Sanford Program for the Advancement of Compassion and Empathy
The Sanford Program for the Advancement of Compassion and Empathy aims to increase students’ capacity to respond empathically and with care and compassion to others in need. Developing and implementing college and professional courses will improve the human condition and enhance the quality of care, citizenry, and harmony experienced in young adults’ personal and professional relationships, now and into the future.
Advanced teaching and learning
Research
Our course development teams researched concepts and created undergraduate courses focusing on the following:
- The empathic person – a course focused on increasing the capacity for empathic responding as a key to well-being and as a cornerstone of healthy individuals and healthy and nurturing relationships.
- Caring and compassion for others – a course designed to enhance compassionate character.
Implemented
Both the Embracing Empathy and Cultivating Compassion courses created and implemented at Arizona State University include:
- Supporting the development of positive emotional and behavioral responses that promote healthy relationships, understanding of others, and the development of character qualities that contribute to well-being in one's self, in others, and in communities.
- Making classrooms places where healthy development is thoughtfully considered, practiced, and enhanced.