College for Human Services students. Photo by Dave Vesel, 1981.
This guide includes select publications, documents, and images from the Audrey Cohen/MCNY Archive, which tells the story of a school deeply committed to social reform and activism from 1964-present. Most of the publications are by Audrey Cohen, the school's founder, and they include information about the history of MCNY and Purpose Centered Education. In addition, there are images and documents, such as newsletters and curriculum-related material, from the College's early years. To make an appointment to view the archives, email the MCNY Library. To view the complete finding aid and/or the policies for using the archives, please click on the links below.
Writings By Audrey Cohen
- The College For Human Services -- AUDREY C. COHENAn article outlining the history of the Women's Talent Corps, founded by Cohen, and a vision for the College of the Human Services. Published by the College
- The Citizen as the Integrating Agent: Productivity in the Human ServicesPublished in 1978 in the Human Service Monograph Series. Cohen advocates for empowerment and social justice through service. She articulates a vision of a helping profession that is devoted to building a collaborative relationship between the professional and the service receiver and says that we must rethink and redefine professional education.
- Empowerment: Toward a New Definition of Self-HelpPublished in 1996 in "Human Services: Contemporary Issues and Trends". Cohen outlines Purpose Centered Education and the Dimensions in the MCNY Curriculum as a means to achieve empowerment though the Human Services.
- Human ServiceIn American College, published in 1981. Cohen discusses the Human Services and the Colleges curriculum.
- Metropolitan College of New York System of Education: Purpose-Centered EducationBy Audrey Cohen and Janith Jordan in "Bold Plans for School Restructuring." (c) 1996. Describes Purpose Centered Education and the program to develop a Purpose Centered curriculum in Charter schools.
- New Service Economy and Its Implications for the Future(c) 1986 in the "Journal of State Government." Cohen argues that Purpose Centered Education would help Junior High School and and High School students learn about the connection between learning and the own lives and help them to contribute positively to the world.
- The Service Society and a Theory of Learning Linking Education, Work, and LifeOriginally published in 1976 this article describes the Purpose Centered Education curriculum in its earliest days at the College for Human Services. Published by the College.
- The Third AlternativeOriginally published in 1975 the article describes an approach to education that would prepare students for what Cohen envisioned as a "service society." It is an approach that Cohen believed to be "integrated, transdisciplinary, rigorous, yet worldly." Published by the College.
- Women and Higher EducationPublished in 1971 by Phi Delta Kappan. Cohen opines steps to "break the social patterns that confine women to inferior roles."
Other writings about, and by, Audrey Cohen and the College
- The Activist-Radical Impulse: The College for Human ServicesGerald Grant and David Riesman from their 1978 book "Perpetual Dream: Reform and Experiment in the American College." A profile of the College for the Human Services
- A Feminist System of Education for a New Public ServicePublished in Public Service Employment: An Analysis of its History, Problems and Prospects (Prager Publishers)
Newsletters and More
- Training bookWomen's Talent Corps training book #1 from 1967.
- Women's Talent Corps newsletterNewsletter from Audrey Cohen, executive director, to all students, or "corpswomen", June 1967.
- Sophomore NewsVolume #1 of a student newsletter from June 1969.
- College for Human Services brochureBrochure for the College for Human Services, probably from the 1980s.
- College for Human Services subway adSubway ad for the College for Human Services from the 1980s.