What College Is and What It Should Be: Educating Our Students

What is a college education for, anyhow? The national answer to that question—as parents and students contemplate the soaring cost of education and as the economy falters—seems to be “to get a job.” And yet, and yet . . . there must be more. But what? How can we challenge our students--who want to save the world, live meaningful lives, and, yes, be gainfully employed—to think about a college education in a 21st century democracy should be for them personally, for our society, and for the future of humankind. How can we as faculty help expand a national conception of higher education that seems to be always and only about jobs—if we even think it needs expanding. Beth Loizeaux, Professor of English and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Affairs