Cedarville Magazine, Summer 2014

18 | Cedarville Magazine accurate. While the professional programs are a vital part of the economic landscape, and Cedarville provides excellent majors in those areas, liberal arts graduates are highly sought by employers, make as much if not more over the long term as STEM graduates, and develop the skill base essential for effective leadership. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found that liberal arts majors are competing quite well in the marketplace. A recent report by the American Association of American Colleges and Universities and the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems study noted that unemployment rates for recent liberal arts graduates was 5.2% compared with 6.7% unemployment in the overall economy. More and more employers are looking to the liberal arts for quality employees. The famous debate between Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs demonstrated that there are differences of opinion, but recent data is starting to tip the scale in favor of Jobs’ point of view. While Gates argued for focusing education in the technical fields, Jobs noted that he purposefully hired humanities graduates because they provided the creative input necessary for Apple to produce innovative new products. Google reports a similar predilection for these graduates — of the approximately 6,000 the company hires each year, around 4,800 come from the liberal arts. Finally, a recent study commissioned by the Association of Colleges and Universities found that 70 percent of employers want colleges to place more emphasis on the skill set developed in the humanities curriculum, an important part of any career preparation. Highlighting the importance of the liberal arts to employers, a new study by the American Association of Colleges and Universities found that while average starting salaries in the professional fields still outpace those in the liberal arts, starting pay for such graduates is on the rise. Of equal significance, a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education noted that over the long term humanities and social science graduates tend to outearn professional graduates, especially if they go on to earn graduate degrees. Well Rounded The importance of the liberal arts is only underscoredwhen considering the process of preparing the next generation for leadership. At Cedarville, preparing young Christians for leadership positions is central to our mission. A cursory Google search reveals a spate of articles highlighting the key skills leaders need, including many engendered by the liberal arts. These skills include critical thinking, creativity, communication, and decision-making. A recent study by Grinnell College professor Mark Peltz found that leaders in government, business, and nonprofit organizations were five times more likely to come from colleges offering humanities and science-based programs than their graduation demographics would predict. With the moral decline of American society at all levels, howmuchmore appealing will Cedarville’s graduates be, equipped with their liberal arts background, when they can bring biblical ethics to the workplace. Every Cedarville program includes a general education curriculum based in the liberal arts. In addition to the required core, students can choose froma variety of liberal arts programs. Recognizing the reawakening of employers to the benefits of liberally trained graduates, Cedarville has recently introduced a liberal arts major. This challenging, interdisciplinary major offers students the opportunity to study courses inmath, science, history, political science, English, literature, music, art, theatre, philosophy, and Bible. Students can then select a concentration area for focused study.The program includes a travel- study experience that enables students to participate in a cultural Cedarville’s faculty members believe in the value of the liberal arts. We want our graduates to be educated individuals, not just trained employees.