The following is an editorial. All views, thoughts and opinions belong solely to the author and do not necessarily represent those of the Drury Mirror. 

When people think liberal arts, even those who support it wholeheartedly, the stereotype associated with it is a useless degree.

Of course, anyone could tell you that isn’t true. “Liberal arts” is an umbrella term that does not define just the humanities, but an interdisciplinary approach that gets students outside of their comfort zones and majors.

Our concept of the contemporary liberal arts – and of university – originate from the Middle Ages. The trivium included grammar, rhetoric and dialectics; with the quadrivium composed of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and music. Since its inception, the liberal arts have encompassed all subjects in an effort to create well-rounded citizens.

Liberal arts fields and the job market

As much as corporations don’t want you to know it, the liberal arts are thriving. Since 2014, more jobs are available in these fields than before the 2008 recession and, although they may not pay as high as an engineering position, are needed roles to fill. (There’s also the fun labor gap between traditionally female jobs that often fall into the liberal arts such as education, which also decreases the field’s perceived value.) We cannot look down on a profession while simultaneously demanding its services.

Putting STEM on a pedestal eventually leads to too many candidates on the market. Finding a balance is crucial. And for the more philosophy-minded, it never hurts to take a math or science course to stretch those parts of the brain that aren’t always exercised.

As much as I love to complain about my required science credit, I know it’s something that will benefit me in the long run. Having a base understanding of a field adds to the “jack of all trades,” making one more employable and capable of picking up on new skills. And, as annoying as it is to hear about the value of critical thinking skills, employers look for adaptability and problem-solving more than they do a specific degree title.

Careers aside, learning for the sake of learning should remain an option in a society zeroed in on money-making. Your ceramics gen-ed class may never launch you to international galleries, but it will change your perspective on the time and pain that goes into art – and might encourage you to hit up the downtown Art Walk for some original pieces.

Necessity of the liberal arts

Everyone selects their college for a reason. Even if your reason to come to Drury was not based in its liberal arts curriculum, that is one of its founding values that we must cling to dearly. As early as just a few years ago, Drury almost lost its liberal arts basis. Students and faculty alike fought to keep the school from transforming into a STEM- and business-dominated arena. Our theatre department and arts administration major almost got cut. If it wasn’t for the voice of the students, our university might be on a very different path today.

We develop patience and understanding with a liberal arts education because we learn about other fields and paths without having to follow them as a major. Although required credits may be frustrating, they shape character as much as they do education and career opportunities.

Humanities are, after all, the study of us. We need them – maybe not as much as we need air, but they’re up there. To say that an engineer is above a language credit or a literature course insults the individual as much as it does the subject. Likewise, STEM fields push us toward the future. Even though not everyone is cut out for Differential Equations, an understanding of statistics and biology allows a person to interact with the world around them in better ways.

The next time your relatives make a “hm” noise at your choice in college or career, remember that you are following in the centuries-old footsteps of philosophers, mathematicians, artists and educators. Whatever path life takes you down, the liberal arts bolster your chances of success. Don’t waste it.

Written by Maclen Johnson.