Brazen careerist
Where ambitious young professionals connect and grow
Email
Print
I believe that a liberal arts education can develop unique and insightful leaders. This model allows the student to learn how to think in different types of situations and maneuver through the world with a wealth of knowledge.
[The purpose of a liberal arts education is to] open the mind, to correct it, to refine it, to enable it to know, and to digest, master, rule, and use its knowledge, to give it power over its own faculties, application, flexibility, method, critical exactness, sagacity, resource, address, [and] eloquent expression. . . .
—The Idea of a University by John Henry Newman
Patrick Awuah makes the case that a liberal arts education is critical to forming true leaders.
Reflections: "I am thinking now!"
I attended Bates College. Bates College is a liberal arts institution located in Lewiston, Maine and like Awuah I believe that a liberal arts education can develop unique and insightful leaders. Students at colleges like Bates have broad exposure to the liberal arts, while focusing on a topic they are particularly interested in. For example, even if you are a biology major you will take courses in rhetoric, philosophy, religion, sports medicine, etc...This model allows the student to learn how to think in different types of situations and maneuver through the world with a wealth of knowledge. Liberal Arts institutions are generally smaller in class size thus leading to smaller student-teacher ratios. Unlike a university with its massive student body, liberal arts colleges allow students to develop intimate relationships with their instructors. This intimacy allows educational relationships to thrive. Students' interests are nurtured and nourished throughout their tenure. They graduate and venture out into the world with a profound sense of duty and a well-rounded educational experience.
The value of an education in a liberal arts college is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.
—Albert Einstein
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles,
subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
- How To Find a Writing Partner Who Can Help You Achieve Your Goals and Make More Money
- A New Kind of Business Mover and Shaker
- Why You Might Be Better Off Without a Job After College
- Continuing Education: Extending Learning Beyond Your Campus Years
- The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration
Comments
12.30.08
Stephanie, I agree that liberal arts colleges can be useful, but not for everyone. I would argue that liberal arts is great for students who don't know what they want to do or are interested in many subject areas, but not necessarily for people who have specific interests going into college. My view is that liberal arts should be completed in high school, so as a Marketing major I don't have to waste my time sitting in astronomy and English literature when I could be taking more in-depth courses in marketing, finance and accounting that will be far more beneficial to my career. Does well rounded help? Maybe, but I think employers would agree they would like to see students that actually can contribute to their company upon graduation, instead of having graduates with lots of "knowledge" that is not applicable to the job they are being hired to do. Just my 2 cents.
12.30.08
As a liberal arts college graduate I have to agree with Stephanie here. Being a well-rounded student was definitely a plus for me, but the biggest draw was the low student to professor ratio. I preferred being a PERSON rather than a NUMBER; it was nice to be able to approach my professors and they actually knew who I was! I think that type of learning environment was particularly helpful for me.
I also agree with Jack's comment that a type of liberal arts education should be completed in high school (thankfully my high school had a curriculum that encouraged this); however, I have to respectfully disagree that liberal arts schools are only for students who have no specific interests. In my case, I have known that I wanted to be a writer since I was in the second grade - I just wasn't sure what TYPE of writing I preferred. Thankfully, my education at Elizabethtown College allowed me to explore various fields of writing and helped me to hone my skills and interests. Granted, I don't really use calculus or physics (my math and science courses that I was required to complete) that much now that I'm out in the working world, but I think that being exposed to that type of field definitely helped me to understand different ways of approaching various situations. I'm not sure I would have benefited the same way had I attended a university. But I will concede to your point that employers want to see graduates who actually have knowledge that can benefit the company they are working in.
Good points from both Stephanie and Jack!
01.01.09
Thank you both so much for participating in this conversation by expressing your views. Hope to hear more from you in the future.
Got Something To Say?
Got Something To Say?
Not a Member? Brazen Careerist is a career management tool for next-generation professionals. Set up a free account today to comment on this post and start sharing your ideas. Learn more.
Login to view your networks!
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
