The Institute on the American Dream will define, analyze, and compare concepts of individual, ethnic, and national American dreams, seek their origins, and evaluate who wins and who loses under the various definitions. The Institute will organize academic and community programs and seek educationally collaborative ways for the college and others to interact with the Erie area to understand and foster appropriate visions for the future.
To meet the aforementioned goals, an Advisory Group for the Institute was formed to monitor progress, advise on conferences and publications, and discuss various concepts of the Dream. Advisers included community members, Penn State faculty, and Penn State students.