Essay #1 - Deciding what is right for you

Many future and current college students inquire as to whether a liberal education is worth the money, time, and hard work to pursue. As I am a current student at the University, I often debate whether this pursuit is worth it or if an alternative route would yield greater benefits. After viewing “Freshman Provocation 2008,” conducting a personal interview with a professor, and reading various essays, I chose my side of the debate. I believe that a liberal education is worth it because the variety of subject matter that students get exposed to strengthens fundamental skills and community and it promotes life-long learning.
Humanities credits such as fine arts courses may be taken by students even if the credits are not going towards a minor or major of study, defining the credits as electives, therefore the social atmosphere can cause a sense of community from being involved. When interviewed, Robert Mondlock, my professor and director of Women's Chorus at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, was asked what strategy he uses to keep students involved and engaged in class. His response was “I like to use different props within the classroom (such as the large beach ball named Myrtle) to represent important skills needed by musicians and to form a community within the class, to bring the students together socially and academically.” The objective of “Myrtle” is that students must keep the ball from touching the floor during the game. Each student works independently to pass the ball up with their hands, however teamwork, communication, focus, and fun are needed for the group to keep the ball in the air. This exercise is not all about keeping a beach ball from touching the floor, but rather a representation of how the choir needs community to be successful. If each student only performed independently, the performance would be a failure. Success is only achieved in a choral group by the cooperation and synced communication by all of its members. As for Mondlock, the reward achieved from teaching these skills through music is “knowing that I have affected the lives of others in positive ways.” His reward is in turn what the students achieve. Those in fine arts courses strive to affect their audience in a positive way and to take pleasure in being a success within their performing group; a community bound by similar motives to pursue higher knowledge through a liberal education.
Students learn more than just how to sing a chromatic scale or the solfege letters from fine arts courses, as music is a pleasurable and social atmosphere. According to Dr. William Cronan, a professor at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, “every one of the qualities I have described here – listening, reading, talking, writing, puzzle solving, truth seeking, seeing through other people's eyes, leading, working in a community – is finally about gaining the power and the wisdom, the generosity and the freedom to connect.”(3). Music goes hand-in-hand with these skills obtained. Students will need to know how to communicate well with others (both listening and “thinking on one's feet”) for their future career and throughout the life in the “real world.” For example, communication within a choir occurs when listening for tuning, listening for the appropriate time to breathe, and watching the director to know how long to hold a note. Listening to and watching each other, fixing problems on the spot, and working together as a group not only make a choral piece a success, but these skills also learned through a liberal education make life a success.
Learning and strengthening skills do not end after college. Personal education is life-long and liberal education promotes this life-long learning. The electives taken during the 4 years at a University expose students to an array of subjects outside of their major of study. Supporting the importance of a liberal education, Dr. Martin Wood, Interim Provost and English professor at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, stated that “one thing that I love about humans is we dare to exceed our grasp. And I think that's motivated by hope. But we also want to build a wall between ourselves and danger. And that of course, that is motivated by fear. When you hear me talk about hope and fear it would be real easy to think that I mean hope is always good and fear is always bad because I'm kind of crazy about hope. But we can't do without either one. All planning, all forward thinking, all preparations, all commitments, are essentially human activities that value hope a little bit above fear. Without hope you get stagnation and decline, you get no creativity. Without fear you get recklessness and danger.” This dare to exceed our grasp represents the hunger for life-long learning and personal education beginning with a liberal education. Hope for a better future, a better career, and a better understanding of things come from a 4-year University. Fear then is the thing that drives us towards hope and away from future turmoil. If a person doesn't work or receive a higher education, they will not have income and they will struggle to survive. This is a fear that people try to avoid by hope and motivation to better themselves. Money drives people to an extent, but there are still those who have more than just that salaried motivation. People who pursue a liberal education hope for the better things in life, and these hopes lead to becoming a life-long learner. Those who do not pursue a liberal education also have hopes, but they also have fears that motivate them for a better life. What these people lack is the strong skills and hunger for learning that liberally educated people have. What drives all people then is hope and fear toward and away from situations in life and all must decide their own routes through life, and I have decided the beginning of my route starts with the 4 years following my high school education at a liberal arts college.
Liberal education is worth pursuing because elective coursework promotes skill-building, community, and self-education for life. Those that choose an alternative route may be basing their decision upon their motives, such as whether or not they care to receive higher education beyond job training, but they are also missing out on what is obtained by students who do choose a liberal education. The subject is still debatable and completely opinion-based, but all can agree that within everyone there is that desire to “dare to exceed ones grasp.” It can be something as simple as wanting a better salary or a better car. It is hope that drives our actions and fear that inhibits them, and both act as a guide through life's path.


Works Cited
Cronon, William. “Only Connect: the Goals of a Liberal Education.” The Key Reporter (1998):
2-4.Mondlock, Robert. Personal interview. 16 Feb. 2009.
Wood, Martin. “Freshman Provocation.” University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Zorn Arena, Eau Claire. 16 Sept. 2008.