This first project of “Goal Setting” for our class aimed to get us thinking about what we want to get out of this course and for the rest of this year and beyond. We explored two articles to prepare for writing: Jeffrey Scheuer’s “Critical Thinking and the Liberal Arts” and Sanford Ungar’s “7 Major Misperceptions about the Liberal Arts”. These two articles argued for the complexities and benefits of a liberal arts education and debunked the variety of misperceptions that might enable the liberal arts education to get its recognition and esteem. We also analyzed the depth of Carol Dweck’s TedTalk on a “Growth Mindset” and how that contributes to our goals looking forward into our college careers and further. Through a culmination of these resources, including UNE materials such as the Core Handbook, I took a deep dive into my personal, academic, and extracurricular goals relating to a liberal arts education. From this project, I organized my thoughts as I started out in my first semester of college and started to prioritize my goals. Though I had many of these goals already in mind, putting them down formally while also having references and sources that back up my ideas created a sense of realization that I have achievable goals. Utilizing Carol Dweck’s “Growth Mindset” as a backdrop to my ideas enabled me to feel that if my goals change, or if I fall short, that it is all part of a bigger process and that if I take on new challenges in a positive way, I can feel assured that there will always be learning and a chance to better myself.
Project I: Setting Goals In The Context Of A Liberal Arts Education
Liberal arts education has been sustained throughout the 2,000 years since its beginnings, and despite the criticism, it has faced in recent years, it provides an immense range of possibilities. Opportunities that advance the individuals within this area and allow that individual to foster the skills that will make whatever community they might end up in a better place. Whatever strict major someone might find themselves in, the elements within a liberal arts education transcend those barriers. Analytical skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking are just a few, but exceptional examples of characteristics embodied in the liberal arts curriculum. As a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, I find myself very aligned to the core ideologies in the liberal arts. The skills and knowledge obtained through this manner of instruction can help improve my academic goals; however, they can also address my extracurricular and personal goals. Besides the educational aspect, I feel that what makes college so important is that it teaches students how to be active participants in society. The liberal arts does that by holding tremendous importance on becoming a more well-rounded person by graduation.
The role of liberal arts in modern education has been described as “a luxury that most…can no longer afford” and even that the U.S “clings to such an old-fashioned form of postsecondary education”(Ungar). Nevertheless, these misperceptions fail to recognize the evidence that clearly points toward a vast need for a liberal arts education’s skillsets to future members of society. These so-called “frills” in actuality entail some of the most sought-after characteristics in any workforce or community, abilities such as problem-solving, advocating for yourself, and effective communication. These crucial abilities sprout from yet another element within a liberal arts education, critical thinking. As we have discovered in class, the University of New England’s core handbook seems to value that same notion. An example of this is expressed clearly in the core values statement, “…students will develop foundational knowledge and critical thinking skills that are necessary for understanding…their roles in natural, social, humanities, and other environments “. Liberal arts does not shy away from diversity; rather, it embraces the potential to utilize all disciplines in a core set of values. That same connection was made in Scheuer’s article when he stated how it is a way to promote flexibility and openness to the ideas and perspectives of others around us. College has a way of doing just that by bringing people together from all over the country and even worldwide. However, an important distinction that has to be made is how do colleges teach these very different individuals to respect, value, and learn from one another? The benefits could be outweighed if students do not interact in a positive way that they can carry on to the future, whether that be the workforce, traveling, or graduate programs. Throughout its various studies, the liberal arts curriculum has this goal in mind because, in the end, it wants to “cultivate…active, thoughtful, humane, and productive citizens”(Scheuer).
A key goal that a liberal arts education can provide, as I transition to college academic life, is seeing the deeper meaning of good grades. My first instinct is to dwell on transcripts and think way ahead to the future, even as far as what law schools will see as I am applying. When this class first introduced me to Carol Dweck’s TED Talk on growth mindset, I realized I should take a step back and examine what I hoped to get out of my time here at UNE. An essential element of Dweck’s talk that stood out to me was “…praising the process” of learning and focusing on “their strategies…their perseverance, their improvement”. Understanding that there are goals towards grades, yes, but what is behind those grades is what matters. Meaningful learning. The grade is nothing if I cannot utilize the skills or knowledge I was supposed to obtain in my future life. I am working towards creating an environment where I can feel proud of myself, even if I might fall short or take longer to fully understand a concept. It means I am working hard and advancing my abilities. I also want to get more comfortable acknowledging that not every class I take will hold up to my expectations as unique and thought-provoking. Some courses might initially seem flat and irrelevant to my goals; nonetheless, I want to be optimistic about them and make an active decision to make the most of whatever circumstances come my way.
A few personal goals and extracurriculars that I hope to achieve this year are to reach out to a broader group of people than those in my classes and dorm. It feels easy and comfortable to stick to a routine of people and ideas that coordinate with what I’m learning in class or shared experiences in the dorm. However, one of the best parts of college is the countless opportunities to meet new people and share perspectives and ideas. I just have to take the time to go out and do it. It might be uncomfortable at first, but how awful it would be to reach the end of my time here and say, “I wish I made more of an effort to connect with people”. As stated in Scheuer’s article Critical Thinking and the Liberal Arts, education can be a “wellspring of ideas and questions and a way of promoting flexibility and openness to diverse perspectives”. It was straightforward to pursue these kinds of activities in high school for me as I had a very close group of friends and a school environment that actively encouraged involvement and discussions. I know that UNE has that same kind of dedication, as mentioned abundantly in the Core Handbook, that being exposed to a wide variety of perspectives and people is a crucial element to a well-rounded education. I wanted to pursue this goal by joining the Women and Gender Studies Club, which I did. This group will provide plenty of opportunities to get involved on campus and hear new voices and opinions on topics I am incredibly passionate about. I feel that setting this goal for myself will help me enrich my time at UNE greatly. It could also increase the number of perspectives and unique individuals on campus who take the time to be active participants in advancing the diversity of thought on campus. Additionally, between the time of drafting paragraphs for this essay and writing it, I chose to run for Undergraduate Student Government as a Social Science Senator. I was nervous initially about the time it would take to truly give my all to this extracurricular; even so, the experiences I could obtain through USG would be wonderful. It would help me practice being a good advocate for others, reach out to other members of UNE that I might not have before, and just be a fun adventure.
A few significant takeaways of both the values and roles of the liberal arts as well as my own personal, academic, and extracurricular goals is that interconnectedness creates some of the most worthwhile knowledge. UNE has showcased its dedication to this idea with the elements chosen to represent its curriculum. For example, an overarching theme of interdisciplinary education, and access to resources that don’t solely check off boxes and course requirements but develop lifelong skills. It is a great feeling to be confident that my goals will be realized during my four years here.
Works Cited
Dweck, Carol. “Growth Mindset”. StanfordAlumni, director. YouTube, YouTube, 9 Oct. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ.
Perkins, McKenzie. “What Is Liberal Arts? Definition and Examples.” ThoughtCo, www.thoughtco.com/liberal-arts-definition-4585053
Scheuer, Jeffrey. “Critical Thinking and the Liberal Arts.” AAUP, 18 Nov. 2015, www.aaup.org/article/critical-thinking-and-liberal-arts.
University of New England, The Core Curriculum Handbook College of Arts and Sciences, 2019 https://www.une.edu/sites/default/files/core_handbook_2019-2020_mcreynolds_edits_august_2019.pdf
Ungar, Sanford J. “7 Major Misperceptions about the Liberal Arts.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 23 July 2020, www.chronicle.com/article/7-major-misperceptions-about-the-liberal-arts/.
