The Enduring Power of Community

When I was a kid, I used to go to the mall. Not because I had much money—I didn’t—but because that’s where everyone went. It was our second living room. Friends gathered there, stories unfolded there, and identity took shape there. For at least a decade of my formative years, the mall was less about shopping and more about belonging. That mall in my hometown closed 15 years ago, but the lesson it taught me about the power of community has stayed.

Fast-forward to today. After conducting hundreds—likely thousands—of focus groups at independent schools and colleges across the country and even the world, I’ve heard one phrase repeated more than any other when people describe what makes their institution special: community.

For years, I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes a little. “Community” felt like an overused word, a safe word, a cliché that made every school sound the same. How could that possibly be a differentiator? If everyone was saying it, then didn’t it lose its meaning?

But I’ve come to see it differently. In fact, I’d argue now that community may be one of the most important, enduring differentiators an institution can offer. Why? Because as the world becomes increasingly fragmented—digitally, politically, socially, and yes, with the rapid growth of artificial intelligence—the simple, human act of belonging becomes more valuable.

We live in an era where we can outsource knowledge to Google, convenience to Amazon, and decision-making to algorithms. But what we can’t outsource is connection. The human condition is wired for togetherness. Whether you’re a student finding a home in a school, a player joining a tennis club, or a family strolling through a park, people are hungry for spaces where they feel seen, known, and rooted.

That’s why schools and colleges—and really any institution that brings people together—have to understand community not as a soft add-on, but as their core business. It’s not just the friendly vibe at drop-off or the annual traditions. It’s the sense of place, purpose, and identity that keeps people tethered when the rest of life feels scattered.

The irony is that in a world more connected than ever digitally, what we crave most is embodied connection. The mall may be gone in my hometown, but the longing for a second living room is alive and well. And for institutions wise enough to embrace this truth, community isn’t just a cliché. It’s the most powerful differentiator they’ll ever possess — and what people will need most in the future.