The Center has seven overarching goals:

• To draw attention to existing strengths in hemispheric studies and build upon them;
• To encourage curriculum development on the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• To promote study-abroad programs for undergraduate and graduate students, and for faculty members;
• To develop additional America’s language offerings, particularly Portuguese and the Mesoamerican indigenous languages, Nahuatl and Maya;
• To support grant-writing and fundraising activities for Americas-related programs;
• To host short- and long-term visiting scholars and artists from other parts of the Americas;
• To forge relationships with other academic, governmental and non-governmental institutions in the Hemisphere to advance the goals stated above.