The office has five primary missions:

• Support the academic mission of the college by providing student interaction with policy makers and a wide spectrum of practitioners;
• Support faculty and staff initiatives and facilitate access to resources in the nation's capital;
• Reach out to area alumni and support alumni organizations and events;
• Aid in student recruitment efforts to bring the College to the attention of diverse applicants;
• Assist development initiatives to help the College respond to unmet needs.

The vision of the Washington Office is captured by President Sullivan's statement in announcing the opening to the College community:

As part of our 2010 vision, the Washington Office will be a major step in opening up vistas for the College, and will allow us to take advantage of our proximity to the nation's capital in ways never possible before. It will help us achieve our key goals for the future: enhancing our exceptional educational experience, providing students the global perspective needed to operate in an increasingly interconnected world, and fostering the development of a sense of social responsibility and a commitment to the public good within each of our students.