Vision & History
Welcome to the Pierce website, our online home where you can learn about Pierce’s academic programs, meet our faculty and students, and explore our exceptional 64-acre campus on Mt. Hymettus, overlooking Athens.
Offering high quality, personalized secondary (Gymnasium – Lyceum; International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) education, Pierce is one of three divisions of The American College of Greece (ACG), the oldest and largest American-based, comprehensive educational institution in Europe. Through Pierce, Deree (undergraduate and graduate education) and Alba (graduate business education), ACG serves over 5,000 students and has over 54,000 alumni worldwide.
Pierce traces its historical roots to 1875 when visionary women missionaries from Massachusetts founded a school for girls in Smyrna (today Izmir, Turkey). Relocating to Athens in 1923, Pierce evolved into a coeducational school of over 1,400, sharing a main campus with Deree in Aghia Paraskevi, an Athens suburb.
For current students, the Pierce website is a portal to ACG’s extensive technology resources. For alumni and friends, the site offers a way to stay connected, be informed, and take advantage of all ACG offers.
MISSION
Non ministrari sed ministrare
The mission of Pierce is to provide a holistic education to form intellectually independent, morally responsible, socially engaged global citizens. “Non ministrari sed ministrare” (“Not to be served but to serve”) defines our institutional character and our aspiration for our students.
Pierce students are educated to be
Leaders
- Aware of global challenges
- Committed to working for justice
- Open in their thinking, communicate clearly
- Appreciative of the riches that diversity and equity
- Able to develop unique and sustainable solutions to real world problems
Intellectually Independent
- Knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects
- Critical thinkers
- Creative
- Able to conduct their own research
- Excited by discovery and learning
- Understanding of the complexities they will encounter in their studies, work, personal lives, and society
Inspired to be
- Resilient and hard-working
- Persistent and tenacious and brave
- Collaborative
- Honest and compassionate and empathetic
- Confident and influential personalities who act with a sense of ethics and personal responsibility
