A recent article in the Worcester Business Journal highlighted the College of the Holy Cross for its strong commitment towards providing a liberal arts education. The article writes that a number of universities have become increasingly trade-focused, but Holy Cross remains steadfast in their mission, noting that the value of a liberal arts education continues to increase.
According the Worcester Business Journal, Holy Cross, and other liberal arts colleges, argue that a liberal arts education gives graduates a wide range of skills that are transferrable between many different careers and industries. Rather than providing the skills for one specific job, a liberal arts education allows students to “think, learn and express thoughts in ways in which a more focused education can leave them lacking.”
Margaret Freije, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College, says that “with college grads engaging in more than one career over their working lives, a liberal arts education, in the long run, allows students to fit into career options that they cannot imagine today.”
The article cites Holy Cross’ Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies (COES) as an example of a program that gives students, from any major, career skills. The COES program is a series of workshops, internships, and recommended classes that provide students with business knowledge. However, rather than limiting this education to business or finance majors, students of any major at Holy Cross may participate. COES gives students “financial literacy” and acts as a bridge between the liberal arts education and the job market. Director of entrepreneurial studies and prebusiness advisor, David Chu says, “This major is not going to determine a career… we have history majors who are COES [students] and we have classics majors who are bankers on Wall Street, so we want to encourage students pursuing any career they want.”
This “Holy Cross in the News” item by Sarah Barrett ’18.
