the Haverford experience for students, faculty, alumni, and community members.

 

As a teacher, scholar, theoretician of modern Quakerism, and founder of the American Friends Service Committee, Rufus Jones presents a remarkable model of a life well-lived. His leadership ethos, grounded in a joyful spirituality and optimistic approach to problem solving, serves as a powerful example that can and should inform how leadership and character are taught and nurtured at Haverford College.

 

The vital life force that Rufus Jones brought to Haverford is more needed than ever in a world defined by accelerating change, social dislocation, and increasing instability.  What is so powerful about Rufus Jones’s model of leadership is the intentional connection between critical inquiry, purposeful action, and spritual/social/emotional grounding. It is the intersection of these three areas that builds the foundation of character that is both essential for a life of consequence and the very purpose of a Haverford education.

 

The Rufus Jones Society wants to explore how the leadership principles of Rufus Jones – which include a focus on mindfullness/self mastery, a reverence for truth, and an inclusive ethos that treats the dignity of conscience of every individual as inviolate  – can form a more comprehensive and integral part of the Haverford experience, helping students to connect with the power within themselves to live a life of consequence. We believe that every Haverford student should learn about Rufus Jones and that an ongoing engagement with his legacy can inspire an evolution of ideas to meet humanity’s future challenges.

 

We believe that an effective approach to keeping the ethos of Rufus Jones alive and well at Haverford requires a permanent institutional structure and should aim to build fellowship among generations of alumni interested in leadership and service. The mission of the Rufus Jones Society is to ensure that this infrastructure is built so that Rufus Jones’s fierce spirit for social progress and joyful self-mastery remains central to what it means to be a part of the Haverford College community.

 

Principles of the Rufus Jones Society

 

We seek to build a diverse and inclusive community of Fords committed to leadership development and the ethos of Rufus Jones, with representation across every demographic. We also hope to create a group that is horizontally integrated across alumni but also vertically integrated to include students. Rufus Jones was a strong believer in the intelligence and agency of students and we want this trust reflected in the Rufus Jones Society, which seeks to create a more robust and meaningful relationship between students and alumni working towards social change. 

Vision of the Society

 

The Rufus Jones Society is comprised of members of the Haverford community devoted to creating a space of inquiry, reflection, and action to support and develop continuing leadership education for the 21rst century.  We believe that every Haverford student should learn about Rufus Jones and that an ongoing engagement with his legacy can inspire both an evolution of ideas and a building of community that can serve to meet future challenges.

 

We believe that an effective approach to keeping the ethos of Rufus Jones alive and well at Haverford will requires a permanent institutional structure and should aim to build fellowship among generations of alumni interested in leadership and service. The mission of the Rufus Jones Society is to ensure that this infrastructure is built so that Rufus Jones’s fierce spirit for social progress and joyful self-mastery remains central to what it means to be a part of the Haverford College community.

 

The Society is officially launching in 2018  and is currently in pilot stage. We look forward to working with all stakeholders in the Haverford community to promote conscious leadership and service and to bring Fords together from different generations in fellowship. 

 

Student and Faculty Involvement

 

As we launch the Society, we are prioritizing building up a critical mass of alumnae before figuring out how best to support current students. We expect and hope that eventually students as well as faculty and administrators will play an important role developing the Society on Campus. If you have not already joined the society, you can register at this link.