Armand Hammer United World College of the American West


UWC-USA is a United World College founded in 1982 by industrialist and philanthropist Armand Hammer. Located in Montezuma, New Mexico, it is a two-year, independent, co-educational boarding school accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest with about 230 students representing 70-80 countries at any time. Students are between 15 and 19 years old, and the majority receive full or partial scholarships. They are selected from 155 National Committees that represent the United World Colleges around the globe.
In late 2007, The Wall Street Journal identified UWC-USA as one of the world's top 20 schools for its success in preparing students to enter top American universities. In 2010, UWC-USA was ranked a “Top Ten Program” by U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy.

History

The Armand Hammer Foundation purchased the property to establish a United World College in the United States in 1981. Major renovations of existing buildings preceded the school's opening in the fall of 1982, an event that was attended by HRH Prince Charles, president of the United World Colleges movement. The school's founding president was Theodore D. Lockwood, who served from 1982 until 1993. Philip O. Geier served as president from 1993 until 2005, when he passed the reins to Lisa A. H. Darling, whose presidency ended in 2013. The school's fourth president was Dr. Mukul Kumar '89, an alumnus and leader in international education, who left the school in 2016. The school is currently led by , former Dean of the Santa Fe campus of St. John's College.
In 1998, the school's endowment was significantly increased through the generosity of investment manager Shelby M.C. Davis and his wife Gale. Their gift today secures the largest block of the school's student scholarships and makes this school 100% free for all American students. Their initial gift of $45 million in 1998 was, at the time, the largest private donation ever made to international education.

Location

The school, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, is located at in the town of Montezuma, New Mexico, just northwest of the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico, about from Santa Fe.
The campus includes the historic Montezuma Castle.

Notable alumni