Fred Rogers Institute
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With the help of puppets, music, guests and a world of make believe, Fred Rogers helped children handle issues of race, grief, anger and divorce. By the end of his life, Fred Rogers had engaged, consoled and delighted millions of children around the world in the comfort of their own homes with his groundbreaking preschool series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.
At the core, Fred Rogers saw that every child’s healthy development relies on the power of human connection, and each of us has unique and enormous potential to nourish a child’s life with positive interactions. The Fred Rogers Institute at Saint Vincent College continues his legacy for a new generation of educators and students – to imagine how to inspire children to thrive as confident, competent and caring human being.
Meet Saint Vincent
“In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.”
– Fred Rogers
The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things (2003)
Opportunities for Saint Vincent Students
Fred Rogers chose Saint Vincent College – in his hometown Latrobe, PA – for the Institute and his Archive based on his dedication to further resources for childhood development through education opportunities for students. Through the Fred Rogers Institute, Saint Vincent students integrate modern technology with Fred’s legacy to build a richer, more nurturing world for children and their helpers.
Fred Rogers Scholars
The Fred Rogers Scholar Program is a merit-based scholarship program designed for students who are dedicated to pursuing careers that help children, in any academic discipline. Through the course of the four-year program, students are immersed in the Archives, complete a group service-learning project inspired by Fred Rogers’ legacy and graduate having completed an independent project that combines his work with their major and expected career paths. Learn More
Children’s Studies Minors
The Saint Vincent College minor in Children’s Studies is an interdisciplinary program that includes courses in child development, as well as children and media. The minor is designed for students interesting in understanding children and includes a seminar, “What Would Fred Rogers Do?” where students dive into the Fred Rogers Archive, learn from Fred’s legacy and consider its application in their own lives and work. Learn More
Incubator Lab 143
Named after Fred’s favorite number – symbolizing the letters in “I love you” – Incubator 143 is an undergraduate research & development group focused on creating positive change for children’s development through cross-disciplinary work. Incubator 143 supports the work of childcare centers, urban schools, non-profit community programs, and even orphanages overseas. Students integrate Fred Rogers’s messages in the digital age – recently by creating a brochure with local healthcare agency, Excela Health, to help families experiencing grief. Learn MoreExplore The Fred Rogers Institute
The Fred Rogers Archive contains a wealth of resources and is our connection to understanding Fred’s life and approach. From the time he was a young man, Fred saved newspaper clippings, school notes and papers, and letters. The Fred Rogers Archive is a unique collection that incorporates these early papers into Fred’s work and office files—television scripts, essays and articles, speeches and more.