The Engage Civic Initiative hosted a panel to discuss the importance of education and what its purpose in society is in the University Center Friday, Oct. 11.
The moderator for the engage session, professor of Communications Dr. Arthur Hunt, was joined by UTM educators and students to discuss an address given by Scott Huelin, the director of the Honors Community at Union University in Jackson, titled The Liberal Arts Appendix.
The panel each took a turn to respond to Huelin’s speech, comparing the benefits of a liberal education against a vocational education through the philosophical perspectives of two famous authors, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois.
Huelin, summarizing the thoughts of Du Bois, said, “Vocational education makes you a better worker but liberal education makes you a better person.”
The discussion continued with many of the panel members expressing concerns about today’s education system and the misconceptions many students have about how it works. Some of their concerns stem from the current attitude of students and educators towards liberal arts classes and how they are commonly perceived as less important or even unnecessary.
Dr. Emalee Buttrey, panel member and associate professor of Animal Science had this to say, “I used to be really proud of the fact that I was able to get my Fine Arts elective waived, but now I regret that decision and I’m tempted to go back and take them.”
Another concern discussed was the misconception that obtaining a college degree is an instant ticket to getting a job. Many of the panelists shared their observations of a changing student outlook on the workforce as students devote their effort towards simply completing their courses rather than developing useful skills.
The next Engage the Times panel will be Oct. 25, discussing “Sustainability at UTM.”
For more information on the Engage Civic Initiative, visit utm.edu/engage.
