I will never forget the time my education was rendered invalid by a random person. I went to dinner with friends, over the summer between my freshmen and sophomore year. I was proudly wearing my "Purdue Liberal Arts" shirt, when someone said, "Purdue Liberal Arts? Isn't that an oxymoron?" It was then that I realized, while Purdue is widely known for many things like Engineering and Agriculture, it is tremendously successful in many other aspects, including Liberal Arts. Many people still travel from around the world for Purdue's Liberal Arts education.
While many people scoff at the idea of a liberal arts education, it is by far one of the best educations you can have. Employers, graduate schools, and fellowship programs love to see diverse candidates when it comes to education. A liberal arts education gives that diversity, in a well-rounded fashion. Where else can you discuss the ethical dilemmas that arise in climate change policy, or debate the societal constructs that are formed due to social media? Graduates of a liberal arts degree, from any school, enter the workforce like swiss-army knives, jam-packed with multiple tools at their disposal. In a liberal arts education, no matter what you study, you take classes in history, communications, arts and humanities, and all kinds of things, while honing in on your specific craft. You emerge a multi-faceted, well-educated professional, ready to take on the world.
At Purdue University, liberal arts is no oxymoron. It has a core foundation that establishes the student as a knowledgeable contributor to society. In their mission statement, Purdue Liberal Arts has stated that they "push boundaries, create change, and are a force of good in the world." Everyone knows Purdue for its top engineering program but Purdue College of Liberal Arts has programs ranked in Communications, English, and Arts.
Personally, I am an English major. Purdue has one of the top English programs in the country, and getting my English degree here holds a tremendous amount of weight in the professional world. I am constantly being told how many classes much be so much easier than STEM classes, and I know many other Liberal Arts students are told the same. While engineering and science classes would be really hard for me, I think those future scientists and engineers would struggle in my literature classes or communication courses.
Purdue's College of Liberal Arts is this unsung hero, a diamond in the rough. More than 2,800 undergraduate students are in the College of Liberal Arts, studying things from Industrial Design to Creative Writing. The liberal arts education I and so many others get here at Purdue is incomparable. Purdue College of Liberal Arts graduates go on to be lawyers, doctors, professors, CEOs, marketing geniuses, teachers, writers, and so much more. Purdue Liberal Arts supplies students with the ability to see the world and change it for the better. Being a liberal arts student, I am able to combine my love of writing and my passion for the environment, seamlessly. Being a liberal arts student is one of my proudest accomplishments, and I wouldn't do it anywhere else besides Purdue University.
