Yes, And: How a Foundation in the Humanities Fuels the Future

Speaker: James Meetze

Higher education is suffering from an identity crisis. A crisis perpetuated by rarefied acceptance rates and recent trends toward more exclusive specialization and competency-based outcomes. When Alphabet (Google) performed a self-study to identify the characteristics of their highest performing teams, they found that the seven top characteristics were soft skills; skills developed through a foundation in the Humanities. These include communication and listening; insight into others different points of view; empathy; critical thinking; problem solving; the ability to make connections between complex ideas; and being a good coach. Though these characteristics may seem to describe only the privileged few who are granted access to higher education, that need not be the rule. Open-access education makes the acquisition of these learned skills available to all who desire to learn them and empowers these learners with adaptability that will allow them to thrive in an ever-changing job market. When we normalize the necessity of studying the Humanities, which fosters creativity, imagination, empathy, communication, and critical thinking, we better relate the relevance of these skills to a broad range of applications. When we open access to engagement with the noble arts, we better prepare all who desire to learn for a future that is ever more rapidly in flux and equip them with the dexterity of mind and flexibility of spirit to excel in areas we know and areas we might not yet expect.

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