Triangle photo by Staff Photographer Maddie K. Doucet.
By John Moore
Staff Writer
“What is the value of the liberal arts major at Bryan College?” some have asked. At its inception 17 years ago, Bill Brown, former president of Bryan, found the answer he and a few others had been looking for.
In the fall of 2010, the liberal arts program at Bryan will once more take a leap forward as the options within the program are refined and expanded. Along with offering four distinct tracts, Raymond Legg, head of the English Department, will become the new liberal arts advisor.
Currently, the 18 students majoring in liberal arts are under the advisory of Travis Ricketts, associate professor of history. With the retirement of two professors in the History Department, Bradford Sample, academic vice president, said it seemed necessary to find a new advisor for the liberal arts program, which will allow Ricketts to move fully into the history department. Because of his love for the liberal arts, Legg voluntarily came to Sample offering to take on the advisory role.
“I thought I might have something to offer here,” said Legg. Of his interest in liberal arts in general Legg said, “You could call it adult ADHD—I’m fascinated by learning and wanting to learn different things.”
With his love of learning and diverse knowledge, Legg hopes to be helpful to students who have a similarly broad desire to learn.
While many have jested that the liberal arts major is for students who cannot decide which major to choose, this is not always so. “Often students choose a liberal arts degree over one in a specific field because of a wide range of interests,” explained Legg.
The liberal arts major is also often shunned because it seems too broad and unspecified. The question was always asked, ‘Well what can I do with this major?’ The answer is, “you can do almost anything,’” said Ken Froemke, accreditation liaison and former liberal arts advisor.
“No liberal arts graduates have ever said they have been unable to find a career field or a graduate program to get into,” said Froemke.
Senior liberal arts and communications major, Tori Stewart, notes the strength of the liberal arts major not only allows great flexibility in choosing classes specific to one’s natural interests, but potentially helps students see the connections between the different fields of study in a general liberal arts education.
“You get to see ideas play out in history,” Stewart said, referring to her philosophy and history classes.
Under the current liberal arts program at Bryan, students have the option to study the humanities or the sciences. However, in the fall, the program will change to provide four tracks for students to choose from: arts and humanities, behavioral and social science, natural and mathematical science and classical studies.
Sample explained, “[the program] is intended to help students pursue their interests in a way that is flexible but has standards.”
Over the last few years, liberal arts majors have found themselves in the hands of many different advisors. Some students have had a different advisor every year of their education at Bryan, according to Stewart.
Under Ricketts, the program once more began to reach stability; Legg hopes to continue that needed stability and provide room for the changes in the program to flourish.
“Once stability is found, you can have a chance to grow and entertain new ideas,” said Legg.
As the liberal arts program at Bryan is refined and stabilized, it may bear consideration for many students desiring a broad degree with a depth of knowledge. For students looking to further their understanding of ideas, clarity of thought and ability to communicate well, liberal arts may be the major for you.
Tags: Bill Brown, Bradford Sample, Ken Froemke, liberal arts, Raymond Legg, Tori Stewart, Travis Ricketts
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