St. John’s College Santa Fe
About Our Campus in Santa Fe, the “City Different”
Tucked into the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains is the Santa Fe campus of St. John’s College, 250 acres in the most beautiful part of Santa Fe, N. Mex., the country’s oldest capital city. Just steps away from hiking trails, a short walk to half a dozen museums, and a longer walk to hundreds of galleries, St. John’s, which is 7,300 feet above sea level, is the perfect blend of mountain living and access to culture. Santa Fe is a small, historic city built mostly of adobe in the downtown area. The population is what’s known as tri-cultural—American Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo—a mixture that represents the old and the new, the traditional and the avant garde.
Santa Fe has traditions that go back generations and families that have called New Mexico home for over hundreds and even thousands of years, yet Santa Fe has long been a destination for people seeking creative inspiration, new experiences, solitude in nature, intellectual and psychological freedom, and spiritual awakening. St. John’s College embodies the open and welcoming ethos of Santa Fe. Though the books we read are lofty and deep, rooted in history and tradition, the college community embraces a certain ease and lightheartedness shared by Santa Feans at large, as well as the local penchant for innovation, quirk, and creative thinking.
Santa Fe has a thriving live music scene as well as a burgeoning young-artist community. It is also home to cutting edge scientific research, multiple conservation organizations, and an active culinary scene. Los Alamos National Laboratory is nearby, as are other historic and culturally important sites and attractions. The city of Albuquerque is just over an hour’s drive away. Many Santa Feans take advantage of easy access to hiking, skiing, snowboarding, and white water rafting on the Rio Grande.
Students from other parts of the country sometimes consider their time in Santa Fe as an adventure in the open West. Those from neighboring cities and states are sometimes surprised to find out that there is an internationally regarded liberal arts college in northern New Mexico. However you discovered us, we’re glad you did.