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Connect with EducationUSA News: U.S. System of Higher EducationValue of a Liberal Arts Education What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor? Lawyer? Liberal Artist? How often were you asked, as a young child, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” The answers were easier then—astronaut, doctor, fire fighter, teacher. Especially in parts of the world where the course of study becomes more narrowly focused in secondary school, the direct route to professional success may seem clear. The answers become less clear, however, as students contemplate their educational futures, discover multiple interests and passions, and consider the possibilities of studying in the United States where the diversity of educational choices is astounding. In these uncertain economic times, a liberal arts education may not seem like the most practical way to prepare for today’s global workforce. What is a liberal arts education, for that matter? In simple terms, a liberal arts education provides students with the opportunity to learn broadly in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics and then, to learn deeply in one, sometimes two, particular fields of study. At its core, though, the liberal arts offer an astonishing promise: a lifetime with the ability to think critically, to analyze purposefully, to write clearly and thoughtfully, and to strengthen one’s intellectual capacity. The world is changing rapidly and while a vocational, technical, or research institution may help you acquire facts and information, the demands of today’s global economy require that tomorrow’s successful leaders must have the tools to think beyond a compilation of facts. What better job-training is there than to learn how to think? That’s the promise of a liberal arts education. Beyond the liberal arts tradition, though, students who study at these mostly small-in-size colleges have opportunities to put their learning into action. Imagine majoring in economics, while participating in an internship with a leading online business. Or, consider yourself an anthropology major who does field work at an archaeological site in Chile during the summer. These are but two examples that come from my own institution—and there are thousands more here and at the 300+ liberal arts colleges in the United States. Liberal arts colleges help students develop connections beyond the classroom and to put learning into action. As a former president of Beloit College (Wisconsin, USA), Victor Ferrall once wrote, “The beneficiaries of liberal education, then are not only its recipients but also the society in which they live. Broadly educated citizens, distrustful of self-certainty, able to survive on their own, capable of dealing with unanticipated problems for which they have not been trained to deal, have never been more needed than they are today.” Nancy Benedict Vice President for Enrollment Beloit College Beloit, Wisconsin USA www.beloit.edu Rich in its history as a premier liberal arts college, Beloit College is equally rich in its commitment to internationalism. Founded in 1846 as the first private college in Wisconsin, Beloit enrolled citizens from countries outside the U.S. within its first decade of existence. Today, nearly 10% of Beloit’s students are citizens of over 40 foreign countries, and they have the opportunity to choose among fifty majors and minors from this small city in the Midwestern United States. |
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