Liberal Arts Enriches Education

I do not like science or math. To say the least, we don’t get along. Simply the ideas of analyzing the cell structure of snails or searching for the Golden Mean make me yawn. Yet, at some point in my academic career here at EMU, I will probably have to take at least one of these courses, or at least be “strongly recommended” to try them, along with the core requirements of the freshmen seminar, colloquia, and cross culturals. Although I will avoid certain courses with extra zeal, I appreciate EMU’s emphasis on a liberal arts education that crosses borders and cultures and textbooks.

EMU’s vision statement describes itself as “a small, liberal arts institution that educates students to live in a global context…” and so on. However, what is the true meaning of a “liberal arts” education? As confirmed by Mirriam and Webster, the term “liberal arts” is defined as “the studies of a university to provide general knowledge and to develop general intellectual capabilities as opposed to professional or vocational skills.”

Roughly said, a liberal arts education is the secular equivalent to the Mennonite potluck; many delicious topics to sample, a certain amount of plate space, and only returning for second helpings of a few select favorites. In a nutshell, this is the purpose for courses in the soon-to-be-revised Global Village Curriculum, and the concept behind encouraging students to take non-major classes. While this is good in theory, how practical can it truly be?

The theory behind a liberal arts institution is that a wide and rather shallow education allows students to connect differing disciplines, utilize a broad range of skills and talents, and draw unique conclusions beyond the narrow mindset of a major. Critics of this style highlight the “shallow and wide” aspect as unpractical; proponents laud the flexibility that allows for creative and well-rounded students. Who wouldn’t want to go from plant cell experimentation to drawing class to a voice lesson? What is to be gained by being well-rounded, but unspecific?

Wouldn’t students be more prepared for the workplace if they could take all courses that directly affected their major? Wouldn’t it make more sense? Truth be told, taste-testing a number of different courses makes the final dish better. When students enroll in a variety of classes, they are better able to draw applicable conclusions that apply to everyday life, applications that extend far beyond term papers, presentations, and final grades. I came to EMU to get an education, not be trained. I came to EMU to discover what I love and who I am, not so I could be on a higher pay grade. Liberal arts is about bringing future biologists and artists and businessmen into a history course to discuss the ethics of modern bioengineering. Liberal arts is about challenging thinkers, not lecturing brains.

But I still don’t like math.