Dynamics of Perspective

Piggybacking on Aspazia’s post “Don’t Stockpile the Love,” I have some thoughts from a student perspective. Aspazia and I have often talked about how a solid liberal arts education is about widening student perspective. After reading Asapzia’s post, I realized this concept is more dynamic than I had formerly thought.

One sense of perspective gained from liberal arts education is a worldly perspective that introduces students to differing cultures, concepts, ideas, and realities through a multidisciplinary, multi-pronged course of study. Another sense of perspective is gained by having truly exceptional and attentive professors who teach you the value of human capital, social trust, and investment in others.

While the first perspective is academic, the second has a human touch that teaches students the importance of seeing outside of ourselves, the importance of caring for the future and wellbeing of others in the way our professors cared for us. As the first perspective exposes us to a dynamic, complicated world, the second perspective gives us the tools to apply our knowledge in a meaningful way to positively effect others.