Academics, and the International Baccalaureate curriculum, are central to the UWC-USA experience. Students learn in small classes from dedicated, highly qualified teachers who seek interdisciplinary connections between subjects. While most of our alumni go on to highly competitive schools and colleges around the world, they also consistently use their academic learning in the service of the UWC mission: solving intractable problems, building bridges between people, and strengthening communities.

At UWC-USA, diversity is not a tagline –- it’s essential to what we do, how we learn, and the mission of the UWC movement. Students come from over 90 countries to live and learn together. They form friendships, work through misunderstandings, collaborate on projects big and small, and emerge ready to work with others on the important challenges our world faces. UWC-USA alumni know that we are always stronger and more effective together, that our diversity is our strength, and that we can build strong communities wherever we end up in the world.

The physical location of the school, on the edge of the Pecos Wilderness in Northern New Mexico, is an integral part of the UWC-USA experience. Within days of arriving on campus, first-year students are hiking in the mountains with second-year Wilderness Leaders and trained wilderness leaders. The culture of the American Southwest is equally important and students immerse themselves in it during Southwest Studies trips, Project Weeks, and during community service projects throughout the year.