it's interesting working in higher
education in the 21st century. The rhetoric is often on a debt versus reward ratio. On whether or not students are workforce ready when they cross that graduation stage. Those are valid discussions. However, so is the value of exploration in education. So as educators, should we be discussing a balance of the workforce readiness and create an educational exploration? Absolutely! And to approach this justly, let's start by dismissing some fallacies about the liberal arts. My students have been reading Fareed Zakaria's In Defense of a Liberal Education the past few spring semesters. Zakaria quickly dispels a myth, one that's even perpetuated by people who have careers in education: the basic definition of liberal arts. The liberal in liberal arts does not refer to the opposite of conservative. It refers to the concept of freedom. In its Latin origins liberal means of or pertaining to freemen, worthy of a free man. Another myth is that the liberal arts starts ends with arts and humanities. Rather, it includes arts and humanities but also mathematics political science economics social and physical sciences.
Another myth is that the liberal arts is irrelevant for the 21st century. I challenge that and counter that it is the best avenue to prepare individuals for lives within and outside of their careers in free and just societies. A liberal arts education confronts students with contradictions, in-depth analysis of theories and ideas, distillation of data, and forums to debate respectfully and scholastically. A liberal arts education instills curiosity, and curiosity is a disposition that students should be engaged in and all their experiences. It is the prerequisite for lifelong learning. And a disposition that once cultivated, lets students be brave enough to get out of their comfort zones to get comfortable being uncomfortable. A liberal arts education confronts blind certainty. It allows for one interest to lead to another. Liberal arts provides a place for students to work within the tension of problems that need solutions. It allows for the value of exploration, to pursue multiple passions at the same time. And these are the skills of empowerment. And there is nothing more freeing for an individual than the acquisition of something that cannot be taken.
Studies have shown that most business leaders are looking for employees with skills that transcend. Capitalistic societies like ours produce things, meaning innovation is a must. Career trajectories in the 21st century will be varied in long-term, and industries are going to change in ways that we cannot even imagine. So what's our obligation to our 21st century students? Critical thinking, problem solving, creative entrepreneurialship, tolerance for ambiguity. These are 21st century skills. The problems that we are facing as a 21st century society are complex and long-term. They require a multitude of subjects to address any issue. These issues today include the rise of hate groups, climate change, immigration, increased polarization. This requires students to be able to unpack the complexities, to research the complexities. People have to be able to understand the complexities through multiple subject areas. These problems that we are facing that require a myriad of expertise to solve also require that individuals can understand and work with other points of view. It's not enough to just interject one area of expertise or anecdotes from personal lives. Individuals have to be able to understand the lenses through which others see the world and identify the areas where interests can converge for the benefit of many. Civic leaders have to be able to grapple with horrors but also plan for lovely sustainable communities and environments.
A liberal arts education can mean that students leave colleges and universities with the ability to put those issues into historical, political, and social context. An education that prepares students to deconstruct ideas and make thoughtful decisions will mean that students leave us with the ability to tackle anything from space exploration to social justice. And justice and democracy are intrinsically linked. Our traditional-age student is part of a generation who will earn less than their parents. Does that give us the responsibility as educators to ensure that they are prepared for any career opportunity that comes their way? Does that give us a responsibility of educators to ensure that they can civically engage so that their reality will not be a cultural reproduction for their children? Does that give us the responsibility as educators to fuel the flames of passion for education and life?
Recently, I attended a conference for honors students. The honors college who hosted this incredible event emboldened interdisciplinary endeavors and extracurricular activities as an avenue for a meaningful life. The commitment to these experiences by this college and university was so apparent by the students, the faculty, and the administration. During this conference, I listened to a Chemical Engineering student recite his haiku on Frankenstein. And I listened to a Fish and Wildlife major play the cello with the Dean of the Honors College and two other students in a musical. A performance that merged multiple pieces of music and culminated with Jimi Hendrix. This conference encouraged, challenged, and championed students to pursue their passions for their majors and for life, and not one at the expense of another. It is the 21st century. Are we ready to fight for an emancipatory pedagogy with a radically interdisciplinary approach in preparation for free and full lives? Are we ready to get comfortable being uncomfortable? Thank you.