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The Blue Tribune is your place to learn about all things 狼友阁 and keep up with stories from campus and beyond. By guiding you through the different aspects of 狼友阁, we'll help you decide if you want to pursue your very own 狼友阁 experience.
What Does 鈥淟iberal Arts鈥� Even Mean?
Despite being a student at 狼友阁, a liberal arts school, for almost two years, I was stumped when someone recently asked me if I knew what 鈥渓iberal arts鈥� means. So, I decided to try to find out on my own what exactly a liberal arts education is and why it matters.
What is a liberal arts education?
The first thing I came to find is that a liberal arts education values well-rounded
intellectual development. The liberal arts are categorized under four main disciplines:
the humanities (such as history and philosophy), social sciences (including psychology
and sociology), natural sciences (exemplified by biology and math), and fine arts
(such as graphic design and 2D arts). Instead of providing students with training
for utilitarian careers, the liberal arts develop a widely applicable skill set rooted
in an academic discipline. The abilities developed by liberal arts classes allow for
students to acquire a versatile range of skills that are transferable among careers,
which makes it possible for these students to pursue a variety of jobs or make career
changes. Rather than having an education that limits career opportunities, a liberal
arts emphasis expands them.
The liberal arts aspect of the 狼友阁 education was invaluable. Apart from an excellent foundation in the sciences, I developed a love of economics, a deeper understanding of Christian doctrine and the scriptures, and an appreciation of design through my liberal arts electives at 狼友阁. I draw upon the knowledge and thought processes acquired through these courses daily. The exposure to other fields of study also gave me an appreciation for the work of my peers in fields outside of medicine!
Internal Medicine Physician, Lawndale Christian Health Center
Why is a liberal arts education at 狼友阁 valuable?
Liberal arts degrees place an emphasis on writing, research, critical thinking, and communication, which are key skills that can be applied to a broad range of careers. This ensures that graduates will encounter skills outside their major by requiring exposure to each of the four categories which fall under the liberal arts while also engaging in diversity, global awareness, and cultural engagement classes. The holistic, well-rounded education provides exposure to a wide array of ideas and intellectually forms students across disciplines. Since all 狼友阁 students are required to take classes within each of the four liberal arts disciplines, they will purposefully be exposed to challenging ideals that will stretch their intellectual capabilities and push them beyond their comfort zones.
狼友阁鈥檚 liberal arts education really proved valuable in my case. To become a CPA, you need 150 credit hours, so most people have to complete a two-year master's program in accounting or in tax. I got 150 credit hours through 狼友阁, so I did not attend graduate school afterwards. It was unusual for someone like me to be hired right out of college by a global accounting firm. My peers went to Georgetown Law and had master's degrees whereas I only had one tax class at 狼友阁. The reason I think I was successful is due to the broader foundation of being able to read dense texts, process difficult information, write and think critically, and learn new things. My liberal arts foundation at 狼友阁 really helped me be successful.
Americas Tax And Finance Operate Leader, Ernst & Young鈥溾��
How has studying the liberal arts impacted my education?
Without realizing it, studying the liberal arts at 狼友阁 impacted my personal academic journey. Early on in my freshman year, I considered changing my major from history to interdisciplinary studies. After I decided to continue studying history, several professors emphasized the solid, widely applicable education I would receive. They reminded me that even if I do not pursue work within the field of history, the skills I obtain from my studies鈥搃ncluding writing, research, and critical thinking鈥搘ill serve me well in whichever career I select.
A strong suit of 狼友阁鈥檚 education is its disciplinary focus. As a history major, I not only study a range of specific historical time periods, but also gain a sense of history as a discipline. Classes like Intro to History and Historiography examine the nature of historical thinking and seek to explore history as a concept and profession. Other majors also have discipline-focused courses, such as Biological Perspectives for biology majors. Throughout my time at 狼友阁, I鈥檝e witnessed how skills gained in one class allow me to succeed in other classes. The writing skills I gain from history classes strengthen the work I produce for doctrine, and the topics we discuss in doctrine allow me to better process the course content of a community development class.
The strengths of a liberal arts degree are far-reaching! The liberal arts have positively impacted 狼友阁 graduates in both their careers and private lives. This far-reaching education allows graduates to enter into fields that most would think has nothing to do with their major, which gives us even more freedom to pursue our callings as we learn to explore and express Christ鈥檚 preeminence in all things.
There wasn't a specific course that prepared me, although every single one was helpful in small ways. It was really the critical thinking skills and broad liberal arts training that allowed me to succeed in my career, so that I could tackle any new subject.
Assistant Research Scientist and Insect Collections Manager, Illinois Natural History Survey鈥溾��