https://pge.post-gazette.com/.pf/showstory/202311070002/3

Editorial from provost at Grove City College.

I love officiating at Grove City College. Great place, great coaches and kids.

The whole concept of "career readiness" is quite the hot topic these days. I majored in history (69 semester hours in the social studies) back in 1977 and got a teaching certificate for 7 - 12 comprehensive social studies. At the time, there wasn't a major in education although we took human growth and development (psychology) and three education classes plus a couple in school practicums and of course student teaching. After teaching for four and a half years, I switched careers and got into the yearbook business - 23 as an independent rep and 11 as a regional Vice President. The point of this background information is that the liberal arts education I received prepared me for lots of jobs dealing with people where communication skills were paramount to success. An undervalued part of communication skills is the ability to converse with folks with a broad base of basic knowledge. I talked with a gentleman last night who was here from Wichita Falls for Dad's Weekend after the Any Colour concert at Mem Aud, and I shared that I had worked for a company out of Dallas and my son was now in Austin. The fact that we could talk a bit about his home state made for a very easy conversation. Ask 10 random people where Wichita Falls is and you'd get blank expressions. Sure, you can look it up but that would be a conversation killer. Other factors being equal in a hiring situation, give me cultural literacy in a candidate and they'll get the job.

I agree with Alan that communication skills are paramount in almost all professions that involve interaction with people of various backgrounds. I spent most of my career working as a systems engineer in the aerospace/defense industry, and found myself traveling far and wide to interface with persons on both the government and contractor sides. Having a little cultural education, in addition to communication skills, doesn't hurt either. In the 1960's, Ohio's College of Arts and Sciences required courses in the liberal arts in addition to the science curriculum for the BS/Physics degree.

And by the way, I met my wife in Wichita Falls (Shepard AFB).

Agree that the liberal arts should not be thrown away as higher education adapts to the new realities.

Liberal arts would be best for most students, as employers train you to do their work. Of course, fields like engineering, medicine and accounting show aptitude for that field.

True and many of those fields that you mention require advanced degrees to upper level success and promotion.

I wonder if there's anything AI scientists can learn from reading Frankenstein?

Probably not.

Sure there is. If they read Frankenstein they'll understand why Young Frankenstein is so funny.