Ideas, insights and inspirations.

If the 20th century was the century of specialization, then the 21st century is becoming the century of integrative thinking. In the twentieth century, colleges and universities offered choices of majoring in professional, STEM or liberal arts disciplines. In the first two decades of this century, there is now a discernible movement towards creation of a fourth choice: programs that integrate arts and sciences, technology and humanities, business and liberal arts, law and medicine, computing and finance – in short of almost anything one can imagine. New alloys of knowledge are being created and pursued by Gen-Z and millennials, whom we refer to as the “AND” generations. A Few Examples of the Integration of Disciplines Capitol Technology University: Multidisciplinary Degrees A leader in cybersecurity programs, Capitol Tech offers degrees that combine cybersecurity with numerous other disciplines such as construction management, critical infrastructure, construction information technology, aviation, and business. As an example, see their online bachelors in construction management and critical … Continue reading

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Although the future of work has become increasingly technical and vocational, the future of innovation and leadership remains solidly in the hands of people who majored or minored in liberal arts and humanities. There is a good reason for this paradox: liberal arts teach people how to learn, think, create, communicate, connect the dots, handle ambiguity, and adapt – qualities that are vital for introducing change and causing disruption. Listed below are, in my view, the five key habits that liberal arts colleges cultivate in their graduates: Learning Liberal arts graduates become anthropologists and life-long learners because they are trained to constantly gather data (scan and research) and analyze it. These traits are critical for learning professionals of today since, in every profession, the ground looks completely different every 3-5 years. Relating By consuming myriad of variations of the human condition, they begin to better understand fellow human beings, cultivate empathy for others, and see multiple perspectives. Organizing/Thinking By continually … Continue reading

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As the product of a liberal arts education and the mother of a college senior studying political science and history, I get a little defensive about the singular focus on STEM and the perceived lack of value in more generalized studies. In this economy, demand is high for graduates with specialized talent in science, math and engineering and, undeniably, jobs in those fields top the list for attractive starting salaries. However, as recent reports illustrate, the outlook for college graduates across all fields of study is promising. According to the Washington Post, for the first time, graduates of four-year colleges comprise a larger share of the workforce than those with just a high school diploma. Of the 11.6 million jobs that have been created in this post-recession economy, 11.5 million went to prospects with at least some college education with the lions share, 8.4 million, going to workers who held a bachelor’s degree or higher.  However, while liberal arts majors … Continue reading

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