Princeton’s unofficial motto compels its students to be in the service of humanity. TAP is the embodiment of this motto, not only because it serves the community by making the arts accessible, but also because it creates a transformative community where students regularly show up for each other and for themselves in extraordinary ways. Princeton regularly benefits from students who have already had access to amazing opportunities. But the best educational spaces should also be transformative, helping students grow in areas where they may not yet be strong. During my time as a TAP program assistant during the 2021-22 academic year, I was a constant witness to the transformations that regularly occurred — when a student sang in front of their peers for the first time; when students cheered a peer on when they got a note wrong in a performance; when students put themselves out there with earnestness and courage.
When programs like TAP are cut, it suggests that Princeton is less interested in that kind of foundational growth, particularly in the communities it claims to serve. This is a program to be proud of and to support. I agree that it feels disingenuous and exploitative that, despite all of the good these programs bring to the Princeton community and name, they are often the first to go when finances get tightened. I also worry that Princeton’s status as a prestigious, leading institution means its choices set an example for what is valuable and what isn’t. If Princeton University discards art education for students when it is no longer profitable for them, it legitimizes others to do the same.
Princeton’s unofficial motto compels its students to be in the service of humanity. TAP is the embodiment of this motto, not only because it serves the community by making the arts accessible, but also because it creates a transformative community where students regularly show up for each other and for themselves in extraordinary ways. Princeton regularly benefits from students who have already had access to amazing opportunities. But the best educational spaces should also be transformative, helping students grow in areas where they may not yet be strong. During my time as a TAP program assistant during the 2021-22 academic year, I was a constant witness to the transformations that regularly occurred — when a student sang in front of their peers for the first time; when students cheered a peer on when they got a note wrong in a performance; when students put themselves out there with earnestness and courage.
When programs like TAP are cut, it suggests that Princeton is less interested in that kind of foundational growth, particularly in the communities it claims to serve. This is a program to be proud of and to support. I agree that it feels disingenuous and exploitative that, despite all of the good these programs bring to the Princeton community and name, they are often the first to go when finances get tightened. I also worry that Princeton’s status as a prestigious, leading institution means its choices set an example for what is valuable and what isn’t. If Princeton University discards art education for students when it is no longer profitable for them, it legitimizes others to do the same.